阅读说明：本技术 两轮式车辆 (Two-wheeled vehicle ) 是由 尼尔·P·奎德 乔希·L·埃德尔 约翰·E·费尔德曼 克拉克·D·达维斯 史蒂文·F·克鲁格 于 2016-12-28 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种车辆(2),该车辆(2)具有纵向中心线,并且该车辆(2)包括：多个接地构件(4、6)；座椅(18),该座椅(18)由多个接地构件(4、6)支承；燃料箱(38),该燃料箱(38)定位在座椅附近；转向组件(42),该转向组件(42)以可操作的方式联接至接地构件中的至少一个接地构件；以及显示器(70-74),显示器(70-74)能够与转向组件一起移动,并且显示器与车辆的纵向中心线相交。显示器定位在燃料箱的前部平面的后方。(A vehicle (2), the vehicle (2) having a longitudinal centerline, and the vehicle (2) comprising: a plurality of ground members (4, 6); a seat (18), the seat (18) being supported by a plurality of ground engaging members (4, 6); a fuel tank (38), the fuel tank (38) being positioned near the seat; a steering assembly (42), the steering assembly (42) being operatively coupled to at least one of the ground engaging members; and a display (70-74), the display (70-74) being movable with the steering assembly, and the display intersecting a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The display is positioned behind the front plane of the fuel tank.)

1. A vehicle (2) having a longitudinal centerline, the vehicle comprising:

a plurality of ground members;

a seat (18), the seat (18) being supported by the plurality of ground engaging members (4, 6) and having a seating position (32);

a fuel tank (38), the fuel tank (38) positioned adjacent to the seat;

a steering assembly (42), the steering assembly (42) operably coupled to at least one of the ground-engaging members, the steering assembly having a gripping surface (140);

a forward cowl (94), the forward cowl (94) being operably coupled to the steering assembly (42); and

at least one display (70, 72, 74), the at least one display (70, 72, 74) being located proximate to the steering assembly, and the at least one display (70, 72, 74) having a plurality of pixels configured to change in response to an input, the at least one display (70, 72, 74) being movable with the steering assembly (42) and intersecting the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle (2), and the at least one display (70, 72, 74) being positioned rearward of a rear limit (102) of the front cowling (94) and rearward of a vertical plane intersecting the fuel tank (38), and wherein a horizontal plane intersecting a center point (76) of the at least one display (70, 72, 74) is located above a horizontal plane intersecting an uppermost limit of an upper lip of the front cowling (94), such that the at least one display (70, 72, 74) is elevated closer to the operator's line of sight.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the display is positioned above an upper limit of the fuel tank.

3. The vehicle of any of claims 1-2, wherein the vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle, the front fairing supports a headlamp (106), and the display is positioned vertically above the headlamp.

4. A vehicle according to any of claims 1 to 3 further comprising an engine (12) and the display is located behind the forward limit of the engine.

5. A vehicle according to claim 4 wherein the display is vertically aligned with a preceding cylinder (16) of the engine.

6. The vehicle of any of claims 1-5, wherein the vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle having a triple clamp assembly (104) and the display is positioned above the triple clamp assembly.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein a lower limit of the display is located above an upper limit of the tri-clamp assembly.

8. The vehicle of any of claims 1-7, wherein the plurality of ground engaging members includes a front ground engaging member configured to rotate about a front rotational axis (5) and a rear ground engaging member configured to rotate about a rear rotational axis (7), and a wheel Width (WB) is defined between the front and rear rotational axes, and the display is positioned rearward of the front rotational axis and a distance (118) from the front rotational axis is at least 30% of the wheel width.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein a vertical distance from the front axis of rotation to a center of the seat is defined by a vertical first distance, and a vertical second distance (116) from a center point of the display to the front axis of rotation is 2 times the first distance.

10. The vehicle of any of claims 1-9, wherein the display has a vertical axis (D) extending through a longitudinal center of the display₂) And a horizontal axis (D) extending through the vertical center of the display₁) (ii) a And the seating position (32) is aligned with the horizontal axis (D)₁) BetweenIs about 16 inches (40.64 centimeters) and the seating position (32) is from the vertical axis (D)₂) The horizontal distance (136) therebetween is about 24.5 inches (62.23 cm).

11. The vehicle of any of claims 1-10, further comprising a visor (88), the visor (88) coupled to an upper extent of the display and extending rearwardly from the display.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a windshield assembly, and the visor is positioned vertically intermediate an upper end and a lower end of the windshield assembly.

13. The vehicle of any of claims 1-12, wherein the gripping surface has a midpoint (141) located rearward of the at least one display (70, 72, 74), the midpoint being within a range of 8 inches to 11 inches (20.3 centimeters to 27.9 centimeters) from the at least one display (70, 72, 74), and the gripping surface being vertically positioned intermediate upper and lower limits of the at least one display (70, 72, 74).

14. An open vehicle (2) having a longitudinal axis, the open vehicle (2) comprising:

a plurality of ground members (4, 6);

a drive train assembly operatively coupled to the plurality of ground engaging members and including an engine (12) having at least one cylinder (16);

a seat (18), the seat (18) supported by the ground engaging member, and the seat (18) configured to support a rider;

a steering assembly (42), the steering assembly (42) being positioned longitudinally forward of the seat;

a fairing (94), the fairing (94) operably coupled to the steering assembly (42); and

a dashboard assembly (46), the dashboard assembly (46) positioned adjacent a portion of the steering assembly, and the dashboard assembly (46) including at least one display (70, 72, 74), characterized in that the display has a plurality of pixels configured to change in response to an input, the dashboard assembly being configured to move with the steering assembly, the display being positioned vertically behind a front limit of the engine; and wherein the at least one display (70, 72, 74) is elevated closer to a line of sight of an operator such that a center point (76) of the at least one display (70, 72, 74) is located vertically above a horizontal plane extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and along an uppermost extent of an upper lip of the fairing (94).

15. The vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a fuel tank (38), the fuel tank (38) being positioned vertically intermediate the display and the at least one cylinder of the engine, and the display being positioned rearward of a front end of the fuel tank.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the display is positioned about 6 to about 8 inches (15.2 to 20.3 centimeters) above an upper limit of the fuel tank.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the horizontal plane intersects the fairing about 1 inch to about 3 inches (2.54 cm to 7.62 cm) above a center point of the display.

18. An open vehicle (2) having a longitudinal axis, the open vehicle (2) comprising:

a front ground engaging member (2), the front ground engaging member (2) being configured to rotate about a front rotational axis;

a rear ground engaging member (4), the rear ground engaging member (4) being configured to rotate about a rear rotational axis, wherein a track Width (WB) is defined between the front rotational axis and the rear rotational axis;

a drive train assembly operably coupled to a plurality of ground engaging members;

a seat (18), said seat (18) being supported by said ground engaging member, and said seat (18) being adapted to support a rider;

a steering assembly (42), the steering assembly (18) being positioned longitudinally forward of the seat;

a forward cowl (94), the forward cowl (94) being operably coupled to the steering assembly (42); and

a dashboard assembly (46), the dashboard assembly (46) positioned adjacent a portion of the steering assembly, and the dashboard assembly (46) including at least one display (70, 72, 74), characterized in that the display has a plurality of pixels configured to change in response to an input, the dashboard assembly is configured to move with and tilt relative to the steering assembly, and a first longitudinal distance (136) from a center of the seat to the display is at least 30% of the wheel base, and wherein the at least one display (70, 72, 74) is elevated closer to a line of sight of an operator such that a center point (76) of the at least one display (70, 72, 74) is vertically above an uppermost limit of an upper lip of the front cowling (94).

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the first longitudinal distance is about 32% of the track width.

20. The vehicle of claim 18 or 19, wherein the vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle comprising a triple clamp assembly (104), and the display is positioned rearward of a center of the triple clamp assembly and the display is a second longitudinal distance (126) from the center of the triple clamp assembly, and the second longitudinal distance is about 10% of the wheel base.

21. The vehicle of any of claims 18-20, further comprising a fairing (94), and the display is positioned rearward from a rear surface of the fairing.

22. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein a center of the display is located less than 2 inches (5.1 centimeters) vertically below an uppermost limit of the fairing.

23. The vehicle of any of claims 18-22, wherein the dashboard assembly includes a visor (88) positioned over the display.

24. The vehicle of any of claims 18-23, further comprising a fuel tank (38) fluidly coupled to the drive train assembly, the fuel tank including at least one meter (216) and a visor (88) positioned above the meter.

25. The vehicle of any of claims 18-24, further comprising a first storage container (50) positioned forward of the display and a second storage container (200) positioned rearward of the display.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to two wheeled vehicles, and more particularly to two wheeled vehicles having at least one display ergonomically positioned for an operator.

Background

The vehicle may include a display screen positioned in front of the operator to provide the operator with information, environmental conditions, or infotainment regarding the vehicle. However, if the display is a touch screen display configured to receive input from an operator, the operator may need to remove his/her hand from the steering device (e.g., steering wheel, handlebar) to contact the screen. Further, since the display is located in front of the operator, the operator may need to lean forward to contact the display.

Disclosure of Invention

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle has a longitudinal centerline, and the vehicle includes: a plurality of ground members; a seat supported by a plurality of ground engaging members; a fuel tank positioned adjacent the seat; a steering assembly operatively coupled to at least one of the ground engaging members; and a display movable with the steering assembly and intersecting the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The display is positioned behind the front plane of the fuel tank.

In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an open vehicle has a longitudinal axis, the open vehicle including a plurality of ground engaging members and a drive train assembly operatively coupled to the plurality of ground engaging members. The drive train assembly includes an engine having at least one cylinder. The vehicle further includes: a seat supported by the ground engaging member and configured to support a rider; a steering assembly positioned longitudinally forward of the seat; and an instrument panel assembly positioned adjacent a portion of the steering assembly. The dashboard assembly includes a display having a plurality of pixels configured to change in response to an input. The instrument panel assembly is also configured to move with the steering assembly. Further, the display is vertically aligned with at least one cylinder of the engine.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, an open vehicle has a longitudinal axis and includes: a front ground engaging member configured to rotate about a front rotational axis; and a rear ground engaging member configured to rotate about a rear rotational axis. A track is defined between the front and rear rotational axes. The vehicle further includes: a drive train assembly operably coupled to the plurality of ground engaging members; a seat supported by the ground engaging member and adapted to support a rider; a steering assembly positioned longitudinally forward of the seat; and an instrument panel assembly positioned adjacent a portion of the steering assembly. The dashboard assembly includes a display having a plurality of pixels configured to change in response to an input. The instrument panel assembly is configured to move with the steering assembly. A first longitudinal distance from the center of the seat to the display is at least 30% of the track width.

Drawings

The above-mentioned and other features of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front left perspective view of a vehicle of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a right rear perspective view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the operating area of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a left rear perspective view of a storage area of the operating area of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the storage area of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the storage region of FIG. 8 taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a top view of the operational area of FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 with an operator positioned thereon;

FIG. 14 is a left front view of a front portion of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 15A is a front left view of the wiring harness and support bracket positioned at the front portion of FIG. 14;

FIG. 15B is an exploded view of the wiring harness and support bracket of FIG. 14;

figure 16 is a front left perspective view of a triple clamp assembly configured to couple with the support bracket of figures 15A and 15B;

FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view of a protective bar (highway bar) of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 18 is an exploded view of a foot peg coupled to the saver bar of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a side view of a saddle bag of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 20 is a front left perspective view of the latch assembly of the saddle bag of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a front left perspective view of the latch assembly of FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a left rear perspective view of a trunk assembly for the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 23 is an exploded view of the underside of the trunk assembly of FIG. 22; and

FIG. 24 is an exploded view of a bearing plate and a trunk of the trunk assembly of FIG. 22.

Detailed Description

The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize the teachings of the embodiments. Although the invention is primarily concerned with motorcycles, it should be understood that the invention may be applied to other types of vehicles, such as all terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, boats, utility vehicles, scooters, golf carts, and mopeds.

Referring to fig. 1-7, an illustrative embodiment of a vehicle 2 is shown. The vehicle 2 is shown as a two-wheeled vehicle, such as a motorcycle, comprising: a front ground member 4 having a front rotational axis 5 (fig. 3); a rear ground engaging member 6 having a rear rotational axis 7 (fig. 13); a frame assembly 8 supported by the ground engaging members 4, 6 and extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis L (fig. 5); and a powertrain assembly 10 supported by frame assembly 8. Powertrain assembly 10 includes an engine 12 and a transmission 14. The transmission 14 may be a shiftable transmission or a continuously variable transmission. The engine 12 is operatively coupled to the transmission 14, and the engine 12 includes at least one cylinder 16, and illustratively includes two cylinders 16. A fuel tank 38 is fluidly coupled to engine 12 and is positioned substantially above cylinders 16.

Referring to fig. 1-5, a seat assembly 18 is coupled to the frame assembly 8 and is positioned generally above at least a portion of the powertrain assembly 10. The seat assembly 18 includes an operator seat 20 defined by a seat bottom 22 and a seat back 24 and a passenger seat 26 defined by a seat bottom 28 and a seat back 30. The seat bottom 22 has a center point 32 located longitudinally between its forward and rearward limits (extensions) 34 and 36 (fig. 3). As shown in fig. 3, the forward limit 34 of the seat bottom 22 is adjacent the rearward limit of the fuel tank 38.

Referring to fig. 1-6, 12, and 13, the vehicle 2 includes an operating region 40, the operating region 40 being positioned generally forward of the seat assembly 18 and rearward of at least a portion of a front cowling or body panel 94 of the vehicle 2. The fairing 94 includes an upper limit defined by an upper lip 96. The center point 98 of the upper lip 96 is aligned with the longitudinal axis L, and the uppermost limit of the upper lip 96 is defined at an upper limit 100 rearward and laterally outward of the center point 98. The cowling 94 extends rearwardly to an aft limit 102 positioned generally above the upper limit of the fuel tank 38.

The fairing 94 is coupled to a triple clamp assembly 104 (fig. 16) of the vehicle 2 and supports a headlamp 106 (fig. 6) forward of the triple clamp assembly 104. The triple clamp assembly 104 is operatively coupled to a portion of the vehicle frame assembly 8 by a center coupler 108, and the triple clamp assembly 104 is operatively coupled to the steering assembly 42 by a bracket 110 (fig. 16). Additional details of the fairing 92 and the triple clamp assembly 104 are disclosed in U.S. patent application serial No. 14/077,037 (attorney docket No. PLR-12-26258.01P), the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

As shown in fig. 8-13, the operating region 40 includes a steering assembly 42 having a gripping surface 140 (fig. 3 and 13) with a midpoint, a windshield 44, and an instrument panel assembly 46. Illustratively, the steering assembly 42 defines a handle having a gripping surface 140 for the operator's hand. Alternatively, the steering assembly 42 may be a steering wheel or any other steering device configured to turn the vehicle 2. Further, in one embodiment, the windshield 44 is configured to move between a raised position that protects the operator from at least some air/wind as the vehicle moves and a lowered position that may expose the operator to air/wind as the vehicle 2 moves.

Referring now to fig. 8-13, the instrument panel assembly 46 of the operating area 40 includes a storage area 48 in which an operator may place personal items during operation of the vehicle 2. In one embodiment, the storage area 48 is positioned at an upper surface of the instrument panel assembly 46 and near a rear surface of the windshield 44. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the storage area 48 is positioned forward of the fuel tank 38. The location of the storage area 48 provides easy access to the storage area 48 by an operator during operation of the vehicle 2. For example, the operator may contact forward to access the storage area 48 without leaning forward on the seat bottom 22 such that the vehicle 2 maintains the same route as the operator accesses the storage area 48.

The illustrative storage area 48 includes a storage container 50 removably positioned within an opening 59 of the instrument panel assembly 46. As shown in fig. 9 and 12, the storage container 50 may include an electrical connector 60 (e.g., a USB port) for electrically connecting the device to an electrical system 220 (fig. 14) of the vehicle 2. In one embodiment, the storage container 50 is constructed of a polymeric material, and more particularly a flexible polymeric material (e.g., rubber or silicone), such that the storage container 50 may be compressed or otherwise manipulated to pull the storage container 50 out of the opening 59 and/or back into the opening 59. The storage container 50 includes an upstanding lip 62 and a shoulder 64 for coupling with the instrument panel assembly 46. More specifically, as shown in fig. 11, the shoulder 64 receives a protrusion 66 of the instrument panel assembly 46 to couple the storage container 50 to the instrument panel assembly 46. When the storage container 50 is coupled to the dashboard assembly 46, the interior volume 68 of the storage container 50 is angled such that the upstanding lip 62 is positioned rearward of the interior volume 68. In addition, the lip 62 prevents water or other fluids from entering the interior volume 68 of the storage container 50.

Referring to fig. 8-12, the storage area 48 further includes a cover 52, the cover 52 being pivotably coupled to a portion of the instrument panel assembly 46 by a hinge 54. Illustratively, the hinge 54 is spring-loaded, however, the hinge 54 may be any member configured to rotate the lid 52 between the closed position (fig. 8) and the open position (fig. 9). When in the closed position of fig. 8, the lid 52 covers the storage container 50 to conceal items within the interior volume 68, and the lid 52 is latched to the instrument panel assembly 46 or otherwise coupled to the instrument panel assembly 46 with the latch members 56 extending from the lid 52, the latch members 56 being received within the latch apertures 58 of the instrument panel assembly 46. In one embodiment, an operator may push the lid 52 downward to release the latch member 56 from the latch aperture 58 and open the lid 52. Further, to close the lid 52, the operator may pivot the lid 52 downward to insert the latch member 56 into the latch aperture 58.

Referring to fig. 8 and 11-13, the instrument panel assembly 46 further includes a plurality of visual indicators including at least a first display or meter 70, a second display or meter 72, and a third display or meter 74. In one embodiment, the displays 70, 72, 74 may be movable or configured to tilt between an upper position and a lower position to accommodate operator preferences. Illustratively, as shown in fig. 8 and 11, at least the first display 70 is positioned behind the cover 52 of the storage area 48 and vertically below the cover 52 of the storage area 48. Further, as shown in fig. 8, the first display 70 is positioned intermediate the second display 72 and the third display 74 and is positioned along a longitudinal axis L (fig. 5) such that the longitudinal axis L intersects a center point 76 of the first display 70. The first, second, and third displays 70, 72, 74 are configured to display various data or information regarding the operating conditions of the vehicle 2, environmental conditions, infotainment (e.g., GPS, radio, wireless connection, etc.),Connection, audio settings) and/or any other information that may be useful to an operator during operation of the vehicle 2.

In one embodiment, at least the first display 70 is a touch screen display having a plurality of pixels configured to change in response to an operator input. For example, the operator may use his/her finger to select an option on the first display 70 and receive information about the vehicle 2 and environmental conditions, etc. Further, the dashboard assembly 46 may support a plurality of inputs 82 positioned proximate the first display 70, the plurality of inputs 82 also allowing the operator to change the information presented on the first display 70 and also access various features of the vehicle 2 (e.g., radio, GPS, etc.),Power or on/off inputs for the displays 70, 72, 74, and other infotainment options). In one embodiment, the input 82 is a button positioned along a side of the first display 70。

The instrument panel assembly 46 may also include additional inputs 84, 86 positioned outward from the input 82 to control various functions of the vehicle 2. For example, the input 86 may be a power button of the vehicle 2, such that the input 86 turns the vehicle 2 on and off. In addition, the input 84 may control fog lights or other features of the vehicle 2.

In one embodiment, the first display 70 has a generally square cross-section defined by a width 78 and a height 80. Illustratively, the width 78 may be about 5 to 7 inches (12.7 to 17.8 centimeters), such as 6.2 inches (15.7 centimeters), and the height 80 may be about 3 to 5 inches (7.2 to 12.7 centimeters), such as 3.8 inches (9.65 centimeters). The second display 72 and the third display 74 may also define a square cross-section, however, the illustrative second display 72 and third display 74 define a circular cross-section.

As shown in fig. 8, 11, 12, and 13, the instrument panel assembly 46 may further include a first visor 88 positioned directly above the first display 70, a second visor 90 positioned directly above the second display 72, and a third visor 92 positioned directly above the third display 74 to reduce any glare on the displays 70, 72, 74 when viewed by the operator. More specifically, the visors 88, 90, 92 are cantilevered rearwardly above the upper limits of the displays 70, 72, 74, respectively, such that the displays 70, 72, 74 are protected from sunlight or other glare, thereby increasing the visibility of the information on the displays 70, 72, 74 to the operator. As shown in fig. 12, the visors 88, 90, 92 define a rearward extension of the upper surface of the instrument panel assembly 46. Thus, the upper surface of the dashboard assembly 46 includes both the cover 52 of the storage area 48 and the visors 88, 90, 92 for the displays 70, 72, 74. Further, at least the first shade 88 is vertically positioned intermediate an upper limit 142 and a lower limit 144 of the windshield 44 (fig. 6).

The fuel tank 38 also includes at least one display 216 configured to display fuel information to an operator. As with the displays 70, 72, 74, the display 216 on the fuel tank 38 may also include a visor 218 cantilevered rearward above the upper limit of the display 216 to reduce glare on the display 216 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 8).

Referring to fig. 13, the displays 70, 72, 74 are positioned on the vehicle 2 in an ergonomic manner such that the operator need not lean forward when accessing the displays 70, 72, 74. More specifically, the displays 70, 72, 74 are positioned to be within the arm length of an average male operator (i.e., a male with a measurement of the 50 th percentile) so that the operator may access the displays 70, 72, 74 without leaning forward from the seat 20 (i.e., the operator's hips remain on the seat bottom 22 while accessing the displays 70, 72, 74). For example, as shown in FIG. 13, a center point 76 of first display 70 is located directly above one of cylinders 16 and illustratively behind the forward limit of one of cylinders 16 of engine 12. Further, the center point 76 of the first display 70 is located above the fuel tank 38, and more specifically, behind the front limit or front plane of the fuel tank 38. Moreover, the center point 76 of the first display 70 may be located longitudinally forward of the forward limit 34 of the seat bottom 22 by about 20 inches to 30 inches (50.8 centimeters to 76.2 centimeters), and more specifically, the center point 76 of the first display 70 is located longitudinally forward of the forward limit 34 by about 23.0 inches to 24.0 inches (58.4 centimeters to 60.9 centimeters). The first display 70 is also positioned aft of an aft limit 102 of the fairing 94 and the center point 76 of the display 70 is above an uppermost limit 100 of the upper lip 96 of the fairing 94. Further, in one embodiment, the lower limit of first display 70 is positioned vertically above triple clamp assembly 104. Additionally, the gripping surface 140 of the steering assembly 42 is positioned vertically intermediate the upper and lower limits of the first display 70 such that the operator need only move his/her hand laterally inward to access the first display 70. More specifically, a midpoint 141 (fig. 3) of the gripping surface 140 is located about 8 to 11 inches (20.3 to 27.9 centimeters) behind the first display 70, for example, about 9.3 to 9.7 inches (23.6 to 24.6 centimeters). By positioning the first display 70 in these positional relationships relative to the other components of the vehicle 2, the first display 70 is positioned in an ergonomic manner for the operator when he/she is seated on the seat 22 such that the operator does not need to tilt forward when contacting the first display 70 in order to access the first display 70.

The first display 70 is also positioned at least 30% behind the front rotational axis 5 in a track WB (fig. 13) defined between the rotational axis 5 of the ground engaging member 4 and the rotational axis 7 of the ground engaging member 6. For example, the track width WB of the vehicle 2 may be about 65 inches (165.1 centimeters), and the longitudinal distance between the front rotational axis 5 and the center point 76 of the first display 70 may be about 32% of the track width WB. Alternatively, the first display 70 may be positioned behind the front rotational axis 5 as little as 5% to 29% of the track width WB or as much as 31% to 85% of the track width WB, or any percentage between 5% to 85% of the track width WB.

According to table 1, in one example of a vehicle 2, the first display 70 is elevated closer to the operator's line of sight such that a horizontal plane D extending through a center point 76 of the first display 70₁Vertically above various components of vehicle 2 and with first display 70 positioned rearwardly within the length of the operator's arm, such that a vertical plane D extending through center point 76 of first display 70₂Longitudinally rearward of the various components of the vehicle 2 to prevent the operator from leaning forward during operation of the vehicle 2 to access the first display 70 (fig. 13):

TABLE 1

Although one embodiment of the vehicle 2 of fig. 13 includes the first display 70 in the position disclosed in table 1, it should be understood that the position of the first display 70 may be adjusted such that the center point 76 of the first display 70 may be approximately 42-46 inches (106.7-116.8 centimeters) from the ground G, approximately 30-35 inches (76.2-88.9 centimeters) above the front rotational axis 5 and approximately 19-24 inches (48.3-60.96 centimeters) behind the front rotational axis 5, approximately 8-11 inches (20.3-27.9 centimeters) above the center point 112 of the front light 106Meters) and about 15 to 18 inches (38.1 to 45.7 centimeters) behind center point 112 of headlight 106, about 5 to 7 inches (12.7 to 17.8 centimeters) above center coupler 108 of triple clamp assembly 104 and about 7 to 11 inches (17.8 to 27.9 centimeters) behind center coupler 108 of triple clamp assembly 104, about 0.1 to 4 inches (0.254 to 10.16 centimeters) below upper bound 100 of fairing 94 or about 0.1 to 2 inches (0.254 to 5.08 centimeters) above upper bound 100 of fairing 94, about 0.1 to 3 inches (0.254 to 7.62 centimeters) below center point 98 of fairing 94 or about 0.1 to 2.0 inches (0.254 to 5.08 centimeters) above center point 98 of fairing 94, about 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 7.62 centimeters) behind center point 98 of fairing 94, about 20.1 to 30.32 inches (20.1 to 30.32 centimeters) above center point 98 of fairing 94, and about 19 to 6.48 inches (19 to 32 centimeters) above seat bottom of seat Portion 22 is about 22 to 35 inches (55.9 to 88.9 cm) forward of center point 32 and about 5 to 9 inches (12.7 to 21.6 cm) above the upper limit of fuel tank 38. And, from the rotation axis 5 to the axis D₁Is twice the vertical distance from the axis of rotation 5 to the center of the seat (i.e., distance 116 minus distance 136).

Referring to fig. 15A-16, wiring harness bracket 146 of vehicle 2 is positioned forward of front display 70 and is configured to support wires and wires of electrical system 220 of vehicle 2. For example, the wiring harness support 146 may be electrically coupled to: displays 70, 72, 74; inputs 82, 84, 86; an electrical connector 60; a headlight 106; and other electrical components. Wiring harness support 146 is coupled to support member 148 by fasteners 154, fasteners 154 being received within apertures 156 on support member 148. Support member 148 is coupled to triple clamp assembly 104 by fastener 150, fastener 150 being received within aperture 152 on triple clamp assembly 104. As shown in fig. 15A and 15B, wiring harness support 146 includes a plurality of retention members 158, the plurality of retention members 158 configured to receive and organize wires or lines such that at least a portion of the wires on vehicle 2 are positioned on wiring harness support 146 to electrically couple with various electrical connectors and/or components of vehicle 2. Thus, rather than each vehicle 2 having a different routing configuration for wiring, vehicles 2 may be manufactured with similar electrical routing and tension in the wires via wiring harness bracket 146.

As shown in fig. 17 and 18, in addition to positioning the first display 70 in an ergonomic position for the rider, the vehicle 2 may also include a fender bar 160, the fender bar 160 having a projection or foot peg 162 extending laterally outward from the fender bar 160. The fender bar 160 is coupled to a portion of the frame assembly 8 and is positioned forward of the engine 12 (FIG. 1). Foot peg 162 is removably coupled to utility bar 160 by a coupling 164, wherein coupling 164 has an inner member 164a and an outer member 164b coupled together by a fastener 166, fastener 166 being received through an opening 167 in outer member 164b and an opening 168 in inner member 164 a. Thus, foot pegs 162 can be added to or removed from the strongback 160, and the position of foot pegs 162 on the strongback 160 can be adjusted to suit the preference of the operator. In one embodiment, foot peg 162 may be integrally formed with outer member 164 b. Illustratively, foot peg 162 is circular and defines a tapered conical shape for supporting an operator's foot, however, foot peg 162 may define any shape configured to support an operator's foot. By providing foot pegs 162 on guard bar 160, the operator has additional locations to place his/her feet during operation of vehicle 2. For example, foot pegs 162 are provided on vehicle 2 in addition to conventional foot pegs so that the operator has several options of where to place his/her feet during operation of vehicle 2. More specifically, the foot peg 162 may allow the operator to move his/her feet out of a straight-ahead position to relax his/her feet and legs during operation of the vehicle 2.

Referring to fig. 19-24, the rear portion of vehicle 2 includes at least one saddle bag 170 and a trunk 172. The saddle bag 170 and the trunk 172 may be removable fittings for the vehicle 2 or may be permanently fixed to the vehicle 2. Illustratively, as shown in fig. 1 and 7, the saddle bag 170 is located laterally to the rear ground engaging member 6 and is positioned laterally outward from the passenger seat 26. The saddle bag 170 includes a storage portion 174 and a cover or covering 176 that rotates relative to the storage portion 174 to expose or conceal items located in the storage portion 174. The storage portion 174 and the cover 176 may be constructed of any material, such as fabric, leather, or hard plastic.

As shown in fig. 19-21, cover 176 is coupled to storage portion 174 by at least one, and illustratively three, coupling members 178. The coupling member 178 may include an upper band portion 180, a lower band portion 182 (fig. 21), a coupling member, illustratively a buckle 184, and a latch member, illustratively a combination lock 186 (fig. 21). Illustratively, the saddle bag 170 includes two combination locks 186, however, alternative embodiments of the saddle bag 170 may include more or less than two combination locks 186.

Referring to fig. 21, the combination lock 186 has an upper member 188 coupled to the lower strap portion 182 and a lower member 190 coupled to the storage portion 174 by a coupling member 192, such as a strap, bracket, buckle, or any other device configured to couple the combination lock 186 to the storage portion 174. The upper member 188 is releasably coupled to the lower member 190 by a projection 194 on the lower member 190 that is received within an opening 196 of the upper member 188. The upper member 188 may also be locked with the lower member 190 such that pressing the projection 194 does not release the upper member 188 from the lower member 190. More specifically, the upper member 188 includes a lock dial 198, the lock dial 198 including numerals 0 through 9 and configured to be set to a specific number that unlocks the upper member 188 from the lower member 190. For example, if the combination of the combination lock 186 is 88, as shown in FIG. 21, the dial 198 must be rotated to 88 in order to release the upper member 188 from the lower member 190. Whenever the dial 198 is rotated to a number other than 88, the upper member 188 will not be released from the lower member 190. Thus, when the operator leaves vehicle 2, saddle bag 170 may be locked to prevent someone from accessing any items within storage portion 174.

In one embodiment, the vehicle control unit (not shown) may be configured to automatically lock any storage container of the vehicle 2. For example, the vehicle control unit may automatically lock the saddle bag 170 and/or the cover 52 of the storage container 50 when the vehicle 2 is parked or when the windshield 44 is in a lowered position, as the windshield 44 may be in a lowered position when the vehicle 2 is not operating. In this embodiment, the saddle bag 170 and/or the storage container 50 may remain open when the windshield 44 is in the raised position unless the operator specifically locks the saddle bag 170 and/or the storage container 50. Further, the saddle bag 170 and/or the storage container 50 may be locked by a key, key fob, or any other mechanism.

Referring to fig. 22-24, vehicle 2 may also include a trunk 172 for additional storage. In one embodiment, trunk 172 may be removably coupled to vehicle 2 such that an operator may add trunk 172 to vehicle 2 or remove trunk 172 from vehicle 2 at any time. The trunk 172 includes: a storage container 200; a support plate 202, the support plate 202 received within an enclosure 204 or pocket of the storage container 200; and a trunk frame 208, the trunk frame 208 being coupled to the support plate 202 by the latch member 206. The support plate 202 is received within the enclosure piece 204 of the storage container 200, and the support plate 202 is configured to provide a flat lower surface of the storage container 200 and to couple the storage container 200 to the trunk frame 208. The front end of trunk frame 208 is coupled to trunk 172 by straps, clamps, latches, or any other type of coupling device. Illustratively, a forward end of trunk frame 208 is removably coupled to trunk 172 by straps (fig. 22). As shown in fig. 24, the latch member 206 may also be coupled to the support plate 202 by a bracket or other coupling member 214. The coupling member 214 may be secured to the support plate 202 with conventional fasteners, such as rivets, bolts, welding, and the like. The support plate 202 is configured to be received within the enclosure 204 such that the bracket 214 is concealed, but the latch member 206 extends through one end of the enclosure 204 to couple with a rear end of the trunk frame 208. Additionally, the support plate 202 may include fasteners that are received within the fasteners on the enclosure 204 to further secure the support plate 202 within the enclosure 204 (fig. 24). In one embodiment, the fastener 216 is a female fastener and the fastener 218 is a male fastener configured to receive a tab of the female fastener on the support panel 202. Alternatively, the fasteners 216, 218 may define other mechanisms for releasably coupling the support plate 202 to the enclosure 204, such as hook and loop fasteners or clamps.

Trunk frame 208 is coupled to frame assembly 8 or another component of vehicle 2 at an end 210 of trunk frame 208. For example, the end 210 may be received within an opening of the frame assembly 8 of the vehicle 2. Further, the latch member 206 is removably coupled to the outer limit 212 of the trunk frame 208 such that the trunk frame 208 is positioned below the storage container 200, as shown in fig. 22. Thus, when the operator wants to remove the storage container 200 from the vehicle 2, the operator actuates the latch member 206 to remove the storage container 200 and the support plate 202 from the vehicle 2. However, the trunk frame 208 may remain coupled to the vehicle 2 when the storage container 200 is removed, or, alternatively, the operator may also remove the trunk frame 208 from the vehicle 2 when the storage container 200 is removed.

In one embodiment, trunk 172 is configured to include interchangeable components such that different storage containers may be coupled to trunk frame 208 by only coupling corresponding bearing plates of the different storage containers to trunk frame 208. Alternatively, different storage receptacles may include an enclosure that may also receive the support plate 202, such that different storage receptacles may be mounted to the support plate 202 and the trunk frame 208. The vehicle 2 may also be configured to support an embodiment of a trunk disclosed in U.S. patent application serial No. 14/077,037 (attorney docket number PLR-12-26258.01P), the complete disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

While this invention has been described as having an exemplary design, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.