JP7472178B2 - Saddle type vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a saddle-type vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art Protectors for protecting predetermined parts of saddle-ride type vehicles are known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-233633 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-233634).
Patent Document 1 describes a scooter-type motorcycle that is provided with a muffler protector. In Patent Document 1, the muffler protector is provided below a rear cover made of resin and protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the rear cover.
Patent Document 2 describes providing a protector on the inner surface of a side cover that covers a fuel tank. In Patent Document 2, the protector protects the fuel tank from the side cover, which is the first to come into contact with the ground and deform when the vehicle rolls over.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-301555 JP 2021-120240 A

In the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when the vehicle rolls over, the protector can protect localized areas such as the muffler and fuel tank, but it is desirable to protect a wider range of areas including other areas. In order to protect the other areas, it is possible to provide protectors that protect the other areas, but there is a problem in that the number of protectors can be excessive.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide a saddle-ride type vehicle that can protect a wide range of the body cover while utilizing a muffler protector when the vehicle rolls over.

The saddle-ride type vehicle is characterized in that it is provided with a muffler protector that overlaps with a muffler in a height direction, a front side protector is attached to the side of a front cowl, a body cover is provided between the muffler protector and the front side protector in the fore-and-aft direction, a foot rest is provided between the muffler protector and the front side protector in the fore-and-aft direction at a position lower than the muffler protector and the front side protector, and a step protector is provided that is disposed along the foot rest at the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the foot rest and a step cover extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body below the foot rest, the muffler protector and the front side protector overlap in the height direction when viewed from the front, and are located outboard in the vehicle width direction than the body cover , and an upper end of the step protector has a shape that corresponds to the lower end of the front side protector and is connected to the lower end .

It is possible to provide a saddle-type vehicle that can protect a wide area of the vehicle body cover while utilizing a muffler protector in the event of the vehicle tipping over.

1 is a side view of a saddle-ride type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a plan view of a main portion of a saddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a front view of a main portion of a saddle-ride type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, directions such as front, back, left, right, and up and down are the same as directions relative to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. In addition, the symbol FR in each figure indicates the front of the vehicle body, the symbol UP indicates the upper part of the vehicle body, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the vehicle body.

[Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a side view of a saddle-ride type vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The saddle-type vehicle 10 is a vehicle that includes a body frame 11, a power unit 12 supported by the body frame 11, a front fork 14 that supports a front wheel 13 so as to be freely steerable, a swing arm 16 that supports a rear wheel 15, and a seat 17 for a passenger.
The saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is a vehicle in which a passenger sits astride a seat 17. The seat 17 is provided above the rear portion of the body frame 11.

The body frame 11 includes a head pipe 18 provided at the front end of the body frame 11, a front frame 19 located rearward of the head pipe 18, and a rear frame 20 located rearward of the front frame 19. The front end of the front frame 19 is connected to the head pipe 18.
The seat 17 is supported by a rear frame 20 .

The front fork 14 is supported by the head pipe 18 so that it can be steered left and right. The front wheel 13 is supported by an axle 13a provided at the lower end of the front fork 14. A steering handle 21 that is held by the rider is attached to the upper end of the front fork 14.

The swing arm 16 is supported by a pivot shaft 22 that is supported by the body frame 11. The pivot shaft 22 is a shaft that extends horizontally in the vehicle width direction. The pivot shaft 22 is inserted into the front end of the swing arm 16. The swing arm 16 swings up and down about the pivot shaft 22.
The rear wheel 15 is supported by an axle 15 a provided at the rear end of a swing arm 16 .

The power unit 12 is disposed between the front wheels 13 and the rear wheels 15 and is supported by the body frame 11 .
The power unit 12 is an internal combustion engine. The power unit 12 includes a crankcase 23 and a cylinder portion 24 that houses a reciprocating piston. An exhaust device 25 is connected to an exhaust port of the cylinder portion 24.
The output of the power unit 12 is transmitted to the rear wheel 15 by a driving force transmission member that connects the power unit 12 and the rear wheel 15 .

The saddle-type vehicle 10 also includes a front fender 26 that covers the front wheel 13 from above, a rear fender 27 that covers the rear wheel 15 from above, a step 28 on which a rider places his or her feet, and a fuel tank 29 that stores fuel used by the power unit 12.
The front fender 26 is attached to the front fork 14. The rear fender 27 and the step 28 are provided below the seat 17. The fuel tank 29 is supported by the body frame 11.

The saddle-type vehicle 10 is a motorcycle.
The front frame 19 comprises a pair of left and right main frames 31 extending rearward and downward from the head pipe 18, a pair of left and right center frames 32 extending downward from the rear ends of the main frames 31, and a pair of left and right down frames 33 extending rearward and downward from the head pipe 18 below the main frames 31.

The rear frame 20 includes a pair of left and right seat frames 34 that extend rearward and upward from the upper end of the center frame 32, and a pair of left and right subframes 35 that extend rearward and upward from the vertical midpoint of the center frame 32 and are connected to the rear ends of the seat frames 34.

The pivot shaft 22 is attached to a center frame 32 .
The swing arm 16 extends rearward from a pivot shaft 22 below the rear frame 20 .

The seat 17 is integrally provided with a driver's seat 17A on which the driver sits and a passenger's seat 17B on which a passenger sits. The driver's seat 17A is disposed above a fuel tank 29. The driver's seat 17A overlaps with the fuel tank 29 and the crankcase 23 in the front-rear direction. The passenger's seat 17B is disposed above a muffler 25A of the exhaust device 25.
A pillion step 36 is provided below the front portion of the passenger seat 17B.

The rear end of the exhaust device 25 is configured with a muffler 25A that reduces exhaust noise. The muffler 25A is positioned above the rear wheel 15. In this embodiment, the muffler 25A is a so-called up muffler. The muffler 25A is positioned above the pillion step 36 and below the passenger seat 17B. The muffler 25A extends in the front-rear direction. The muffler 25A overlaps with the rear fender 27 in a side view of the vehicle.

The saddle-ride type vehicle 10 includes an exterior member 40. The exterior member 40 covers a vehicle body that is configured with the vehicle body frame 11, the power unit 12, etc. The exterior member 40 includes covers 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 and protectors 51, 52, 53.
In this embodiment, the covers 41 to 48 are made of resin. The covers 41 to 48 are resin members.
The exterior member 40 includes a front cowl 41 that covers the periphery of the front forks 14. The front cowl 41 has a front cover 42. The front cover 42 covers the front and side portions of the front forks 14 and the head pipe 18 from the front and sides.

A front inner cover (leg shield) 43 is disposed behind the front cover 42. The front inner cover 43 covers an upper portion of the front fork 14 and the head pipe 18 from the rear. The front inner cover 43 is connected to the left and right rear edges of the front cover 42.
The front cover 42 and the front inner cover 43 form the front cowl 41 of the present embodiment.

A center cover 45 is disposed behind the front inner cover 43. The center cover 45 extends rearward from the lower end of the front inner cover 43. The center cover 45 extends below the front end of the seat 17. The center cover 45 covers the pair of left and right main frames 31 from above.

The front inner cover 43, the center cover 45, and the seat 17 form a downwardly recessed straddling space S0. The straddling space S0 is a space where the driver can put his/her feet when straddling the main frame 31 from side to side.

Left and right separate body side covers (vehicle covers in the center of the front-to-rear direction) 46 are arranged below the center cover 45 and extend rearward. The left and right body side covers 46 extend rearward along the bottom of the center cover 45, and extend rearward below the seat 17. The left and right body side covers 46 cover the main frame 31, center frame 32, and down frame 33 from the sides.

The center cover 45 and the left and right body side covers 46 form the center tunnel section 44 in this embodiment. The center tunnel section 44 has a generally inverted U-shaped cross section and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The main frame 31 is disposed inside the center tunnel section 44.

Right and left separate rear side covers (vehicle body covers at the rear in the fore-and-aft direction) 47 are arranged behind the body side covers 46. The left and right rear side covers 47 cover the rear frame 20 from the outside in the vehicle width direction below the seat 17.

Left and right separate step covers 48 are arranged below the center tunnel section 44. The step covers 48 have a bulging shape that bulges outward in the vehicle width direction. The step covers 48 extend rearward from the lower end of the front cowl 41. A step (footrest) 28 on which the driver places his/her feet is provided on the upper surface of the step covers 48.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main portion of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the step 28 in this embodiment is formed on both the left and right sides of the center tunnel portion 44. The step 28 is located below the straddle space S0. The step 28 has a left-right width and extends in the front-rear direction. The step 28 extends from forward to rearward beyond the front inner cover 43 (see Figure 1). The step 28 extends to a position rearward beyond the straddle space S0. The step 28 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the front cowl 41 and the body side cover 46 (see Figure 2).

As shown in FIG. 1, the step 28 has a front step 28A extending downward to the rear (upward to the front) and a rear step 28B extending upward to the rear (downward to the front) from the rear end of the front step 28A.
The front step 28A is disposed forward of the down frame 33.
The rear step 28B straddles the down frame 33 in the front-rear direction and extends to the clutch cover portion 23A of the crankcase 23. The clutch cover portion 23A has a circular shape in a side view of the vehicle. In the present embodiment, the rear step 28B extends to the clutch cover portion 23A so as to enter below the clutch cover portion 23A. The clutch cover portion 23A protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the right body side cover 46. The right step 28 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the clutch cover portion 23A.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a main portion of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in Figures 1 and 3, a front side protector (side cowl) 51 is attached to the side of the front cowl 41. The front side protector 51 is made of metal. The front side protector 51 is disposed below the front cowl 41. The front side protector 51 is disposed in front of the body side cover 46. The front side protector 51 is engaged with the front cowl 41 and supported by the front frame 19 via the front cowl 41. Alternatively, the front side protector 51 may overlap the down frame 33 in a side view and be supported by a stay (support portion) (not shown) of the down frame 33.

The front side protector 51 is provided at a position where it can protect the front cowl 41. The front end 51A of the front side protector 51 overlaps the front fork 14 in a front view. The front side protector 51 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 (see FIG. 3). The front side protector 51 has a rear end 51D (see FIG. 1) that tapers rearward.

A step protector (protector portion) 52 is attached below the front side protector 51. The step protector 52 is made of metal. The step protector 52 is disposed at the outer end of the step cover 48 in the vehicle width direction. That is, the step protector 52 is disposed at the outer end of the step 28 in the vehicle width direction. The step protector 52 protects the step cover 48. The step protector 52 is disposed along the step 28, and in a side view, extends rearward below the step 28. The step protector 52 is engaged with the step cover 48, and the step cover 48 is supported by the front frame 19. Alternatively, the step protector 52 may overlap the down frame 33 in a side view, and be supported by a stay (support portion) (not shown) of the down frame 33 through an opening (not shown) of the step cover 48.

The step protector 52 is disposed in front of the clutch cover portion 23A. The upper end 52A of the step protector 52 has a shape corresponding to the lower end 51B of the front side protector 51. The upper end 52A of the step protector 52 is connected to the lower end 51B of the front side protector 51. The step protector 52 and the front side protector 51 form an integrated protective shape in appearance. The step protector 52 and the front side protector 51 form a roughly S-shaped external shape when viewed from the right side. The step protector 52 extends rearward beyond the front side protector 51.

At the rear of the vehicle body, a muffler protector 53 is disposed on the right side (outside in the vehicle width direction) of the muffler 25A. The material of the muffler protector 53 is metal. The muffler protector 53 is engaged with the rear side cover 47 and supported by the rear frame 20 via the rear side cover 47. Alternatively, the muffler protector 53 may overlap the seat frame 34 and the subframe 35 in a side view and be supported by stays (support parts) (not shown) of the seat frame 34 and the subframe 35.

The muffler protector 53 extends in the front-to-rear direction. The cross section of the muffler protector 53 is curved and concave to the upper right. The muffler protector 53 is disposed along the right side surface of the muffler 25A and covers the muffler 25A from the upper right. The muffler protector 53 overlaps with the muffler 25A in the height direction (up-down direction). The lower edge 53A (see FIG. 1) of the muffler protector 53 overlaps with the muffler 25A. The rear and lower parts of the muffler 25A are exposed from the muffler protector 53 in a side view. The muffler 25A is protected by the muffler protector 53.

When viewed from the front, the muffler protector 53 overlaps with the front side protector 51 in the height direction. In this embodiment, the muffler protector 53 is positioned at a height that overlaps with the upper end 51C of the front side protector 51. In other words, the muffler protector 53 overlaps with a horizontal dashed line that passes through the upper end 51C. The muffler protector 53 has a portion that is positioned above the upper end 51C of the front side protector 51. The front side protector 51 and the muffler protector 53 are positioned higher than the step protector 52.

The muffler protector 53 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the right rear side cover 47. The muffler protector 53 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the opening 47A of the rear side cover 47. The opening 47A of the rear side cover 47 has an upper edge 47A1 that extends upward toward the rear and a lower edge 47A2 that extends downward toward the rear from the front end of the upper edge 47A1. When viewed from the right side, the muffler protector 53 enters the opening 47A with the front end 53B sandwiched between the upper edge 47A1 and the lower edge 47A2. The front end 53B has a tapered shape that tapers forward. The muffler protector 53 can protect a vehicle body cover at a high position, specifically, the rear side cover 47. Here, because the muffler protector 53 enters the opening 47A, it tends to protrude outward in the vehicle width direction at a more central portion of the rear side cover 47, making it easier to protect the rear side cover 47 more effectively.

In this embodiment, the protectors 51 to 53 are formed from a material that is stronger than the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47. In other words, while the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 are made of resin materials, the protectors 51 to 53 are made of metal materials, which makes it easy to increase the strength.

Here, when the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 falls over, the protectors 51 to 53 that protrude in the vehicle width direction are likely to come into contact with the ground. The protectors 51 to 53 are made of metal and are highly strong, making them less likely to break. Therefore, when the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 falls over, the protectors 51 to 53 are likely to come into contact with the ground and support the vehicle body, and the covers near each of the protectors 51 to 53 are likely to be kept separated from the ground, making it easier to suppress damage to the covers near each of the protectors 51 to 53.

Generally, when a saddle-type vehicle is supported by a single protruding shape, only the vicinity of the single protruding shape is separated from the ground, and the vehicle body portion separated from the single protruding shape is likely to come into contact with the ground. In contrast, when supported by two protruding shapes, the portion on the straight line connecting the two protruding shapes is likely to come into contact with the ground, making it difficult for a wide area on the straight line to come into contact with the ground. In this embodiment, the front side protector 51 and the muffler protector 53 overlap in the height direction (up and down), so the portion connecting the front side protector 51 and the muffler protector 53 is unlikely to come into contact with the ground.

In other words, in this embodiment, the body side cover 46 and rear side cover 47, which are located behind the front side protector 51 and in front of the muffler protector 53, are unlikely to come into contact with the ground. Therefore, by using the muffler protector 53, it is easy to protect not only the muffler 25A and the rear side cover 47 area around the muffler protector 53, but also a wide range of the body cover when the vehicle rolls over.

In addition, a step protector 52 is disposed below the front side protector 51 and the muffler protector 53. Therefore, when the vehicle falls over, the front side protector 51, the muffler protector 53, and the step protector 52 provide a three-point support, so to speak, and the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 between the front side protector 51 and the muffler protector 53 are easily protected. In particular, since the step protector 52 is disposed between the front side protector 51 and the muffler protector 53 in the front-rear direction, it is difficult for a protrusion due to unevenness in the ground to enter between the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51 when the vehicle falls over. Therefore, it is easier to protect the body cover between the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51. In this embodiment, the clutch cover portion 23A disposed in a position surrounded by the protectors 51 to 53 in a side view is also easily and effectively protected.

In the event of a fall, only the protectors 51 to 53 are likely to be damaged, so replacing the entire body cover is likely to be unnecessary, and repairs can be easily completed by replacing only the protectors 51 to 53.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a pair of left and right headlight units 60 are disposed below the front cowl 41. The headlight units 60 are disposed below the front cowl 41 by being supported by the front side protector 51. In a side view, the headlight units 60 are disposed below the front cowl 41 in a state in which they extend downward toward the rear. In each headlight unit 60, the headlight 61 and the cornering light 64 are integrally configured. In the headlight unit 60, the headlight 61 and the cornering light 64 are connected in the vehicle width direction. In a front view, the headlight unit 60 extends downward at a gentle incline as it proceeds toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. The headlight 61 and the cornering light 64 overlap in the vertical direction. The headlight unit 60 is disposed outward in the vehicle width direction from a position where it overlaps with the front fork 14.

In detail, the left and right headlights 61 each have a low beam light 62 and a high beam light 63. The low beam light 62 is positioned so as to overlap the front fork 14 in a front view. The high beam light 63 is positioned below and on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the low beam light 62. The high beam light 63 overlaps with the low beam light 62 in the vertical direction. The high beam light 63 is positioned outside the front fork 14 in the vehicle width direction. The cornering light 64 is positioned below and on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the high beam light 63. The cornering light 64 overlaps with the high beam light 63 in the vertical direction. The cornering light 64 is positioned below the front side protector 51 (see FIG. 1).

Here, the cornering light 64 is controlled by an ECU (not shown) so that it is turned on when the vehicle is banked based on detection information from a bank angle sensor (not shown). ECU is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit. Here, since the headlight unit 60 is configured to extend downward at a gentle incline as it moves outward in the vehicle width direction, the cornering light 64 is easier to illuminate from the outside in the vehicle width direction than the headlight 61 even when the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is banked. Therefore, when the vehicle is banked, the headlight 61 and the cornering light 64 can easily illuminate a wide area in the vehicle width direction. In addition, since the cornering light 64 is arranged on the outside and below in the vehicle width direction in the front view shown in FIG. 3, the cornering light 64 is easily closer to the ground when the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is banked. Therefore, since the cornering light 64 is easily closer to the ground, the light of the cornering light 64 can easily illuminate the ground brightly when the vehicle is banked.

In particular, because the cornering light 64 is located lower than the front side protector 51, the cornering light 64 can illuminate the ground from a lower position closer to the ground, making it easier to illuminate the ground brightly when banking.

A DRL (daytime running light) 65 is disposed above the headlight unit 60. DRL is an abbreviation for Daytime Running Light. The DRL 65 is controlled by an ECU (not shown) so that it is always on when the engine of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is started. The DRL 65 is disposed on the center surface of the front cowl 41, specifically, on the front center surface of the front cover 42 (see FIG. 3). The DRL 65 has a strip-shaped illumination surface 65A extending in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction). When viewed from the front, the DRL 65 extends to the outside of the front fork 14 in the vehicle width direction. The DRL 65 extends to a position where it overlaps with the pair of left and right headlights 61 in the vehicle width direction. The DRL 65 extending to the left and right and the pair of left and right headlight units 60 arranged below the DRL 65 allow lighting over a wide range in the width direction when viewed from the front, making the saddle-type vehicle 10 easier to recognize from the front.

A duct opening 42A is formed below the DRL 65. A pair of duct openings 42A are formed on the left and right. In other words, the duct openings 42A are separated in the center. The duct openings 42A are formed on the front surface of the front cover 42. The left and right ends (outer ends in the vehicle width direction) of the duct opening 42A overlap with the front fork 14 in a front view. Since the duct opening 42A is poor at reflecting light and tends to be dark, the light of the DRL 65 is easily noticeable.

As described above, according to this embodiment to which the present invention is applied, in a saddle-ride type vehicle 10 equipped with a muffler protector 53 that overlaps with the muffler 25A in the height direction, a front side protector 51 is attached to the side of the front cowl 41, and between the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51 in the fore-and-aft direction, a body side cover 46 and a rear side cover 47 are provided as vehicle body covers on the side of the muffler 25A side of the vehicle body, and the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51 overlap in the height direction when viewed from the front, and are generally located outboard in the vehicle width direction of the body covers 46, 47.
According to this configuration, when the vehicle rolls over, a wide range of the body cover can be protected using the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51. That is, when the vehicle rolls over, the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 can be protected by the muffler protector 53 that protects the muffler 25A and the front side protector 51 that protects the front cowl 41. Therefore, a wide range of the body cover can be protected without providing excessive additional protectors. Also, when the vehicle rolls over, since only the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51 are likely to be damaged, replacement of the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 is likely to be unnecessary, and repairs can be easily completed by replacing only the protectors 51 and 53.

In this embodiment, the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51 are formed from a material having greater strength than the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 .
This configuration makes it difficult to damage the protectors 51, 53, which are likely to come into contact with the ground in the event of a fall. Also, this configuration makes it possible to repair the vehicle by simply changing only a portion of the exterior member 40, i.e., the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51, which are likely to come into contact with the ground in the event of a fall, rather than changing the entire exterior member 40 that forms the vehicle body exterior to a stronger material, making it easier to reduce the effort and cost required for repairs.

In this embodiment, the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 are made of resin, while the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51 are made of metal.
According to this configuration, the protectors 51, 53 are made of metal, which makes it easy to increase their strength, while the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 are made of resin, which makes it easier to reduce the weight of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 compared to when the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 are made of metal.

In the present embodiment, the muffler protector 53 is disposed at a position higher than the rear wheel 15 .
According to this configuration, the muffler protector 53 can protect the rear side cover 47, which is located at a high position.

In this embodiment, the step 28 is provided at a position lower than the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51, and a metal step protector 52 is provided at the outer end of the step 28 in the vehicle width direction.
With this configuration, the muffler protector 53 and front side protector 51 at a high position and the step protector 52 at a low position make it easier to protect the body covers between the top and bottom of the muffler protector 53, front side protector 51, and step protector 52, specifically the body side cover 46 and rear side cover 47.

In this embodiment, a step protector 52 is located between the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51 in the front-rear direction.
According to this configuration, since the step protector 52 is disposed between the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51, which tend to separate in the front-rear direction, when the vehicle rolls over, even if there is a protrusion of the ground, such as a curb, between the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51, it is possible to make it difficult for the curb to enter. Therefore, the step protector 52 can more easily protect the body side cover 46 and the rear side cover 47 between the muffler protector 53 and the front side protector 51.

In this embodiment, the muffler protector 53 has a front end portion 53B having a tapered shape, and the front side protector 51 has a rear end portion 51D having a tapered shape, the rear end portion being tapered rearward.
According to this configuration, the protectors 51, 53 located on the outer sides in the vehicle width direction have a tapered shape on the occupant side, making it easier to avoid interference between the occupant's feet and the protectors 51, 53. In particular, the front side protector 51 is less likely to interfere with the driver when getting on and off the vehicle, improving the ease with which the driver can straddle the protector.

[Other embodiments]
The above-described embodiment merely shows one aspect of the present invention, and any modification and application can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the protectors 51 to 53 are described as being made of metal, but the protectors 51 to 53 may also be made of resin.

In the above embodiment, a motorcycle having a front wheel 13 and a rear wheel 15 is used as an example of the saddle-type vehicle 10, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to a three-wheel saddle-type vehicle having two front or two rear wheels, or a saddle-type vehicle having four or more wheels.

[Configuration supported by the above embodiment]
The above embodiment supports the following configurations.

(Configuration 1) A saddle-ride type vehicle equipped with a muffler protector that overlaps with a muffler in the height direction, a front side protector is attached to the side of a front cowl, and a body cover is provided between the muffler protector and the front side protector in the fore-and-aft direction, the muffler protector and the front side protector overlap in the height direction when viewed from the front, and are positioned outboard in the vehicle width direction of the body cover.
According to this configuration, a saddle-type vehicle can be provided that can protect a wide range of the body cover while utilizing the muffler protector and the front side protector when the vehicle rolls over.

(Configuration 2) The saddle-type vehicle according to configuration 1, wherein the muffler protector and the front side protector are formed from a material having a strength greater than that of the body cover.
This configuration makes it possible to prevent damage to the protector, which is likely to come into contact with the ground in the event of a fall. Also, this configuration makes it possible to reduce costs by changing only a portion of the exterior members that form the exterior of the vehicle body rather than changing the entire body to a stronger material.

(Configuration 3) The saddle-type vehicle according to configuration 2, wherein the body cover is a resin member, and the muffler protector and the front side protector are metal members.
With this configuration, the protector is made of metal, which makes it easy to increase its strength, while the body cover is made of resin, which makes it easier to reduce the weight of the saddle-type vehicle compared to when the body cover is made of metal.

(Configuration 4) The saddle-ride type vehicle according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein the muffler protector is disposed at a position higher than a rear wheel.
According to this configuration, the muffler protector can protect the body cover, which is located at a high position.

(Configuration 5) A saddle-type vehicle as described in any one of configurations 1 to 4, further comprising a footrest portion located lower than the muffler protector and the front side protector, and a metal protector portion is provided at an outer end portion of the footrest portion in the vehicle width direction.
According to this configuration, the muffler protector and front side protector at a high position and the protector portion of the footrest at a low position make it easier to protect the muffler protector, front side protector, and the body cover between the top and bottom of the protector portion.

(Configuration 6) The saddle-ride type vehicle according to configuration 5, wherein the protector portion is located between the muffler protector and the front side protector in the front-rear direction.
According to this configuration, the protector portion of the footrest is disposed between the muffler protector and the front side protector, which tend to separate in the front-rear direction, so that even if there is a protrusion on the ground side (e.g., a curb) between the muffler protector and the front side protector in the event of a fall, it is difficult for the protrusion to get in. Therefore, the protector portion can easily protect the body cover between the muffler protector and the front side protector.

(Configuration 7) A saddle-type vehicle as described in any one of configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that the muffler protector has a front tapered shape with a front end tapered forward, and the front side protector has a rear tapered shape with a rear end tapered rearward.
According to this configuration, the protector located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction has a tapered shape on the occupant side, making it easier to avoid interference between the occupant's feet and the protector. In particular, the front side protector is less likely to interfere with the driver when getting on and off the vehicle, improving the ease with which the driver can straddle the protector.

10 Saddle-type vehicle 15 Rear wheel 25A Muffler 28 Step (footrest)
41 Front cowl 46 Body side cover (body cover)
47 Rear side cover (body cover)
51 Front side protector 52 Step protector (protector part)
53 Muffler protector

Claims (5)

A saddle-type vehicle including a muffler protector (53) that overlaps with a muffler (25A) in a height direction,
A front side protector (51) is attached to the side of the front cowl (41),
A vehicle body cover (46, 47) is provided between the muffler protector (53) and the front side protector (51) in the front-rear direction,
a foot rest portion (28) is provided between the muffler protector (53) and the front side protector (51) in the front-rear direction and at a position lower than the muffler protector (53) and the front side protector (51);
the footrest portion (28), and a step cover (48) extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body below the footrest portion (28), and a step protector (52) disposed along the footrest portion (28) at an outer end in the vehicle width direction of the footrest portion (28),
the muffler protector (53) and the front side protector (51) overlap in a height direction when viewed from the front, and are located outboard of the body covers (46, 47) in a vehicle width direction ;
A saddle-type vehicle, characterized in that an upper end (52A) of the step protector (52) has a shape corresponding to a lower end (51B) of the front side protector (51) and is connected to the lower end (51B) . 2. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the muffler protector (53), the front side protector (51) and the step protector (52) are formed of a material having a strength higher than that of the body cover (46, 47). The body covers (46, 47) are made of resin members,
3. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the muffler protector (53), the front side protector (51) and the step protector (52) are made of metal members. The saddle-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the muffler protector (53) is positioned higher than the rear wheel (15). The muffler protector (53) has a forward tapered shape whose front end tapers forward,
5. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front side protector (51) has a rear end that tapers rearward.

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