JP7478904B2 - Saddle type vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a saddle-type vehicle.

Conventionally, saddle-type vehicles are known in which the fuel tank is positioned above and behind the engine (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-28082

However, in the above-mentioned conventional saddle-ride type vehicle, since the fuel tank is located rearward of the engine, the fuel hose connecting the fuel pump of the fuel tank to the engine tends to be long.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to make it possible to shorten a fuel hose in a saddle-ride type vehicle.

This specification contains the entire contents of Japanese patent application No. 2021-058045, filed on March 30, 2021.
A saddle-ride type vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank arranged rearward and above the engine, a fuel pump provided in the fuel tank, a fuel supply device connected to the engine in front of the fuel tank, and a fuel hose connecting the fuel pump and the fuel supply device, wherein the fuel tank has an overlapping portion that overlaps with the engine in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle, and the connection portion between the fuel hose and the fuel pump is arranged forward of the rear end of the overlapping portion.

In the above-described configuration, the overlapping portion may include an upper-lower overlapping portion that overlaps with the engine in a vertical direction in a side view of the vehicle.
In the above-described configuration, the fuel pump may extend vertically within the fuel tank, the connection portion may be provided at an upper end portion of the fuel pump, and the fuel pump may be inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction in a side view of the vehicle.

Furthermore, in the above-described configuration, a front wall constituting a front surface of the fuel tank may cover the fuel pump from the front, and the front wall may be inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction in a side view of the vehicle.
In addition, in the above-described configuration, a bulge portion that bulges downward may be provided on a lower wall that forms the lower surface of the fuel tank, and a lower end of the fuel pump may be positioned so as to overlap with the bulge portion in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when viewed from the side of the vehicle.

In the above-described configuration, the bottom end of the fuel tank may be located at a front portion of the fuel tank.
In addition, in the above-mentioned configuration, the engine may have a cylinder portion that accommodates a piston extending forward from the front surface of the crankcase, and the overlapping portion may be the portion where the front end of the fuel tank overlaps with the crankcase in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when viewed from the side of the vehicle.

In addition, in the above-mentioned configuration, the fuel hose may extend forward from the connection portion, passing above the crankcase and above the cylinder portion, and be connected to the fuel supply device.

The saddle-type vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank arranged rearward and above the engine, a fuel pump provided in the fuel tank, a fuel supply device connected to the engine forward of the fuel tank, and a fuel hose connecting the fuel pump and the fuel supply device, the fuel tank having an overlapping portion that overlaps with the engine in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle, and the connection portion between the fuel hose and the fuel pump is arranged forward of the rear end of the overlapping portion.
With this configuration, the connection between the fuel hose and the fuel pump is located forward of the rear end of the overlapping portion where the fuel tank overlaps with the engine in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle, so the connection is closer to the fuel supply device, allowing the fuel hose to be shorter.

In the above-described configuration, the overlapping portion may include an upper-lower overlapping portion that overlaps with the engine in the upper-lower direction when seen from the side of the vehicle.
With this configuration, the overlapping portion is closer to the engine, and the connection portion is closer to the fuel supply device, so the fuel hose can be made shorter.
In the above-described configuration, the fuel pump may extend vertically within the fuel tank, the connection portion may be provided at an upper end portion of the fuel pump, and the fuel pump may be inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction in a side view of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, since the connection portion is provided at the upper end of the fuel pump which is tilted forward, the connection portion is located closer to the fuel supply device, and therefore the fuel hose can be shortened.

Furthermore, in the above-described configuration, a front wall constituting the front surface of the fuel tank may cover the fuel pump from the front, and the front wall may be inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction in a side view of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, the front wall that covers the forward-tilting fuel pump from the front is also tilted forward, so the fuel pump can be tilted forward significantly. This brings the connection portion closer to the fuel supply device, and allows the fuel hose to be shorter.
In the above-described configuration, a bulging portion that bulges downward may be provided on the lower wall that constitutes the lower surface of the fuel tank, and the lower end of the fuel pump may be positioned to overlap with the bulging portion in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, the volume of the fuel tank can be increased by the bulging portion. Since the lower end of the fuel pump overlaps with the bulging portion, the fuel pump can efficiently suck in the fuel that accumulates in the bulging portion.

In the above-described configuration, the lowest end of the fuel tank may be located at the front of the fuel tank.
With this configuration, when the fuel tank runs low on fuel, the fuel accumulates in the front part of the fuel tank, where the bottom end is located. This allows the center of gravity of the fuel tank to be closer to the engine, centralizing the mass.
In addition, in the above-mentioned configuration, the engine may have a cylinder portion that houses the piston extending forward from the front surface of the crankcase, and the overlapping portion may be the portion where the front end of the fuel tank overlaps with the crankcase in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when viewed from the side of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, the cylinder portion extends forward from the front surface of the crankcase, so that the cylinder portion is farther from the fuel tank. This allows the fuel tank to be located closer to the crankcase, so that the connection portion is closer to the fuel supply device. This allows the fuel hose to be shorter.

In the above-described configuration, the fuel hose may extend forward from the connection portion, passing above the crankcase and above the cylinder portion, and be connected to a fuel supply device.
According to this configuration, the fuel hose can be connected to the fuel supply device over a short distance by passing above the crankcase and above the cylinder portion.

FIG. 1 is a left side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a left side view of the body frame. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the body frame as viewed from above. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the body frame as viewed from the lower left side. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the motorcycle taken at the center in the vehicle width direction. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of parts inside the rear internal space.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, directions such as front, back, left, right, up and down are the same as directions relative to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. Also, the symbol FR in each drawing 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.

FIG. 1 is a left side view of a motorcycle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The motorcycle 1 is a vehicle that includes a body frame 10, an engine 11 supported by the body frame 10, a front fork 12 that supports the front wheel 2 so as to be steerable, a swing arm 13 that supports the rear wheel 3, and a seat 14 for a passenger.
The motorcycle 1 is a saddle-ride type vehicle in which a rider sits astride a seat 14. The seat 14 is provided above the rear portion of the body frame 10.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the body frame 10. FIG.
1 and 2, the body frame 10 includes a head pipe 15 provided at the front end of the body frame 10, a main frame 16 extending rearward from the head pipe 15 to the rear portion of the motorcycle 1, and a pivot frame 17 extending downward from the rear portion of the main frame 16.

The main frame 16 includes a hollow main tube 18 extending rearward from the head pipe 15, and a seat frame portion 19 extending rearward from the rear end of the main tube 18.
The seat frame portion 19 has a vertical length greater than that of the main tubes 18 and bulges downward relative to the main tubes 18 .
The pivot frame 17 extends downward from a lower end of the seat frame portion 19. The seat 14 is supported by the seat frame portion 19. The seat 14 covers the upper surface of the seat frame portion 19 from above.

The front forks 12 are supported so as to be steerable left and right via a steering shaft (not shown) inserted through a head pipe 15. The front wheel 2 is supported by an axle 2a provided at a lower end of the front forks 12.
A steering handle 21 is attached to the upper end of the front fork 12 .

The swing arm 13 is supported by a pivot shaft 22 that is supported by the pivot frame 17. The pivot shaft 22 is a shaft that extends horizontally in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction). The pivot shaft 22 is inserted into the front end of the swing arm 13. The swing arm 13 swings up and down about the pivot shaft 22.
The rear wheel 3 is supported by an axle 3 a provided at the rear end of the swing arm 13 .
A pair of left and right reactions 23 are suspended between the rear portion of the swing arm 13 and the rear portion of the seat frame portion 19 .

The engine 11 is disposed below the main frame 16 , rearward of the front wheel 2 and forward of the pivot frame 17 .
The engine 11 is an internal combustion engine that includes a crankcase 31 that houses a crankshaft 30 that extends in the vehicle width direction, and a cylinder portion 32 that extends forward from the front surface of the crankcase 31.
The engine 11 is a horizontal engine in which an axis 32a of a cylinder portion 32 extends substantially horizontally in the front-rear direction of the vehicle when viewed from the side of the vehicle.
A piston (not shown) connected to the crankshaft 30 reciprocates back and forth within the cylinder portion 32 along an axis 32a.

A transmission (not shown) that reduces the speed of rotation of the crankshaft 30 and outputs it is housed in the rear of the crankcase 31. The output shaft of the transmission and the rear wheel 3 are connected by a drive chain 33.
An exhaust pipe 35 of the engine 11 extends rearward from an exhaust port provided on the lower surface of the cylinder portion 32. A muffler 36 is connected to the rear end of the exhaust pipe 35.

An intake device 37 that supplies intake air to the engine 11 includes an air cleaner 38 , a throttle device 39 connected to the cylinder portion 32 , and a connecting tube 40 that connects the air cleaner 38 and the throttle device 39 .
The fuel tank 41 is disposed below the air cleaner 38 .
A battery 42 that supplies power to each part of the motorcycle 1 is supported by the air cleaner 38 .

A step 43 on which an occupant places his/her feet is supported by the pivot frame 17 via a step holder 44 .
A storage box 45 capable of storing parts and items is attached to the outer surface of the seat frame portion 19 .
The headlight 46 is disposed in front of the head pipe 15. The front fender 47 is attached to the front fork 12.
A rear fender 48 that covers the rear wheel 3 from above is attached to the seat frame portion 19.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the body frame 10 as viewed from above. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the body frame 10 as viewed from the lower left side.
2 to 4, the main frame 16 is formed into a hollow case shape by joining a plurality of plate members (division bodies) by welding.
In detail, the main frame 16 includes a left side member 51 that constitutes the left side portion of the main frame 16 , and a right side member 52 that constitutes the right side portion of the main frame 16 .
The left side member 51 and the right side member 52 are plate members that extend in the up-down and front-rear directions and are arranged with their plate thickness oriented in the vehicle width direction when viewed as a whole. The left side member 51 and the right side member 52 are plate members that are longer in the front-rear direction than in the up-down direction and form the main tube 18 and the seat frame portion 19.
The left side member 51 and the right side member 52 are provided substantially symmetrically.

Further, the main frame 16 includes a lower member 53 that constitutes the lower surface of the main frame 16, and a rear member 54 that constitutes the rear surface of the main frame 16. The lower member 53 is a plate material that is arranged with its plate thickness oriented in the vertical direction.
In detail, the lower member 53 comprises a first lower member 55 that forms the underside portion of the main tube 18 of the main frame 16, and a second lower member 56 that forms the underside portion of the seat frame portion 19 of the main frame 16.

The main tube 18 of the main frame 16 is formed into a tube shape extending forward and backward by joining the upper part of the left side member 51 and the upper part of the right side member 52 to each other, and connecting the lower part of the left side member 51 and the lower part of the right side member 52 in the vehicle width direction by a first lower member 55.
The opening at the front end of the main tube 18 is closed by the rear surface of the head pipe 15 .

The seat frame portion 19 of the main frame 16 is formed into a hollow case shape by connecting the lower edge of the rear of the left side member 51 and the lower edge of the rear of the right side member 52 in the vehicle width direction by a second lower member 56, and by connecting the rear end of the left side member 51 and the rear end of the right side member 52 in the vehicle width direction by a rear member 54.
In a side view of the vehicle, the rear lower edge of the left side member 51, the rear lower edge of the right side member 52, and the second lower member 56 are inclined upward toward the rear.

An opening 57 that opens upward is provided in most of the upper surface of the seat frame portion 19. In a plan view, the opening 57 extends longer in the vehicle front-rear direction than in the vehicle width direction. The opening 57 is provided by cutting out an upper portion of the left side member 51 and an upper portion of the right side member 52.
A rear internal space 58 is defined inside the seat frame portion 19 and is surrounded by the left side member 51, the right side member 52, the second lower member 56, and the rear side member 54. The rear internal space 58 is exposed upward from the opening 57.
The left side member 51 and the right side member 52 are side walls that define a rear internal space 58 in the vehicle width direction. The second lower member 56 is a lower wall that covers the rear internal space 58 from below.

The rear member 54 is a plate member that integrally includes a rear wall portion 54 a that constitutes the rear surface of the seat frame portion 19 and an upper wall portion 54 b that constitutes the upper surface of the rear end portion of the seat frame portion 19 .
The rear wall portion 54a connects, in the vehicle width direction, the rear edge portion of the left side member 51 and the rear edge portion of the right side member 52. The upper wall portion 54b connects, in the vehicle width direction, the upper edge of the rear end portion of the left side member 51 and the upper edge of the rear end portion of the right side member 52. The opening 57 is located in front of the upper wall portion 54b.

An engine hanger portion 60 is provided at the front end of the seat frame portion 19 and extends downward from the rear end of the main tube 18. The engine hanger portions 60 are provided below the front end portion of the left member 51 and below the front end portion of the right member 52, respectively.
An upper portion of the crankcase 31 (FIG. 1) is fastened to the engine hanger portion 60 by engine fixing bolts 65a (FIG. 1) extending in the vehicle width direction.

The first lower member 55 is integrally provided with a lower wall portion 61 that constitutes the lower surface of the main tube 18 , and a front wall portion 62 that extends downward from the rear end of the lower wall portion 61 .
The front wall portion 62 is a wall portion facing the front side of the vehicle, and connects the front edges of the left and right engine hanger portions 60 to each other in the vehicle width direction.
The front wall 62 is provided with an outside air intake 63 that penetrates the front wall 62 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The outside air intake 63 is an opening that is provided by cutting the front wall 62 upward from the lower edge of the front wall 62. The outside air intake 63 opens toward the front of the vehicle.

On the underside of the seat frame portion 19, the portion between the front wall portion 62 and the second lower member 56 in the vehicle front-rear direction is an open portion 64 that opens downward. The open portion 64 exposes the rear internal space 58 downward.

The pivot frame 17 is located in front of the second lower member 56. The pivot frame 17 includes a pair of left and right side wall portions 17a and a wall portion 17b that connects rear edges of the side wall portions 17a in the vehicle width direction.
The pivot frame 17 has an upper edge 17d of the left side wall portion 17a joined to the lower edge of the left side member 51 of the seat frame portion 19, and an upper edge of the right side wall portion 17a joined to the lower edge of the right side member 52 of the seat frame portion 19.
The wall portion 17b is inclined upward toward the rear in a side view of the vehicle. A second lower member 56 constituting the lower surface of the seat frame portion 19 extends upwardly and upwardly toward the rear, continuous with the upper end of the wall portion 17b.
In a plan view, the wall portion 17b covers the rear portion of the opening 64 from below.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at the center in the vehicle width direction of the motorcycle 1. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of parts inside the rear internal space 58. Fig. 6 shows a cross-section taken at a position shifted to the left compared to Fig. 5.
5 and 6, the air cleaner 38, the fuel tank 41, and the battery 42 are housed in a rear internal space 58 within the seat frame portion 19 and are located below the opening 57.
The seat 14 is provided so as to be able to rotate (open and close) up and down about a hinge portion (not shown) at the front end portion of the seat 14 .

The fuel tank 41 is a hollow container that is long in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The fuel tank 41 is disposed in the rear internal space 58, above the pivot frame 17, behind the outside air intake port 63 and in front of the rear member 54. The fuel tank 41 is supported by the seat frame portion 19.
The fuel tank 41 is disposed above and rearward of the crankcase 31 of the engine 11 in a rearward-raised position in a side view of the vehicle. Therefore, in a side view of the vehicle, a front end 41a of the fuel tank 41 is positioned lower than a rear end 41b of the fuel tank 41. Furthermore, as the fuel in the fuel tank 41 decreases, the fuel collects at the front end 41a side, which is closer to the engine 11 and is positioned lower. Therefore, the mass of the motorcycle 1 can be centralized, and the center of gravity of the motorcycle can be lowered.

The fuel tank 41 is arranged in the rear internal space 58 with an incline upward toward the rear so that the underside of the fuel tank 41 is along the second lower member 56. In this way, by arranging the fuel tank 41 along the second lower member 56, which is the underside of the seat frame portion 19, the fuel tank 41 can be arranged compactly in the rear internal space 58. The second lower member 56 covers the rear wheel 3 from above. The second lower member 56 is inclined upward toward the rear along the upper surface of the front part of the rear wheel 3.

An upper surface portion 41c of the fuel tank 41 is inclined upward toward the rear in a side view of the vehicle.
A fuel filler port 41d is provided at the rear of the upper surface portion 41c. The fuel filler port 41d is a cylindrical portion that protrudes upward from the upper surface portion 41c. The opening at the upper end of the fuel filler port 41d is closed by a cap 41e.
A fuel pump 80 is attached to the front of the upper surface portion 41 c. The fuel pump 80 supplies fuel from within the fuel tank 41 to the cylinder portion 32 via a fuel hose 75.

The air cleaner 38 includes a box-shaped air cleaner case 70 and a filter 71 disposed inside the air cleaner case 70. An intake duct (not shown) is connected to the air cleaner case 70.
The air cleaner 38 is disposed adjacent to and above the fuel tank 41 .
The air cleaner 38 is disposed in a rearwardly upwardly tilted position in a side view of the vehicle, such that a front end portion 38a of the air cleaner 38 is positioned lower than a rear end portion 38b of the air cleaner 38 in a side view of the vehicle.
In detail, the air cleaner 38 is disposed in a rearwardly upwardly tilted position such that a lower surface 38c of the air cleaner 38 is aligned along an upper surface 41c of the fuel tank 41 in a side view of the vehicle.

The connecting tube 40 extends forward from the front surface of the air cleaner case 70, extends forward from the rear internal space 58 through the outside air intake 63 of the body frame 10, and is connected to the throttle device 39. The connecting tube 40 extends forward above the engine 11 along the upper surface of the crankcase 31 and the upper surface of the cylinder section 32, and is connected to the throttle device 39.

Outside air flows into the rear internal space 58 from the outside air intake 63. The outside air that flows into the rear internal space 58 is sucked into the air cleaner case 70 through the intake duct and passes through the filter 71. The outside air purified by the filter 71 flows through the connecting tube 40 to the throttle device 39.

A battery storage section 74 for storing the battery 42 is provided on the front upper surface of the air cleaner 38. The battery storage section 74 is a recess in which the front upper surface of the air cleaner 38 is recessed downward relative to the rear upper surface of the air cleaner 38.

A first fixing portion 31a is provided at an upper portion of the middle portion between the front and rear of the crankcase 31, and is fastened to the engine hanger portion 60 by an engine fixing bolt 65a.
A second fixing portion 31b that is fixed to the pivot frame 17 is provided on an upper portion of the rear end portion of the crankcase 31. The second fixing portion 31b is fastened to a front edge portion of the side wall portion 17a of the pivot frame 17 by an engine fixing bolt 65b that extends in the vehicle width direction.
A third fixing portion 31c that is fixed to the pivot frame 17 is provided at the lower part of the rear end portion of the crankcase 31. The third fixing portion 31c is fastened to a front edge portion of the side wall portion 17a of the pivot frame 17 by an engine fixing bolt 65c that extends in the vehicle width direction.

The fuel pump 80 is attached to the front part of the upper surface portion 41 c of the fuel tank 41 .
The fuel pump 80 is tubular and extends vertically. The fuel pump 80 is inserted into a pump mounting opening (not shown) provided in the upper surface portion 41 c, and an upper portion of the fuel pump 80 is fixed to the pump mounting opening.

An upper end of fuel pump 80 protrudes upward from upper surface 41c of fuel tank 41 and is located outside fuel tank 41. A connection portion 80a to which the upstream end of fuel hose 75 is connected is provided at the upper end of fuel tank 41.
The connection portion 80 a is located in the space between the upper surface portion 41 c of the fuel tank 41 and the lower surface portion 38 c of the air cleaner 38 .
The upper end portion and the connection portion 80a of the fuel pump 80 are covered from above by a pump cover 81 disposed between the lower surface portion 38c and the upper surface portion 41c.
A lower portion of the fuel pump 80 extends vertically within the fuel tank 41. A suction port 80b (the lower end of the fuel pump) that draws in fuel within the fuel tank 41 is provided at the lower end of the fuel pump 80. A fuel filter 82 is attached to the suction port 80b.

A fuel supply device 83 that injects fuel into the intake port is attached to the intake port on the upper surface of the cylinder portion 32. The downstream end of the fuel hose 75 is connected to the fuel supply device 83.
Fuel hose 75 extends forward from connection portion 80a of fuel pump 80 through outside air intake port 63. Then, fuel hose 75 extends forward below main tube 18 along the upper surface of crankcase 31 and the upper surface of cylinder portion 32, and is connected to a fuel supply device 83.
The fuel pump 80 pumps the fuel drawn from the suction port 80 b through the fuel hose 75 to the fuel supply device 83 .

6, a front end 41a of the fuel tank 41 is located above the rear portion of the crankcase 31 and covers from above an upper surface 31d of the rear portion of the crankcase 31. The upper surface 31d is an inclined surface that slopes upward toward the front in a side view of the vehicle.
The fuel tank 41 extends rearward from the vicinity of an upper surface 31d of the rear portion of the crankcase 31 in a rearwardly upwardly extending manner.

6 shows an imaginary vertical line L1 that passes through the rear end of the crankcase 31. Here, the rear end of the crankcase 31 is the rear end of the third fixing portion 31c, and is also the rear end of the engine 11.
6 also shows an imaginary horizontal line L2 that passes through the upper end of the crankcase 31 in a side view of the vehicle. Here, the upper end of the crankcase 31 is the upper end of the first fixing portion 31a, and is also the upper end of the engine 11.

The fuel tank 41 has an overlapping portion 85 at a front end portion 41a of the fuel tank 41 that overlaps with the crankcase 31 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle.
Specifically, the overlapping portion 85 is a portion of the fuel tank 41 that is located forward of the vertical line L1 in a side view of the vehicle. The overlapping portion 85 is located above the crankcase 31 and covers the upper surface 31d from above.
In this manner, the fuel tank 41 has the overlapping portion 85 and is disposed near the crankcase 31 in the vehicle front-rear direction.
Here, the overlapping portion 85 overlapping with the crankcase 31 in the vehicle front-rear direction in a side view of the vehicle means that the position of the overlapping portion 85 in the vehicle front-rear direction overlaps with the position of the crankcase 31 in the vehicle front-rear direction. Similarly, hereinafter, overlap and overlap are used to mean that the positions they occupy overlap or overlap.

In addition, the fuel tank 41 has a vertical overlapping portion 86 at a lower portion of the front end portion 41a, which overlaps with the crankcase 31 in the vertical direction in a side view of the vehicle.
Specifically, the vertical overlapping portion 86 is a portion of the fuel tank 41 that is located below the horizontal line L2 in a side view of the vehicle. The vertical overlapping portion 86 is located rearward of the upper surface 31d.
In this manner, the fuel tank 41 has the upper and lower overlapping portions 86 and is disposed close to the crankcase 31 in the vertical direction.

Furthermore, the lower portion 85a of the overlapping portion 85 includes the front portion of the upper and lower overlapping portions 86. The lower portion 85a is located forward of the vertical line L1 and below the horizontal line L2. That is, the lower portion 85a of the overlapping portion 85 overlaps with the crankcase 31 in the vehicle front-to-rear and up-down directions in a side view of the vehicle. As a result, the front end portion 41a of the fuel tank 41 is close to the crankcase 31.

A connection portion 80a at the upper end of the fuel pump 80 is disposed above the upper surface 31d of the crankcase 31 and forward of a rear end 85b of the overlapping portion 85. Here, the rear end 85b is at the same position as the vertical line L1.
As a result, in the vehicle front-rear direction, the connection portion 80a is closer to the fuel supply device 83. Therefore, the fuel hose 75 connecting the connection portion 80a and the fuel supply device 83 can be shortened.
In addition, since the lower portion 85a of the overlapping portion 85 includes the upper and lower overlapping portions 86, the connection portion 80a is closer to the crankcase 31 in the vertical direction. This allows the fuel hose 75 to be shortened.

Fuel pump 80 is disposed tilted forward with respect to the vertical direction so that the upper end is located forward of the lower end in a side view of the vehicle. As a result, connection part 80a provided at the upper end of fuel pump 80 is closer to the front side, and connection part 80a is closer to fuel supply device 83. This allows fuel hose 75 to be shortened.
The front portion of the fuel pump 80 is located within the overlapping portion 85 .

A front wall 41f constituting the front surface of the fuel tank 41 covers the fuel pump 80 located inside the fuel tank 41 from the front. The front wall 41f is disposed tilted forward with respect to the vertical direction so as to follow the forward-tilting fuel pump 80. This allows the fuel pump 80 to be tilted forward significantly, and the position of the connection portion 80a can be brought closer to the fuel supply device 83.
In addition, the front wall 41f of the fuel tank 41 is disposed at a forward inclination so as to follow the top surface 31d of the crankcase 31, which is inclined upward toward the front, and covers the top surface 31d from above. This allows the fuel tank 41 to be brought closer to the top surface 31d, and the position of the connection part 80a becomes closer to the fuel supply device 83.

A bottom wall 41g constituting the lower surface of the fuel tank 41 has a bulging portion 87 that bulges downward.
The bulging portion 87 is provided in the front portion of the fuel tank 41. The bulging portion 87 constitutes the lowermost end 41h of the portion of the fuel tank 41 where the fuel is stored. The bulging portion 87 is included in the upper and lower overlapping portions 86.
The suction port 80b of the fuel pump 80 is disposed so as to overlap with the bulge portion 87 in the vehicle front-rear direction in a side view of the vehicle, and is located within the bulge portion 87.
Since the fuel tank 41 is inclined downward toward the front and the bulge 87 is located at the front end of the bottom wall 41g, when the fuel level is low, the fuel collects in the bulge 87. Therefore, the fuel pump 80 can suck fuel from the bulge 87 even when the fuel level is low.

As described above, according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied, motorcycle 1 includes engine 11, fuel tank 41 arranged rearward and above engine 11, fuel pump 80 provided in fuel tank 41, fuel supply device 83 connected to engine 11 in front of fuel tank 41, and fuel hose 75 connecting fuel pump 80 and fuel supply device 83, fuel tank 41 includes overlapping portion 85 that overlaps engine 11 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle, and connection portion 80a between fuel hose 75 and fuel pump 80 is located forward of rear end 85b of overlapping portion 85.
According to this configuration, connection portion 80a between fuel hose 75 and fuel pump 80 is disposed forward of rear end 85b of overlapping portion 85 where fuel tank 41 overlaps with engine 11 in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle, so that connection portion 80a is closer to fuel supply device 83. This allows fuel hose 75 to be shortened.

Additionally, the overlapping portion 85 includes an upper and lower overlapping portion 86 that overlaps with the engine 11 in the upper and lower direction when viewed from the side of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, the overlapping portion 85 is closer to the engine 11, and therefore the connection portion 80a is closer to the fuel supply device 83. Therefore, the fuel hose 75 can be shortened.
Furthermore, fuel pump 80 extends vertically within fuel tank 41, connection portion 80a is provided at an upper end portion of fuel pump 80, and fuel pump 80 is inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction in a side view of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, since the connection portion 80a is provided at the upper end portion of the fuel pump 80 which is tilted forward, the connection portion 80a is closer to the fuel supply device 83. Therefore, the fuel hose 75 can be shortened.

Furthermore, a front wall 41f that constitutes the front surface of the fuel tank 41 covers the fuel pump 80 from the front, and the front wall 41f is inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction in a side view of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, the front wall 41f that covers the forward-tilting fuel pump 80 from the front is also tilted forward, so that the fuel pump 80 can be tilted forward significantly. Therefore, the connection portion 80a is closer to the fuel supply device 83, and the fuel hose 75 can be shortened.
In addition, a bulge 87 that bulges downward is provided on the lower wall 41g that forms the lower surface of the fuel tank 41, and the lower end of the fuel pump 80 is positioned to overlap with the bulge 87 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when viewed from the side of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, the capacity of the fuel tank 41 can be increased by the bulging portion 87. Since the lower end of the fuel pump 80 overlaps with the bulging portion 87, the fuel pump 80 can efficiently suck in the fuel that accumulates in the bulging portion 87.

Further, the bottom end 41h of the fuel tank 41 is located at the front portion of the fuel tank 41.
According to this configuration, when the fuel in the fuel tank 41 decreases, the fuel accumulates in the front part of the fuel tank 41 where the bottom end 41h is located. Therefore, the center of gravity of the fuel tank 41 can be located close to the engine 11, and mass centralization can be achieved.
In addition, the engine 11 has a cylinder portion 32 that houses a piston extending forward from the front surface of the crankcase 31, and the overlapping portion 85 is the portion where the front end portion 41a of the fuel tank 41 overlaps with the crankcase 31 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when viewed from the side of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, because the cylinder portion 32 extends forward from the front surface of the crankcase 31, the cylinder portion 32, which becomes hotter than the crankcase 31, is located farther away from the fuel tank 41. This allows the fuel tank 41 to be disposed closer to the crankcase 31, so that the connection portion 80a is closer to the fuel supply device 83. This allows the fuel hose 75 to be shorter.

Furthermore, fuel hose 75 extends forward from connection portion 80 a , passing above crankcase 31 and above cylinder portion 32 , and is connected to a fuel supply device 83 .
According to this configuration, the fuel hose 75 can be passed above the crankcase 31 and above the cylinder portion 32 and connected to the fuel supply device 83 over a short distance.

The above-described embodiment shows one mode in which the present invention is applied, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.
In the above embodiment, a motorcycle 1 has been used as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is applicable to three-wheeled saddle-ride vehicles having two front or two rear wheels, and saddle-ride vehicles having four or more wheels.

1. Motorcycles (saddle-type vehicles)
11 Engine 31 Crankcase 32 Cylinder section 41 Fuel tank 41a Front end 41f Front wall 41g Bottom wall 41h Bottom end 75 Fuel hose 80 Fuel pump 80a Connection 80b Suction port (bottom end of fuel pump)
83 Fuel supply device 85 Overlapping portion 85b Rear end 86 Upper and lower overlapping portion 87 Bulging portion

Claims (8)

A saddle-ride type vehicle including an engine (11), a fuel tank (41) arranged above and rearward of the engine (11) within a seat frame (19) formed in a hollow case shape, a fuel pump (80) provided in the fuel tank (41), a fuel supply device (83) connected to the engine (11) in front of the fuel tank (41), and a fuel hose (75) connecting the fuel pump (80) and the fuel supply device (83),
the fuel tank (41) includes an overlapping portion (85) whose position in the vehicle front-rear direction overlaps with a position of the engine (11) in the vehicle front-rear direction;
an air cleaner (38) disposed within the seat frame (19) is disposed in a rear-upward orientation such that a position of the air cleaner (38) in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction includes a position of the overlapping portion (85) in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and a lower surface portion (38c) of the air cleaner (38) is aligned along an upper surface portion (41c) of the fuel tank (41) toward a rear end of the air cleaner (38);
the fuel pump (80) and a connection portion (80a) between the fuel hose (75) and the fuel pump (80) are disposed below the air cleaner (38) and within the seat frame (19), and the connection portion (80a) is disposed forward of a rear end (85b) of the overlapping portion (85). 2. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the overlapping portion (85) includes a vertical overlapping portion (86) whose vertical position overlaps with a position of the engine (11) in the vertical direction. The fuel pump (80) extends vertically within the fuel tank (41),
The connection portion (80a) is provided at an upper end portion of the fuel pump (80),
3. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the fuel pump (80) is inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction so that an upper end portion is positioned forward of a lower end portion in a side view of the vehicle. A front wall (41f) constituting the front surface of the fuel tank (41) covers the fuel pump (80) from the front,
4. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the front wall (41f) is inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction so as to follow the fuel pump (80) which is inclined forward in a side view of the vehicle. A lower wall (41g) constituting the lower surface of the fuel tank (41) is provided with a bulging portion (87) that bulges downward,
a position of a lower end (80b) of the fuel pump (80) in the vehicle front-rear direction overlaps with a position of the bulge (87) in the vehicle front-rear direction,
5. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the lower end (80b) and the bulge (87) of the fuel pump (80) are located below an imaginary horizontal line (L2) passing through an upper end of the engine (11). 6. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a lowermost end (41h) of the fuel tank (41) is located at a front portion of the fuel tank (41). The engine (11) has a cylinder portion (32) that houses a piston extending forward from the front surface of the crankcase (31),
7. A saddle-type vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the overlapping portion (85) is a portion of a front end (41a) of the fuel tank which occupies a position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle overlaps with a position of the crankcase (31) in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. 8. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the fuel hose (75) extends forward from the connection portion (80a), passing above the crankcase (31) and above the cylinder portion (32), and is connected to the fuel supply device (83).

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