Nonlinear investigation into the motorcycle chatter phenomenon using numerical simulation.

A minimal, two degrees of freedom model is used to investigate the nonlinear effects on the stability of the motorcycle rear ‘chatter’ phenomenon, which occurs during braking manoeuvres and has a frequency of approximately 20 Hz. Numerical simulations using the full non-linear equations of motion are performed at stable, neutral, and unstable equilibria, and with different initial conditions to investigate the nonlinear effects when compared to the linearised response. Attention is focused on the existence, stability, and amplitude of limit cycles in order to understand which are the most influential nonlinear terms and parameters, and in which conditions the results of linear analysis are still predictable.