Showa aftermarket suspension technology
Since making their EICMA debut in 2014, Japanese suspension giant Showa continue to develop an aftermarket offer that combines original equipment production values with proprietary damping technology in equal measure.
BFF (Balance Free Front Fork, left) and BFRC (Balance Free Rear Cushion) electronically controlled dampers feature built-in sensors to convert conventional suspensions to “semi- active”
Last year saw Showa introduce its BFF (Balance Free Front Fork) and BFRC (Balance Free Rear Cushion) ¬electronically controlled dampers – dampers with built-in stroke sensor, making the suspension “semi-active”.
Tested on race bikes in the All Japan Road Race Championship (JSB1000) in 2015, the system has an electronically controlled valve and can be installed on existing motorcycle dampers to “generate optimal damping force according to the vehicle state”.
Developed specifically for high-end motorcycle applications (rather than using adapted automotive designs), the variable solenoid valve can provide “superior compression and rebound response. The use of a solenoid valve, including the oil pressure valve that operates the needle, made it possible to reduce the total valve size so that it can be installed in conventional dampers without modifying the damper body”.
The built-in-sensor sends information to the semi-active control system, so the suspension alone can provide appropriate damper characteristics through electronic control; by using the information provided by the IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit – increasingly a standard equipment item on larger displacement machines, especially sports models), vehicle dynamics are fed-back to make finer controls than were previously available.
Showa state that their aim is to develop a product that is capable of providing a natural riding feel that is equivalent to, or better than, the conventional dampers with circumstance-specific optimal control over suspension functions.
Under the “Performance Pleasure Progress” exhibit theme, this year’s EICMA Showa booth promised to offer and deliver “ultimate comfortable travelling with fun” to their customers, through their “strong commitment to achieving superior performance when developing our technologies”.
Additional products included a premium upgrade kit for the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin and ‘A-Kit’ for the CRF250R/450R and a BFF/BFRC-lite premium upgrade kit for the Kawasaki ZX10R.
We will be reporting in detail on these in upcoming editions of International Dealer News, but something that caught our attention were two new coating and fork tube finish developments. Showa’s “Emerald Coating” is said to be the world’s first original thin film- forming technology, whereby the inner tube and rod surfaces are polished by a special process to achieve reduced friction and are treated with a multi-layer titanium based emerald colour coating that is superior in hardness and wear resistance.
Said to improve tyre responsiveness on all road conditions due to reduced friction, this new titanium based surface treatment is a multi-layer coating technology that is said to be very different to the surface treatments, surface accuracies, slide materials, slide configurations and lubricants that have previously been used in the motorcycle suspension industry.
Showa’s Emerald Coating is said to be the world’s first original thin film-forming technology – the inner tube and rod surfaces are polished and given a multi-layer titanium based coating to reduce friction
The emerald colour is made possible by adjusting the coating thickness to control the light wavelengths; the outer surface of the inner tube is processed in multiple steps involving chrome plating, special polishing, the titanium based multi-payer coating and then finish polishing.
This technology is being used on the new Kawasaki and Honda products mentioned.
Additionally, Showa’s new ‘Dimplush’ is a new surface finish concept for the inner surface of the outer tube. Conventionally, especially on motocross front suspensions, the inner surface of the front fork outer tube is mirror-finished to deliver surfaced flatness and hardness. Showa’s Dimplush retains oil in the numerous small dimples created on the inner surface, which act to increase oil film pressure to reduce friction.
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| Rather than a smooth inner surface, Showa’s Dimplush finish reduces friction and improves suspension performance by machining a micro surface texture, creating pockets that retain oil |
This effect works at any sliding speed, but is a big advantage for long stroke motocross front forks where friction reduction has been measured at between 10 and 20 percent.
The first model suspension to receive this micro-dimple process is Showa’s 2017 Kawasaki KX450F application, and the company says development plans are underway to apply this “versatile dimple process not only to motocrossers, but to street bikes and commuter models as well”.
SHOWA UK
www.showa1.com
