Leicester Uni to work on Birchall F2 Aerodynamics.

[steve-e]

Leicester partnering world sidecar champions
University of Leicester's Engineering Department streamlining the Birchall brothers


The Department of Engineering at the University of Leicester is collaborating with Ben and Tom Birchall, former World Sidecar Champions, to improve the performance of their F2 sidecar at this year's Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races.

The University of Leicester is working with Ben to provide improvements to the bodywork of his machine, and maximise his potential to reach the top step of the podium.

The news comes alongside the announcement that the Birchall brothers are to join forces with former world sidecar champion and three times Isle of Man TT winner Klaus Klaffenbock to contest the 2012 TT races. This partnership has resulted in a brand new team to be known as Cofain Racing by Klaffi.

Tony Forryan of the University's Department of Engineering noted that 'this announcement is huge in the Sidecar world and any sidecar crew racing at the TT would jump at this opportunity'. The team was launched at the Isle of Man Creg-Ny-Baa on February 10, when 2009 World Champions Ben and Tom Birchall were unveiled as the riders to represent this exciting new team at the TT festival.

Considered the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world, victory at the Isle of Man TT is the goal of every racer who ventures onto the Snaefell Mountain Course.



Ben Birchall commented; "Ever since Tom and I decided to compete at the TT in 2009 it has been our desire to be successful and our ultimate aim is to win there. Joining this team will give us the best opportunity to achieve our goal and with the bike preparation now nearing completion we can't wait to begin our pre-season testing."

Dr Simon Lawes of the Department of Engineering will be carrying out a 3-D scan of the fairing, for Dr Andrew McMullan to perform a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis. This virtual wind tunnel work will provide clues on how to improve the efficiency of the sidecar and increase its top speed.

Professor Sarah Hainsworth of the Department of Engineering, who is leading the project, said "It is really exciting to be associated with a world championship winning team, and the aim of the work at Leicester is to help improve the aerodynamic performance of the bike which will allow improved performance. The modelling should allow us to optimise air flow, minimise the drag and improve the overall top speed that the bike is capable of.

Sidecar engineer Louis Christen has specially made a brand new LCR chassis for Ben and Tom in Switzerland. Honda engines tuned by specialist UK tuner Chris Mehew complete the package, and the Birchall brothers are anticipating top results at this year's event.

[alanw]

Hope Chris Maehews tuned engines are within the rules

[Karl]

Surely for a full and true CFD analysis the should have the whole bike (to include under flow) as well as ideally Tom and Ben on the bike so that it can be seen where the airflow is interupted.

[steve-e]

I'm hoping they will. The article came up on a google alert today not from Helen P, I checked with Helen beforehand if she was sending anything out but was told ok to use as was. Doesn't really fully explain but I think it's aimed more at the Uni community from the sites I've seen it on rather than the racing peeps.
Will be interesting to see how it turns out.

[realroadracer]

..........and then the passenger moved...

[Richard Rollings]

As long as it helps stop what happened to Moly a few years ago it cant be a bad thing

[steve-e]

The passenger moving isn't the part of this exercise as far as I see it. Seems to me like a uni project aimed purely at top speed where the passenger is tucked in by the back wheel. CFD has been shown by Marussia last season not to be perfect yet but in an educational environment is a lot cheaper than building a wind tunnel and can start in a good direction towards an effective solution.
I put the big words in so I sounded clever and it still didn't work did it ?

Oi Reeves stop laughing at me What was it? Just get one of Geds?

[oldbelly]

Talking of Marussia Steve whats happened to your F1 section ?

[oldbelly]

Back to topic . Last year Ben and Tom went for Baker bodywork, looked nice but after talking to Ben at Snett didnt work. Tony Baker went to LCR bodywork and said it was an improvement. In 98 Ian and me modified the standard Windle bodywork on our bikes to give a little more wind protection for Driver and passenger. It did its job as far as protection from the wind goes but it was a dissaster as far as top speed was concerned. If they can improve on Louis standard set up it will be a big advantage at the TT where the 600s are working hard against high gearing and big fuel loads. As far as I know Trevor Ireson and Derek Jones were the last to use a wind tunnel.