Abstract:
A speedometer mounting structure in a motorcycle is provided which is capable of mounting the speedometer without deteriorating the design of the motorcycle. A handlebar holder is provided to secure a steering handlebar, on a fork support member for supporting a front fork of a motorcycle. The speedometer is mounted on the handlebar holder.

Description:
[0001]    This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No. 2000-292307 filed in Japan on Sep. 26, 2000, which is herein incorporated by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a speedometer mounting structure for a motorcycle.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Background Art  
           [0005]    A speedometer mounting structure for a motorcycle is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11-208557. This background art, as schematically shown in FIG. 4, includes a mounting member  3 , such as a bracket, which is attached at the front of a fork support member  2  which rotatably connects a front fork  1  to an unillustrated vehicle body frame. A speedometer  4  is fixedly attached on the mounting member  3 .  
           [0006]    The background art, however, has the following problems to be solved. Generally, a headlight is mounted at the front of the front fork  1 . The headlight has a great effect on the design of motorcycles. In the aforesaid mounting structure, however, the speedometer  4  projecting to the front of the front fork  1  is located about above the headlight, which, therefore, is likely to deteriorate the design effect of the speedometer  4 .  
           [0007]    For mounting the speedometer  4 , therefore, a separate mounting member  3  is needed, presenting such a problem as an increased component count, and accordingly, an increased number of installation processes.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In view of the above-described problems inherent in the background art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a speedometer mounting structure for a motorcycle which is capable of mounting a speedometer without deteriorating the design of the motorcycle.  
           [0009]    According to the speedometer mounting structure of the present invention, a motorcycle is equipped with a vehicle body frame, a front fork is arranged at the front of the vehicle body frame, a fork support member is located at the upper end of the front fork and rotatably connecting the front fork to the vehicle body frame, and a steering handlebar is mounted on the fork support member. In the motorcycle, the speedometer which reads vehicle speeds is mounted above the vicinity of the front fork. The handlebar holder for securing the steering handlebar is mounted on the fork support member, and the speedometer is mounted on this handlebar holder.  
           [0010]    According to the speedometer mounting structure for a motorcycle of the present invention, the handlebar holder is comprised of a lower holder secured on the fork support member, and an upper holder fixedly attached on the lower holder, for securely holding the steering handle bar in between the lower holder and the upper holder. The speedometer is mounted on the upper holder.  
           [0011]    According to the speedometer mounting structure for a motorcycle of the present invention, a housing box which opens upwardly is formed in the upper holder, and the speedometer is mounted in this housing box.  
           [0012]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a side view of a motorcycle to which one embodiment of the present invention is applied;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a major portion, partly broken, showing one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a major portion, showing one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of a major portion, partly broken, showing a conventional example. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    One embodiment of the speedometer mounting structure according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral  10  refers to a motorcycle to which the present embodiment is applied. The motorcycle  10  includes a vehicle body frame  11 , a front fork  12  arranged at the front of the vehicle body frame  11 , and a front wheel  13  rotatably mounted at the lower end of the front fork  12 . A steering handlebar  14  is mounted at the upper end of the front fork  12 . A rear fork  15  is pivotably mounted at the lower rear part of the vehicle body frame  11 , and a rear wheel  16  is rotatably mounted on the rocking end of the rear fork  15 . A fuel tank  17  is mounted at the rear position of the steering handlebar  14 , in the upper part of the vehicle body frame  11 . A seat  18  is mounted to the rear of the fuel tank  17 , and an engine  19  is mounted below the fuel tank  17 .  
         [0019]    The front fork  12  is vertically arranged under the head pipe  20  constituting the front part of the vehicle body frame  11 , and is connected to a pair of bridges  21 , upper and lower, which are rotatably connected to the head pipe  20 . In the present embodiment, the pair of bridges  21  serve as a fork support member for rotatably connecting the front fork  12  to the vehicle body frame  11 . On the bridges  21  located in the upper part of the vehicle body frame, a handlebar holder  22  is integrally mounted for securing the steering handlebar  13 .  
         [0020]    In the present embodiment, the handlebar holder  22 , as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, is split into two upper and lower parts: an upper holder  23  and a lower holder  24 , which, as shown in FIG. 3, are attached on the bridges  21  in two places apart in the width direction of the vehicle body. Each lower holder  24  is provided, in the lower part, with a pair of connecting bolts  25 , which are unitarily projectingly formed therewith. Each connecting bolt  25  is inserted from above into the bridge  21 , and is fitted with a nut  26  from below the bridge  21 , thereby securing each lower holder  24  to the bridge  21 .  
         [0021]    The upper holder  23 , as shown in FIG. 3, is mounted across the upper ends of the lower holders  24 . Bolts  27  inserted vertically into the upper holder  23  are screwed into the lower holders  24 , thereby fixedly attaching the upper holder  23  to the lower holders  24 .  
         [0022]    Recesses  23   a  and  24   a  are formed in the contact surfaces of the upper holder  23  and the lower holders  24 . The recesses  23   a  and  24   a  have an approximately semi-circular inner surface. The steering handlebar  14  is set in a space formed by the recesses  23   a  and  24   a , and is fixedly held in between the upper holder  23  and the lower holders  24 . A housing box  28  is formed in about the middle of the upper holder  23  which opens upwardly. A speedometer  29  is mounted in the housing box  28 .  
         [0023]    The speedometer  29  has a cylindrical projection  30  integrally formed with the bottom thereof which serves as a cable guide, and a screw portion  30   a  is formed in the forward end portion thereof. The projection  30  goes through the bottom of the housing box  28 , projecting downwardly, when the speedometer  29  is installed in the housing box  28 . A nut  31  is threaded onto the screw portion  30   a  formed at the forward end thereof, and is pressed against the underside of the housing box  28  to thereby fix the speedometer  29  in the housing box  28 .  
         [0024]    In the present embodiment of the speedometer mounting structure thus configured, the speedometer  29  is inserted into the housing box  28  of the upper holder  23 , the screw portion  30   a  is protruded out of the bottom of the housing box  28 , and the nut  31  is screwed onto the screw portion  30   a , to thereby temporarily assemble the speedometer  29  in the upper holder  23 .  
         [0025]    Therefore, after mounting the steering handlebar  14  between both lower holders  24  attached on the bridge  21 , the upper holder  23  is set to cover the steering handlebar  14 , and the upper holder  23  is secured by the bolts  27  to the lower holders  24 . The steering handlebar  14  is thus fixedly installed by the above-described operation procedure, and the speedometer  29  is mounted above about the intermediate part of the steering handlebar  14 . The speedometer  29 , therefore, is mounted largely apart from the headlight  32  mounted ahead of the front fork  12  as shown in FIG. 1, thereby gaining a design effect by the headlight  32 .  
         [0026]    The speedometer  29 , being mounted in the space surrounded by the steering handlebar  14  to the rear of the front fork  12 , becomes smooth in the outside line as viewed from the side of the motorcycle  10 . In this respect also, the design effect is enhanced. Furthermore, the housing box  28  is formed in the handlebar holder  22 , to thereby mount the speedometer  29  in the housing box  28 . The handlebar holder  22  is herein also used as a mounting member, so that the number of components required for mounting the speedometer  29  can be decreased and accordingly an installing operation can be simplified.  
         [0027]    It is to be noted that the shape and dimensions of component members shown in the present embodiments are described as examples, and various modifications based on design requirements are possible.  
         [0028]    According to the speedometer mounting structure in a motorcycle of the present invention, as heretofore explained, the speedometer is mounted on the handlebar holder, in a position largely apart from the headlight mounted ahead of the front fork, thereby enabling a gain in the design effect of the speedometer mounting structure in relation to the headlight.  
         [0029]    Since the speedometer can be mounted to the rear of the front fork, and in the space surrounded by the steering handlebar, the outline of the speedometer mounting structure becomes smooth, which enhances the design effect from this point of view.  
         [0030]    Furthermore, the housing box is formed in the handlebar holder, to thereby mount the speedometer in the housing box. The handlebar holder is used as a mounting member, so that the number of components required for mounting the speedometer can be decreased and accordingly an installing operation can be simplified.  
         [0031]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims. What is claimed is: