Patent Description:
While riding a motorcycle in challenging terrain, it is often beneficial to use a standing riding position, with all weight transferred to the motorcycle chassis through the two footpegs, as this riding style increases stability, balance and manoeuvrability. However, this riding style requires more effort from the rider, as most of the forces used to stabilize the rider while standing on the pair of footpegs, will have to be transferred through the rider's upper body.

In the early days of motorcycling, the riders were offered footboards to place their feet on while riding. This solution is still used on some heavy cruiser motorcycles. One would expect it to be more stable to stand on a pair of footboards than standing on a pair of footpegs. But the dominating solution for all kinds of modern motorcycles is a pair of footpegs, one for each foot. For all motorcycles intended for rough roads or off-road use, this is the only solution offered by the motorcycle manufacturers. As a safety precaution, the footpegs on motorcycles are usually foldable, pivoting around a footpeg pivot bolt. The pivot bolt is slanted, so the footpeg will fold upwards and backwards at the same time when hit by rocks or any other object. If a footboard was used, with a pivoting functionality based on a slanted pivot bolt, this would cause problems. If the footboard was extended in front of the pivot axis, the end of the footboard would actually swing out with respect to the original position, hence be even more prone to getting caught by trees etc. If the footboard where extended backward with respect the pivot bolt, the end of the footboard will hit the motorcycle chassis before the floorboard is properly out of the way. This would of course be dependent on the length of the footboard. Another reason for not using footboards on off-road motorcycles is that they would quickly become filled with dirt and become slippery. And a footboard would possibly prevent the use of a kick starter arrangement.

Especially for off-road motorcycles, a recent trend in the aftermarket is wider footpegs than the original, to enhance rider stability. Another trend for extreme off-road motorcycles is various means to increase friction between the inside of the rider's knee, and the bike bodywork. An example of this is the Australian company "Stegpegz", whose solution is a bracket attached to each side of the motorcycle, with a small rubber peg some distance below the knee, which the rider can rest the leg against, or pass by when necessary. Another solution is called "PivotPegz". These footrest surface are rotating around a horizontal axis, in addition to the traditional slanted pivot axis in the vertical plan. The constant contact between foot and footpeg independent of foot angle caused by this, is supposed to increase rider stability.

Two variants of the footboard concept do exist in the market, however. One is a footpeg marketed as "Ankle saver". Basically, it is a standard foldable footpeg, with an integrated structure extending in the direction towards the rear wheel, with a defined footrest surface in the end.

The small rear footrest surface is placed significantly lower than the main footrest surface, hence it is not designed to offer the rider heel support while riding normally, it is designed to stop the heel from going too far down below the footrest surface in a hard landing, with a possible ankle injury as result. The existence of this product reveals that the generic solution with one footpeg on each side of the motorcycle may implicit increased risk for ankle injuries after jumping with off-road motorcycles. In order to maintain the foldable functionality, the extension rearwards is quite short, and pointing downwards/outwards. The potential for increased rider support is thus limited by these geometrical constraints, whereas there are no such limitations for the invention presented here.

The prior art represented by the product "Ankle Saver", is described in US patent <CIT>. Another example of prior art is US Patent <CIT>. This patent describes a single footpeg with an additional footrest surface hinged in the main footpeg. Thus the two parts cannot pivot independently of each other. When this additional footrest part is folded out, it has the same functionality as the invention described in <CIT>. Another version of a single footpeg is shown in <CIT>. These three examples of the prior art has in common that the inventions described is one single pivoting footpeg. In order to maintain the important safety function of pivoting footpegs, this geometrically limits the ultimate width of the footrest surface. This problem with the prior art is solved with the invention described hereinafter as will be explained later.

The second variant of the footboard concept is called "Cross plus". That is a pair of easily detachable extended footrests that can be connected to the original footrests on an off-road motorcycle. Together with the original footrest they turn the original footrest into one footrest with two footrest surfaces. They extend so far rearwards that the foldable functionality of the original footrests will be prevented. They are marketed as an aid for the off-road motorcycle rider who temporarily want to carry a passenger.

They are not marketed as an aid for the rider who wants extra support while riding solo in a standing position. The way they are temporarily connected to the original footpegs does not appear to be designed to withstand the potential stresses that will appear if the rider places his weight on them while landing hard after jumps. The invention presented here is designed to withstand these stresses.

Even though these various solutions to some extent, except the "Cross plus" solution, are an attempt to address the problem of rider instability and fatigue, they do not fully solve the inherent stability problem with standing on only one footpeg.

Another problem with the layout with one footpeg on each side of the motorcycle, is that it requires effort to shift the rider weight towards the rear wheel while standing and maintaining the balance. The footpeg position is fixed, so the rider has to use his body as a counterweight to create pull in the handlebars. Shifting the weight quickly towards the rear wheel is often desirable, for example when passing through loose material like sand and deep snow.

Patent application publication <CIT> discloses a motorcycle foot peg that is made so that it can be supported onto the frame of a motorcycle in a location for forming a footrest. The foot peg includes a pivotable heel rest that has an arm pivotally mounted to the foot peg at one end with a lateral leg extending from the opposite end of the arm to cooperate to support a heel rest wall. The arm will pivot to a stored position so that the arm lies along, and preferably against a rear longitudinal edge of the foot peg. The arm has an integral lateral leg that is positioned across the outer end of the foot peg in the stored position. When the heel rest is pivoted to a working position, the arm extends out to the rear of the foot peg relative to a foot on the foot peg, and the heel support wall is positioned so the heel can be rested on the wall. In use, the heel rest will reduce fatigue and permit relaxation of the rider's feet and legs. <CIT> discloses a motorcycle according to the preamble of claim <NUM>, said motorcycle having an adjustable safety mechanism for a foot peg, the device including a support mechanism for providing additional support for a foot a mounter for mounting the support mechanism on and spaced from the foot peg, an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the support mechanism relative to the foot peg, the adjusting mechanism extending between the support mechanism and the mounter. This patent also discloses a method of retrofitting a safety device on a motorcycle foot peg by mounting the safety device on an attached motorcycle foot peg utilizing a universal bracket.

The invention is defined by the independent patent claim.

The invention provides a two-wheeled motorcycle comprising a footrest arrangement in accordance with claim <NUM>.

The basic principle for the invention provided here is that a motorcycle rider will stand more stable on a larger surface, than on a single footrest device (also referred to as footpeg in this introduction). This will allow the rider to use the muscles in his legs to balance and stabilize his body, thus relaxing his upper body, with less fatigue as a result. This will also make it fast and easy to shift the rider's weight towards the rear wheel. Another important positive effect of the invention is that it will reduce the strain on the rider's ankles when landing hard after jumps, as the rider's heel will be supported by the rear footrest or footrests.

According to the invention, this effect is achieved by adding one or more footrest devices behind the original footrest device on each side of the motorcycle, placed relative to each other and close enough to each other in such a way that the rider is enabled to stand with his foot on the footrest devices simultaneously. The area in front of the regular footrest device position is occupied by the gearshift and rear brake controls. The area behind the regular footrest device position is usually not used by the riders, and available for placing additional footrest device structure. These added footrest devices are foldable. Both in order to maintain the safety function of having a footrest device that can be simultaneously pushed upwards/ backwards when hit by anything, but also to ensure that the added footrest device can be temporarily folded away from the path of the kick starter pedal. This solution can be retrofitted to existing motorcycles or be integrated in the design of new motorcycles. This additional footrest device will dramatically increase the support of the rider's leg, and it will be easy to shift the rider's weight to the rear footrest device, when it is required to quickly redistribute weight towards the rear wheel. The footrest device design has evolved over many years, and these design achievements can be taken advantage of by simply adding one more existing footrest devices on each side of the motorcycle.

The invention provides two or more footrest devices that can pivot independently of each other and pivot without making contact with the motorcycle chassis before they are folded out of the way. The ultimate spacing between them is only limited by the length of the motorcycle rider foot, thus increasing stability for the motorcycle rider greatly compared to prior art.

The invention will make off-road motorcycle riding safer and more fun.

More specifically, the footrest arrangement comprises at least two individually pivotable footrest devices with footrest surfaces placed with an internal spacing between them, so a motorcycle rider can choose whether to stand with his foot on one or more of the footrest surfaces simultaneously.

The footrest devices are connected to footrest device brackets via bolts that define slanted pivot axes that allow the footrest devices to fold simultaneously upwards and backwards when hit by an object.

In an embodiment the footrest surfaces may be placed substantially in-plane in an unfolded position of the footrest devices.

In an embodiment the one or more additional footrest devices of the at least two footrest devices next to the footrest device closest to the front wheel of the motorcycle may be arranged to stay in a folded away position when placed in this position by the motorcycle rider.

In an embodiment the footrest device bracket to which the one or more additional footrest devices of the at least two footrest devices next to the footrest device of the at least two footrest device which is closest to the front wheel of the motorcycle are connected, constitutes an additional footrest device bracket that is arranged to be retrofitted to a motorcycle originally equipped on each side with only one original foldable footrest device intended for the motorcycle rider by using an original footrest device bracket as the main interface point between the additional footrest device bracket and the motorcycle frame structure of the motorcycle.

In an alternative embodiment the footrest brackets are integrated in the motorcycle frame structure of the motorcycle.

The one or more additional footrest devices with respect to the footrest device of the at least two footrest devices which is closest to the front wheel of the motorcycle are height-adjustable.

In an embodiment a bracket for a motorcycle sidestand support of the two-wheeled motorcycle may be connected to the additional footrest bracket on either the right or the left side of the motorcycle or integrated in said additional footrest bracket of the motorcycle.

In an embodiment the distance between respective centres of the footrest surfaces may be between <NUM> and <NUM>.

In the following is described an example of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:.

<FIG> shows a footrest arrangement <NUM> with one added foldable footrest device <NUM> in addition to the footrest device <NUM>, where footrest device <NUM> is closest to the front wheel of the motorcycle. Both foldable footrest devices <NUM> and <NUM> are shown in the regular riding position. The original foldable footrest device <NUM> has usually spring return to riding position. The additional footrest device <NUM> is fastened to the motorcycle frame <NUM> via a bolt <NUM> and an additional footrest device bracket <NUM>. The bolt <NUM> defines the pivot axis for the footrest device <NUM>. The additional footrest device bracket <NUM> is connected to the original footrest device bracket <NUM> via a bolt <NUM>. This bolt <NUM> and the top of the original footrest device bracket <NUM> are transferring the load and torque from the additional footrest device bracket <NUM> to the motorcycle frame <NUM>. The bolt <NUM> also defines the pivot axis for footrest device <NUM>. To prevent the additional footrest device bracket from rotating around the bolt <NUM>, two bolts <NUM> and <NUM> are added. Bolts <NUM> and <NUM> are pretensioned against the motorcycle frame structure.

<FIG> shows the additional footrest device <NUM> in a folded away position, rotated around the pivot axis defined by the bolt <NUM>. The additional footrest device <NUM> may also have spring return, as this is the common solution for regular footrest devices. But it may also stay fixed in the folded position when put there by the rider, either by spring induced friction, or by a spring-loaded detent mechanism. This functionality is important on motorcycles equipped with kick-start pedal. Some riders may also prefer the traditional arrangement with only one footrest device on each side of the motorcycle, when using trials riding techniques in extreme terrain.

<FIG> shows that the functionality with foldable footrest devices is maintained for the original footrest device <NUM> pivoting around a pivot axis defined by the bolt <NUM> even with the additional footrest device bracket <NUM> installed. The additional footrest device <NUM> in <FIG> is shown in regular riding position.

<FIG> shows prior art, the generic structure solution of all off-road motorcycles, with a footrest device bracket <NUM> with a slanted pivot axis <NUM> connected to the motorcycle frame <NUM>. The hole in the motorcycle frame <NUM> is the hole for the swingarm axle that is connecting the swingarm to the motorcycle frame. This information is only given to describe the approximate generic placement of the footrest device, with respect to the motorcycle frame structure.

<FIG> shows prior art, the generic assembly of the footrest device arrangement used on all off-road motorcycles, with a footrest device <NUM> assembled to the footrest device bracket <NUM> with a footrest device axle <NUM> which defines a slanted pivot axis for the footrest device <NUM>, where the footrest device bracket is either welded or bolted to the motorcycle frame structure <NUM>.

<FIG> shows that the additional footrest device bracket <NUM> is made with a wider gap than the height of the additional footrest device <NUM> along the pivot axis defined by bolt <NUM>, thus allowing a distance A available for adjusting the height of additional footrest device <NUM> with respect to the footrest device <NUM> by adding shim washers between the footrest device <NUM> and the footrest device bracket <NUM>, according to each individual rider's preferences.

<FIG> shows a bracket for the sidestand support of the motorcycle <NUM>, connected to the additional footrest device bracket <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Two-wheeled motorcycle comprising a footrest arrangement (<NUM>), the footrest arrangement comprising at least two individually pivotable footrest devices (<NUM>, <NUM>) with footrest surfaces placed relative to each other in a front-rear direction of the motorcycle and with an internal spacing between them such that a motorcycle rider is able to stand with one of his feet on the footrest surfaces simultaneously, characterized in that each of the footrest devices (<NUM>, <NUM>) is connected to a respective footrest device bracket (<NUM>, <NUM>) via a respective bolt (<NUM>, <NUM>) that defines a respective slanted pivot axis that allows the corresponding footrest device (<NUM>, <NUM>) to fold and that is oriented so that the corresponding footrest device (<NUM>, <NUM>) can be simultaneously pushed upwards and backwards relative to the motorcycle when hit by anything.