Motorbike Simulator - Good or Bad idea?

My dream has always been to have a good motorbike simulator but since I found this site I'm thinking that I should first make a normal driving simulator. I intend to make a 2 or 3 DOF sim to start with and make it in such a way that I can add more to it. That way I can learn the basics.

One think I would like to do at some stage is to create a bike simulator. As a kid I used to spend all my pocket money on the Manx TT superbike sim (shown below). After seeing all the fantastic projects here it's given me the belief that I could possibly make a decent bike sim with good feedback. Obviously it would be very different to the motion for a car but I think with some help it could be created.

Has anyone here made a bike sim here yet?

If your primary interest is motocycles, and you can find sims that support motion, why not? It would be a great project.

I would think about making the platform modular though, with a saddle and controller that can be swapped out for a seat and wheel set. A bit bulky but it is possible.

Welcome to XSimulator.net, I look forward to seeing your progress. There are lots of helpful people here that can get the ball rolling for you (or tire spinning).

I would say my primary interest would have been motorbikes before I found this site. But the car sims are so well built and so amazing I think I want one as soon as I can build it. It would be great to have a bike frame and a car frame that could be interchangable.

I heard a saying yesterday which said 'If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room'. if thats the case then xsimulator.net is the room for me. There's a lot of clever people here so I have a lot of learning to do.

I'll try to share everything I do so I can get the correct advice when I need it.

Great! I look forward to your build.

that will be interesting. I recall years ago a bloke did a motion sim 2 DOF with a bike frame, but the video has been deleted.
If you fit a bike frame inside a joyrider frame, you could achieve it well.

The one bike simulation we currently support is GP Bikes from PiBoSo.

When you search this site for "motorbikes" or "bikes" you'll find some threads/posts about moto simulators, e.g.

I guess applying a 2dof for such motorbike is what really needed ... with some DIY controls ... steering ,throttle ,breaks ,clutch ... etc.
using a game ... for stander biking .


using Imagination ... Off computer with a big blower .

I vote good idea. But not like in the posted video from value1. I would vote complete fail on that design except for the motorcycle itself.

One big problem I have found though is finding a motorcycle controller that you don't have to make yourself. Thrustmaster made a motorcycle controller years ago but I can't find anyone manufacturing motorcycle controllers for the masses anymore. Here is a video of it. The presenter claims it is of good quality but in actually it is a piece of junk! Especially in the roll axis.



The roll axis are so loosey goosey it is worthless. However, the throttle and brake on the handlebar, while bad quality, are usable. So if you can manage to get a hold of one, it can be modified into a force feedback GP bike controller. I removed the handlebar portion of the controller and modified it so it could be bolted on to my G27 racing wheel. I had to drill a couple of extra holes in my G27 to line up with the handlebar mounts. It works great. You just have to set up both controllers for your game. The idea is that on a GP type bike, you will turn more by leaning your weight, then by turning the handlebar right or left. Here is what it looks like.



If you noticed at the bottom of the picture, I also put two fold out foot rest for more realism but I forgot to put them down for the picture. Also, if you want to use your G27 with a handlebar for motorcycles, you need to set the wheel to 70 degrees rotation or there about.

And while I haven't incorporated it myself, it would be even more realistic by using a motorcycle seat where a sensor(s) is used to obtain the position of the rider on the seat. Right now I must use automatic front to rear weight shifting.

ps After looking at the picture, it looks like its time for a spring cleaning!

I'm not sure the controller will be a problem. I've looked into it many years ago but never actually went ahead and built the rig due to lack of skills and knowledge. For the base and bike I was going to use an old bike frame if I could get one cheap, alternatively I could weld one up to a rough bike shape and put fairing or a fibreglass shell around it. the idea was to mount it in the middle like a big bike shaped joystick. My plans were to take an analogue controller or joypad and basically make a pantograph style mechanism to transfer the motion of leaning the bike to the controller analogue stick. Most games with bikes just steer by leaning anyway or vice versa. That would allow me to lean left and right and even configure it to lean slightly forward and back as well which would leave the option of wheels or other types of moves common on dirt bike games. Return to center would have to be basically mechanical or spring loaded. The old manx TT machines were just spring loaded so really simple.

I've been looking out for a G25 or 27 on ebay for driving but for the bike I think it would be best to start from scratch and rebuild basic electronics and link them to something simple like a plugin PS2/3 or xbox style controller.

Pedals - link the clutch pedal tp a potentiometer on the clutch lever.
Brake lever - same as above.
Throttle - potentiometer on the throttle linked to the right analogue up and down axis.
Manual gearshift button - just a switch on the clutch lever at the footpeg. You could also have a quickshift on the handlebars using a button too.

Here we go, I knew they were somewhere
http://www.motiondynamics.com.au/throttles-hall-effect/
twist throttles with hall effect pots on them. Yo would need to mount them on a set of handle bars, but that one problem done.
Brake lever can be done the same or just a switch I suppose.
Manual shift peg, easy, just some micro switches on each side hooked up to a hack dpad controller

very good @bsft ... now he has his the twist grip for throttle ... and the Thumb throttle could be used for the right hand break lever, lift hand clutch and, the foot break ... you may used self center kind of switch for the gear shifter ...

Nice find Dave, I will share that link with Helicopter Sim guys as well. The Cyclic (I think it is called) also needs a twist grip like that to control the aircraft.

Looks like the controller mod is nearly sorted out, some good lateral thinking by all, now how do we build and move a motor bike style frame.

Looks like I've dropped myself right into this one.

Let me see if I can get my hands on a motorbike frame from a junk/scrap yard or similar and we'll see what we can do. I might even try and borrow a frame to copy and modify. I have plenty of steel laying around to make a base from.

Back to topic , I vote +1 good idea to build a motorbike sim.

That is for building its frame solution ...

For moving it solution I guess it depends on the motorbike frame you'll find ...

For Racing Style bikes as above video ... I guess you'll need a 2 DOF motors ... One DOF for leaning side to side you will use your weight to force the frame to lean against the total in-game force coming through the motor ... actually/maybe you'll need to pull the bike frame to the other side by your balance weight to a void falling or other racers ... that motion action will affect the Feed back pot and will make a harder PID for motors against or with you that depends on your driving skills ... so I guess you'll need a good motor with a soft S-curve profile for SimTools with "center dead zone" ... combining that with the second DOF for wheeling "horse lift for throttle " ... you'll not stop playing with it .

frame building just have to be organized for some real action ...

Regards from a scooter rider .

joystick for in game leaning steering action .

Hi There
I am also interested in a bike sim, but al the existing sims out there isn't realy simulating bike movement.
Turning handels left and right doesn't make a bike go left and right. It works on a counter steer system on a real bike when your on speed.
My idea is to use a spinning wheel at the back for inertia and centrifical force reaction simulation.
This could also give you rumble undr your but and scaled to act with your throttlr input aswell as help to get the bike to lean and backwheel slide.
This is however only theory and needs to be tested.

I think the centrifugal thing might work but you could get a very similar sort of progressive force with springs acting to self correct the bike to the upright position. That's how all the old bike sim machines worked.
I think for the rumble under the seat it would be perfect use of a buttkicker.
Backwheel slide hopefully should be pretty similar to traction loss in a normal car sim.