What is a Ride by Wire System in Motorcycle and What are Its Advantages?

In the arena of motorcycles, there have been many instances of smart integration of advanced electronic technologies. These new advancements have complicated the system, but they have revolutionised it. 

The ride-by-wire technology is also a smart electronic system that uses sensors and actuators to determine how much air-fuel mixture will be passed on to the combustion chamber. 

Ride-by-Wire is an electronic technology which uses various actuators and sensors to control the supply of air-fuel mixture into the engine chamber. This system has no mechanical linkage between the throttle and the accelerator. Sensors do the part of signalling how much air-fuel mixture is necessary to gain the required RPM or revolutions per mintue. 

In bikes with carburettor engines, there is a cable connecting accelerator and butterfly valve of the engine. When riders open or close the throttle, the opening of that valve broadens or narrows to control the passing on of air-fuel mixture. 

This phenomenon is controlled with Engine Control Unit or ECU and motorcycle actuators integrated with ride-by-wire technology. When you twist your bike’s accelerator, sensors pass the signal for making the required opening in the throttle valve. 

In this scenario, the ECU measures the mixture of air and fuel needed and signals the system to supply it. 

Here are the advantages this ride-by-wire technology offers:

1. Precise Control of Air-Fuel Flow

Ride-by-wire technology ensures that the right amount of air and fuel enter the combustion chamber by controlling their flow through proper measurement. As a result, it increases the fuel efficiency of motorcycles and reduces emissions.

2. Integration of Advanced Technologies

The ride-by-wire in bikes also makes it possible to integrate smart technologies like traction control systems and cruise control. This integration is possible because motorcycles with ride-by-wire technologies use inputs from ECUs to transfer the required air-fuel mixture to the combustion chamber. 

Smart sensor-enabled systems influence the inputs of ECUs. For example, if your bike has an integrated traction control system, it first detects the slippery road and sends a signal to the ECU to cut down the inflow of fuel and air.

Here are the disadvantages of ride-by-wire systems in motorcycles:

Costly System

Ride-by-wire technology uses smart electronic components, which makes the system complex and costly. This is why it comes with expensive bikes or can increase the overall price of bikes.

Complexity in Repair

The ride-by-wire system is not infallible altogether. You may need to go to a garage to repair it, unlike the manual clutch-gear system, which can be fixed by changing one wire. 

The ride-by-wire system in motorcycles ensures that the amount of air and fuel mix passed on to the engine is as required. With the help of ECU and actuators, the system passes a signal for the widening or narrowing of the valve. 

Besides the throttle input, this smart system measures various other aspects to accurately control the fuel supply, thereby increasing the motorcycle's fuel efficiency.