10:10 am
322 Fryklund Hall

Abstract

The past several years have seen a major increase in rider comfort expectations in the power sports industry. From wind protection, to excessive engine heat, riders are demanding more out of their vehicles. This talk will go over some of the tools that are used to determine rider comfort levels and design guidelines in developing vehicles. Current analysis methods and a testing tools will be presented. The product development cycle will also be discussed.

Bio

Kent Underland is a Senior CAE Engineer at Polaris Industries. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 2017. At Polaris, he is the leading expert in motorcycle rider aero and thermal comfort utilizing CFD and other analysis tools. He has also developed testing methods for rider leg temperatures and wind buffeting off of windshields. He is a father of one with another on the way and enjoys rec sports like baskeball, softball, and volleyball.