Body cover system for a small vehicle, and vehicle including same

摘要

A motorcycle is provided with vehicle frame, an internal combustion engine operatively attached to the vehicle frame, and an exhaust system for routing exhaust gas from the engine therethrough. The motorcycle also includes a body cover that covers at least a lateral side portion of the engine and constitutes an outer face of the vehicle, and a heat shield having a face closely adjacent and visually continuous to the body cover, the heat shield covering a lateral side portion of the exhaust system. The heat shield and the body cover cooperate to configure the external face of the vehicle, and the heat shield is mounted to the exhaust system. The body cover is formed of a plastic material, and the heat shield is made of metal. The body cover and heat shield cooperate to provide an improved vehicle appearance.

主权项

1. A small vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame; an internal combustion engine operatively attached to the vehicle frame; an exhaust system that extends downwardly from the internal combustion engine for routing exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine therethrough, the exhaust system comprising:
a catalytic converter containing a catalyst,an upstream exhaust pipe connected to a front end part of the catalytic converter, anda downstream exhaust pipe connected to a rear end part of the catalytic converter; a body cover that covers at least a lateral side of the internal combustion engine and constitutes part of an external face of the vehicle; and a heat shield having a face closely adjacent and substantially visually continuous to the body cover and covering a lateral side portion of the exhaust system, the heat shield and the body cover cooperating to configure at least part of the external face of the vehicle; and, wherein the heat shield is operatively attached to the catalytic converter, and is further supported by at least one of the upstream exhaust pipe and the downstream exhaust pipe.