Mass-production motorcycles and automobiles which adopted titanium parts, and future prospects

摘要

The light-weight, strong titanium has drawn attention and much research has been carried out since the early days to improve performance of internal combustion engines for motorcycle and automobile racing applications starting from the early 1960s in Japan. However, due to the high cost of titanium material, application of titanium in mass-production started only since the late 1980s. Out of a growing concern for the environment in recent years, stringent restrictions are imposed on mass-production vehicles, calling for low emission and low fuel consumption technology. In the past, it was a difficult task to attain high power output from an engine aimed at low exhaust emission and low engine noise level. The use of titanium for engine and chassis parts can play significant roles for attaining the above-mentioned requirements as well as improving the dynamic performance of the vehicle, fuel economy, etc. With respect to the cost, which has been a high hurdle to clear for many years, titanium is now applicable in various types of parts, after the intensive development of the material for application in mass-production vehicles. Described in this report are the history and future prospects of titanium application at Honda.