Abstract
Polimi Motorcycle Factory is a student team from Politecnico di Milano, comprising over 100 students in the complete design, manufacturing and development of both electric and internal-combustion motorcycle prototypes, competing in the MotoStudent international competition and the Italian Speed Championship (CIV Moto3), respectively.
Within this context, an internally developed multibody model of the motorcycles, programmed in Simpack, plays a key role across several stages of the project. It is used for comparative and performance analyses, load estimation for structural component sizing, and integration with in-house electrical and thermal models developed in MATLAB/Simulink to optimize the electric powertrain subassemblies.
The work began with the development of a full multibody model of the 2025 electric prototype, with a focus on accurately representing the main structures, joints, and suspension kinematics. Particular attention was then devoted to modeling the powertrain and transmission system.
Subsequently, the model has been used to perform dynamic analyses under braking and acceleration conditions, comparing simulation results with telemetry data to improve model accuracy. To further improve the simulations, adopting the Simpack Biomotion Motorcycle Rider model has been fundamental, enabling more accurate modeling of rider-vehicle interaction and overall vehicle dynamics.
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Leonardo Piva is a Mechanical Engineering student of Politecnico di Milano enrolled in the master's degree of Automotive and Motorsport Engineering. Member of the Dynamics department of Polimi Motorcycle factory since 2021, co-developer of motorcycle design and optimization, laptime simulation and telemetry analysis software, with experience in experimental setup and validation.
Currently, Leonardo is working on implementing flexible bodies in motorcycle multibody models to support the design and simulation of next-generation prototypes.
Trackside simulation and performance engineer for the Motostudent Aragon 2025 edition and current Italian Speed Championship (CIV Moto3).
@LP
Member of the Dynamics Department — Polimi Motorcycle Factory, PMF
Domenico Capuano is currently a member of the Dynamics department of the Polimi Motorcycle Factory team, the racing team of the Politecnico di Milano. Within the team, he plays a key role in developing an advanced multi-body model of the electric racing motorcycle.
His academic background is built on a solid technical foundation: in 2024, Domenico earned his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano. Domenico is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Automotive and Motorsport Engineering at the same university. During his university career, Domenico has developed a deep interest in vehicle dynamics, translating theoretical knowledge into practical skills through his direct involvement with the team.
@DC
Member of the Dynamics Department — Polimi Motorcycle Factory, PMF
