Control apparatus of straddle vehicle

1. A control apparatus of a straddle vehicle, comprising:

a prediction section that determines whether a rider of the straddle vehicle intends to turn the straddle vehicle and predicts, before the straddle vehicle turns, whether turning of the straddle vehicle will occur, based on information related to at least one of a predetermined behavior exhibited by a vehicle body of the straddle vehicle before turning and a predetermined driving operation performed by the rider; and

a vehicle control section that provides driving assistance during turning of the straddle vehicle based on a result of the prediction made by the prediction section.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein before turning of the straddle vehicle, the prediction section determines whether the rider intends to turn the straddle vehicle based on information including at least one of a change in bank angle of the vehicle body, a shift in posture of the rider, and a change in rotation angle of the vehicle body in a roll direction.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the prediction section determines whether the rider intends to turn the straddle vehicle based on information including a change over time in the amount of the predetermined driving operation performed by the rider.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a skill setting section in which driving skill of the rider is set, wherein

the vehicle control section adjusts the driving assistance according to the driving skill set in the skill setting section.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a target detection section that detects a target object located ahead of the straddle vehicle, wherein

the vehicle control section provides the driving assistance based on the turning predicted by the prediction section and a result of the detection made by the target detection section.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the vehicle control section makes a change in the driving assistance when a signal coming from the target object detection section changes from a state indicating detection of the target object to a state indicating non-detection of the target object and it is determined that the straddle vehicle is banked or it is predicted that turning of the straddle vehicle will occur.

7. The control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein when making a change in the driving assistance, the vehicle control section changes the mode of indication given by an indicator provided for the driving assistance.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a travel lane recognition section that recognizes a travel lane, wherein

the vehicle control section controls the speed of the straddle vehicle based on the turning predicted by the prediction section to prevent the straddle vehicle from straying from the travel lane recognized by the travel lane recognition section.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the vehicle control section controls the speed of the straddle vehicle based on a value detected by a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the straddle vehicle from a wheel rotational speed, and

upon increase in bank angle of the vehicle body, the vehicle control section makes a correction by decreasing the detected value of the speed of the straddle vehicle or by increasing a command value of drive power.

10. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the prediction section is configured to increase, with increasing vehicle speed, a sensitivity of determining that the rider intends to turn the straddle vehicle.