There are many ride-sharing apps available, but Tonit adds a feature to ensure that riders protect their privacy and don’t incriminate themselves or void their insurance.
Tonit spokesman Alexandra Pony says users do not need to use the app’s tracking feature which only shows the route and speed.
Privacy rules
Riders can also choose to track their ride, but can keep them private on their profile.
“No one can view the rides they go on and/or access any of this info unless one chooses to make their rides public,” Alexander says.
“Also, riders can choose what info they’d like to keep — eg speeds, routes, etc. So a rider can opt to delete their speed from their profile.”
When tracking rides/ride sharing (this feature is yet to be released) riders will be able to share their location in real time with friends.
“This feature will be 100% up to the rider and will require approval from both parties before sharing live locations,” he says.
“There will be a duration and route preset so that it automatically stops once the ride is over.
“We’re riders too and know the risks. Our goal is to create a great community to share experiences and connect with other riders.”
Global community
Ride-sharing apps such as Rever, EatSleepRIDE and Riser are focused on GPS maps and tracking, allowing riders to download and use when offline.
Tonit is focused on building a global community, says Alexander.
The free Android and iOS app launched in November 2019 and already has 119,000 downloads and 86,000 active users. It hit #1 trending lifestyle app on Google Play in April.
The Tonit social hub allows motorcyclists to “meet, mingle and enjoy each other’s rides and experiences”.
It has an Instagram-style feed which allows riders to posts pics, tips and tricks, offer advice, and track and share their favourite routes.
Riders can also find other riders in their area and chat within the app to plan rides and create or join a variety of clubs that suit their style of riding.
Royal Enfield is on a winner with its 650cc twins as American engine giant S&S Cycle has now added 750cc and 865cc big-bore kits.
This follows the recent announcement that premium Swedish suspension manufacturer Ohlins has developed suspension grades for the twins and the Himalayan.
The Canstar Blue ratings compare motorcycle jacket brands on factors including value for money, comfort/fit, protection, durability, functionality, style and overall satisfaction.
They do not do scientific testing like the MotoCAP service.
MotoCAP is a partnership between Transport for NSW, State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), VicRoads, Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), Lifetime Support Authority (LSA), Motor Accident Commission of South Australia (MAC), Western Australian Police: Road Safety Commission, Department of State Growth, Insurance Australia Group (IAG), Australian Motorcycle Council and Accident Compensation Corporation in New Zealand.
Transport for NSW says ………..
MotoCAP ratings
A dummy dressed in riding gear is tested for abrasion resistance
MotoCAP has now tested 43 textile and leather jackets, 18 pairs of jeans and leggings, seven pair of leather pants, one pair of textile pants and 26 pairs of gloves.
Deakin Uni Institute for Frontier Materials Senior Research Fellow and Honda GB400 rider Chris Hurren says they targeted only 10% of the market in the first year so manufacturers could be involved.
Transport for NSW says there has been “interest from some manufacturers to have their items rated”, but all gear rated so far has been bought by them through a secretive buying system to guarantee integrity.
Bluetooth giant Sena has introduced a +Mesh wireless adapter that will link any version of their intercoms to any number of other Sena headsets.
It basically turns any Sena into a Bluetooth intercom with their +Mesh technology that allows people using the headset to come and go from a linked conversation without breaking the link.
The unit is arriving in Australia this month at $259. So there will be no need to update your Sena headset to the latest unit to experience +Mesh tech.
Connects unlimited Sena intercoms
Sena says the +Mesh wireless adapter allows “seamless communication with other Sena headsets”, rather than connecting via Bluetooth.
Range is claimed to be up to 800m line-of-sight.
You can install the device on your handlebars or any other part of the bike with unobstructed line of sight with your intercom and others.
Simply press the button to turn your headset into a more advanced and flexible Sena +Mesh headset.
“Mesh-network technology will instantly connect you to a virtually limitless amount of users and provides a more stable connection by intelligently searching for lost intercom connections and automatically reconnecting them once back within range, while the rest of the group stays together,” Sena says.
We can’t say how well it works, but Sena Australia say they will send us one to test, so stay tuned.
Sena helmets
Meanwhile, Sena’s updated Momentum Mesh helmet is coming to Australia later this year.
Sena Momentum Lite
Australia will not get the Momentum PRO and INC and INC PRO until the second generation is released with European certification.
There is no release date for the second generation as yet.
Bluetooth giant Sena has moved into helmets with integrated intercom systems over the past couple of years, adding full-face helmets, a half-helmet and now the open-face Savage.
But I remain a little sceptical about the quality of sound and noise-damping of the brow-mounted microphone in their Savage open-face and Calvary half-helmets.
Sena Calvary
I’m hoping to test the Savage soon.
Meanwhile, check out this promotional video which seems to indicate the sound quality defeats wind noise.
Sena Savage
The Savage is now available in Australia in matte black in medium, large and XL sizes at about $A500, depending on where you buy it.
You can also buy optional long and short peaks and we imagine the three press studs would also fit many visors suitable for other open-face helmets.
It is the first open-face helmet with Bluetooth 4.1, connecting with three other riders up to 1.6km.
Controls are simplistic, but the jog dial and single button should work as well as other Sena products we have tested.
Sena says it comes with “HD quality speakers” built into the ear cavities.
The microphone is located in the upper rim of the helmet and features their Advanced Noise Control to reduce wind noise.
Like other Sena units, it is an intercom and has integrated 10-station FM radio which can be accessed hands-free with voice controls.
Bluetooth connection to your phone also allows access to make and receive phone calls, use Siri, listen to music and hear GPS directions.
Talk time is 11 hours and the lithium polymer battery charges in three hours.
The composite fibreglass shell helmet weighs just 1100g and features removable and washable padding, with a nylon double-D-ring fastener.
Australian motorcycle helmet startup Forcite has promised its ultralight and ultra-hi-tech smart helmet will hit the market in December.
The Forcite helmetintegrates a camera system, navigation, intercom and active noise-cancelling in the shell. It also features an electronically tinted visor that changes tint within a few milliseconds.
CEO and co-founder Alfred Boyadgis says their early supporters or “test pilots” will soon be able to buy a limited-edition founder carbon composite helmet (pictured above) with gold logos for under $1000.
Forcite sales director Dylan Ross says the planned retail price for the helmet when it comes to market later this year will be $A1299.
Flaws fixed
In this video he admits that their earlier Mach 1 model had a few flaws such as the camera position on the top.
He says that the top-mounted camera worked for sports bike riders, but those sitting upright mainly videoed the sky. And if the rider raised their visor, it obscured the camera.
The 160-degree camera has now been repositioned in the chin area.
Chin bar helmet
Alfred also confirms that they have not altered the physics of the helmet which still complies with European ECE22.05 standards.
He says none of the lightweight electronics (<200g) is embedded in the foam lining to ensure the integrity of the helmet’s protection.
The Forcite helmet’s electronics are powered by two ceramic batteries that are guaranteed not to rupture or ignite in a crash.
Those test pilots will soon be able to try out the helmet on a closed track at a Sydney racetrack.
It will be followed by a “Launch Tour” with demo events in select dealerships around the country.
Dylan says they will disclose the names and locations of participating dealerships soon.
“But you can certainly announce that we’ll be travelling to Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Tasmania, Brisbane, North Queensland, Canberra and multiple locations in Sydney/Greater Sydney region,” he says.
“We’re still confirming some of the structural components of the Launch Tour, but we are going national with this and getting in front of as many riders as we can.
“This isn’t juiced-up internet hype, this is a product with real-world usability, built by riders with input from the riding community over several years.”
The good news is that riders who attend the demo days and order the helmet will get it at a discounted price under $1000. They promise delivery in December.
Uni design project
Alfred with Mach 1 and founder helmets
The Forcite helmet evolved from an undergraduate UNSW design project with co-founder Julian Chow.
It followed Alfred’s “near-death experience” when he crashed his motorcycle in an oil spill about five years.
He says he broke his knee and cracked his helmet in half. The attached action camera almost penetrated his skull.
The helmet is based on similar smart helmets Forcite has developed for other industries, and the business recently received mentoring in the UNSW 10X Accelerator.
They say their helmet and software package give riders “greater situational awareness and allows them to overcome their lack of visibility on the road by communicating essential information about their ride in a completely safe manner”.
It can also alert riders to nearby safety hazards with audio and light signals in the chin bar.
The helmet also provides video and audio recordings of the ride and it can be controlled via a smartphone app.
Mobile app monitors helmet technology
All the technology is integrated inside the helmet with no external attachments.
Alfred says helmet attachments are illegal in NSW and being investigated by standards bodies in many countries.
(Our understanding is that NSW and Victorian police still believe external fittings render a helmet illegal, but NSW have been ordered not to fine riders until the issue is officially resolved.)
He says helmet attachments add weight to a helmet and at high-speed impact, can crack helmet shells, leading to death or injury.
There is also concern that they can cause dangerous head rotation in a crash.
A Toronto rider has developed an affordable but ugly head-up display (HUD)for a motorcycle helmet that provides speed alerts only so you don’t have to stare at your speedometer all the time.
Colin Lam, who has started producing the HUD for just $US79, admits the controller unit is bulky and ugly, but says it could just save your licence and your life.
“I just thought it was a cool idea and there weren’t any on the market at the time and the ones that were promised cost $700+,” he told us.
Colin’s HUD display unit fits in the visor aperture of any helmet while a bulky and ugly controller attaches to the back with a GoPro-style mount.
Ugly controller
The display unit shows coloured lights that relate to your speed which it gets from a Bluetooth connection to an Android app.
You can set the coloured lights for brightness via the app.
App controls
Colours change from blue (0-9km/h), green (10-19km/h, yellow (20-29km/h), orange (30-39kmh) to red (40-49km/h).
Then it repeats the cycle, going back to blue for 50-59/km/h, green (60-69km/h, yellow (70-79km/h), orange (80-89kmh) to red (90-99km/h).
That’s a lot to remember and it could become a little confusing and distracting trying to remember which colour is which speed.
Hardware engineer
Colin and his Kwaka
Colin is a hardware engineer who started while he was living in California a few years ago.
“I started working on the idea when I got back to Canada in 2016, after I realised that there wasn’t really much helmet display tech out there (this was at the same time that Skully went down),” he says.
“I envisioned something like a fighter pilot’s HUD, but I wound up with this thing. It’s a hell of a lot simpler.”
Bulky issue
He agrees that the controller unit is bulky, but says slimming it down could be difficult.
“The best way to slim down the rear unit is to replace the three alkaline AAA batteries with lithium ion,” he says.
“But Li-ion batteries don’t do well when they’re punctured or abraded. They explode.
“Alkalines, on the other hand, are usually okay, even when they’re sawn in half.
“Keeping the price tag low means using off-the-shelf batteries that are still safe, so I’m kind of stuck.
“As for the ugliness, you know, I figured that it’s kind of like Crocs. It’s kind of obvious, so I shouldn’t bother hiding it. If it’s useful enough, though, I think people will look past that.”
New York designer and rider Joe Doucet has designed a helmet wth an LED light that switches to red when decelerating to improve rider visibility and avoid rear-end crashes.
Joe has benevolently decided not to apply for a patent nor manufacture the helmet but make the technology available to others in the interests of rider safety.
“I opened up the intellectual property to any company who chooses to produce a version of the helmet. Weighing the potential of saving a life against a royalty check is an easy decision to make,” he says.
However, he’s not the first to develop such technology that includes a light linked to an accelerometer.
Helmet lights add visibility
There have been several products designed to increase the visibility of riders and attract the attention of tailgating motorists.
They include the French Cosmo helmet light that sticks on the back of any helmet and the inVIEW helmet light that not only indicates when brakes are applied or a rider slows down on the throttle, but also shows a rider’s intention to turn.
Cosmo helmet brake light
inVIEW
Young French couple Fanny, 19, and Jonathan, 20, also launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their Spektre idea for illuminated tape to light up your motorcycle helmet. It only received 5% of its $A42,000 goal.
Spektre
The idea of lighting up a helmet may not be novel, but it also doesn’t seem to have kick started with a lot of riders.
Safety light
A helmet light makes some sense to improve the visibility of riders as the taillights on a bike are low and drivers in heavy traffic may not see them because of the bonnet (hood) of their car, SUV or truck.
Together with an accelerometer that senses the bike slowing down — even under engine braking and no brake application as many riders do — it may help reduce rear-ender crashes.
The first models to get the Öhlins adjustable shock absorbers and fork springs with adjustable pre-load caps are the new and very popular 650cc twin-cylinder Interceptor and Continental GT.
Interceptor 650
Continental GT 650
They will be followed by full suspension for the 400cc Himalayan adventurer.
When I tested the Interceptor and Continental GT, I found the standard American-made Gabriel shocks a little on the soft side for my 80kg frame.
I pumped up the rear preload to the fourth of five settings but it still managed to bottom out over some big bumps, bounced around at the rear and wobbled a little over mid-corner irregularities.
Ohlins developed on harsh roads
“Öhlins takes the bike to another level, especially for those that will ride pillion or push their bike to the limits,” says ASEAN Business Development Executive Dale Schmidtchen in Thailand.
“The suspension was developed this year here where the roads are similar in quality to roads in Australia.
“The rear shock option for the Himalayan will be a great option for resolving two concerns with owners.
“Access to the spring preload is very hard on this model, so Öhlins will offer a shock absorber with remote preload adjustment, which in turn allows the rider to quickly adjust for varying load weights and road conditions.
“With Öhlins suspension, firstly you now have the option to adjust spring and preload for varying rider, pillion and loaded equipment. This is not just a comfort feature, but also safety.
“Dynamic ground clearance will be improved, as well as stability through corners. And last but not least, with most of a bikes braking control being a by-product of the compression stroke of the forks, this will allow for better braking, especially over bumps.
Öhlins has not yet released prices, but say they will be a “surprise”.
They come in either black or yellow with interchangeable springs.
Touratech says the mount is more robust than its predecessor system and can be attached and taken off easily thanks to the rounder design of the fasteners.
Simply slide the hooks on to the rack and push the tension lever down until it clicks into place. To remove, pull on the tension lever and lift the pannier from the rack.
Yet they say they are secure and won’t fall off on the roughest track.
Zega Evo sizes
The waterproof Zego Evo come in 31-litre, 38L and 45L capacities and cost $1150.01 each in black and $1069.59 in silver.
Weight is 5.9kg for 31L, 6.4kg for 38L, 6.9L for 45L.
To better organise your luggage, there are fastening hooks on the inside of the lid. The outside of the lid also has high-strength attachment eyes.
Zega Evo comes with a webbing carry handle integrated into the lid recess.
Touratech has been making the Zega family of aluminium panniers for more than 25 years.
Like its predecessors, the new Evo is made of high-strength 1.5-millimetre-thick aluminium.
The new lid catches retain the popular hinge function that allows the lid to be opened from both sides or removed completely.
The lid and base of the pannier are manufactured using a modern deep-drawing process, which eliminates the need for unattractive welding seams.
Waterproof
The outer shell and base are attached by high-quality, waterproof rivets and the pannier is sealed with silocone.
The lid has a tongue and groove profile with an integrated silicone seal, which guarantees a watertight seal.
The newly developed ventilation system relieves the pressure in or on the pannier if there’s a change in altitude.
This means you can open a pannier at high altitude even though you closed it thousands of metres down in a valley.
Zega Evo has accessory fixing pins to attach the special Evo accessory holders without drilling holes in the case.
Touratech has mounting units to suit most adventure and touring motorcycles.
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