Police and road safety authority claims that returned riders are the biggest safety risk on the road is a “furphy”, says Victorian Motorcycle Council media spokesman John Eacott (pictured above).
John has spent some time analysing Victorian Transport Accident Commission (TAC) statistics and now claims returned riders are not the major safety risk they have been labelled.
He says this is a concern because road safety initiatives are being directed to the wrong group.
Stats don’t lie
“It would appear that the TAC site has a better analysis than we initially thought with Motorcycle Age Group and Gender as a good start,” he says.
“In 2018, there were 38 motorcyclist fatalities and, in 2017/2018, 1312 motorcycle riders were compensated by the TAC for injuries involving an acute hospital admission.
“Some 53% of motorcycle riders who lost their lives in 2018 and 48% of those hospitalised in 2017/2018 were aged over 40.
“While the numbers of females injured have increased, males are significantly more likely to lose their lives or be seriously injured than females.”
While these are Victorian figures, the state and national stats show similar results. Check out the national fatalities graph below.
However, this is only half the story.
Licence holders by age/gender
John also researched the ages of registered Victorian motorcycle licence holders on the Motorcycle Crash Data site.
He found that in June 2017 there were more than 420,000 Victorians with a current motorcycle licence or permit with the following breakdown:
88% were male;
5% aged 25 or less;
70% aged over 40;
20% aged over 60 (with 4% over 70); and
Just over half (56%) of motorcycle licence holders were active riders.
Once again, the figures are expected to be similar in all states and nationally.
“So while the age group and gender implies a ‘worrying’ crash rate for over 40s, they account for less than 50% of fatals and hospitalisations yet comprise 70% of licensed riders,” John says.
“Using the stats on the age group page, under 25s have 11% of fatals and 24% of hospital admissions, yet they are only 5% of registered riders.
“Comparatively the over-60s comprised 21% of fatalities and 11% of hospitalisations yet are 20% of licence holders, so they are underrepresented in hospitalisations and on percentage for fatalities.
“The lack of referencing to these factual statistics by the various authorities along with the constant referencing of stats for over 40s shows an institutional bias against older riders.
“Until this is corrected and the over-representation in accidents of under 25s is addressed, we fear nothing will change.”
Road safety funding misdirected
John Eacott
“Time and time again the government and media make comments about returned riders being a problem,” John says.
“We are actually underrepresented in crash stats and under 25s are grossly overrepresented and this is not being addressed.
“It is a misapplication of resources and the Motorcycle Safety Levy.”
Victoria Police are expected to be out in force over the next few days as warning to motorcyclists to ride safely on their way to and from the World Superbikes at Phillip Island this weekend.
In previous years, VicPol have conducted “Motosafe” operations around the WSBK and MotoGP events.
We contacted VicPol to find out what they had planned for this year, but they said they couldn’t supply an answer until the end of the week, which is too late to issue a specific warning to riders.
Rider warning
However, riders have complained in the past that over-zealous police make life difficult for riders.
They have reported long queues for licence checks at road blocks, indiscriminate roadside bike inspections and an abundance of speed detection.
Some have even said they not return because of the heavy handed police presence.
So while these events are recognised as two of the major tourist attractions to the state, these police operations seem to have had the reverse effect.
We will update this article with a specific warning if or when VicPol supply details of their operations.
Meanwhile, we invite riders to leave a comment below of their experiences to alert other riders.
And make sure you have fun at the Island and get home in one piece.
World Superbikes at Phillip Island (Images on this page: Jamie Morris/Geebee Images/2SNAP)
Rule warning
For those interstate riders visiting Victoria, remember it is not legal to ride in a bus, bicycle, transit, tram or truck lane.
The only exception is if you are stopping for an emergency or turning and then you can only be in the lane for 1090m (50m for bicycle and tram lanes).
WSBK and MotoGP are significant tourist events that reap millions of dollars in annual revenue for Victoria.
The Victorian Government’s Motorcycle Tourism Strategy 2013-2016 actually says “motorcycle tourism has the potential to make an important contribution to the Victorian economy, particularly in regional areas. Motorcycling is the fastest growing road user sector.”
The strategy has not been updated since 2016.
However, the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirms that motorcycle riders account for about 1% of Australian tourism which is worth about $350 million annually to the economy.
Also, an Australian Financial Review report cited the booming motorcycle tourism industry as being dominated by domestic intra-state bikers taking short, weekend rides into rural areas and staying in country hotels.
“Others do longer inter-state trips through classic touring country such as coastal and alpine roads. Then there’s the motorbike tourists who tour for several weeks or months, either in a tour group or by hiring bikes and self-guiding,” the report stated.
And, of course, making an annual pilgrimage to the island!
Riders may soon have peace of mind their helmet is safe to use after a drop or crash, thanks to a new invention that uses a laser to scan your helmet.
The Helmet Doctors who developed the device now want to know if riders would pay $40 for the safety scanning service?
You can take part in their quick 10-question online survey by clicking here.
Early feedback on the poll shows strong support for a helmet scan service.
However, some riders have expressed concern that authorities could make such scanning services compulsory.
Why helmet integrity is important?
Scott, Brayden and family
The Helmet Doctors is a family venture founded by Brayden Robinson and his father, Scott, of the Sunshine Coast.
“We grew up with the kids and me riding motocross and we would often see kids crash then continue to use their helmets which appeared to be unscathed,” Scott says.
“When Brayden was hospitalised with a fractured skull, we were shocked to see how good the helmet still looked.
“So we started looking for a better way to assure helmets are still in a safe condition after a crash.”
Brayden is taken away in the ambulance
This led Scott and Brayden to invent a helmet laser-scanning technique with the help of a Belgian lab who primarily work in aeronautical and spatial technologies.
This Belgian experimental science lab develops, operates and makes solutions to improve the design, mechanical strength and durability, under a vibratory environment, of equipment and structures.
Scott and Brayden did extensive research and development with this Belgian company and with the help of the Composites Research Group in the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at The University of Queensland.
The father-and-son team investigated sound waves, x-rays and other non-destructive testing techniques.
“We found this laser scanning technique can categorically guarantee that, if there is any damage to the helmet’s outer shell, our technique will identify it.
“It’s ground-breaking, proven science.”
Helmet scanner
The Helmet Doctors have a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application that allows them to enter their patent application into any of 152 jurisdictions by 23 June 2020. At present the application has been examined by the international PCT body and all but one claim has been found to be novel over identified existing technology .
The Helmet Doctorsare keen to turn this into a commercial venture.
How the scan works
Scott says very few riders know exactly when to replace their helmet.
“We have all heard how if you drop your helmet once you should replace it. But very few do this,” Scott says.
“No one knows how much impact a composite helmet can tolerate before the shell is critically weakened.
“Composite materials have many layers and tiny fibres that can be damaged in a fall.
“The impact energy is dispersed among the fibres and away from the brain which it is designed to do.
“This is why a dropped helmet may still look ok.
“However, the impact could have led to a small crack or splintering which you can’t see with the naked eye.
“Our device can view, read and record the helmet 100,000 times better than the naked eye and find if there are any cracks, splintering or deformations which would make the helmet defective and unable to withstand another impact.”
Helmet-scanning scheme
The Helmet Doctors plan to test their service first in South East Queensland.
Riders would take their helmet to a participating motorcycle dealer where they would leave it and pick it up a few days later.
The helmet would be sent to the nearest scanner depot where it would be scanned, assessed and returned.
Scott says the Federal Government is considering some funding for the safety service but needs to know if it would be well received by riders, racers and the motorcycle industry.
“As you could imagine this experimental laser camera is very expensive, but our goal is to make this service accessible and cheap enough for everyone to use it,” Scott says.
If the project is successful, they hope to extend the service to other states and overseas.
In areas where the individual bays are not marked with white paint, it is just rude. But in those delineated bays, the rider straddling the line could face a council fine and even a police fine.
We’ve checked around the streets of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and the biggest offenders seem to be riders on small bikes and cheap scooters.
They don’t mind if their machine gets a bit scratched. They also don’t seem to care if they scratch another rider’s expensive pride and joy.
Rude riders
Adelaide rider Duncan Haller, who sent us the above photo, says it’s not only rude and illegal, but makes it difficult for him to mount his Honda CBR500RR.
Duncan and his Honda
“Thanks to a slightly bung hip, without the room to swing my leg freely from the correct position I find it hard to get on the bike, and certainly painful when I can’t move my hip in the correct way,” he says.
“Add to that the number of times my mirrors are knocked out of position by parking-bay splitters.
“Here in Adelaide the council have in the past couple of years provided a number of new motorcycle and scooter parking places, including on Victoria Square, Hindmarsh Square and in a number of the side streets.
Footpath parking areas in Adelaide
“With a bit of searching, I’ve never had an issue even if I have to go a little further out than planned.
“Personally, I think it’s inconsiderate and bad manners.”
Duncan says he usually prefers designated parking bays, but says when he parks in the unmarked area on Victoria Square “99% of my fellow riders are considerate and leave room”.
“It seems to be the same minority of repeat offenders.”
Illegally parked bikes and scooters are never ticketed, he says.
“I’m not one to go reporting stuff to the Council, however I’m becoming tempted.”
“However, we would usually issue a warning to scooters because sometimes people will move the small scooters out of the space so they can use the space themselves,” the council spokesman says.
Adelaide parking
How motorcycles and scooters should be parked in Adelaide
Adelaide City Council acknowledges that motorcycles are a “space-saving, convenient and lower-cost alternative to private cars, and are well-suited to the city landscape”.
“They play an important role in supporting Adelaide’s liveability by reducing traffic congestion and travel time for all road users,” they say on their website.
Adelaide CBD and in North Adelaide have more than 1000 free on-street parking spaces with no time limit.
Riders can also park free in 140 spaces on eight designated footpaths.
Lust stretching right back to my teenage years was enough to convince me to accept his offer.
But I was also interested to see if the hefty price tag of $32,990 plus on-road costs is justified.
Before departing, James tells me the ECU update has taken some of the lumpiness and grumpiness out of the engine, particularly when cold or ridden at low speeds.
However, we let it idle for a few minutes to warm up, just in case.
As we head out into busy morning traffic I am pleasantly surprised at how tame and manageable it feels.
However, when we turn the Commando 961 forks toward Mt Glorious, it lets rip with a maniacal yelp and plenty of bite from the 961cc parallel twin pushrod engine with 60kW of power and 80Nm of torque.
They are not world-leading figures, but there is a tone and character to this engine that is absolutely delightful and infectious.
The engine throbs and purrs with the best induction roar since Samson slayed that recalcitrant lion.
At idle, the twin pipes burble delightfully but their note is lost in the induction roar as you power on. So it entertains the rider, rather than alarming the general public.
Tingling ride
We press on into the hills and the Commando 961 tingles my fingers, my feet and the antennae-like wing mirrors — if I could afford one, the first thing I would do is ditch those mirrors for bar-end units.
Handling duties are managed by Ohlins forks and shocks, so it’s predictable, sharp, precise and firm, but with a compliant ride over the harsh bumps.
A perfect, neutral handling bike with light steering and a joy to throw around S-bends.
However, I feel a strange disconnect with the bike. Not emotionally, but physically … in the seat of my pants!
I soon realise it’s due to the shape and design of the narrow-fronted seat and scalloped tank.
The seat is comfortable and fits me well, but my knees are too far forward and underneath the indents on the tank.
Consequently my knees are hanging out in the breeze rather than gripping the tank.
I move my rear rearward and it feels better, but still a little strange.
As we slice through the corners, I tap-dance on the gearshift and find the gears as slick as many Japanese motorcycles.
In fact, unless you watch the green neutral light flick off, you wouldn’t know you had selected first gear it is that smooth and quiet.
There are only five gears but with hefty midrange torque, you don’t really need to mess around with a lot of cog swapping.
In fact, I use only three gears up and down Mt Glorious.
Yet you can also short shift and cruise around in top gear even on city roads.
The Commando 961 is a bike that will accommodate any style of riding and reward in a responsive and entertaining way.
But don’t think of this like an original Commando with its lightweight featherbed frame.
This feels a bulkier and more substantial bike.
I was a little surprised to find the instruments only included an odometer, one trip, a clock and a volt meter with the toggle button between the two analogue dials, not on a switchblock on the bars.
But then, this is supposed to be a neo-classic.
Some of the current neo-classics are a little too hi-tech, defeating the whole purpose of getting back into the retro feel.
Is it worth it?
Sport and Cafe Racer models
After a delightful romp through the hills we are back at Brisbane Motorcycles and I am still pondering why anyone would pay so much for a fairly basic motorcycle.
Yet I’m still wanting one and wondering how I can finance it.
Why is that?
There’s no lavish paint, hi-tech wizardry, spec sheet bragging rights or acres of chrome to admire.
In fact, the casings are a lightly polished alloy that is already developing an oxidised patina.
Then it hits me. That’s exactly what I like.
It feels authentic. It feels hand-built. It feels like quality without any unnecessary trimmings, except for those hand-painted gold pin stripes.
There is a certain intrinsic value to this bike that does not translate to the bank balance.
I know I could afford two Japanese bikes for the same price, but I don’t know that I would feel the same level of pride in ownership.
Norton Commando 961 Sport Mk II
Price:
$32,990 plus on-road costs
Engine:
961cc push-rod valve actuation, 3 bearing crank and balancer shaft.
Power:
58.4kW @ 6500rpm
Torque:
90Nm @ 5200rpm
Compression:
10.0:1
Bore x stroke:
88.0 x 79.0 mm (3.5 x 3.1 inches)
Valves per cylinder:
2
Fuel system:
Injection
Ignition:
Digital
Lubrication system:
Dry sump
Cooling system:
Air
Gearbox:
5-speed
Transmission:
Chain
Clutch:
Wet multi-plate hydraulic lifter
Driveline:
Constant mesh
Emissions:
3 way catalytic converter.
Exhaust:
Stainless steel
Frame:
Steel tubular with integral oil tank.
Rake (fork angle):
24.5°
Trail:
99mm (3.9 inches)
Front suspension:
43mm Ohlins RWU – adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping
Suzuki has lodged patents drawings that suggest a retro cafe racer model with a trellis frame and single-cylinder engine to catch up with other manufacturers plundering this lucrative sector.
While most manufacturers have retro models such as cafe racers and scramblers, Suzuki only has the reincarnated Katana and the lovely, but too-small TU250X.
Customiser have mainly used old GS Suzuki models to create retro cafe racers. Maybe Suzuki has been watching and now plans to follow their lead.
Retro cafe racer drawings
The patent drawings show a very basic motorcycle with a trellis frame that would make it much easier to customise which many retro buyers seem to do.
On top is very short seat and no tail which would obviously never make it to market. Let’s just say it’s unfinished, but certainly a target that some customisers would aim for.
The tank looks very neo-classic with its knee indents and retro lines with a flattish top.
It seems to have a nice short wheel base, steep rake in the forks and rearset footpegs, indicating a cafe racer stance.
There are no handlebars yet, but we would assume it would take clip-ons.
The compact engine is a single-cylinder unit. The patent description talks about “a crankcase, a cylinder and a cylinder head”.
Perhaps it would be around 400cc, vying for that novice market that wants a good balance in a light bike with moderate power.
So it’s not a high-powered cafe racer as the single disc on the front would also suggest.
Of particular interest is the header pipe which curls around before heading down the right side, probably ending at a stubby muffler since it is not visible beyond the engine.
New to Suzuki is the triangular swingarm. It looks quite bulky and sturdy for a bike that looks to be fairly light.
The rear suspension is not visible, so we suspect it is a lateral single shock tucked up behind the engine.
But don;’t get too excited yet.
Patent drawings don’t necessarily end up being complete new models.
It might simply be an exercise in securing the patent some of these elements.
Would you like Suzuki to produce a retro cafe racer? Leave your comments below.
Ambitious road toll targets, such as the improbable Vision Zero campaign, create unrealistic expectations that only serve to goad politicians into knee-jerk responses.
They usually consist of lower speed limits and crackdowns on motorcyclists who are over-over-represented in the statistics.
So it comes as no surprise that Australia is not on target to meet its ambitious National Road Safety Strategy road toll objective, agreed to by all state and territory governments in 2011.
They include a special federal Cabinet position for road safety, relevant bureaucratic support, government recognition of road safety and a $3 billion-a-year road safety fund.
All commendable recommendations.
However, they also ridiculously advocate Vision Zero targets by 2050.
Rider concerns
Among the 12 recommendations are two insidious references to issues that should send a shiver down the spine of many motorists, in particular motorcyclists.
One is to “implement rapid deployment and accelerated uptake of proven vehicle safety technologies and innovation”.
This could mean mandating technologies such as automatic emergency brakes in motorcycles.
He recommends 80km/h on some highways and 30km/h in CBD streets.
Together with the AAA’s recommendation, this could be the impetus governments need to drop speeds.
Crash data
The inquiry into the NRSS does not recommend better crash data which is still largely in the hands of untrained police, rather than specific crash investigators.
Motorcycle Council of NSW (MCCNSW) chairman Steve Pearce says proper crash investigation would reveal the real causes of motorcycle crashes and help prevent further accidents and deaths.
A 2012 Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry documented the lack of reliable crash data and recommended a road crash data authority be set up independent of VicPol/VicRoads/TAC.
Motorcycle Riders Association of Victoria spokesman Damien Codognotto says that “while we base road trauma countermeasures on unreliable, inadequate crash data we will get unreliable, inadequate countermeasures”.
Crash data for motorcyclists is not as bad as many police and the mainstream media would have us believe.
The AAA’s inquiry found there were 191 motorcyclist deaths on Australian roads over the past 12 months compared with 242 the previous year which is a decrease of 21.1%.
Meanwhile, cyclist fatalities increased 80%.
So rather than a crackdown on motorcyclists, let’s have a crackdown on riders who flout road rules.
The first twin-cylinder Royal Enfields in six decades are now arriving in showrooms around the world and riders are lining up at dealerships for test rides.
Dealer principal Richard Nicholson asked if I could pick it up at close of business on Saturday and have it back first thing Monday morning as demo rides were booked solid.
Such is the hype and excitement in these new parallel twin models!
I’m happy to report that after thrashing the bike through traffic, down highways and over the Border Ranges, the Interceptor 650 lives up to most of the hype. Watch my brief video review below.
Royal twins
The learner-legal Royal twins are the Interceptor and the Continental GT. I will ride the latter next weekend, again between solidly booked demo rides.
The only differences are the straight bars, bench seat, tank badges and centre stand on the Interceptor while the GT has clip-ons, a humped seat, painted logos and no centre stand.
Here are the ride-away prices, depending on tank colours.
Interceptor 650
$9790 (solid colours — orange, black and silver);
$9990 two-tone (orange, white and gold pinstripe; red, black and white pinstripe);
$10,290 chrome tank.
Continental GT
$9990 (pale blue, black with gold GT stripes);
$10,190 (two-tone black/silver with yellow pinstripe, white with silver and blue stripe);
$10,490 (chrome).
Retro styling
Richard says the previous problems with Royal Enfield chrome tanks have been resolved.
A close inspection at the demo models substantiates a vast improvement in paint and chrome finish.
In fact, the overall quality is a substantial improvement. I pulled the locked seat off the bike and was pleased to find the paint extends right down the tank where you can’t see it and the welds are neat.
Even the initials of the bike builder responsible are hand painted on the end of the tank under the seat.
Builder’s initials
That’s pride of workmanship, with good reason.
Wiring and cabling is tidy, plastics are smooth, the vinyl seat is good quality and even the footpegs are nice rubber and alloy units.
The only build fault I could find was a slightly gummy weld joint where the headers leave the cylinder.
Those who love the retro look will appreciate that Royal Enfield didn’t go to town on the chrome which the original ‘50s/‘60s cafe racers didn’t have.
Instead of acres of chrome, the engine casings and wheel rims are brushed alloy (black rims on some models) which looks understatedly stunning. (Now there’s an oxymoron for you!)
For a $10,000 bike there are quite a few niceties and extras such as twin instrument pods with a tachometer, comprehensive toolkit and lockable fuel cap.
It also sits on retro-style Pirelli Phantom tyres originally made for the Ducati GT1000 and used on the new Triumph Bonneville.
And how many $10,000 bikes come with a centre stand as standard these days, let alone a toolkit? In fact, how many bikes twice the price have a centre stand and toolkit!
The latter is in a side panel which is locked with the ignition key. It also has a latch inside that unlocks the seat.
Speaking of which, it’s soft and quite comfortable, but after two hours in the neutral riding position you sink down into the seat and you can feel the supports underneath.
The seat is 804mm high, but it’s very narrow, so at 183mm tall I could easily get my flat feet on the ground with knees bent.
Pillions will enjoy the thick padding and the substantial grab handle at the back.
Royal Enfield has kept the price down by making this a lo-fi bike. No fancy traction controls and electronic wizardry, although it does have ABS, of course.
The instruments are basic with just two analogue pods (speedo and tacho) and a small LCD screen with readouts for odometer, trip A and B and a voltmeter when running. No clock, ambient temperature, weather forecast or stock market readouts!
And you have to reach over and touch a mode button between the two dials.
The indicators and taillight are also basic and the mirrors are cheap units that come loose over rough roads and blur at highway speed.
The rear tail features a cheap and ugly rubber fender extender that can easily be unscrewed and discarded.
Heartbeat
Many Royal Enfield enthusiasts are attracted by the slow and methodical pulse of the single-cylinder engine.
These parallel twins have a 270-degree crank like the new liquid-cooled Triumph Bonnevilles, so they are a totally different heartbeat.
And unlike the the 500 singles, you don’t need to schedule a slot in your diary to reach 100km/h. It will reach 100km/h in about six seconds.
Some say it will top 170km/h, but I managed 140 — under controlled conditions, of course!
It will certainly cruise at legal highway speeds in a relaxed manner with very little vibration or hand/feet tingle.
Riders in hot climates will also appreciate the fact that they do not run near as hot as the new scorching Bonnes. The cylinder heads still get quite hot, as you would expect, but there are coated metal protectors so you don’t burn your knees.
The 648cc twin is oil and air cooled with a modest 47 horsepower or 35kW at 7100rpm and 52Nm of torque at 4000rpm.
It doesn’t sound like much, but the midrange is smooth and meaty.
The engine is mated to a super-slick, six-speed gearbox and clutch with a moderate pull so it is easy to use in traffic.
You will need to feed the bike some revs in the first couple of gears for rapid acceleration from the front of the queue at the traffic lights.
If you continue to rev the bike to the limiter and dance on the gearshift you will get maximum results, but you may also hit a few false neutrals.
With such moderate horsepower there is not a lot of point in spinning it out to the red line every shift.
I found it yields satisfactory results if you short-shift through the gears and ride around town in fourth or fifth at 4000rpm.
Out on the highway, it cruises without stress at 4000 revs in sixth. Since the engine pulls lustily from 3000 revs, you can roll on the throttle without having to drop a cog.
I pushed it moderately hard through traffic and winding hills, yet the bike yielded impressive economy figures over about 500km of 3.6L/100km.
That means range of almost 350km from the 12.5-litre tank.
The Interceptor 650 I rode was fitted with aftermarket slip-on Emgo mufflers for an extra $300.
Richard regrets fitting them to the Interceptor, saying they don’t suit its more sedate image.
He says they should have gone on the more racey-looking Continental GT cafe racer.
Emgo mufflers
They also sound a little nasty and anti-social when revved hard, although they do give the throttle improved response, he says.
There are S&S Cycle mufflers coming in about six months that promise a better sound.
Ride and handling
The twin cradle frame and twin-shock suspension set-up is as traditional as it gets, but it works.
It’s not the lightest 650 out there at 202kg dry, but the frame and suspension combine to provide a light-steering, agile bike.
I found the American-made Grabriel shocks a little on the soft side for my 80kg frame, even after pumping up the rear preload to the fourth of five settings.
You can adjust them by hand if you’re strong and put the bike on its centre stand, although there is a C spanner included in the toolkit.
It still managed to bottom out over some big bumps, bounced around at the rear and wobbled a little over mid-corner irregularities.
However, that was when it was pushed hard. If you trot along at legal pace, it’s all quite controllable with those wide, braced handlebars.
I believe Ohlins is working on suspension upgrades, but that could be overkill on a $10k bike.
The Interceptor turns in quite quickly and holds its line well on its narrow, 18-inch front and rear Pirelli Phantom tyres.
They have good corner and braking grip, although the front was found lacking on emergency stops with the bike’s single disc and hefty weight.
The brakes are Bybre which is a discount Brembo offshoot and they have braided steel lines for good feel. Still, a second front disc would be welcome.
Despite the heft, the bike is easy to lift onto the centre stand with a convenient handle beside the seat like on old bikes.
Conclusion
There has been a lot of pent-up demand for this bike since it was announced almost two years ago.
Thankfully the excitement and hype is justified.
Royal Enfield has done a good job of bringing a top-value product to the market that will equally excite old stagers, neo-classic hipsters, learners and novices, mature riders and those who are looking for a good donor bike for a custom.
This bike would be very easy to modify into a bobber, scrambler, street tracker or cafe racer.
No doubt Royal Enfield will also produce more model variants and we’d loved to see this engine in the Himalayan adventure bike.
Australian motorcycle helmet startup Forcite has received a welcome funding boost that will ensure its ultralight and ultra-hi-tech smart helmet hits the market in the next few months.
The Forcite helmetintegrates a camera system, navigation, intercom and active noise-cancelling. It also features an electronically tinted visor that changes tint within a few milliseconds.
Uniseed funding
It looks so impressive, Australia’s longest-running research commercialisation fund Uniseed, has invested in the company, bringing Forcite’s total funding to $2.8 million.
Forcite spokesman Alfred Boyadgis says the money will allow them to “focus on completing the product and getting ready for test-days”.
“It also means we can stop eating pop tarts and two-minute noodles,” he jokes.
Alfred says the helmet will be launched in late April to mid-May.
A founder’s limited-edition helmet in carbon composite with gold logos will be available at around $US949 (about $A1330) to those who come along to their test days.
“This makes our helmet the most affordable smart helmet to be on the market,” Alfred says.
“The founder’s edition is only available to “test pilots” and will be heavily discounted as the point of it is to give something special to those who help us.
“We are selective with the test group and only 10% of people make it in.”
Smart helmet revolution
The smart helmet revolution is coming with several hi-tech helmets or add-on units hitting the market in the next few years, changing riding forever.
Not to be outdone by Silicon Valley and Asian tech wizards, Alfred and Julian Chow of Forcite Helmets in Sydney have developed their own smart helmet software package.
It evolved from an undergraduate UNSW design project after Alfred’s “near-death experience” in a motorcycle accident where his helmet cracked in half and 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 and provides video and audio recordings of the ride.
“We have seen riders attach all sorts of equipment to their helmets in an effort to record their rides – either for fun or for safety,” Alfred says.
“However, the practice of attaching cameras to helmets is currently illegal in NSW and being investigated by standards bodies in many countries as the devices add to the weight of the helmet and at high speed impact, can crack helmet shells, leading to death or injury.”
(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.)
Alfred says the company is now in discussions with major motorcycle brands and distributors in Australia and the United States.
“The early interest has resulted in a groundswell of momentum that will culminate when our helmets hit the road early this year,” he says.
Uniseed investment manager Natasha Rawlings says the need for the product is “immense”.
She says the market for helmets with electronics embedded is already worth more than $17 billion a year and will grow 10% in the next eight years.
“Our funding will enable the company to address this growing unmet need and deliver a safer, better experience for thousands of riders worldwide,” she says.
James took over the business when brain cancer forced Brett into retirement.
He has similar outspoken views to his father about the motorcycle industry, so we thought it worthwhile sounding him out.
James says the industry is in a two-year slump because of a “multitude of factors that all hit at the same time”.
They include:
Tighter finance requirements that prevented many riders from securing finance to buy a motorcycle;
Young people did not want to take up the lifestyle. “It’s not an image they want to be a part of,” James says. “The whole VLAD consorting laws and anti-bikies PR couldn’t have helped, even though that’s not what 99% of riders are about.”; and
With a decrease in sales, dealerships could not attract the right staff, which affected customers’ dealership experiences.
Discounting war
James in his Windsor dealership
James says the result of the drop in new bike sales volume was that big dealership groups, such as MotorCycle Holdings (a publicly listed company that owns TeamMoto and many other dealerships), began aggressively discounting to increase sales turnover.
While that may sound like a boon for riders, James says it is devaluing their bikes and hurting the industry.
“The MotorCycle Holdings business model revolves around sales volume, finance and discounts,” James says.
“Customers are now able to buy a new bike at a really good price but it has no value on resale.
“So there is now a stack of cheap second-hand bikes on the market. Used bike sales are doing well, but at the expense of new bike sales.
“Customers now expect discounts on all new bikes which is a bubble that will eventually burst.”
James says even some of the prestige brands that never used to discount, such as Harley-Davidson, BMW and Ducati, are now discounting.
“Through no fault of their own they are forced by the rest of the industry into running aggressive sales campaigns,” he says.
For example, BMW is currently running a campaign through TeamMoto offering five free years of servicing.
James says the depreciation in the value of new prestige bikes is eroding the loyalty of riders to these brands and is causing long-term damage to the brand image.
He claims customers are now rebelling against the big dealership conglomerates.
“This is a passion-based industry and not big business,” he says.
He could be right. When MotorCycle Holdings went public in 2016, their share price started at $2.53 and reached a peak of $5.22 at the end of 2017. It is now down to just $1.46.
MotorCycle Holdings Ltd share price history
Solutions
Just as there were many reasons for the slump, James says there are many facets to solving the problem.
“We need a 10-year plan; that’s the amount of damage that’s been done to the industry,” he says.
James suggests that manufacturers, distributors and motorcycle industry organisations collectively fund motorcycle promotion.
“Everyone is scrapping over the last dollar and won’t put their hands in their pockets to pay to promote riding,” he says.
“More needs to be done at a higher level to make more people want to ride.
“The manufacturers are fighting over their share of a diminishing pie rather than trying to grow the pie.
“No one is actively marketing motorcycling in general to make the pie bigger.
“The whole industry is losing with everyone focussing on losing the least amount. We need to build value back into motorcycles.”
Dealers
James with his two demo Norton Commandos
James says the problem is too big for just dealers to solve.
“Dealers don’t control the market,” he says.
“All we can do is make the experience good for the customer so they tell other people.
“People want to be remembered when they come back to a dealership.”
James says a key ingredient for dealer success is to offer demo rides.
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