Onboard Motorcycle Technology

Harley Tips Episode 6 Onboard Technology

Welcome back as Motovan presents the experience, I’m Dave Hatch, and now that we’re all fired up and ready to go for a ride, let’s just quickly wrap up our show by paying a visit to the shop to see what’s new under the hood. Joining us now is the chief riding instructor at Georgian College, Jenn Martin.

 

Dave

You know Jenn, this week you want to talk about technology in motorcycles and more specifically this road glide which I had a chance to sample last fall because of project Rushmore. Harley-Davidson wanted to show off all the latest technology that they had stuffed into this particular motorcycle. You know Rushmore the project, they took feedback from all the customers, jammed it all into a bucket and then this is what came out and it’s pretty impressive when we look at the technology on this motorcycle.

 

Jenn

Yeah, I mean, they’re listening to us which is phenomenal. So yeah I mean for this particular, I mean we have the infotainment center here so I mean you have your GPS and you have access to it with one touch…six and a half inch screen?

 

Dave

Yeah, it’s pretty impressive in terms of the size and the colour and the definition of that but it’s also this whole infotainment center allows you to take things like your mobile device, you can plug it in, there’s a little pocket there with a USB connector so you can hardwire your mobile device, which gives you access obviously to your music. You can blue tooth to the device as well. I just think it’s really cool I mean….

 

Jenn

The communication system.

 

Dave

The communication system allows you to obliviously mount this inside your helmet, plug in, and now you’ve got voice command, you can talk to the system, you can make phone calls… it’s pretty impressive.

 

Jenn

Yes it is. I mean there’s other things that, if you didn’t have a system such as this you can have mounts.

 

Dave

Right, I saw you dig this one out.

 

Jenn

Yeah I did.

 

Dave

You can mount this to your motorcycle, put your mobile device in here, call up your GPS..

 

Jenn

Yeah and it’s waterproof.

 

Dave

Yeah awesome.

 

Jenn

And if you didn’t have your mobile device for a GPS you can actually get and purchase GPS system.

 

Dave

Specifically for a motorcycle.

 

Jenn

Yes.

 

Dave

Yeah, it’s pretty much endless, we’ve come a long way from the days of quarters for phone calls and maps to find out where we’re going. There’s even, talk about the technology, the key fob systems right?

 

Jenn

The security system is incredible and we want that for our motorcycles you know, when you walk away, you want to know that it’s secure.

 

Dave

Yeah. So stick this in your pocket, walk-up, you can start your motorcycle, when you’re done, walk away, the security system is armed… awesome. They’ve gone so far as the new LED lighting systems.

 

Jenn

For visibility’s sake.

 

Dave

What else? Rushmore: the ABS braking system…

 

Jenn

Yeah and that technology is impressive and with this particular system as well you’ve got the one touch, everything is one touch, so they’re listen to the riders but you don’ necessarily want to disrobe or take everything off to access things on the motorcycle.

 

Dave

Right

 

Jenn

So you have the one touch to open up your saddlebags… the one touch here to bring this up… and the gas. Look at that.

 

Dave

Incredible. Right down to gloves now that are one touch so you can touch the screen when you get off your motorcycle with your mobile device.

 

Jenn

You don’t have to be fidgety with everything now.

 

Dave

Mind blowing. So, all these things to consider when you go shopping for a motorcycle – don’t be surprised by the amount of technology that’s out there.

 

Jenn

Yes, exactly.

 

Dave

Very cool.