Hold your bike in the palm of your hand

REMEMBER when R2D2 generates a miniature hologram of Princess Leia in Star Wars? Now there’s an app that can do the same for your bike. Well, sort of.

Point your phone at a line drawing of the motorcycle on a business card and, viewed through the phone’s screen, a 3D image of the model will appear standing on the card. Move the phone through the area in which the 3D image appears located and you can even look inside the motorcycle, under the seat and tank. It’s called ‘Augmented Reality’ apparently.

Suzuki has been using it to help draw attention to its new V-Strom 1000 at the NEC motorcycle show this week. The firm has launched an iPhone and iPad app which so far only enables the V-Strom to be viewed in this way. An Android app is on the way.

Suzuki GB General Manager Paul de Lusignan said: "We're very excited to announce the details of our new Augmented Reality app for the V-Strom 1000 and to be the first motorcycle manufacturer to bring this technology to our customers. The app really allows users to explore the V-Strom with ease; from every different angle, from close up and from far away, with or without a selection of genuine accessories and in all of the available colour options, too.”

A selection of items from the 2014 Suzuki clothing range will be given to the user who takes a screen grab of the 3D image ‘in the most creative place or with the most unique backdrop’ and shares it with Suzuki on Facebook.