ONE of the first motorcycle head-up-display systems, giving riders information including speed and engine speed, is set to be launched next month.
Called Bike HUD, the system uses an onboard computer and a display unit inside the helmet, positioned in the rider's peripheral vision.
It has three modes, for commuting, track days and touring.
Commuting mode tells the rider his speed and engine speed, what gear he’s in and whether he’s indicating.
Track day mode displays and records lap times using GPS. Touring mode includes a range indicator counting down miles to the next fuel stop.
The system can be fitted to any bike and is powered by the motorcycle’s battery. It works in all full-face helmets and some open-face ones. It's not wireless, so features a cable from the helmet to the bike.
Price is to be confirmed but should be under £400 according to the makers.
David Vout, MD of ‘MIST’, Motorcycle Information Development Technologies, developer of the system, said: “Bike HUD is intended to work in the rider’s peripheral field of view and make riding safer.
“In a high pressure environment an average person can only absorb three sets of information at any one time. Bike HUD typically shows three main data sets, for example speed, gear and engine revs.
“Bike HUD’s display and alerts provide the rider with important information without causing a distraction from the road and traffic conditions. Of course, if the rider wants to read the numbers on the display her or she can; the optics place the image at infinity so there is no need to re-focus when reading the display.
“For racers, we are giving riders the kind of telemetry and feedback that not even professional race teams have access to by getting real-time feedback fed directly to rider’s helmet.”
Bike HUD is set to be launched at the Motorcycle Live show at the National Exhibition Centre from November 23 to December 1. The first customers will receive units in early December, according to MIST.
The firm is seeking investors.
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