Motorcycles have come a long way in terms of technology. Nowadays, these high-tech bikes are equipped with features making them quicker, safer, and more comfortable than ever before. And although not much has changed styling-wise, I can assure you there have been plenty of motorcycle innovations introduced over the past 5-10 years.
Thus, here are six of the most influential hi-tech motorcycle features designed to improve your riding experience. These features are arguably some of the newest motorcycle technology trends in the industry, but they are sure to make their way fast to many modern bikes. Some even have their own section in the motorcycle repairing manual to ensure you can properly learn how they work and troubleshoot them when there’s an issue.
That said, let’s have a deeper look at new technologies in bikes, making your ride better than ever!
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
When it comes to braking and stopping, the anti-lock braking system (ABS) was one of the most revolutionary motorcycle technologies. ABS uses sensors to prevent your wheels from locking during hard deceleration by steadily engaging and disengaging the brake pads so that you don’t lose control of your bike. As a result, you’ll be more likely to stop in time under emergency braking and avoid crashing into whatever’s in front of you.
Sure, ABS isn’t a new motorcycle technology, especially since many cars and high-end motorcycles have had it since the 90s. But recently, this system became a standard feature even on more affordable bikes with smaller engines.
And while ABS on bikes has its fans and haters, there’s no getting rid of the fact that it saves lives. In fact, IIHS found that motorcycles equipped with ABS are 22% less at risk of being involved in fatal crashes than their equivalent non-ABS models.
Traction Control
Some performance-oriented bikes struggle to put all that power to the ground, and that’s when a traction control system comes to play. This feature is especially common for high-tech motorcycles, especially those fancy sports, naked, and superbikes.
Generally, a traction control system uses wheel speed sensors to measure the speed of the spinning wheels. Therefore, if one wheel (usually the back one) is rotating quicker than the other, the sensors will pick up the speed difference between the two wheels and engage the brake to reduce the wheel’s speed with less grip. As a result, the speed of both wheels will be continuously harmonized, lowering the chances of sliding or losing control.
In addition, a more advanced traction control system uses a relatively new motorcycle technology called the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) — an electronic device that gives spatial awareness to a bike. Not only can it monitor the bike’s position at all times using gyroscopes and accelerometers, but when paired with different sensors, it also makes various rider aids possible, like cornering ABS, launch control, wheelie control, slide control, multiple riding modes, and many more.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
While the idea of having standard cruise control on a bike already boggles the mind, wait till you hear about adaptive cruise control (a.k.a. Active Cruise Control/ACC), which can take your highway cruising game to the next level. Similar to its four-wheel version, a motorcycle’s ACC works actively with the IMU, radar system, wheel speed sensors, and engine to automate acceleration and braking.
Think of the ACC like regular cruise control — set a speed and let the computer do the throttling for you. But since there’s a radar system at the front and back of the bike, it now has increased awareness of its surroundings that can tell if you’re approaching a vehicle too fast or if the vehicle in front of you is accelerating or decelerating. Thus, the ACC system can automatically apply the necessary action corresponding to the situation, whether accelerating/braking without your command or alerting you.
ACC has been one of the most anticipated motorcycle features for a while now. And thanks to manufacturers like BMW, KTM, Ducati, and Kawasaki, we now have a selection of high-end bikes available with it. Nowadays, this is a must-have feature for a hi-tech motorcycle, especially on long-distance touring bikes.
Moreover, all those radar emitters and detectors also allow for new technologies in bikes to be implemented, especially safety-related ones, such as blind-spot detection warnings, lane-keep assist functionality, and even automatic emergency braking within certain limits.
Semi-Active Suspension
Imagine a bike suspension system able to soften or stiffen itself depending on the road condition or your preference. Spoiler alert, such a system exists by the name of Semi-Active Suspension, and it’s perhaps the best suspension system currently available for a high-tech bike right now.
A semi-active suspension works with all the bike’s sensors and IMU to automatically alter the damping to suit different riding scenarios. For instance, when riding on rough terrain with bumps and dips, the sensors can send signals to the ECU to increase or decrease the compression/rebound damping, maintaining stability. Moreover, this suspension system can firm up the rear shock during acceleration to reduce the squatting effect or increase the fork’s compression damping to lessen the dive under heavy braking — new motorcycle technology rocks!
As the rider, you can select the damping rate and spring preload you want through the motorcycle’s dashboard. And, based on the feedback from several sensors, the stepper motors on the shock and fork will make the necessary adjustment in tenths of a second (so pretty much instantly).
Additionally, this motorcycle technology has opened a new realm of possibilities regarding what can be done with a bike’s suspension. A good example is Harley Davidson’s adaptive ride height, an extension feature to the semi-active system that can lower the bike’s ground clearance by 1-2 inches when it comes to a stop, helping the rider’s feet to reach the ground easier.
Indeed, I’m excited to see how upcoming high-technology bikes will take advantage of this fantastic suspension system in the future.
Quick Shifter
Quick shifter is a high-tech bike feature for performance seekers and probably a must-have upgrade for track racing riders. Its purpose is to help riders to shift into gears faster and easier.
Commonly, the gear-changing process of a motorcycle involves several actions that can take a bit of time — releasing the throttle, pulling the clutch, changing the gear, releasing the clutch, then getting on the throttle again. But in a quick shifter-equipped bike, the rider doesn’t have to let go of the gas or bother with anything at all. Instead, keep your foot clicking up/down a gear, and the quick shifter will take care of everything else for you. Thus the rider can keep the throttle pinned down when changing gears, taking most of the hassle away of riding a motorcycle with manual transmission. It’s like a semi-automatic transmission, but for bikes.
Adaptive Headlights
Historically, traditional motorcycle headlights have always had their shortcomings. They usually provide a relatively low light output, don’t illuminate the road ahead very well, and often fail to fill in the dark void created to the right or left of the bike while cornering. No need to mention that good visibility is crucial for bikes, with riders leaning into every corner. As a result, bikemakers are starting to implement adaptive headlights.
An adaptive headlights system is undoubtedly a high-tech motorcycle feature that could save lives. It’s a modern lighting system that uses a bunch of sensors, advanced electronics, and (once again) IMU to calculate the bike’s leaning angles on a real-time basis and automatically tilts the reflector to aim the beam where you’re going. As a result, you’ll have the most visibility when cornering, making riding your bike at night a lot safer.
Last Words
Experienced riders usually frown upon hi-tech motorcycle features, saying they diminish the overall experience. But thanks to these modern and advanced motorcycle technology trends, motorcycling has become much safer and more approachable for beginners and amateurs. Besides, many of these technologies add to the experience rather than subtracting from it.
Moreover, while these features already make internal combustion bikes feel futuristic, there’s no denying that the incoming wave of electric motorcycles will have plenty of high-tech motorcycle stuff to wow us even more. And I’m all into new technologies that could open the exhilarating experience of riding a bike to more people!
