There’s no lonelier condition than that of a motorcyclist who has gone down far from helping hands, but an American company has produced an emergency beacon that promises some relief.
Frenotec, a U.S. supplier of motorcycle components, has partnered with MicroTRAK, which produces GPS units for cars and other uses, to bring out a MicroTrak GPS for motorcycles. The device includes a "Rider Down" feature that automatically signals a call centre operated by the company if a bike equipped with one of the units crashes.
If the rider fails to respond to a follow-up cell phone call, emergency responders are notified and given the location of the accident.
The units are immune to water, shock, and heat, and can be mounted on any motorcycle that uses a battery.
A tracking system also allows the owner of a motorcycle to keep an eye on its location if it’s stolen or "borrowed" by a drunken brother-in-law.
Price is $695 U.S. and an air-time subscription is $15 a month, but the company is offering a year-long rebate on air-time charges. The system is said to work throughout North America.
For info, see www.frenotec.com or call 1-866-536-1279.
innovative. I like it 8)
It works using satellite, not cellular….
How does it know if a bike “crashes”? What if you just drop it while riding out in the boonies where there is no cell phone signal?