Triumph has been busy the past few months. It’s updated its Heritage Classic series (see here, here, and here), announced updates to its electric motorcycle plans, and a partnership with Beeline Moto for new GPS pods, and also developed a new series of ADV riding gear. Now, the crew at Hinkley says it’s also offering a new SOS app.
What’s an SOS app?
These days, mobile phones come with built-in accelerometers, which detect changes in movement. Clever app makers have figured out how to use these accelerometers to determine when a crash has taken place. Through the Magic Of Microchips, an SOS app then uses mobile phone networks to alert emergency services or other contacts that the crash has occurred (sometimes the app has a quick-cancel button, allowing the rider to stop the phone from dialing out for help).
What about Triumph’s app?
Triumph’s app works basically the same as all the others: It detects when a crash occurs, and gives location and other useful details to first responders or other contacts. Like the other apps, the user must run the app in the background while they’re riding, and it also requires a phone signal, so don’t expect this app to save your butt while you’re riding on remote gravel roads with no cell reception.
Triumph offers the app with three months’ free coverage to its owners, but non-Triumph riders can also use it, if they pay a monthly subscription. Pricing depends what mobile platform you’re on (it’s available for iOS and Android), and what region you’re from (it’s available in the UK, Australia, Europe, the US and at home here Canada). It looks like you’ll pay between $5 and $10 a month for the subscription in Canada, and you can cancel anytime.
