All Motorcycles To Be Connected?

During the latest EICMA show in Milan, the Vodafone Group, a British multinational telecommunication company with networks in 26 countries, was displaying this concept bike with the intention to attract attention to their mobile communication black box.

Next to the bike, a lettering panel explains that this Vodafone black box is a high-performance platform designed for the insurance and motorcycle industries to monitor driving behavior for driving score, safety pack, stolen vehicle recovery, diagnostics, etc…

Of course we are all on the side of improving riding safety. Our modern cars are already manufacturers equipped with this type of “spy” boxes. But I am somewhat skeptical when Vodafone’s slogan is “Once all vehicles are connected (to us) they can travel safely all the time”

I always considered cars and motorcycles as very different types of transportation with “freedom of the road” and its meaning being an almost exclusive attribute attached to 2-wheelers. Your next new bike may be delivered with an hidden black box of this type. To not lose your sense of freedom when you ride it, what information should be transmitted or not to the outside world? What is acceptable or not? What do you think?

25 Responses to “All Motorcycles To Be Connected?”


  1. 1 CHOPMONSTER66 Nov 21st, 2017 at 9:43 am

    NO THANKS !!

  2. 2 CafeSportyTC Nov 21st, 2017 at 9:58 am

    the point of riding is to not be connected…. can we slap the techno jackholes who dream this sh*t up?

  3. 3 Johnny Nov 21st, 2017 at 10:05 am

    This tech will be used against the rider when needed. It’s not like insurance costs will go down as a result of nanny watching your every move.

  4. 4 Mark hill Nov 21st, 2017 at 10:25 am

    Don’t worry big government and the deep state will always take care of you. They will legalize pot and their process of globalization will bring so many video games to you that freedom will be unnecessary.
    You begged for Obamacare and all those government handouts. You “resist ” any reduction in government. Nothing is free. Soon It will be time for your master to take what’s due.

  5. 5 highrpm Nov 21st, 2017 at 10:41 am

    cafesporty is on point.

    those techno jackasses dreamt up nuclear bombs and mankind suffers under that dark foreboding cloud ever since. now their present pursuit is AI. and we all know that will find similiar use. military bots learning how to sniff out the enemy and wreak drone stealing/ killing/ destroying on the enemy du jour. then the mafia undergrounders in various countries get going and start stealing and selling and, whamo, all mankind is now under a second dark cloud of living in fear of being chased down on citiy streets by violent-learning droners.

    keep big business out of the motorcycle world. i don’t want some black box monitoring my open-road recreations. and i won’t buy their crap.

  6. 6 richards Nov 21st, 2017 at 10:56 am

    Obama Care is about health care for the masses…yes, including the middle class and poor. It’s got nothing to do with this shit!

  7. 7 BobS Nov 21st, 2017 at 11:14 am

    The tin foil hats are thick here. I’ll offer a more reasoned opinion. Do I want a black box telling my insurer or government how fast I accelerate, brake, and corner? Absolutely not. If you charge me to insure me you too take the risks that come with that monetary transaction. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want aspects of this tech developed. I absolutely would like a black box connecting me to other cars and bikes on the road. So even the distracted idiot will be stopped from turning left in front of me because his car sees me even if he doesn’t. And I would love it if as an 80 year old man who might no longer have the strength,balance, and reaction time to safely operate a motorcycle with today’s tech, I image a day soon where gyros fix the strength and balance problem while other tech keeps the wheels on the ground. An 80 yr old me could still use my hands and feet to give operator inputs and “drive” the bike. The tech on the bike just makes it possible.

  8. 8 USAYGO Nov 21st, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    Big Business = Mag Group= $300,000.00 in debt

  9. 9 Boomer Nov 21st, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    Not just no but HELL NO!

  10. 10 Boots Nov 21st, 2017 at 6:32 pm

    Talk about Big Brother watching everything you do !! What’s next, The insurance company sends you notice that you exceed the local speed limit by 2 mph so their going to raise your rates?

  11. 11 Mike Nov 22nd, 2017 at 7:34 am

    If the picture of that white monstrosity is the future of motorcycling, I am just going to drive my Honda RC51 off a cliff now to free myself of having to watch these events unfold in the coming years!

  12. 12 Blind Man Nov 22nd, 2017 at 7:53 am

    Monitor what?….I have an idea, Monitor This! (photo not included)

  13. 13 Vnes Nov 22nd, 2017 at 8:32 am

    Wall-E ? Evaaa!

  14. 14 Guzzigreg Nov 22nd, 2017 at 9:11 am

    Land of the free? Big brother is watching!!!

  15. 15 Shanedrive Nov 22nd, 2017 at 10:15 am

    Big brother/Big shmrother………..don’t really care. Well, we do but, in our own little Luddite sort of way. Big bro really can’t watch us that much.We’re not all that “techy”. In other words we don’t use technology all that much (the only way to really track the masses) but I know a lot about computers. Weird, I know.

    The only way to avoid big bro these days is to use technology as little as possible. It’s only gonna get worse.

  16. 16 BobS Nov 22nd, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    Guys it’s not that Big Brother is watching. It’s big corp that’s watching. The only question is did the guy you voted for let them? If you’re not sure look up who is giving away net nuetrality, who is defunding consumer protection, who is deregulation the very industries that do the “watching”. Banking and insurance is what will control every aspect of motorcycling, they’re the true nanny state. The politician you voted for is just their servant.

  17. 17 richards Nov 22nd, 2017 at 3:57 pm

    Boots….You may be on to something…higher premiums to those who might not be considered to have “ideal” riding practices.

  18. 18 richards Nov 22nd, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    BobS….You’re correct. All of the things you mentioned (and a lot of other things) are being bought and paid for by corporations in the form of campaign contributions to a segment of our politicians, who in return vote for legislation to further line the pockets of the already wealthy. Inevitably, the average guy pays the price.

  19. 19 EASYGEAR Nov 23rd, 2017 at 2:51 pm

    Once again NOOOO to electro motorcycle…. no matter what design someone comes up with…

    I don`t even read the description….

    This is no fun without a mechanical petrol motor….not sexy….not funny…..

  20. 20 bigitch Nov 24th, 2017 at 2:18 am

    while you all whine and bitch about what might happen, no one said doodle about the bike
    looks cool
    could be in a TRON movie
    looks like it’s really a trike (two rear wheels?)
    needs rearview mirrors, or is there a tv in that dash?
    turn signals?
    front end doesn’t look like it turns.
    seat is a nut cracker.
    Sheet mon i like it
    wouldn’t buy it though

  21. 21 Pat h Nov 25th, 2017 at 12:32 am

    Yeah looks like some Sci fi cycle,virtual nothingness looks like the bike the guy that couldn’t get laid would ride hahaha hope it ain’t the future

  22. 22 EASYGEAR Nov 25th, 2017 at 5:39 pm

    Is it bitching and whining when someone says he doesn`t like something or thinks it is ugly ?
    why ?

    Yes it could be from a science fiction movie, but that doesn`t make it a cool or a nice motocycle imo.

    Something i wouldn`t want to be seen with.
    Something i wouldn`t want to see when opening my garage.

  23. 23 hark Nov 27th, 2017 at 10:04 am

    Plan Ugly

  24. 24 Hacksaw Nov 27th, 2017 at 10:51 am

    Obama care is indeed relevant. The mandate especialy. This black box will lead to another government backed insurance intrusion on our lives. Think seat belts helmet laws no fault ins obama care etc etc

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Cyril Huze