What would you like in an on-board digital interface for a motorcycle?

[KTM57]

Hey dudes. I am a graphic designer finishing up my degree and currently am polishing and expanding upon past projects for my final school portfolio.

Right now, I am doing some interface design for an electric motocross bike dashboard and a paired mobile app as part of a rebranding for an electric bike manufacturer. (guess which one) What if the existing dash had a screen nicer than that of a solar powered calculator?



What sort of information would you guys find pertinent for an onboard screen before, during, and after a ride? I am looking at all applications (from motocross to road commute, competition to leisure riding) and gathering ideas for some functionalities that might be interesting. What all sounds cool to you? I am not actually building an app or working interface and don't necessarily need to worry about plausibility of functions, although it is good to design realistically.

Current stuff I am kicking around for on board interface:
• Ride duration
• Lap timer/integrated stopwatch
• Mapping adjustment (swap through presets)
• Tachometer/RPM gauge for holeshots
• Battery level
• Error messages & check engine light

...and the paired mobile app is currently a rip of the Yamaha Power Tuner app (seriously pissed that KTM didn't beat them to that one) which I've retooled for relevance to electric bikes rather than an EFI combustion engine.

[BcMxKx37]

you could have it to where it shows your heart rate, and maybe transfers to another program so that you can go back and see

[TeamHavocRacing]

I'd definitely need a debi slider. Would it be Windows 10 based?

[checkerz]

GPS
Hour meter
Litpro type track map data

[KTM57]

I haven't researched the LITPro unit or applications at all, but it would definitely be cool if it were integrated with the motorcycle out of the box. This needs to be about the size of a large cell phone, so I think that practically it would be nice just to toggle LITPro data acquisition on the bike and view later on your phone or laptop. Hour meter is definitely in the mobile app, but I had spaced on how excellent it would be to show on the dash screen.

HR monitor is interesting, but I think that practically it would be handled by an external device with its own interface. When I brought it up to my pro rider friends this morning, they told me that it's not relevant enough while riding to include on the screen on a bike.

[TeamHavocRacing]

Would it be Windows 10 based?

Are you asking about just the graphic content? Can you use sunlight readable touch screen displays?

[KTM57]

I am not going to code it, nor am I interested in OS or functionality. My job is figuring out the best way to clearly and effectively communicate a concept while remaining on-brand and visually pleasing. The screen will certainly have to be sunlight readable, but it is not part of this particular project to figure out those logistics.

[TeamHavocRacing]

What's the resolution or aspect ratio that you're working with? Do you have to budget certain areas of the screen for functionality?

[KTM57]

It is not a real project or being built, so neither of those things are determined.

[dawsonsleeper]

i think what braden said would be cool, if you could somehow integrate a heart rate sensor into the bars and have it tell you your current, high, low, and average bpm.

[Andy_Hack]

A compass that points in the direction to the next burger king would be nice.

[TeamHavocRacing]

How about an alarm for holding your breath? That's a huge part of riding isn't it? I see guys wearing the chest strap monitor. Is that part of LitPro or does a generic data device connect too?

[model_90]

I want an on-board notification for whenever im within 2 miles of the nearest Whataburger,
other than that, a nice display in the corner that would show me my last lap time or some sort of icon that would look similar to a stop watch allowing me to be able to record my lap times

[GregDearman]

A compass that points in the direction to the next burger king would be nice.

This has my backing

[FlyinHigh]

I've ridden an Alta and I honestly never really looked at the display. However if it was backlit it would be much easier to read on the fly. Id like to see the battery % be smaller and an estimated time left readout (in minutes) based on the current map. MPH is cool but on a motocross track its not as relevant along with rpm since you gauge obstacles on feel, not what a screen tells you. A lap timer function with total ride time that you could activate with a button or something would be sick for practice sessions.