Casey Stoner unveils motorcycle of the future

The concept showcases best practice in motorcycle design for safety, repairability and security.

Stoner, 21, unveiled the innovative concept at the Swann Insurance Research Centre in Sydney and was named Motorcycle Safety Ambassador with Swann Insurance, one of Australia’s leading motorcycle insurers.

The Motorcycle of the Future concept has been developed by the Swann Insurance Research Centre in conjunction with Tim Cameron, one of the nation’s leading independent motorcycle design consultants.

Swann Insurance has sponsored Stoner since 2004 and today announced his new role as Swann Motorcycle Safety Ambassador.

“When you are doing 300km/h down the straight, safety is always at the forefront of your mind,” Stoner said.

“These designs are exciting and anything which increases safety and reduces insurance premiums for motorcyclists is valuable. Road safety is something everyone must take responsibility for and I’m proud to be working with Swann to encourage more motorcyclists to think safety on and off the roads,” he said.

Robert McDonald, Head of Industry Research at the Swann Insurance Research Centre, said Swann was committed to playing an integral role in reducing risk in the community.

“Motorcycles are often designed with little consideration given to the frequency of accidents, the cost of repairs and the chance of theft.   This latest research shows that smarter designs and the adoption of readily available technology can make them safer to ride, cheaper to repair and easier to secure,” Mr McDonald said.

“Our concepts show that you can design exciting and dynamic motorcycles which incorporate state-of-the-art safety features and are less vulnerable to damage,” he said.

“Some of the key safety elements of the Motorcycle of the Future include blind spot warning sensors, traction control, ABS, automatic brake drying and hill start assistance.

“Features to reduce repair costs and improve security include an accidental tip-over warning device, protection for expensive components and ignition immobiliser and keyless start and stop.”

Stoner hails from country NSW and has won six MotoGP races this year – Qatar, Turkey, China, Catalunya, Great Britain and USA. He is currently leading the 2007 MotoGP championship competition with 221 points. Swann Insurance is Stoner’s only Australian sponsor.