Cold, wind, and frost. And the motorbike gathering dust in the garage, waiting to hit the road again in warmer weather.
A common problem for many bikers when winter sets in.

What if there were a super suit that could give motorcyclists the superpower to withstand even the coldest temperatures without batting an eyelid?

For two-wheel fanatics, no ifs, ands, or buts: here is a solution that promises to be “definitive” and comes directly from the US based Indian Motorcycles International.

The invention in question is that of a self-heating suit, which produces heat from within, creating a true “separate” microclimate for the rider.

To become a “super biker”, then, there will be no need to be bitten by a radioactive spider, or exposed directly to gamma rays, as happens with comic book superheroes: the new patent application filed with the USPTO by Indian, in fact, promises to surpass even the most imaginative technologies developed by Tony Stark and his Stark Industries in the signature “Marvel” adventures.

How to guard against the cold when riding a motorcycle: the facts

It’s true: two-wheeler experts will know full well that similar technologies are already on the market, starting with heated seats and grips. But it is also true that, to combat the cold, motorcycle clothing is designed precisely to be as insulating as possible, so the benefits of heating “outside” the suit are greatly reduced.
On closer inspection, heated clothing is not a super-innovative idea in itself either, but the examples that already exist require a cable connection to the bike, or at least a battery, in order to work: thus adding extra bulk or extra weight for the rider, not to mention the risk of the charge ending just when things are getting really good.

Indian Motorcycles’ patent starts from the same point but promises to go much further, developing wireless technology that can perform inductive power transfer to raise biker comfort to a new level.

How? By implanting inductive coils in key areas of the motorcycle, from where electrical energy can be easily transferred to the clothing through special “sensors” placed on the clothing (Figure 1).

The self-heating suit: how it works

The Patent application filed by Indian Motorcycles combines heating technology using the seat or handlebars with other possible points of contact between motorcycle and biker, such as the backrest and foot pegs: through these “hotspots”, so to speak, energy is transferred directly to the suit using inductive coils capable of transferring electrical energy to resistors found inside the clothing, thus producing a sensation of heat directly on the skin.
To best manage this heat, as with any air conditioning system, controls are placed directly on the bike.

A “smart” suit

But it doesn’t stop there. From Indian’s project, in fact, it can be inferred that through sensors mounted on the motorcycle it is possible to constantly monitor not only the “internal” temperature of the suit but also many other parameters, such as air humidity, wind speed, and even the rider’s heart rate, so that a kind of “automatic climate control” can be set up to constantly provide the right amount of heat (or coolness) to the rider, depending on the actual weather and physical conditions.

The wireless motorcycle charger

Furthermore, this Patent application shows that the motorcycle may be able to use inductive charging: just by placing a special receiver on the end of the side stand the motorcycle battery can be charged without a cable, using a simple charging mat (along the lines of those seen for some time now for all types of smartphones) plugged into an outlet directly in one’s garage (Figure 2).

Another potentially very interesting idea that may become increasingly popular with consumers in the near future, with the arrival of electric motorcycles.