Connectivity options have made our life easier with vehicles becoming more interactive than before. In this era of cut-throat competition among manufacturers, customers come out winning because we get the latest tech integrated with our vehicles. Gone are the days when only cars had connectivity options because the same technology is now dripping down to two-wheelers as well. While most of the connected motorcycles today touse Bluetooth as the most basic form of connectivity, some motorcycles have even started integrating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the package.
More details
Honda Goldwing recently made news when the maker announced that their flagship grand-tourer will now come integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and now Indian Motorcycles has announced the same. The American brand’s top-of-the-line motorcycles will get Apple CarPlay connectivity feature.
The procedure
Their motorcycles which come with the 7-inch Ride Command system, will benefit from this feature. Motorcycles such as 2020 Indian Chieftain, Indian Roadmaster and Indian Challenger will now support the Apple CarPlay integration. And the feature won’t be limited to just a few countries as the company announced that Apple CarPlay connectivity is available in all these models ‘across the world’. What’s even better is the fact that customers will be able to install the updated at home using a USB flash drive. The download is available for free and all the necessary information regarding the download is now available at the company’s official website. To save the hassle, customers can also opt to go to their nearest Indian Motorcycle dealership to get the update installed for free.
The inclusions
iPhone users can easily access Apple Music, Maps, send messages with Siri and more through the Ride Command 7” screen, and a supported Bluetooth headset (not included) – all on a user-friendly interface that iPhone users will instantly recognize. This integration also increases global accessibility to navigation. Riders can now also enjoy improved navigation and location management, improved boot-up time, audio muting and control improvements (including navigation audio), widget fixes, and a new fuel economy widget. On top of that, there is also an improved search functionality within the bike’s navigation system. While Apple users are already grinning about the news, the company is yet to announce an update for the customers with Android smartphone devices.
Also read: Connected Two-Wheelers You Can Buy In India
The company’s latest offering is the FTR 1200 Carbon. It is inspired by the legendary FTR 750 racing special, which dominated the Flat Track racing series in the United States. As the name suggests, it incorporates a host of carbon-fibre components including the front fender, headlight cowl, pillion cowl, tank, and airbox covers. The upgrades don’t end here as it also receives an FTR Carbon branded tank-mounted centre console and an Akrapovic low-mount dual titanium exhaust finished in matte black. It uses the same 1,203cc V-twin engine though but makes 126PS as opposed to 121.7PS on the other variants. Torque though remains unchanged at 120Nm, which is produced 100 revs earlier compared to the standard and S trim. It has already been launched in the UK at £14,699 (around Rs 13.93 lakh), which is about Rs 2.65 lakh more than the base variant.