With prime motorcycling weather nearly here, TomTom has prepped an update to bring a handful of new features to its RIDER 2nd Edition. Aside from including Map Share technology and the "Help Me" menu, the enhanced 2nd Edition GPS will also provide a latest map guarantee, trip statistics and itinerary planning. Reportedly, the upgraded unit will go on sale early next month for £349.99 ($691) / £399.99 ($790) depending on whether you're picking up UK / Ireland maps or all of Europe, but existing 1st Edition / 2nd Edition owners can snag the update gratis via TomTom HOME. No word on a North American release just yet.

Oh sure, we've come across oodles of cameras designed to be mounted on or around one's noggin, but c'mon, surely we aren't the only folks who reckoned no one actually used these things, right? Taking a huge leap forward for lifebloggers and fans of recording sweet jumps everywhere, Yamaha's Josh Hill managed to not only rock a GoPro Motorsports HERO camera for an entire race, but he also grabbed the gold in front of some 41,000 onlookers in the Minneapolis Metrodome. See kids -- strapping gizmos onto your head isn't just for nerds and basement dwellers, after all. Peep some footage from the headcam below.

[Via verde, image courtesy of vitalmx]
Read - Josh Hill wins race with camera on helmet
Read - Footage from GoPro helmet camera

We've seen some fairly interesting products made to keep motorcyclists safe, but after a decade or so of development, Dainese is getting set to loose its airbag suit on the riding world. The D-Tec system is essentially little more than a full-fledged wearable airbag, clearly aimed at motorcycle riders, daredevils and folks who simply feel inadequate with their upper-body physique. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a price range out in the open just yet, but considering the alternative of hitting the asphalt sans a cushion, we'd bet most riders will be willing to pay the premium. Check out the video demonstration after the break.

[Via BoingBoing, image courtesy of webBikeWorld]

There's really nothing worse than knowing some helpless soul is grappling on to you with absolutely no way to join you in an incoming call from that weird guy from CIS 430. Okay, so maybe that's a stretch, but AKE is looking to solve said quandary by offering up its BlueCom 102 pocket repeater. Essentially, this unit enables two motorcycle helmets to communicate with each other via Bluetooth, and of course, any BT-enabled handset can be mixed in, too. Sadly, a price for the setup has yet to be disclosed, but it does appear as if the repeater itself will be sold separately or bundled in with a pair of AKE Bluetooth helmets in the not-too-distant future. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via MotorBiker]

This is what happens when Intel tries to design a vehicle without the help of Orange County Choppers.

The next time you're heading down the highway, Easy Rider-style, looking for adventure and what-not, you may also want to remain in touch with the less rebellious and not-so-tattooed outside world. Luckily, the good folks at Parrot have come to your aid with the SK 4000 -- a Bluetooth headset meant for use with motorcycle helmets -- which features voice recognition, an FM RDS stereo, text to speech, A2DP support, 10 hours of battery life (600 on standby), and a handlebar-mounted RF remote control. Sure, you'll have to use The Man's money to get one, but once you do, you'll be free to wave your freak-flag wherever and whenever you choose... as long as you get permission from your wife. Available before the end of the year, €199 (or around $282).

[Via Daily Motorcycle News]

Sure, we've seen all flavors of electric motorcycles over the years, but Matra's iteration takes a slightly different approach. The MS1 looks more like a bicycle and less like a Harley, and it provides commuters with a backup source of energy that should never fail so long as you're properly fed, hydrated and rested. That source, of course, would be your legs / feet, which can pedal this bad boy away long after the electric motor runs out of steam. Reportedly, the bike has a range of around 62 miles without any pedal assistance, captures usable energy when you apply the brakes, and sports a speed limiter that kills the juice just before you exceed 28mph. No word on when this thing will hit shops, but it'll supposedly run you around €3,500 ($4,951) whenever it does. Click out a couple more shots after the break.

You may have heard about the all-electric "KillaCycle" -- a 158MPH drag racing bike powered by a bank of 990 lithium-ion batteries that does 0-60 in .97 seconds. Well, the bike isn't shy about living up to its name -- in a demo for reporters at Wired's NextFest, creator Bill Dube was doing some innocent burnouts when the rear tire hooked and fired him off like a shot...into a parked minivan. Dube appears to be okay -- he was conscious and had feeling in all his fingers and toes -- but paramedics took him in for X-rays just to be sure. Here's hoping he recovers quickly -- and lets us take that thing for a spin. Hit the read link to see it all go down on video.

We've certainly seen our fair share of nicely-equipped motorcycle helmets, but Benchmark Helmets is looking to spruce up your everyday noggin protector rather than forcing you to buy a whole new one. Marketed towards "scooter and motorcycle enthusiasts," the Camos lineup includes two new headsets that utilize Bluetooth 2.0 and support A2DP / handsfree profiles. Additionally, both tout waterproof housings and connectors, directional microphones with noise canceling technology, stereo speakers, and 10-hours of talk time (150-hours in standby). The BHS-500 is set to land for $149, while the $199 BHS-600 ups the ante by allowing users to pair up another BHS-600 for a "complete wireless intercom system."

[Thanks, Spencer]

Votronic's BlueBike system won't be noted as the first to bring Bluetooth into the motorcycle helmet, but the expandable nature and respectable feature set are certainly commendable. Dubbed a "modular communication system," this technology can be integrated into essentially any helmet, and the trio of options enable you to stick with basic handset communication, tune into music via Bluetooth or a hardwired adapter, or even chat sans wires with your passenger. Of course, the fanicier you get, the more you'll be shelling out, but it looks like you can get started (and upgrade later) right now for €350 ($481).

[Via MotorBiker]

If you're the type who prefers your vehicles to come with only two wheels, and you also don't mind paying entirely too much for a USB flash drive so long as its branded right, SanDisk's latest could be right up your alley. Amongst a number of Ducati-badged flash memory (shown after the jump), SanDisk has also unveiled the Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive, which doesn't do much to avoid looking like your average Liquid Paper Dryline Grip. Aside from the awkward resemblance, this glossy red device sports the same color effects as those found on the Ducati Corse team motorcycles, includes 4GB of internal storage, and touts write speeds of up to 20 megabytes-per-second. 'Course, that staggering $124.99 you'll lay down for this piece also includes a "custom lanyard" and SanDisk's RescuePRO Deluxe software, but we imagine the pricetag won't matter much for true aficionados.

[Via PCLaunches]

Feel like cruising upwards of 93 miles-per-hour on a motorcycle without using a single drop of fuel? How about being absolutely certain that a great egret could hit your windshield without even fazing you? If you're in agreement with those two tidbits, Triumph's evDaytona looks to be the bike for you, as it can go zero to 60 in a mere 2.9 seconds, roll 143 miles on a full charge, and sports a five-year battery life to boot. This aluminum alloy-framed machine sports all the amenities you'd expect to find on your average motorbike, but throws in a ginormous windscreen and removes the need for fossil fuels along the way. Of course, the bike currently still needs DOT approval, and while we've yet to see anything definite on price, word on the street is that this here ride will run you about $77,000 whenever it actually launches.

[Via MotorBiker]

While BMW is no stranger to the motorcycle helmet arena, the Motorrad division has went and gone official with its neck bracing system in the UK. Introduced in November of last year, this safety-minded technology utilizes Kevlar, carbon fiber, and padded foam to create a plate that sits between a rider's shoulders and any helmet in order to "provide optimum protection for the spine during an accident." Due to the materials used in construction, the contraption is both lightweight and rigid, and two side clasps enable rides to easily strap it on similar to a collar. The idea is of course to stop the head from moving too far in any direction whilst in a collision, but the team does state that "the rider is also able to retain freedom of movement needed when driving." The neck brace system is available now at Motorrad dealers for £325 ($648), and while there's no word of a US release just yet, we can't imagine it being too far behind. Another shot after the jump.

[Via Autoblog]

It may not be legal in most civilized nations to ride a Segway on the sidewalk, but for those still risking their lives on a two-wheeled machine, things are about to get a lot safer. SoundofMotion has developed a clever new warning system that turns your phone into what sounds like a roaring motorcycle, and not content with just playing a pre-recorded loop over and over, it's actually designed to rev up and down based on the speed and acceleration of your bicycle. The application will run on "any Bluetooth- and Java-capable phone," and it interacts with a "wireless BT sensor" that gets mounted on one of your wheels. Unsurprisingly, the device responds to the motion sensor and lets the carefree motorists around know you mean business when crossing an intersection. The app is currently sitting in beta, but the creators hope to have a final rendition ready to go before you make too many summer treks, but you better be willing to face total embarrassment (and have one loud speakerphone) to save your skin before picking this up. Click on through for a demonstration.

[Via Slashphone]