NEW GEAR: Michelin’s retrofit TYRE pressure management system.

Tyres in poor condition are the second most common mechanical defect contributing to motorcycle accidents – and that’s why Michelin has just launched its first tyre pressure management system for motorcycles, mopeds and scooters.

Created by British technology firm Fit2Go TPMS – a global licensee for Michelin – the new ‘plug and play’ retrofit kit comes with a magnetic display mount, an inductive charger and two sensors, which replace your pride and joy’s original valve caps. Essentially, it offers the same TPMS technology already widely used for car and commercial vehicles markets (and some larger motorcycles and scooters) – but now you can fit it to your own two-wheeler.

Designed to detect loss of pressure, leakage or an increase in temperature – the display provides a highly visual alert and identifies the wheel affected. And Fit2Go TPMS reckons it could significantly reduce the number of motorcycle accidents for which illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres are a contributory factor.

The wireless system features a compact LCD screen which fits into a magnetic mount. It has a claimed battery life of up to three months, with the addition of a USB-powered inductive charger making it simple to top-up when the battery is running low. Once fitted, it displays the pressure of both tyres, with the option of switching from psi to bar, while toggling between front and rear at set intervals, eliminating the need for riders to carry a separate pressure checker.

The Fit2Go technology provides early low-pressure warnings if a tyre becomes under-inflated by 15 per cent, an enhanced alert when the pressure either drops by 25 per cent, or should the tyre be over-inflated by 35 per cent or more. It will also alert the rider to high tyre temperatures or fast leakage (at least 2 psi per minute) – a nightmare scenario for any rider, particularly at speed.

Gary Broadfield, Group Managing Director of Fit2Go TPMS, says: “Whatever kind of motorcycle, moped or scooter you ride, you want to have absolute confidence in your tyres – yet few bikes offer any kind of on-board TPMS. Riding on incorrectly inflated rubber or suffering any kind of tyre failure on a motorbike can be catastrophic. Our system continually monitors both tyres and provides precise pressure readings, unlike indirect systems which typically only offer estimates via the bike’s brake sensors. In the event a tyre issue is detected, the rider will see a prominent visual alert on the display unit – which flashes as brightly as the torch on most mobile phones.”

For more information, visit: www.fit2gotpms.com