Reyedr: Safer and smarter connected motorcycling

he mission of Reyedr (pronounced "Rider") is to connect motorcyclists with their machines in a way that transforms the experience by delivering crucial info about their bike, route and ride group through their head-up display (HUD) and smartphone app.

If you've ever ridden a motorcycle, you can appreciate that you need 110% of your attention on the road, and even looking down momentarily to view your speedo is an unwanted distraction. It's essential to always keep your eyes on the road, on the lookout for any hazards coming at you. According to the Ministry of Transport, the risk of getting injured or being killed on a motorcycle is 21 times higher than for drivers of cars.

Reyedr is developing a HUD with universal helmet mount, to present critical data such as speed and navigation at eye level, so you can concentrate on the road at the same time as seeing your critical info, just like fighter pilots do. The HUD is powered by their app which optionally lets you stay geo-connected with your ride group, as well as your loved ones at home, so they can know your location, and that you're safe. In case of emergency situations, Reyedr can also auto detect and send an SOS. Their app also has a social aspect which is designed to connect bikers to their community and discover new routes, through those who have ridden in in the past or to experience with those in your ride group.

Founder and CEO Kal Gwalani  has a big vision that HUDs will become as essential and ubiquitous for motorcycle use as smartphones are for the general public.

Kal is equally passionate about motorcycling and entrepreneurship. His love of biking started at age 17 and entrepreneurship followed soon after, and by age 19 he had started his first venture for manufacturing auto accessories. When he moved from India to New Zealand in 2003, he promised himself he would return to motorcycling so he could properly enjoy the scenery. After a 20 year hiatus in motorcycling, he finally got back in the saddle in 2015.

During his 30 year career he'd built up extensive experience in high-tech manufacturing in plastics and composites, distribution of emerging technology products and business development. As soon as he returned to motorcycling, he found that the ride experience was missing a key ingredient, in terms of safety as well as enjoyment. This was the inspiration for the creation of Reyedr, to provide a safer and smarter connected ride experience.

Kal put together a team including a CTO Jens Steinigen, an experienced systems engineer and software developer, Simon Waters and Gary Klapproth, both creative technologists and mechatronic specialists. The team were accepted into Lightning Lab Auckland earlier this year, and used the time to validate their market and build a prototype.

They've narrowed their market down to the age 30+ market of leisure riders, that ride on day trips or tour on multiday trips, who are typically well off and techno-savvy. Of the over 30 million such people in the developed countries, Reyedr will is starting off by targeting riders in North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Reyedr have a prototype now built from off-the-shelf components, but are working towards designing their bespoke miniaturised HUD, which will be contract manufactured. Stage two of product development will include the ability to include communications and other data sources into the HUD, by connecting to external sensors including RPM, tyre pressure, as well as to newer motorcycles for ride settings such as ABS and traction control.

The centrepiece of the system is the Reyedr app, which the team is building as both the "operating system" for the HUD, but also as a standalone app with safety features and for the social aspects of motorcycling.

The app is presently in alpha testing and will soon be released to some testers at Auckland Harley Davidson before the beta goes out to their "Rider Advisory Group" (RAG) of 80 riders in September. They plan to present the Reyedr HUD at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January 2017, with support from Callaghan Innovation and NZTE who are excited about the prospects of getting more NZ hardware startups out to the world.

Reyedr is at the early stage of a big play and at the cusp of a large opportunity. They are currently raising their first round of capital, mainly to fund further hardware development, and will be raising another round mid-2017. They're particularly looking for investors with experience in hardware startups, manufacturing and a passion for motorcycling and innovation.

If you want to find out more as an investor, connect with Kal through LinkedIn. For bikers interested in the Reyedr HUD or app, sign up at www.reyedr.com, and for updates or follow them on Facebook.