Motorcycling is changing at a breakneck pace. Technology is the driver and we are the lucky recipients. Unless your motorcycle and gear is relatively new, less than , say, five years old, you’re missing out on this wave of advanced features and apparel. Here are 10 things that we’ve been spoiled by and can no longer live without. What’s next? We can’t wait to see what the future brings. 
1. Electronic suspension: Seriously, this is the next big thing in motorcycling. Whether it’s actual semi-active suspension like on Yamaha’s YZF-R1M, or a whole slew of BMWs with ESA II, or simply setting your preload and damping electronically, we’ll never go back. Why ride with a compromised setup, when you can have it all: soft compliance on the highway and then firm response for the twisties…all at the press of a button. 
2. Lean-angle-sensitive ABS: The latest generation of Bosch’s ABS software found on BMW, KTM, and Ducati motorcycles is amazing. My first experience with this on the KTM 1190 Adventure R sold me. That bike’s Enduro mode allows the 1190 to be braked aggressively in off-road riding situations with precise control. Gone are the days of shutting ABS off when you hit the dirt. But on-road, these systems are just as impressive, allowing hero braking on wet or slippery roads. 
3. Ride by wire (TC, ride modes): Okay, ride by wire isn’t exactly something we can’t live without, but the sophisticated intervention it allows is what we really love. Without RbW, traction control is pretty rudimentary. Additionally, the control afforded by RbW allows advanced ride modes with reduced power and mellower delivery in addition to allowing advanced cruise control. 
4. Cruise control: Ride-by-wire electronics have allowed motorcycle manufacturers to equip their bikes with excellent automotive-style cruise control. Systems from BMW, KTM, and Ducati, allow you to set your speed, resume and adjust incrementally faster or slower in 1-mph steps to match your buddies’ speed. If you don’t do all-day rides, you have no idea how much this reduces fatigue. 
5. Gore-Tex riding gear: When textile-riding gear first came out, it was obvious it had the potential to replace leather for most riding situations. As the motorcycle apparel industry has caught up with those for skiing and backpacking, the garments have improved tenfold. Now, we have Gore-Tex riding suits with tons of ventilation offering all-season comfort. And now, with excellent built-in safety features, and super abrasion-resistant fabrics, many of these can annihilate the performance of leather for the street rider. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Totally! 
6. Transitions faceshields: Why worry about riding in the dark with a tinted visor (or riding into a setting sun with a clear shield) when you can have a self-tinting faceshield. I’ve literally chosen helmets for long all-day rides that didn’t fit or weren’t comfortable just to have a Transitions visor on my lid. 7. Heated grips: Okay, they’ve been around for ages, but when the most potent sportbike (BMW’s S1000RR) of our generation comes with them as an option, it makes you wonder why other brands don’t follow suit. They help extend your riding season, they make those wet and rainy rides more tolerable, and there is nothing quite like blasting around a track on a cool morning with toasty hands. 
8. Helmet communicators: In-helmet communication has come a long way. Modern Bluetooth connectivity allows you to link to your smart phone, GPS, GoPro accessories, and most other communicators on the market. Call clarity is good enough that people on the other end often don’t realize you’re on a motorcycle. And streaming music via your helmet on long road trips keeps you entertained and awake. Nothing like some Slayer to keep you from drifting off near the end of a long riding day. 
9. Quick shifters: For track days or sport riding on a twisty road, quick shifters allow you to go faster with less drama. Not only does a quick shifter keep the bike on the boil, but mid-corner shifts can now be made as many of these systems are so smooth and fast they won’t upset the chassis. The recent addition of auto-blip downshifting (as found on BMWs and Ducatis) is the next wave. 
10. Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) displays: Naturally, we like to have as much information as possible about our bike, but there’s only so much space on a typical display. But with the latest high-tech full-color TFT displays, the rider can customize the view for the situation. For track days you can display a giant tachometer, lap timer, gear position, and water temperature, for instance. While fuel level, range, and outside temperature, plus time of day, can be shown for touring. Look for rearview cameras soon.Gadget Reviews: mamaktalk.com
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