Queensland rides innovative motorcycle technology

The Palaszczuk Government is providing almost $350,000 to fund innovation kick-starting safer handling and a more enjoyable experience for motorcycle riders world-wide.

Minister for Innovation Leeanne Enoch said today (Thursday) two Brisbane-based companies – Queensland Motorcycle Innovation and Heluva ­ – have received Advance Queensland Ignite Ideas funding to back bright ideas and new jobs.

Ms Enoch said Advance Queensland Ignite Ideas funding targets startups and small-to-medium-sized enterprises to help them with rapid commercialisation of their market-ready innovations.

“The Palaszczuk Government’s Ignite Ideas fund – another Advance Queensland innovation and jobs initiative – is about helping businesses get products to market faster, which boosts business growth and creates jobs for Queenslanders,” she said.

Ms Enoch said Queensland Motorcycle Innovation will use its $250,000 funding to commercialise its ‘Motoinno TS3’ technology, to set new safety standards in handling, braking and power-to-weight ratios for motorcycles.

“This is a gear change in motorcycle technology,” Ms Enoch said.

“It has the potential to accelerate Queensland into a global player in the motorcycle industry, as well as improve the safety of riders here and around the world.”

Motorcycle Innovation’s Chief Executive Officer Colin Oddy said the funding will enable them to exhibit two motorcycles and licence the technology to motorcycle race teams and major manufacturers across the world.

“The Motoinno TS3 system is a new, world-disruptive motorcycle front-end-system that creates a safer, more stable and better performing motorcycle for the end user,” Mr Oddy said.

“It removes the unpredictable, inconsistent and dangerous flexibility in forked steering and suspension that is present in 90 per cent of motorcycle systems used today.

“There hasn’t been such a major leap in motorcycle technology anywhere in the world for almost 30 years. Our TS3 technology is delivering real results and is the beginning of a genuine revolution that delivers benefits in performance and safety to the everyday rider.” Mr Oddy said.

Heluva’s Director Steve Barry said the company will use $99,600 Ignite Ideas funding to commercialise its Ellaspede do-it-yourself motorcycle kits, which will allow users to safely modify their vehicles to suit contemporary styles without the need for major fabrication.

“Currently, users rely on complicated combinations of accessories from different manufacturers that are put together to form a final result,” Mr Barry said.

“Research suggests there are 300,000 consumers in Australia and 15 million consumers worldwide who actively engage in purchasing aftermarket motorcycle accessories.

“We have made the transition from a standard motorcycle to a customised motorcycle exponentially easier to achieve with a single kit from one supplier.

“The kits only take a few hours to fit and have been designed for users with minimum technical knowledge. Given the interchangeability of our kits and ease of installation, there is a high growth opportunity for our business if we can break into these markets.”

Ms Enoch is set to announce the third round of the Ignite Ideas funding to another wave of Queensland innovation projects, competing for funds to commercialise their market-ready ideas under the program’s merit-based assessment process.

“I am proud of the role our $420 million whole-of-government Advance Queensland innovation initiative is playing in helping Queenslanders turn their great ideas into new products, services, and jobs,” Ms Enoch said.

“In just two years, we committed more than $205 million of this investment to back 1650 innovators across Queensland – with their projects driving 4821 jobs.”

Visit the Advance Queensland Ignite Ideas Fund webpage for more information on the program and its recipients.

ENDS

MEDIA 0412 393 909