MotoMetrics Motorcycle Data Display

Riding a motorcycle gives you a feel of the road and a sensation of the surroundings that you simply don’t get in a four-wheeled conveyance. Or so I would assume, given that I don't ride myself. At the same time, while you might get a feel of the G-forces, speed, braking, and acceleration of a motorcycle, you don’t really know what those forces are in any sort of measurable context.

MotoMetrics, by EggermontLouis, aims to change this as a mountable ride tracking and security apparatus that links up to a smartphone via Wi-Fi. This Raspberry Pi-based device is powered by the motorcycle’s electrical system and uses a variety of sensors to intuit what’s going on during a ride. It also logs this data for later analysis.

Sensors include a K-type thermocouple for measuring engine temperature, a DS18B20 1-Wire temperature sensor for ambient air, a GPS for location and speed, and an MPU-6050 IMU to detect G-forces and tilt. There’s an LDR sensor as well, which controls auxiliary automatic lighting for increased visibility. Finally, the device includes a siren that can be activated to go off when the motorcycle is moved for security.

These sensors are linked up to a Raspberry Pi 4, which in turn connects to a handlebar-mounted smartphone as its main user interface. This allows the rider to view stats in real time. If you'd like to make one yourself, the project writeup includes hardware and software instructions for setting this tracking/monitoring rig up, along with print files for its enclosure.