In the world of celebrities and influencers, the mix with automobiles doesn’t really go well. However, when you do meet a celebrity who is also a passionate automotive enthusiast, a lot of good things can happen. In this instance, we spoke to John Abraham, a renowned film star and automotive buff, especially when it comes to motorcycles, about his view on road safety.
Motorcyclists are often overlooked, causing accidents on the road, while another major reason is the lack of knowledge — be it about safety for others, proper skills, or even the fact that a modern motorcycle is designed to keep riders safe.
John Abraham — lack of knowledge is dangerous for motorcyclists
Modern motorcycles are designed not just to offer the best performance, but also to keep a rider safe. These are built into the motorcycle in many ways — from good tyres to efficient brakes, and electronic aids such as ABS to more sophisticated traction control systems and IMUs.
John says, “We (motorcyclists) don’t get the respect we deserve in the road, but we also have to be responsible for us to get that respect. We need to pay attention to the electronics because they aid our riding. Most of us don’t even look at the electronics (nannies) when we buy it. There are different riding modes and respect the power a motorcycle has.”
Motorcycles and electronic aids
The sub-500cc segment has seen a massive leap in various aspects, especially when it comes to electronic aids in motorcycles. Take the Aprilia Tuono for example – where we spoke to John Abraham – it comes with four levels of traction control including a step to disable it completely. It also gets four riding modes and having ridden the RS457, the ride modes alter the power delivery of the motorcycle, making it either relaxed or enthusiastic. This makes a lot of difference in real-world riding.
The KTM 390 Duke is another example. It’s a wild motorcycle and has earned a bad reputation in India primarily because of its performance. However, for an enthusiast, it’s a brilliant motorcycle with good performance and riding aids like lean-sensitive ABS, traction control, and a quick shifter – to name a few – which gives skilled rider Ed a safety net. However, how many of them use it is a question. Motorcycling is all about skills and education, and when so many are able to learn it, what’s stopping you? Don’t let the answer be ignorance.
