Winter is one of my favourite times to ride motorbikes. Yet some riders store their bikes away until the perfect sunny conditions present themselves, which is perfectly reasonable. Although I’ve come to enjoy the challenges—while I still can—of wind, rain and cold as part of the experience.

Why winter roads still call: The joy and trial of year-round riding

Given that Victoria’s weather now stretches long spells of sunshine well into the colder months, more riders are staying on the roads year-round. Unfortunately, this has coincided with a recent spike in motorcyclist fatalities. Inexperience, excessive speeding, suspended riders, and distracted car drivers are key contributors. That’s why initiatives like the C-ITS Cooperative Intelligent Transport System, launched by La Trobe University at the Toyota test track in Altona, matter deeply.

C-ITS in action: How smart tech can save motorcyclists’ lives

Gone are the days when I first went for my big yellow motorcycle ‘L’ plate in late-1990s Queensland, filling out a multiple-choice form and paying $80. Today’s new riders face a much more thorough path to licensing—a three-day training course, ride checks, and a probationary ‘P’ plate period. I returned to riding nearly ten years ago and benefited immensely from these measures. Riding is now my main mode of transport, and I’m still learning every day.

My learning continued at the recent Connected Motorcycle Rider Project launch of the C-ITS system – a sophisticated, rider-focused adaptation of Car-to-Car communications.

It’s designed to increase visibility—helping vehicles “see” motorcycles earlier—thereby improving reaction times. The project, which began in 2023, uses helmet audio, dash lights, haptic wristbands, or phone alerts to notify riders of nearby hazards. Waze currently offers something similar, but in a limited way and reliant on user input.

We were bused out from the conference room to the track, where a live demo played out between a regular motorcycle and three slick Toyota Supras. A small hard case fitted to the bike’s rear housed the tech. On two monitors we watched the rider’s perspective while testing the alert devices—I opted for the vibrating wristband. It worked.

As riders, we’re sometimes called “component and cargo drivers”—an echo of our horse-riding ancestors. The bike becomes an extension of us. Meanwhile, I see too many car drivers multitasking —texting, eating, applying makeup. They’re not driving; they’re just cargo. And they’re often the ones who hit us.

The onus remains on us to stay sharp—especially in urban areas where crashes are more likely. But even on scenic routes and motorways, each road type brings its own risks. Technology like C-ITS doesn’t replace focus—it supports it.

Heritage on two wheels: A dream ride through multi-generational memory and migration

Beyond safety, riding remains a personal, almost spiritual journey. As I approach my early 50s, I want to ride for life. Riding keeps me mobile, alert, balanced—and most of all, connected.

I’m also mapping out a dream ride. One that connects with my family’s origins across Greece and Turkey. My Yia Yia and Pappou were born in Constantinople and fled in 1922 during the violent fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Greco-Turkish War. My elders found refuge in Lyon, France—among Asia Minor Greeks who were, at the time, not welcomed into Greece. My Pappou was also a keen motorcyclist in the 1930s.

Digging deeper, I discovered a northern Greek town named Svoronos, where a lieutenant bearing my surname died defending it. Our roots trace back to a village in Kefalonia, influenced over centuries by Venetian rule—possibly the origin of the name Svoronos from “Verona.”

My future ride will likely begin in the Bursa and Barisma regions of Turkey, tracing my family’s escape route, continuing to Svoronos, then Athens—because let’s be honest, some partying is in order—and eventually Cephalonia. Lyon, where my father was born, is still on the maybe list, but it’s likely to be added.

Sitting at the C-ITS launch, watching the future unfold, I’m reminded of a saying I always return to: “Enter slow, exit fast.” It’s the mantra for approaching blind corners—go in with brakes ready, keep your line, and once you see the path, throttle out. It’s also a pretty good metaphor for life and riding. I may even invest in the new fully Greek made DNA Cafe Racer that was launched in 2017 – which has an 80s feel with new tech and safety.

As the maker, Marios, said in Kathimerini “We combined the aesthetics of the 1970s and 80s with the technology of 2017,” then again it does cost 75,000 euros which is 132,000

This research project is ultimately a collaboration—between riders, researchers, governments, and industry. How the C-ITS tech integrates with our instincts and daily habits will shape its success. But any step that helps us ride more safely, more connected, and longer into life? That’s a road I’m happy to travel.

*Bo Svoronos PhD is a creative writer, and poet, and industries freelancer specialising in project management, production, crew management, and event hosting.