The motorcycle industry often plays catch-up when it comes to technology. Fuel-injection, anti-lock brakes and even air bags have crept slowly into the motorcycle marketplace years after the auto industry offered them as standard equipment. But now it could get ahead of the curve with an aftermarket night-vision system.

A handful of luxury brands offer such technology on their top models, but Darren Haley wants to bring it to motorcyclists. Haley, 34, is an avid rider and manager of OEM and aftermarket automotive product lines at Flir, a leader in thermal imaging technology. As such, he had no shortage of resources or expertise to make it happen. “I did it because I could and wanted to see what the response would be,” he said.

Our first reaction to a motorcycle night-vision system was to think it would be a distraction. Haley insists it isn't.

The infrared camera is mounted in what once was a driving light, and the image is displayed on Haley's GPS unit (more on that in a sec). Obviously you don't want to be staring at it constantly, but use it judiciously and you'll be fine.

“I use it like I would a rear-view or side-view mirror,” Haley said.

Haley hasn't come across any deer, but he and his buddies had some close calls during a ride from California to Colorado. That’s when they wished they had night vision on board.

Although the system was designed to help riders see pedestrians and animals, it has an added benefit. If you've ever been out at night on a two-lane road, you know the oncoming traffic can blind you. At those times, Haley looks straight at the screen.

“The display allows you to see the lines of the road without having to look at the car and blinding you,” he said.

Night vision: a night-and-day difference in visibility – literally.

The system is completely hands-free and displays the information on a GPS unit. Haley says the biggest challenge in the project was finding a GPS unit with video input. It was harder still finding a weatherproof unit, he said. Although the camera is waterproof and shockproof, the display is another story. For now the screen has to be protected or removed in foul weather.

The system is still in the R&D phase. Haley has put 9,000 miles on the prototype since installing it on his BMW R1150GS several months ago, but it doesn’t give him enough data. He's built a few more and loaned them out to get more info. He's wishing he'd built more.

“I can easily find people willing to try this,” he said. Who'd have guessed?

We would love to see a heads-up display or, cooler still, a monocle display like military helicopter pilots use. So would Haley. But it's not in the cards. Haley said it isn't cost-effective. He's focusing on keeping things relatively affordable. Haley can't say whether the technology might one day be available on new motorcycles or offered as an aftermarket accessory. One thing he knows for sure, though, is he'll have to keep the cost as low as possible. Right now he aims to come in at less than $2,000.

That is quite a premium when most bikes come in at under $20,000. If you are one of those round-the-world adventure riders or someone who's on the bike 24/7 year-round, it might be worth it outside of the obvious cool factor. It’s bound to save you the coin from at least one inevitable wreck.

Photos: Darren Haley/FLIR