Category: Motorcycle

Abstract

Each current innovation has a remarkable history that defines its survival. In the 1960s, a tragic cycling accident motivated doctors and manufacturers to design cycling helmets that would protect the riders from the crash impacts. The work of the Snell Memorial Foundation is still proving important to the present-day riders. However, commercial interests seem to override the interest of safety standards in the designing of cycling helmets. Helmets began from thin and soft leather-like headgears to outstanding innovations such as the aerodynamic designs that used improved materials like the cork linings, fiberglass shells, polystyrene material, and the canvas. The most troubling issue is that cycling helmets are no longer protective as earlier perceived.

Introduction

After several successful endeavors in technology and mass production, human intelligence began focusing on enhancing the safety of the manufactured products (Neiman 216). One of the products that often predispose people to serious road hazards is a motorcycle. Due to its association with several road carnages and fatalities, the motorcycle inventors sought to develop the motorcycle helmets as remedies to minimize the impact of the cycling injuries that lead to serious crashes and head impacts. Due to their safety proof, America and other developed nations have implemented various motorcycle helmet legislation to support their effective manufacturing and use to reduce the head impacts (Neiman 221). As time goes, helmet technology seems to reshape rapidly to enhance skull protection. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the helmet product, its ethical concerns, its designing, and its end success.

Historical background and Motivation

Helmet, as the most precious safety equipment, has a long history in its innovation and progress across the world (Melissa 230). Pipe explains that the idea behind the development of helmets began with the tragic death of Lawrence of Arabia, who was an infamous and honored British soldier, who fought during the First World War (24). His military career was so relevant to the British government, and his historical participation in the British military exists in books until today. According to Pipe (39), his mysterious death from head injuries after a tragic motorbike crash caught the attention of the politicians and civilians. Several people mourned his death including the neurosurgeon, Dr. Hugh Cairns, who felt deeply hurt by the death of Lawrence. This historical tragedy, according to Melissa (219), inspired an innovation on how to protect motorcyclists from the head injuries, when they encounter a crash.

The Design Issues

The helmet innovation began with the development of the Crash Helmet. It began when Professor C.F. Lombard of the South California University, designed and patented a motorbike helmet (Pipe 85). The first design began with the development of the internal layer, which was to absorb shock and disperse the shock impact. The first problems with the design were the shape, the weight, and the method of securing the helmet from the head itself (Pipe 35). The helmets were extremely heavy, prone to damage, affected the head comfort of the riders, and could hardly absorb the impacts during the motorbike crashes (Pipe 43). Other helmets comprised of leather material, which was thin and soft, thus providing minimal protection. The riders required lighter helmets with a well-shaped internal side. This means that the traditional materials were incapable of meeting the required helmet standards.

The Problem-Solving Methods

At the beginning of the 1970s, the Snell Memorial Foundation initiated the first design standards for the motorcycle helmets in the United States to improve the helmet innovation (Melissa 225). The initial solutions to dealing with helmet safety were legal and included the Highway Safety Act of 1966 and the formation of the American National Safety Standards for motorbike helmets (Pipe 119). Such endorsements of the helmet standards brought about the enactment of helmet manufacturing standards. Helmets from the cork coating and fiberglass shells then emerged as part of the helmet manufacturing standards (Pipe 102). The helmets became popular because they offered better protection than the earlier models. Although the helmets managed to protect the main parts of the head, they failed to offer protection to the vital parts of the face. The riders were still vulnerable to the crash impacts.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Methods

The first advantage of the helmets made of cork coating and fiberglass was their resistance to crash. Such innovations enhanced the protection of the skull from the crash injuries (Granacher 286). The second advantage of these forms of helmets was their ability to protect people from the dust and offer a comfortable ride without any significant disturbances in the inner part of the helmets. The first disadvantage of the improved helmets was the absence of facial protection such as the eye shields, the faceplates, or any form of face protection (Granacher 301). Such designs of the motorbike helmets offered minimal protection to the crucial parts of the face. People continued to die, while others encountered serious skull injuries and facial bruises. It was until late 1981s when they introduced helmets with aerodynamic designs.

The Critical Parts of Design and Development Process

The critical parts of the motorcycle helmets included the headcover for the head protection, facial protection, ventilation, ear protection, and the impact shields. The early development of the helmet began with the thin and soft leather ordinary leather, which acted as the head covers (Granacher 315). Later, motorbike manufacturers, Mr. Moss, and Dr. Eric Gardner incorporated the cork linings, fiberglass shells, polystyrene material, and canvas to create the head covers (Granacher 423). Although most parts of the head seemed protected and safe from the crash impacts, the sections of the face were still vulnerable. The facial protection was missing and the helmet innovation still seemed ineffective (Granacher 455). In the 1980s, the protective face glasses emerged as a means of providing facial protection. The helmet face glasses then later developed to the facedown and the face-up models, which are now prominent among the riders.

The Ultimate Success in Helmets

The ultimate success in the manufacturing of the helmets came in the 1980s when the Snell Memorial Foundation strengthened its safety testing measures on the helmets. All helmets were to comply with the governments manufacturing standards before they would receive labels for endorsing their commercial safety (Granacher 334). After several successful tests, companies began manufacturing motorcycle helmets o aerodynamic design, with powerful shock-absorbing materials. Motorbike helmets made from the cork linings, fiberglass shells, canvas, and polystyrene, are some of the ultimate successes in the production of the motorbike headgears (Blair and Barth 37). Several tests made concerning the suitability of the motorcycle helmets reveal that the helmets have reduced the head injuries that result from crash impacts by approximately 65% over the years (Blair and Barth 64). Helmets have now become the essential cycling elements in the civil world and motorsports.

Conclusion

The tragic road crash and death of the British military officer marked the beginning of the innovations of the motorcycle helmets across the world. No one can undermine the gradual success of the motorcycle helmets in protecting the cyclists from the crash impacts across the world. Major innovations in the headgear and within the face have made a significant contribution to the protection of the cyclists from the head trauma that results from deadly crashes. However, the remarkable innovations of the Snell Memorial Foundation have helped to reduce the deadliness of the motorbike crashes, but have to certain extents, failed to manage the manufacturing standards of the helmets. Although the helmets seem necessary in the public and motorsport cycling, there are serious concerns in the production of the helmets.

Opinion, Evaluations, and Suggestions

Head traumas are nowadays fewer traumas due to the presence of cycling helmets, which are part of the motorbike riding gears endorsed by the laws. However, my personal opinion is that the production of the helmets seems manipulated by the manufactures for their commercial interests and not for the safety of the riders (Blair and Barth 41). In an ethical evaluation, the manufacturing of motorcycle helmets is nowadays a business, not a safety priority. According to the U.S report on the efficiency of the modern helmets concerning road crashes, cycling traumas have reemerged. The Dorsch helmets have caused 90% fatalities from 1987, the Wasserman helmets have recorded about 82% skull fractures, while the McDermott helmets have reported about 39% head injuries ((Blair and Barth 73). The Snell Foundation is nowadays ineffectual and helmet laws have become insignificant. My main suggestion is that companies must be responsible for manufacturing counterfeit cycling helmets.

Works Cited

Blair, Diane, and Jay Barth. Arkansas Politics and Government, Nebraska, United States: U of Nebraska Press, 2005. Print.

Granacher, Robert. Traumatic Brain Injury: Methods for Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychiatric Assessment, Second Edition, London, United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2007. Print.

Neiman, Melissa. Motorcycle Helmet Laws: The Facts, What Can Be Done to Jump-Start Helmet Use, and Ways to Cap Damages. Journal of Health Care Law and Policy 11.2 (2008): 215-248. Print.

Pipe, Jim. World War One, A Very Peculiar History, London, United Kingdom: Andrews UK Limited, 2012. Print.

The urban informal transport sub-sector, the motorcycle taxis, is gaining prominence in the Nigerian society as it has provided opportunities of self-employment and income generation. To throw more light on the above, the motorcycle taxis was said to have been rampant in the late 1980s owing to the economic downtown in Nigeria which was partly a consequences of the adoption of liberalized economic policy in the form of Structural Adjustment Program (SAP). The consequences of the above policy such as rapid urbanization, unemployment and inadequate intra-city commercial transport etc. led to the inception of the motorcycle taxis. At this juncture, it is important to reiterate that the inadequate intra-city commercial transport gave more opportunities to the motorcycle taxis as they are fast, ready and swiftly navigate narrow and bad urban roads amidst hectic traffic.

Put succinctly, Madunago, (2004) argued that SAP brought about mass retrenchment and many of the retrenched workers, became commercial motorcycle riders. As the economic situation keeps worsening, the number of commercial motorcycle riders keeps increasing in the country. Ogbuiji, (2001) argued that the rise of commercial motorcycling was due to the high cost of doing other businesses necessitated by astronomic rents, epileptic power supply, heavy taxation and low patronage. Thus, as a means of combating unemployment and poverty, many humbled themselves to go into commercial motorcycling.

First, there is the economic and social situation that affects the cities of Sub-Saharan Africa: the economic crisis, the recessive effects of the structural adjustment plans that started to be introduced in the 1980s and massive under-employment, particularly among the young (deVreyer and Roubaud, 2013). As the job required few qualifications, many poorly educated young people saw motorcycle taxis as an opportunity to earn money (Howe and Davis, 2002; Dorier-Apprill and Domingo, 2004; Meagher, 2013). Along with non-compliance with administrative and regulatory formalities, the small proportion of businesses which take on bank loans, the fact that training is received “on the job” and the lack of social protection, this is one of the characteristics of transport enterprises belonging to the informal sector of the economy (Cervero, 2000; Dimitriou and Gakenheimer, 2011). Hirers fall in two groups, the work-and-pay drivers and the renters. A large number of drivers yearn to own their motorcycle, which has encouraged the spread of so-called work-and-pay contracts, which are usually written. These contracts exist in most cities, for example Accra (OtengAbabio andAgyemang, 2012), Douala (Ngabmen et al., 2000) or Nigerian cities (Oyesiku, 2001). They differ from the hire-purchase contracts that are sometimes available in other geographical areas with regard to the power the motorcycle owner has over the hirer (Panier, 2012).

Bike riding is thus an inherently paradoxical activity, potentially enabling riders to escape economically from the status of being dependent youth, while carrying the potential of remaining stuck in this liminal status because of its socially and morally questionable quality (Menzel 2011), in the long run endangering economic success. As already stated, becoming an adult, a relational person, having people depending on oneself rather than depending on others, thus having “wealth-in-people” (Bledsoe 1980; Shaw 2000, 2002), is determined not only by economic factors, but by fellow citizens’ social and moral recognition of one’s doing—and denied morality means denied adulthood. Nathaniel King puts it: “The ‘haves’ strive for resources for prestige maintenance; the ‘have-nots’ strive for resources for survival” (2007:12).

In addition to the well-being of its users, public transport plays a vital role in the productivity of cities which in turn has a direct bearing on the national economies (World Bank, 2001; Lyndon and Todd, 2006). Generally, the Okada operators derive reasonable profit from their operations. Most of the operators interviewed claimed that they make an average of about N1,000.00 to N3,000.00 on a daily basis after satisfying all expenses (Personal Communication with Mr. Raphael Adeyeye, Okada Rider, on 24 June, 2011). They are seen as people who cannot get better jobs in the society (Personal Communication with Mr. Samuel Oladotun, an Okada rider, 27 June, 2011).

Another challenge confronting the Okada riders or operators is the high cost of setting up the business. A prospective businessman willing to go into Okada business would need between N100,000 and N180,000 to start the business. By this arrangement, an operator is allowed to own a motorcycle which he could use for business with the understanding of paying for it in installments until the cost of the motor bike is fully off-set (Personal Communication with Mr. TemitopeAtanda, an Okada operator, 12 August, 2011).Apart from this, operators of motorcycles could also become owners by borrowing money from micro finance banks, cooperative societies, family members and friends (Olaore, 2011: 33). Okada business has empowered many Nigerians economically (Personal Communication with Mr. OyeyemiKazeem on 4 July, 2011).

Several reasons have been identified to propel people (mostly male) to engage in commercial motorcycle. Among these are harsh economic environment, unemployment and retrenchment of service, poverty.

In addition, most females will not be able to meet up with the energy demanded this occupation which is so strenuous and requiring high risk ventures (Olusayoet al., 2015). From January to June 2016, the number of e-bike accidents accounted for nearly 70% of the total number of accidents in Jiangsu Province. sers in Beijing and Hangzhou. The results showed that gender and driving experience were significantly related to traffic accidents. Men were more likely to have accidents than women. The high level of unemployment also made a lot of people to join the business of commercial motorcycling (Salako et al., 2013).

Transportation is an indispensable aspect of human existence. It is the movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Over the years as human environment posed some challenges on the means of getting to one’s destination, there have been several modifications by man to conquer this impediment. The industrial revolution in the 19th century saw a number of inventions fundamentally change transport. The invention of steam engine, closely followed by its application in rail transport, however, with the development of the combustion engine and the automobile round 1900, road transport became more competitive again.(Wikipedia) The quick rate of urbanization with insufficient methods for transportation was one of the main causes for increased utilization of motorcycles (Olubomehin, 2012). Motorcycles are widely used as one of the best means of transportation for being affordable to the common man and can easily reach the inaccessible city parts through narrow and poorly paved roads (Sufyan and Ahmed, 2012).

The World Health Organization reported that between 2010 and 2013 there was a 27% increase in the number of motorcycles globally (WHO, 2015). With this, the use of motorcycle as transport is now a global phenomenon. similarly, Francis and Andrew (1995) observed that the proliferation of vehicles in the cities did not solve transportation problem but resulted in what they described as a state of relative immobility and congestions which result in the introduction of unconventional modes of public transportation.

In Nigeria, the use of motorcycles for public transportation began in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State in early 1970s and by 1980s and it had gradually spread to other parts of Nigeria (Oladipo et al, 2012). However, Madunago, (2004) argued that Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) brought about mass retrenchment and many of the retrenched workers, became commercial motorcycle riders. As the economic situation keeps worsening, the number of commercial motorcycle riders keeps increasing in the country. Similarly, Ogbuiji, (2001) argued that the rise of commercial motorcycling was due to the high cost of doing other businesses necessitated by astronomic rents, epileptic power supply, heavy taxation and low patronage. Thus, as a means of combating unemployment and poverty, many humbled themselves to go into commercial motorcycling.

The high level of unemployment also made a lot of people to join the business of commercial motorcycling (Adekunle et al, 2013). This form of transportation was accepted by many people because of its ability to take passengers to their door steps, maneuver their way through traffic congestion and reach areas where other forms of commercial transportation cannot reach because of bad roads (Oladipo et al, 2012; Ngim et al, 2007; Okojie et al, 2003; Yunusa et al, 2014).

It is noteworthy, however, that transport provides a key to the understanding and operation of many other systems at many different scales and is an epitome of the complex relationships between social and political activities and the level of economic development (Buchannan, 1969; Hoyle and Smith, 1992). A critical aspect of this is that city growth and expansion in Nigeria has been largely uncontrolled (Olarewaju, 2004).

To complement the above, Okada men, commercial motorbike riders, have changed the landscape of the country, geographically and socially: they have highly enhanced the mobility of people who can afford to hire a bike; almost all narrow tracks and bush paths—and therefore most remote areas—are traversable on them. By speeding up a great portion of economic activities, transporting people and goods, and increasing the number of consumers, bike riders contribute to the economy and society at large, and therefore they indirectly benefit people who do not ride bikes themselves (Juana 2008:32).

However, Okada men were depicted as being rude, law breaking and criminal. Their activities and their income from riding were considered unfavorable to the development of the country, as they were not sustainable. Not going to school, not working properly, not attending mosque or church, spending money on useless things, causing accidents, consuming drugs and alcohol, and impregnating girls, they did not live a good life as responsible citizen of the country. Thus, bike riding is an inherently paradoxical activity, potentially enabling riders to escape economically from the status of being dependent youth, while carrying the potential of remaining stuck in this luminal status because of its socially and morally questionable quality. (Menzel 2011)

Similarly, motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable road users (WHO, 2017). And high rate of accidents has been attributed to lack of training and traffic education among motorcycle operations, impatience on the part of the bike riders, flagrant disregard for traffic rules and regulations, among others factors. The head and neck injuries are the principal cause of death and injury among motorcyclists (Solagberu et al.,2006). Also, similar studies in other countries revealed that majority of the injured motorcyclists were aged less than 35 years. This result was consistent with previous studies that teenage and young age drivers posed the highest risks of death and non-fatal injury to themselves, their passengers, occupants of other passenger vehicles, and non-occupants compared with older drivers (Braver and Trempel, 2004; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2009 and Mansuri et al.,2015).

Furthermore, one major way to decrease morbidity and mortality from motorcycle riding is the use of helmet. Wearing helmet results in 70% reduction in the risk of head injury and 40% decrease in risk of mortality (Liu, B.C., 2009). Also, a motorcycle rider without a helmet is 40% more likely to suffer a fatal head injury and 15% more likely to suffer a non-fatal injury than a rider that uses helmet when involved in a crash. (NHTSA, 2008)

Of recent, there is an innovative transformation in the modus operandi of commercial motorcycle taxis under the aegis of a technology driven corporation called ORide. According to Iniabasi Akpan, country manager at Opay, ‘about 25-30% of the Nigerian adult population is uneducated, poor, and has little or no access to financial services. As a business, we exist to remove the barriers to financial services and access to a better quality of life for the underprivileged and the financially excluded.’ However, owing to the axiom ‘that the only thing constant is change’ it is against this backdrop that this study is conducted in order to bridge the gap in knowledge by seeing how effective this innovative modus operandi will help to foster the mission and vision of Opay in the aura of commercial motorcycle taxis.

The 2004 biographical film, The Motorcycle Diaries, reveals the journey of the 23-year-old Ernesto “Fuser” Guevara. The movie takes place in 1952, where Ernesto, who is about to complete his medical degree, along with his friend Alberto Granado, a biochemist, leave Buenos Aires in order to travel around Latin America eventually reaching a leper colony, which they intend to volunteer at, in just four and a half months. Even though the journey starts out as just a thrilling adventure, Ernesto is soon exposed to the disparity of the indignous peasants, and the pervasive ideas of injustice are clearly demonstrated by the poverty of the poor native people. Throughout the movie a new intriguing identity of Latin America, filled with the cruel exploitation of the native people and their lands is revealed to Ernesto. These experiences would later fuel Ernesto’s revolution against political repression and economic inequalities.

Even though the initial goal of Ernesto and Alberto’s journey is to just have fun and explore as much of Latin America as possible, the movie actually helps reveal the economic and social disparities and tries to decolonialize Latin America. But what does it mean to decolonialize Latin America? In Mingolo’s book The Idea of Latin America Mignolo argues, “The idea of America…is a modern European invention and limited to Europeans’ view of the world and of their own history” (Mingolo 8). This means that Europeans used coloniality in order to further their own endeavors and moderness. Throughout the novel, Mingolo thus argues that modernity and coloniality are just two sides of the same coin. One can not exist without the other. For example, in order for European imperialists to feel ‘modern’ they had to look, think and act superior to somebody else, and unfortunately that ended up being indiginous people, especially in Latin America. It is thus modernity that will not eradicate coloniality but rather fuels it. In his novel, Mingolo then goes on to describe the logic of coloniality which thrives through economic domains, meaning the exploitation of land and labor from the indignous people, political domains, or the absolute control of authority and law, civic domains, which control gender and sexuality, and finally the complete control of knowledge and thinking. Even though one side of the world is portrayed as modern and all knowledgeable, on the other side there are, “Societies drained of their essence, cultures trampled underfoot, institutions undermined, lands con scated, religions smashed… millions of [women and] men torn from their gods, their land, their habits, their life – from life, from the dance, from wisdom” (51). Thus, part of the job of the movie to reimagine Latin America without the influence of imperialists trying to control the native people, and even though in some aspects the movie does accomplish this goal by revealing economic political, and social disparities, but in other ways the movie fuels colonialism even more.

The first way the movie decolonializes Latin America by revealing the economic exploitation of the native land and people. For example, when Ernesto and Alberto visits the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, the movie illustrates the breathtaking views, and beautiful handcrafted stone work but also the emptiness of the once lively city. This causes the travelers to realize the beauty that the natives created was so easily destroyed by imperialists set on industrializing the nation. The scene in Machu Picchu is then juxtaposed by the busy, dirty hussle and bussle of Lima. This reveals how the Europeans so easily took a beautiful city and emptied it only to build a more ‘modern’ urban city that fits their agenda better. While in Chile, Ernesto and Alberto also come across a poor couple who had been persecuted for their communist beliefs. They travel together to a copper mine, where Ernesto witnesses the cruelty inflicted on the workers. In the scene it is scorching hot rocking mountains and the men are selected one by one to go squeeze into the back of a small crowded truck. Thus the movie is representing the exploitation of the people, because they are so desperate for money that they are willing to work in inhumane conditions. This helps to reveal the logic of coloniality, and thus portray the consequences of modernity in a different light.

Another way that the movie decolonializes Latin America, is through the Leper Colony. One of Ernesto and Alberto’s goals was to make it to Peru and work in a leper colony there. Throughout their three week stay there, Ernesto is able to witness the division between the healthy and sick. The colony is set up so that the healthy doctors and nurses, which represent Europeans, are on the north side, and then the sick patients, which represent the indiginous people, are on the south side, and there is a river that separates the two civilizations. While Ernesto is working there, the audience is also able to witness the disparities between the two civilizations. For example, just based on the clothes they wear, the doctors wear very nice clean clothes, while the sick look dirty and dressed in rags. This reveals the economic disparity between the two civilizations, but also reveals that the healthy don’t really seem bothered by this fact. Also, when Ernesto and Alberto arrived to the southern colony they were told by the doctors, that they are required to wear gloves at all times while with the patients, even though they were not contagious, so gloves were not necessary. This reveals that the doctors believed themselves to be of a superior class compared to the patients, and that they could not even touch them because they were viewed as diseased. Another aspect of the colony that reveals coloniality, is that the nuns force the patients, along with Ernesto and Alberto to go to church, otherwise they are not fed. The problem with this is that, everybody needs to eat in order to survive, and the only way to eat is to go to church, thus the nuns are forcing christianity down the throats of the patients. They are thus equating christianity to life, and without it, one will not live. Forcing people to convert to another religion was a major attribute of coloniality, during that time period. By revealing this aspect of coloniality, the movie is thus trying to decoloniality Latin America.

Another way that the movie tries to decolonialize Latin America is through the character Esteban. Esteban is wealthy individuals from Latin America, who went to university in Europe, his goal is to then come back to South America and teach everybody European knowledge, and make Latin America more modern, like Europe. However, in the movie Esteban is portrayed as pompous and egotistical which reflects the European colonizers attitudes towards the native people as well. This helps to decoloniality europe because it reveals the modernistic, selfish views of the colonizers and portrays them in a negative light.

However, there are certain aspects of the movie that fuel modernity and coloniality. One example of this is Ernesto and Alberto’s exploitation of the bike shop owner. Ernesto and Alberto’s motorcycle unfortunately broke down towards the beginning of their journey, but in order to get it fixed they decided to exploit and lie to some of the native people. They told the shop owner that they were both famous doctors in order to get their motorcycle fixed for free. Then when they got caught, Ernesto and Alberto completely destroyed the man’s bike shop. So, they ended up exploiting the native people’s time and resources just for their own net gain, which is exactly what the Europeans did, which is a problem because the movie does not portray this as a terrible thing which they did but rather, something of necessity in order to get their bike fixed so that they could complete their journey. Another time that Ernesto and Alberto exploited some of the native people was when they arrived in a town, and decided to seduce or trick two local sisters into buying them food, drinks and giving them a place to stay. This scene was once again not portrayed as an exploitation of the women’s services, but rather a comedic ploy put on by Ernesto and Alberto, which only fuels coloniality.

Finally, the movie still portrays Latin America through the lens of modernity because it depicts Latin America as a pretty cohesive group of countries. Meaning, that it is difficult to tell the countries apart in the sense that they are all given the same ‘identity’. Throughout the movie, for example, they reveal the parties and fun that some of the indignineus people have, but even though different parties take place in different countries there is no cultural distinction between them all. The indigieunous people are also all just viewed as poor and exploited but in reality there are very distinct aspects of each country, but the movie just mushes them all together to form one unified Latin America. This fuels modernity because it is just pushing one viewpoint of Latin America, and not showing all the different cultures that truly exist there.

After witnessing the injustices in Latin America, Ernesto would later become a major leader of the Cuban Revolution because of his Marxist views. His diary of his travels was later discovered and then in 2004, the Motorcycle Diaries was created in order to portray the story of Ernesto as well as display the injustices he saw in Latin America during this time period. Thus the movie tries and succeeds in some aspects of decolonialisingLatin America but also follows the logic of modernity at other times.

A solar vehicle is one of the most eco-friendly innovations in the world. With fossil fuels and oil being considered as non-renewable resources, sourcing energy from a non-depleting source can really drive sustainability. These sun-powered vehicles run on solar energy but can be supplemented by a battery to allow it to run even on the absence of sunlight. The technologies used to produce these solar wonders are combined aerospace, bicycle, alternative, and automotive sciences. It’s good news that car enthusiasts are not the only ones who will get to enjoy this technology. Motorcycle riders also get to enjoy this solar gift through solar motorcycle units. However, do these vehicles actually exist? If so, how much are they, where can they be bought, and how efficient can they be? Will the investment for moving into this transportation alternative provide reasonable savings? This article will answer these questions to guide you in case you’d like to switch to this eco-loving alternative.

What are Solar Powered Motorcycles?

What is a solar powered motorcycle and does it exist? Like a solar car, a motorcycle of this type also combines electric and solar energy to supply power to the vehicle. Therefore, the most plausible solar motorcycles will also be electric. The way it works for solar vehicles is that they have a built-in solar array that has photovoltaic cells. These cells convert sunlight to the energy needed to power up the battery of the vehicle. The powering up happens when photons hit the photovoltaic cells and excite the electrons to allow them to flow through and produce an electric current.

To answer the question as to whether it exists, it definitely does. Some solar motorcycle brands are already sold in some countries. For example, the Sweden-made Cake Kalk is sold exclusively in Sweden for $14,000. It can run for 15 kilowatts per Newton meter at a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

Solar bikes also exist. Also running on battery, electric-solar bikes harness the sun’s photons through its solar panels in its wheels. Through induction, the panels send power to the battery, charging it fully within 4-6 hours on a sunny day. An example of such a bicycle is the Dutch Solar Cycle, which is said to be effective in cutting down more carbon emissions.

Fastest Solar Motorcycle

At this point, we already know that a motorcycle working on solar energy does exist. However, how fast can it get? Most motorcycle riders crave for speed. Will a solar-powered version cut them on acceleration and distance? You’ll be surprised as the fastest electric-solar motorcycle is considered the fastest in the world in 2013 with its highest speed at 218 miles per hour! This ecofriendly and overly fast vehicle is called the Lightning Superbike 218 by a company called Lightning. This awesome vehicle can travel at an average range of 100 miles with a torque of 168 feet-pounds. It’s got a horsepower of 200 and an RPM of 10,500. This wonder can be charged within 30 minutes on a DC fast charger and 120 minutes on a level 2 charger.

Indeed, speed doesn’t have to burn too much fossil fuels. The fastest solar powered motorcycle proves just that.

Can You Charge Motorcycle with a Solar Panel?

You just bought an electric bicycle or motorcycle, and you are not planning to buy a solar-powered one anytime soon. Can you still use the sun’s power to charge your vehicle’s battery? You definitely can. You don’t need to have a solar cycle to take advantage of the sun’s benefits.

Solar chargers can be bought at different capacities. Small ones are around 1.5 kilowatts, and with such capacity, they have to positioned perfectly to work best. There are also a bit larger ones with 4-6 watts of capacity. They have better quality than the small ones, but weather resistance can still be an issue if powering up vehicles like a motorcycle working on solar energy. The ideal power for motorcycle charging is about 10-12 watts. These, however, require a charge controller to prevent your vehicle’s battery from overcharging.

There are already several brands of solar chargers for your vehicle. For example, POWOXI’s 3.3-watt solar charger can power up your ride with its 15 by an 8.5-inch solar panel made up of amorphous silicon solar cells. Since it’s waterproof, you also don’t have to worry about damaging it so easily. It is also portable at only 2.2 pounds and less than an inch thick. With prices ranging from $29-$35, you’ve got a solar alternative to give juice to your vehicle’s battery. Since it’s relatively low-powered, it doesn’t require a controller.

If you prefer more stability and better charging capability, OptiMate’s 10 or 20-watt solar charger can be more suited for you. At a little more than $100, you can use it for charging not just your electric motorcycle or bikes but also your car or mini-truck. It’s got an incorporated controller, so you can leave it on without fear of toasting your vehicle’s battery.

Conclusion

Solar technology is growing more and more, and it is a good thing for the planet and the inhabitants in it. With this advanced yet environmental-loving alternative, individuals can save on fuel, time, and energy. People can also breathe cleaner air and improve their overall health. With the new developments in this field, riders who aim for speed and power will not be disappointed as these sun-juiced vehicles can achieve both while reducing one’s carbon footprint. With more and more companies coming up with better ideas on how these transportation modes can be improved to cover longer ranges, the future is indeed exciting. If you have an electric bike and would like to get better speed, you can definitely get your own electric motorcycle from Lightning (among other brands). If you have a solar charger at home, you won’t even have to worry about keeping your battery at an optimum level. Regardless of whether you opt for a solar powered motorcycle, car, or bicycle, you are making the right choice for yourself and the future generation by helping improve the environment people are in through solar-driven alternatives.

Introduction

Road traffic crashes (RTCs) claim 1.35 million lives and cause 20–50 million injuries resulting in disability each year, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (WHO, 2018). In Uganda, road traffic injuries are a fast increasing public health problem and, currently, the tenth leading cause of disability and death (IHME, 2019) (Figure 1). Although RTIs affect all road users, some groups are disproportionately affected. Motorcyclists are more likely to get fatally injured than other motor vehicle users (NHTSA, 2007). For instance, 28% of global road traffic deaths are mong motorcyclists (WHO, 2018), and they are the second-most vulnerable road user group, after pedestrians, in low-income countries (Grimm and Treibich, 2010).

The decline of well-organized public transport systems in sub-Saharan has led to rapid growth in the use of commercial motorcycles as the preferred public transport mode with a concomitant increase in motorcycle crashes (Kumar, 2011; Olvera et al., 2012). Therefore, this report highlights the magnitude, analyses the determinants and inequalities of commercial motorcyclist injuries in Uganda, and outline a health needs assessment plan to address the needs of commercial motorcyclists to reduce injuries and death from crashes.

The burden of motorcycle taxi riders’ injuries in Uganda

Motorcycle taxis, locally known as boda boda, at an annual growth rate of 58.7 percent are the fastest growing fleet on Uganda’s roads (UNECE and UNECA, 2018). This growth has been driven by their popularity among Ugandans because of their convenience, flexibility and easy manoeuvrability through heavy traffic (Wanume et al., 2019). In parallel with this rapid growth, motorcycles have become the leading contributor to RTCs than any other vehicle type (Roehler et al., 2013), and led to a surge in motorcycle-related injuries and deaths (Vaca et al., 2020).

Motorcyclists are at high risk of injury and death from RTCs (NHTSA, 2007). In Uganda, the risk of a motorcyclist getting seriously injured or dying in a crash is 3.6 times and 5.5 times that of a car driver, respectively (Annual Crime and Road Safety Report, 2019). This increased risk of injury and death could be due to reduced protection against other vehicles, ground, and roadside objects, motorcycles being smaller, less visible to motor vehicle drives and less stable on the road (Freeman et al., 2012).

According to the Annual Crime and Road Safety reports, the proportion of motorcycle involved in RTCs increased by 7.5% from 2010 to 2019 and, correspondingly, the constitution of motorcyclists’ injuries and fatalities have increased by 7.4% (17.9% in 2009 to 25.3% in 2019) and 13.2% (14.2% in 2009 to 27.4% in 2019), respectively. These increments are the highest compared to all other road user groups (Figure 2). These police reports’ data are, however, like in other low-income countries, an underestimation of the true burden of RTIs (Bhalla et al., 2016; Heydari et al., 2019). For example, Zafar et al. (2018) reported that in 2014, motorcycle injuries constituted 53% of RTCs versus official 24.5% reported in that year (Annual Crime and Road Safety Report, 2015).

Motorcycle road traffic injuries (RTIs) also impose an enormous economic burden (Wanume et al., 2019). They are the largest contributors of trauma victims (41%) to Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH); and with an average of US$ 369 to treat a single victim, motorcycle injuries account for 4.2% of MNRH’s annual budget and 62.5% of the MNRH directorate of surgery budget (Kigera, Nguku and Naddumba, 2010). It is estimated that the total economic burden of motorcycle RTCs, due to lost productivity resulting from severe injuries and death and repairs, is US$ 3.6 million—0.02% of Uganda’s GDP (Sebaggala et al., 2015).

Determinants of motorcycle injuries

Motorcycle RTIs are determined by interacting multiple factors at different levels. Figure 2 shows the Dahlgren and Whitehead’s conceptual model, which provides a framework to understand the determinants of health at the individual, social and community networks, living and working conditions, and wider socioeconomic and environmental levels (Dahlgren and Whitehead, 1991). Table 1 summarises some risk factors for motorcyclist RTIs at each ecological level.

The risk factors at the levels described in Figure 3 and Table 1 interact in complex ways within (intra) and across (inter) levels to result in motorcyclists RTIs. Being a young male (18–25 years) is associated with risky driving behaviours (Chang and Yeh, 2007; Olumide and Owoaje, 2015), which increase injury risk—an intra-level interaction at the individual level.

Inter-level risk factor interactions are common. For instance, unhealthy family relationships engender negative emotions, which increase injury risk by lowering risk perception, distorting rational judgement and increasing risky driving behaviours (Atombo et al., 2017). Frustration from competition with other motorcyclists and motor vehicle taxis (Siya et al., 2019) may increase injury risk via the pathways reported by Hu, Xie and Li (2013).

The conditions in which commercial motorcyclists operate including poorly constructed and maintained roads, car-centric road designs, and high traffic volume and mix increases risk of motorcyclist RTIs (Balikuddembe et al., 2017).

Socioeconomic, cultural and environmental factors influence motorcyclists’ RTI risk. Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with high motorcycle RTI risk (Zambon and Hasselberg, 2006). High unemployment lead increasing numbers of youths to commercial motorcycling (Galukande et al., 2009), thus increasing the number of people exposed to RTI risk.

Economic stress related to poor income increases motorcyclists’ injury risk (Kitara and Karlsson, 2020). Strong cultural and religious beliefs in fate/destiny are, in some settings, positively associated with risky road use and low practise of protective behaviours, such as helmet use, while in other settings a negative association occurs (Heydari et al., 2019). Low enforcement of traffic rules has downstream effects on motorcyclists’ driving behaviours to increase RTI risk (Vaca et al., 2020). Inadequate capacity for road safety research and practice (Heydari et al., 2019) may indirectly increase risk of RTIs due to lack of proper motorcyclist RTI surveillance, thus, inadequate local evidence to inform prevention strategies. Furthermore, a lack of political will and inadequate funding to address RTCs, and lack of a strong lead agency increase RTI risk (UNECE and UNECA, 2018).

No studies investigating the specific environmental determinants of motorcycle injuries in Uganda were found, but environmental factors like weather could play a role (Lankarani et al., 2013).

Inequities in motorcycle injuries

Although RTIs affect all motorcyclists, some sections of this population have a disproportionate risk. Some of this unequal distribution of risk, health inequity, is due to the wider social and economic factors that no individual motorcyclist may have control over. As the Health Equity Analysis matrix in Table 2 illustrates, some groups of motorcyclists accumulate more RTI risk factors than others.

The health inequity analysis is drawn from Kitara and Karlsson (2020), Siya et al. (2019), Tumwesigye et al. (2016), and Vaca et al. (2020) who investigated boda boda injuries and associated factors in Uganda. Generally, these studies focused on behavioural factors without considering the distal factors that could influence the motorcyclists’ behaviours; they did not explore inequities or inequalities in injury risk thus limiting their findings’ relevance to health inequities in motorcycle RTIs. Major findings across the studies showed increased injury risk associated with being young, substance use, low riding experience, low income, intense competition for customers and long working hours. A shortcoming of Tumwesigye et al. (2016) is that respondents were motorcyclists admitted to public hospitals which limits generalisability of findings since some injured riders do not go to hospital and others may opt for private medical care. Only Kitara and Karlsson (2020) explored a distal determinant, economic stress, and this was significantly associated with increased injury risk among commercial motorcyclists. The strength of these studies is that they are specific to Uganda’s context. However, more research is needed to explore the distal and proximate determinants and inequities in motorcycle injuries.

Due to the paucity of relevant studies, reference is made to Zambon and Hasselberg (2006) who investigated socioeconomic differences in motorcycle injuries in Sweden, but findings may differ from the Ugandan motorcyclist population because of different country contexts. The association between low SES and high injury risk has, however, been found in other road users (RoSPA, 2012), and as such, reference is made to other studies whose populations were not motorcyclists, on the assumption that similar inequities could occur among motorcyclists.

Health needs assessment plan for commercial motorcycle injuries

Aim: To identify commercial motorcyclists’ needs to reduce severe road traffic injuries.

Approach(es):

1. Epidemiological

Using this approach, the commercial motorcyclist population would be profiled in terms of the prevalence or incidence of injuries and how it affects their health functioning, assess the current injury prevention measures, and their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness (Table 3). Relevant information sources to guide this approach include hospital injury/trauma admissions records, current mitigation measures from police reports, and effective preventive interventions and their cost-effectiveness from literature reviews.

2. Consultative

This approach would enable gather opinions on the needs and what has to be done from RTI prevention experts (for normative needs) in academic institutions and traffic police departments, commercial motorcyclists (felt and expressed need), people in communities where commercial motorcyclists operate, surgeons/doctors who treat injured motorcyclists, politicians who influence policy and media.

3. Comparative

This approach would make use of literature reviews and results of health needs assessments in commercial motorcyclist populations in other low-income countries whose contexts are similar to Uganda’s.

Stakeholders

For a successful HNA, different stakeholders have to be involved and engaged in the most effective ways to increase chances of success. These, however, differ in their influence—power to facilitate or impede the HNA’s objective(s), and importance—priority given to meeting the interests and needs of each stakeholder (DFID, 2003).

Commercial motorcyclists, in this case have very high importance, because the HNA is designed to meet their needs/interests, but may have little influence to have their needs met. One way to engage motorcyclists would be through a large cross-sectional survey, asking them for opinions on their (felt and/or expressed) needs and how they think these can be met. This approach, in addition to being cheap, would allow engagement with many motorcyclists, and if respondents are randomly selected, views could be generalized to the whole motorcyclists’ population. Other engagement approaches include focus group discussions with motorcyclists’ leaders and one-on-one interviews.

Surgeons/doctors are essential in determining the outcome of injured motorcyclists admitted to their care, but may have low influence in preventing the RTIs on the road. Roads engineers/designers greatly influence the safety of motorcyclists by designing roads that plan for vulnerable users or not but low on importance. These groups could be engaged through focus group discussions/interviews to gain their views and learn their perceptions of the HNA and its proposed interventions.

Conclusion

Motorcycles are the fastest growing fleet in Uganda (UNECE and UNECA, 2018) and have become the most dominant mode of public transport in Uganda. As motorcycle taxi use has grown, so has the number of road traffic injuries. Today motorcycle taxi injuries are a major public health problem in Uganda, with enormous health, social and economic costs. The factors, as explored in the report using the Dahlgren and Whitehead model, are widely varying, occur at different levels and interact.

From this report, some gaps have been identified. It is very likely that the true burden of motorcycle injuries is higher than officially reported due to poor road crash data management and poor monitoring and evaluation of road safety (UNECE and UNECA, 2018), underscoring the urgent need for high-quality research on the nature, magnitude, and patterns of motorcycle injuries to inform prevention and treatment policy (Hsia et al., 2010). Studies cited largely focused on behavioural determinants of RTIs, so there’s a need for studies exploring the role of more distal factors influencing motorcycle injuries. It is possible that inequities identified in injury among other road users (RoSPA, 2012) could be present among motorcycle taxi riders and thus a need for research in this area which is almost non-existent.

Project Background

Vis-Hawal Motorcycles is a leading manufacturer of medium-sized motorcycle cruisers. The machines produced by the company fall under the middleweight category. The size of the engines ranges from 500cc to 1000cc. The company intends to diversify its production line to include motorcycles with large motors. The proposed machines are in the touring class with engine sizes that are larger than 1100cc. The following report details the project plan whose objectives are expected to be realized within the next five years.

Project Organization

According to the Project Management Institute [PMI] (2004), organization refers to a group of people that come together to realize common objectives. The individuals need to coordinate their activities. For this to occur, effective communication is needed. In addition, an understanding of the various relationships and interdependencies between these parties is required.

The project for Vis-Hawal’s touring class motorcycles requires an organizational structure that will sustain production and help in the realization of the long-term objectives of the firm. The pure product (projectized) organization is the selected approach for Vis-Hawal motorcycles project. According to PMI (2004), the strategy is developed as a division of another entity. The structure is suitable in situations where a continuous flow of project exists. It is ideal for the five year duration of the projected production of touring class motorcycles. The figure below indicates the structure of a pure product organization:

The motorcycle development project will involve various activities and phases to attain the final product. According to White and Fortune (2002), a project undergoes five ‘groups’ of processes. They include initiation and planning. The others involve project execution, monitoring and control, and closure (Kerzner & Saladis, 2013). The five process groups should be adopted by Vis-Hawal for the production of the touring class motorcycles.

Project initiation involves appraisal of the undertaking, staffing, and preparation of various documents sanctioning the proposed development. Planning, on its part, involves defining work requirements, as well as the quantity and quality of labor. In addition, definition of required resources, scheduling of activities, and evaluation of risks is carried out in the planning phase. Project execution entails getting the team members to work and directing and managing their activities (Miller & Floricel, 2004). Monitoring and controlling the project includes tracking progress and comparing the actual outcomes with the predicted results. In case of any variances, adjustments are made at this phase of the project (Kerzner, 2013).

The final step involves the closure of the project. With regards to the production of Vis-Hawal touring class motorcycles, this will take place after five years. The process will involve making the production of the new motorcycles part of the company’s daily operations. It will include making sure that all the activities that had been planned for have been achieved. In addition, administrative closure regarding paperwork and finances will be undertaken (Lok & Crawford, 2004).

The selection of the organizational structure and process model for the project is based on a number of merits. The objectives of the company are long term. The situation calls for an organizational structure with minimal disruptions to normal operations of the company. The entire team involved in the undertaking will be required to report to one project manager. As such, communication will be very effective (Kerzner, 2013). In addition, reaction time for the project will be enhanced. The structure also ensures that the team is dedicated to the attainment of the objectives (Hillson, 2003).

The only major shortcoming of the structure adopted for the project is the fact that the organization’s maintenance costs will increase (Miller & Floricel, 2004). The individuals working on the project cannot be used to carry out other activities. On the contrary, the team members will be completely dedicated to this particular project.

Strategy for the Touring Class Motorcycles Project

The stage process will be used as the preferred strategy for executing Vis-Hawal’s development project. According to PMI (2004), the process is made up of various stages and gates. Stages constitute the activities that can be undertaken either in parallel or in series. Carrying out these tasks depends on the level of risks that the project team can endure (White & Fortune, 2002). Cross-functional teams manage these stages.

Gates, on the other hand, involve structured decision points. The points occur at the termination of each stage (White & Fortune, 2002). Using this strategy helps the management to strike a balance between short and long term objectives of the company. The project manager at Vis-Hawal will require a set of crucial resources to achieve the envisaged objectives. The resources include manpower, money, and other facilities. In addition, equipment, materials, as well as information technology will play a vital role in the development of the motorcycles.

Project Management and Leadership Styles

Effective leadership is an essential component of every project. The leadership behavior has significant impacts on the success of project management. According to Limsila and Ogunlana (2008), many projects face problems that can be traced back to the managers. There are three main leadership styles that can be used in project management. They include laissez-faire (non-leadership), transactional, and transformational styles (Lok & Crawford, 2004).

Under laissez-faire, the leader avoids the subordinates (Limsila & Ogunlana, 2008). In addition, they may completely abstain from the responsibilities of a conventional superior. They may even avoid building relationships with their employees. The approach is associated with high levels of dissatisfaction. It is also known to be ineffective and quite unproductive (Kerzner & Saladis, 2013).

The transactional style is different from the one mentioned above. For example, it pays attention to the security and other aspects of the employees’ welfare (Limsila & Ogunlana, 2008). A unique connection exists between the leadership and the team members. The link is based on a reward scheme. Under transformational leadership style, the leader encourages team members to make extra effort and move beyond their previous expectations (Limsila & Ogunlana, 2008; Lok & Crawford, 2004). Team members operating under transformational leaders exhibit trust, loyalty, admiration, and respect for their superiors. Consequently, they are motivated to undertake extra roles in the project.

Vis-Hawal should adopt a transformational leadership style to manage the proposed project. The project is a long-term endeavor. As such, the manager should strive to build working relationships with the team members given the duration they are going to be together.

Risk Mitigation Strategies

According to Besner and Hobbs (2012), risk management involves identification of the threats facing the project. It also involves analyzing and planning for a response mechanism to deal with the risks. Monitoring and control of possible threats is another element of this undertaking. Responses to the various risks and opportunities likely to affect the realization of the envisaged goals are also addressed.

One of the strategies that can be used to manage threats in the proposed project is the risk breakdown structure (RBS). The approach is derived from the work breakdown structure [WBS] (Hillson, 2003). The WBS groups project elements in a deliverables-oriented manner. It defines the scope of work in the venture (Besner & Hobbs, 2012).

RBS adopts the same approach as WBS. It also structures problems in relation to risk management and adopts the full hierarchical approach of WBS (Hillson, 2003). Numerous levels of threats are identified to enhance their effective management. According to Besner and Hobbs (2012), this risk management strategy enhances communication between the team members and the organization. Key members are updated on matters pertaining to the project.

The organization should put in place tracking systems that are accessible to the relevant team members. In this system, the overall project plan and the associated risks are documented. Consequently, tracking milestones are provided. They indicate the occurrence and passage of significant events. In addition, continuous risk assessment is made possible. Individuals can identify major threats at any point of the project lifecycle (PMI, 2004).

A flexible planning strategy can also be used to mitigate the risks associated with Vis-Hawal touring class motorcycles’ project. It is not desirable for a project manager to alter the plan indiscriminately. However, changing approaches is essential in cases where new information is made available (Hillson, 2003). Hillson (2003) postulates that evolutionary prototyping and the spiral model of system development can be used in flexible planning. The use of these methods enables team members to develop initial prototypes in a timely manner. In addition, implementation of ‘best understood’ components of the system is made possible.

The methods highlighted above also facilitate the development of ‘succeeding’ versions of a new product. It is a response to the increasing complexity of problems that the venture attempts to address. The project tracking strategy will also help team members to learn from their past mistakes. In addition, the proposed risk mitigation strategies complement each other. The combination of the various mitigation approaches addresses all aspects of the envisaged project (Hillson, 2003). Team members are able to borrow from solutions used to address risks identified in the past.

Conclusion

Project management is a tedious undertaking that involves massive inputs and high expectations in relation to outputs. Managers face many challenges as they work to realize the objectives. Some of the challenges include limited timelines, poor management of team members, and inadequate resources. Realization of the objectives set out for Vis-Hawal’s project is a major challenge to the company. However, proper planning and effective management of risks and resources will make it possible to achieve these goals.

References

Besner, C., & Hobbs, B. (2012). The paradox of risk management: A project management practice perspective. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 5(2), 230-247. Web.

Hillson, D. (2003). Research paper using a Risk Breakdown Structure in project management. Journal of Facilities Management, 2(1), 85-97. Web.

Kerzner, H. (2013). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (11th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Web.

Kerzner, H., & Saladis, F. (2013). Project management workbook and PMP/CAPM exam study guide (11th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Web.

Limsila, K., & Ogunlana, S. (2008). Performance and leadership outcome correlates of leadership styles and subordinate commitment. Engineering, Construction, and Architectural Management, 15(2), 164-184. Web.

Lok, P., & Crawford, J. (2004). The effect of organizational culture and leadership on job satisfaction and commitment: A cross national comparison. Journal of Management Development, 23(4), 12-18. Web.

Miller, R., & Floricel, S. (2004). Value creation and games of innovation. Research Technology Management, 47(6), 25-37. Web.

Project Management Institute. (2004). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (3rd ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Wiley and Sons. Web.

White, D., & Fortune, J. (2002). Current practice in project management: An empirical study. International Journal of Project Management, 20(1), 1-11. Web.

Company/Brand Information

Suzuki is a Japanese Motor Company that began operating in 1909. Michio Suzuki founded the multinational company at the age of 22 after constructing a pedal-driven loom for the silk industry. The company has been famous for its motorcycles, but has also entered the automobiles’ field. After the 1950 financial crisis that resulted in labor difficulties, the company entered the motor vehicle field; it launched the Power Free 36cc, 2-cylce motorized bicycle in 1952 and Diamond Free 600cc in 1953.

Suzuki Motor Company joined the US market in 1964; it exported and distributed over 6,000 Suzuki motorcycles. With the manufacturing of technologically advanced touring motorcycles, the company has been able to meet the needs of the wealthy class in the US market. The Hispanic population in the United Sates remains the largest minority population having a percentage of 17% of the national population as of July 2012 (Humphreys, 2012).

Just like other companies, Suzuki Motorcycle also felt the effects of the 2008/2009 global financial meltdown. The motor industry has come up with new models of motorcycles, and has laid strong marketing strategies to reach the Hispanic population in the US. In order to ensure close follow-up within the US, the multinational automotive company had set up the American headquarters in California. The state of California is projected to have more Hispanics than whites by March 2014.

The American headquarter, therefore, is a strategic point for the company to engage the Hispanic population. The media plan outlines how the motor company intends to maneuver in the current dynamic market and outshine its competitors like Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Harley Davidson in marketing its motorcycle brands to the Hispanic population in the US.

The aftermath of the Second World War saw the company begin to manufacture bicycle engines to aid in transporting products to different location; the new mode of transport in the country was affordable. Suzuki mostly targeted the middle-income civilians who needed small, comfortable, and cost effective locomotives.

In 2011, Suzuki assumed the 10^th position among multinationals dealing in the manufacture, assembly, and sale of automobiles. In 2013, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) rated Suzuki, as the country’s second greatest producer and distributor of automobiles (Global Suzuki, n.d.). Suzuki’s ownership is a family affair considering that its current Chief Executive Officer is Osamu Suzuki.

Marketing Mix

(4P’s) – Products

Suzuki motorcycles have been common for two uses: sporting and commuting. The sport/sport touring segment in the United States has different motorcycles brands, such as TU250X, GS500F, GSR750, INAZUMA 250, and GLADIUS. Suzuki Inazuma 250 is fuel-efficient and is capable of close to 85 mpg; the model has wide range of genuine accessories and has a semi-double cradle frame with the 248cc engine.

(Global Suzuki, n.d.)

In the commuting segment, there is the Suzuki SFV650. The bike has a seat height slightly less than 31 inches. SFV650 has an extremely accessible size, and provides plenty of confidence to those who prefer low-speed driving. Users of SFV650 agree that the bike is smooth and has an energetic commuter since it has a smooth handling.

There is also the 2010 Suzuki DR650; this bike is available in the US market. This model has the ability to move in ragged regions and other potentials that other models lack. It has the ability to maneuver through rocky areas, as it uses limited fuel and can access both urban and suburban areas.

In targeting the Hispanic population in the US, the company will have to manufacture affordable products so that they target market can purchase. There are also Suzuki Cruisers, Suzuki Dirt Bikes, Suzuki ATVs, and Suzuki Scooters. Suzuki Hayabusa gained entry into the market in 1999, and is the fastest sport-bike model of the Suzuki Company.

This sport-bike has a speed of 186mph, and in 10 seconds, it can accelerate within a quarter mile. This model was meant to compete the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12, currently referred to as ZX-14 and the outdated Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird.

(Global Suzuki, n.d.)

Place

The company has its global headquarter in Minamu-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan; it also has another headquarter in Brea, California. The two headquarters realize high sales, offer good services to their customers, and coordinates the sales of all Suzuki motorcycles in the globe.

With its entry into over 190 nations, the motor company has been the main distributor of the products. Apart from the American Suzuki Cooperation, there is Pakistani Suzuki Company Limited and Suzuki Canada Inc. In the US, Suzuki operates in many states targeting the people of color. The company must take into concern the activities of other competitors in the market. The company enjoys large presence in Europe and the US.

Price

Suzuki motorcycle models are comparatively cheaper than the Honda, Yamaha, and Harley-Davidson models. The Inazuma 250 ranges between $3,900 and $4, 990. This makes Suzuki motorcycles the fourth most expensive brands in the US market, which the media plan targets the Hispanic population.

Promotions

The company reaches its customers and others through many modes of advertisements. The company relies heavily on internet and network TV to reach the consumers. In the US, the use of internet-enabled gadgets will make it possible for Suzuki to remain in touch with the Hispanic population.

In the print media, there are motorcycle magazines, entertainment magazines, sport magazines, men magazines, and other outdoor cycle magazines like cycle guides. After reviewing their best selling model, Hayate, the company invested 6 – 8% of the total turnover in promotions in 2013 (Global Suzuki, n.d.).

Suzuki has been supporting sporting activities since the 90’s. This provides it with the requisite exposure for brand positioning of its products. In addition, it posts advertisements around stadia during sporting events. The company advertises on newspapers and television stations across the globe as well.

Its most successful advert increased the purchase of Suzuki Hayate (Global Suzuki, n.d.). In other occasions, different sponsors often support events organized by Suzuki. Suzuki equally uses social media to reach out to audiences on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn among other avenues. Just like the cars’ slogan “Small Cars for a Big Future,” the motorcycle company has focused on the American market with honest, realistic, and inspired advertisement tone about their products.

Industry Information

According to Kochhar, Fry, and Taylor (2013), there is stiff competition in the motorcycle industry. An analysis on the sales from 1992 to 2012 shows the growth in sales up to 2008/2009.

The decline was due to the economic recession. An approximate 450,000 motorcycles were sold in 2010. Suzuki belongs to the manufacturing industry. It deals in the design, assembly, and marketing of automobiles in its 23 subsidiaries across the world (Global Suzuki, n.d.). Many external factors influencing sales in the automobile sector include politics, economics, technology, and competitor information.

Politics

A stable political platform provides an opportunity for companies to thrive. Politics influence relations between countries and citizens. This influences the exchange rates of currencies in the targeted countries. Latin America has an unstable political ground. Investors in these countries need to develop risk measurement policies in their media plans in order to develop solutions to business stability even when wars occur.

Economics

In the past three years, Suzuki engaged in extensive financial training of individuals in the US. The company realized that financial illiteracy makes it difficult for consumers to make wise decisions before purchasing products or services. This will help Suzuki in attracting several Hispanics who will have interest in Suzuki stocks due to its speed.

However, other financial factors such as inflation are beyond the control of Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha among other players in the market. When recession occurs, it increases the cost of importing used Japanese motorcycles, and new ones; this would increase the price of the imported products, which could interfere with sales.

Technology

Product development at Suzuki requires sufficient technological input. Technology assists in research, marketing, online banking, and other cost effective activities. Suzuki needs to venture into a market that understands technology properly. It should have an advanced technological community that would carry out online transactions for shipment purposes. Business trends shifted towards online support systems in the 20^th century (Katz, 1995), and Suzuki needs to ensure that the Latin market understands these concepts properly.

Competitors’ Information

The Suzuki motorcycles are facing stiff competition from Harley Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki. In terms of market-share in the US, Suzuki ranks 5^th after the listed motorcycle companies.

(Suzuki Motorcycles, n.d.)

(Suzuki Motorcycles, n.d.)

External Information

With the Suzuki media plan targeting the Hispanic population in the US, the report analyzes the Hispanic economical, political, social, and cultural trends. These parameters and trends affect the sales of motorcycles among the targeted population. Even though the Hispanic population is expected to surpass that of whites, their economic status is far much behind the rest of the nation. Household income, home ownership, and managerial occupations are some of the key indicators of economic status.

According to the Pew Research Center analysis, the median wealth of Hispanic Households is 1/18 time that of white households (Humphreys, 2012). The median wealth table below shows the wealth ratios of the Hispanic population to the whites and whites to blacks. From the table, 2009 is the year that white-to-Hispanic ratio was much higher compared to other years since 1984.

By 2012, there were approximately 48 million Hispanics in the US. A study on the effects of the 2001/2002 recession indicated that Hispanics were hard hit. Averagely, the Hispanic population has a per capita income of about one third to that of whites. Despite the negative aspects of the recession, Hispanics’ buying-power continues to revitalize the consumer market.

There has been a constant rise in their economic clouts since 1990. This makes it a good target for the Suzuki Motorcycle products. Between 2002 and 2007, for instance, Hispanic companies almost quadrupled the non-Hispanic companies by growing by 45% implying that they are experiencing increase in wealth ownership.

Similarly, the Hispanic population lags behind in acquiring high school education and other educational attainments. Even though the targeted population is below the Native Americans in educational achievement, there has been an upward mobility in the number of those acquiring high school diplomas and bachelor degrees in recent years. Hispanics in the job market between 2000 and 2012 increased by 38%, representing nearly 6 million people (Humphreys, 2012).

Since the American population has people of different culture, per capita income, demographics, and wealth, it is evident that the nature of Hispanic spending is not similar to that of the inhabitants. Hispanics families use-up less money on new automobiles, entertainment, and healthcare than the non-Hispanics population in the United States.

From the cultural dimension, there has been a continuous progression of Baby Boomers among the Hispanic population; they have turned on motorcycles to recapture the youths. This has been evident with the increase in the number of accidents and reduction in motorcycle ownership.

In 1993, 1 in 10 people owned a motorcycle, while in 2003 the rate reduced to 1 in about 4 (Suzuki Motorcycles, n.d.). In order to minimize the rampant deaths emanating from motorcycles, there is need to enforce stringent laws to end fatal crashes. The Suzuki Company can also set-up motorcycle riding schools across the US to attract more Hispanics, thus reducing the number of deaths resulting from careless riding.

The US has a favorable political environment that supports business activities. Politics determine the inter-boundary relations between states. It also determines the relationship between a government and the citizens. Moreover, it exists in the relationship between rivals in a target market. When Suzuki invests in the US, it should assess the growth potential in the states by reviewing profiles of other competitors.

There is a possibility that the progress of competitors such as Yamaha in the US could equally apply to Suzuki’s progress in the same place. According to Katz (1995), a politically stable country negotiates monetary exchange rates reasonably. It saves resources for public gain; this reduces the cost of taxation. Most states have unstable political grounds, which adversely affect businesses. Inflation influences major decisions in this industry.

Following the 2009 to 2011 worldwide recession, companies developed media plans that had financial risk management measures. Inflation also influences exchange rates between countries. Considering it is an external factor, Suzuki cannot control it. Instead, it needs to develop a good strategic plan that will help it manage the unpredictable economic terrain in Latin America. Other economic factors that Suzuki needs to assess include the number of major and minor competitors in the target market.

This will enable it establish showrooms in the most receptive states in the US. Product development at Suzuki requires sufficient technological input. Technology assists in research, marketing, online banking, and other cost effective activities. Suzuki needs to venture into a market that understands technology properly.

It should have an advanced technological community that would carry out online transactions for shipment purposes. Business trends shifted towards online support systems in the 20^th century (Katz, 1995), and Suzuki needs to ensure that the Latin market understands these concepts properly.

Current Users

After introducing TU250X, GS500F, GSR750, INAZUMA 250, Suzuki Scooters, Suzuki Hayabusa, and GLADIUS to the African and Indian markets, it was evident that the car suited middle-income earners who sought to reduce traffic and fuel consumption. A similar case applies to Latin America. Users of Suzuki motorcycles compliment its speed and ability to access various terrains (Global Suzuki, n.d.).

In India and Africa, people use various models in both urban and suburban regions for commuting, racing, and fun events. The fact that it reduces congestion of public vehicles promotes its convenience to the suburban areas. People from such regions constantly seek markets in urban regions while acquiring resources from the rural areas. They choose these Suzuki models since it maneuvers through different terrains.

The Suzuki motorcycles have many traits including affordability, which is a principal factor to consider. India and Africa have huge populations of low and medium-income earners (Global Suzuki, n.d.). They have huge differences between the rich and the poor. This contributes to high poverty levels making it possible for people to acquire the basics only. Following the introduction of varied motorcycles in this market, people displayed interest in ownership of motorcycles for commercial purposes.

Indians and Africans like Suzuki motorcycles because of their low fuel consumption rate. A capacity of 60cc enables an individual to drive the commuter model for almost two weeks without refueling. This encourages most people to own such models. Further, its maintenance is easy because of locally available spare-parts in various markets. Suzuki Hayabusa and Hayeta provide services for light-users because of its size.

However, it does not damage easily; this reduces the cost of maintenance (Global Suzuki, n.d.). Among those who plan to buy or lease a motorcycle in the next 12 months, the age group of 18-24 and 23-34 showed great potential, they have indexes of 180 and 123 (Kochhar, Fry, & Taylor, 2013).

Within the group who shows interest to buy or rent motorcycles, most of them have a relatively high income, for example, those who have an average income from $70,000 to $104,999 has the highest share. In summary, demographics and psychographics of audiences in India, Africa, and the US are close. They share related political and socio-economic challenges, and this shapes their mindset.

The same applies to audiences who choose other motorcycle brands from Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda, Harley-Davidson, and Yamaha. The increase in the number of educated Hispanics increases the income levels. This has made it possible for such families to own motorcycles. The Suzuki Motorcycle firm has to put up relevant marketing strategies to hold the Hispanic population even with the stiff competition for the competitors.

References

Global Suzuki. (n.d.). Web.

Humphreys, J. (2012). Economy: Hispanic Economic Clout. Web.

Katz, H. E. (1995). The media handbook. Lincolnwood, Ill., USA: NTC Business Books.

Kochhar, R., Fry, R., & Taylor, P. (2013). Wealth Gaps Rise to Record Highs Between Whites, Blacks, Hispanics. Web.

Suzuki Motorcycles. (n.d.). Web.

Figure 1 illustrates members of outlaw motorcycle clubs (OMCs), which is the nonconformist motorcycle subculture. It arose after World War II and attracted military veterans (Kuldova, 2021). Initially, this group was marginalized within the motorcycle community and later within the whole society. Gradually, the number of OMCs grew, and by the end of the century, they turned into vast transnational organizations with thousands of members. These clubs are associated with criminal activity and are now treated as criminal gangs. Members of OMCs wear distinctive badges in the form of patches with the club name, location, and 1% patch. I discovered this photo while looking for information for this Media Journal Assignment. Society can react to these examples in the form of disapproval since OMCs are associated with criminal activity and are especially common in the US. These clubs have a semi-mythical status, which makes me feel an increased interest in studying their history. However, the reality is not so romantic, as members of the OMCs are involved in many criminal activities.

OMCs are an example of deviance primarily because they are a marginalized subculture. They have distinctive features, unite in groups, and also arise in response to social conditions. This example reflects the Anomie theory, which states that “elements in society’s structure promote deviance by making deviant behavior a viable adaptation to living in the society” (Clinard & Meier, 2015, p. 78). Thus, the theory emphasizes that there are various social structural conditions that cause individuals to become deviants. OMCs were primarily formed from World War II veterans who, having returned from the war, could not adapt to society. Members of such clubs are marginalized primarily among the motorcycle community, as they are involved in criminal activity. OMCs are an example of how the lack of viable social alternatives pushes people to form subcultures. Some of them express their deviance peacefully, and some become a public threat as OMCs. It is critical to ensure that members of various groups, especially the disadvantaged ones, have sufficient options for integration into society.

References

Clinard, C., & Meier, R. F. (2015). Sociology of deviant behavior (15th ed). Cengage Learning.

Kuldova, T. (2021). Outlaw motorcycle clubs. Oxford Bibliographies. Web.

Jusuf-Hatta, G. (2020). Counterculture as a gendered post-war legacy: The latent case of outlaw motorcycle clubs. Medium. Web.

Introduction

The literal works always take different formats these include novels, novella, poems, short stories collections, and even kid’s books. The book Motorcycle ride on the sea of tranquility is set as a Kid’s book. It presents the transformation of the teens to young adults and the affection that they have to one another.

However, a closer look of the book makes it more than a kid’s story due to the various topics that it presents. The themes; affects of war, cultural change, love, maturity and other topics transform the novel form a kid’s story to a novel. This paper aims at unearthing how the book is more than a kid’s story.

The title

One of the captivating features of the novel is its title. Motorcycle ride on the sea of tranquility brings with it ambiguity. The reader is left with the anxiety; how a motorcycle ride can be taken on a sea. A motorcycle moves on dry land while the mediums of transport in the sea are boats, ships canoes and the like.

The reader is at suspense also to find out how the sea is calm. In most cases, calms only for a short while and then waves and torrents take over. On the contrary, the title suggests of the situation where a motorcycle ride is completed while the sea is still calm (Santana – I 52).

The title has a lot of relevance to the situations in the book. Just as the motor cycle is not the ideal medium of transport in the sea, there are many things that are used in the wrong or uncommon places. One, it is expected that when Chung- one of the main characters- returns, his parents shall understand him and give other siblings hope of him coming back to his normal life once again. On the contrary, his sister Yoli, a young adult takes this responsibility.

The young adult lady is optimistic of her brother being able to overcome the trauma that he has experienced form the killing fields. Chung has just returned form the Vietnam war which has completely changed him and is now transformed into another person without humor and other interests that he had prior to his adventures at the killing fields (Santana – II 62).

Similarly, the presentation of Chung as a solder is another motor cycle in the sea. Chung is too young to be a full grown soldier. However, he has been exhausted by the war and has lost passion of many things in life. The persons who have reached such a point are usually soldiers with much experience at the field of war.

The situation of Chung is paradoxical in that at his age he neither has passion for his family nor for the work not even for the party that is held for his homecoming. The events at the field of war have transformed him so fast. This makes his relatives and parents worried except Yoli who is optimistic of Chung’s recovery.

After Chung returns from the field of war, he disappears. In Yoli’s view, she could be able to help him recover. Instead, Chung disappears into the unknown land where he finds recovery. The exclusion from the people is one of the seas that the author refers to. The sea is a mass water body which the observer cannot view one end from the other end.

When Chung disappears, the parents and the relatives cannot find out where he is or what he is up to. Yet they are less worried as they know that all these are the effects of war. Though most of them think that he will never recover, Yoli views that he will recover. The tranquility is proven when he resurges after a long time when he comes as a changed man. Yoli now a young lady and more affectionate to men is happier of all the persons in their community (Santana – I 252).

Cultural transformation

The other feature that makes the book more of a novel than the kid’s story is the cultural transformation. During the time that Chung disappears, Yoli reflects on the life that they used to have when they were young with Chung and others. The audience is taken through the various passages of rites that the children underwent up to present age. The reflection is compared with the present life of the Chicanos the group that the characters hail from.

By the time of Chung’s disappearance, most of the persons with whom Chung was brought up have moved to other places, the cultural centre itself has had a transformation. Thus it is not only Chung who has had a change over the years; almost every section of the community has changed. The movements of all these people had added many things to the culture of the Chicanos. However, the passage of rites still remains to unite the young adults in the time of writing the novel (Koelling & Carter 84).

Effects of war

The effects of war are presented with a lot of vices both directly and indirectly. The book -as has been evident in other sections of this paper, presents how the field of war can transform one person humane and lead to lack of passion. Chung is the perfect example of them destruction that war can do to the life of a soldier.

Secondly, the field of war alienates one from his people and makes him uncomfortable with them. Shortly after Chung has been in the home coming party, he disappears; this can be interpreted as the effects of war having a toll on him. Even the family is less attached to him; they all see him as a solder. It is the war that also partly transforms the culture of the Chicanos as presented earlier in the paper (Koelling & Carter 80).

Love and maturity

These two topical items are intertwined in the novel. The character used to present these is Yoli. At the start of the novel, Yoli is only fourteen years. She is a teenager who is eagerly expecting to see her brother return from Vietnam. The author takes the audience back to the childhood of Yoli during the time that Chung disappears and them back to her as a young adult when Chung is about to return.

The person in Yoli changes bit by bit as she becomes mature. As she develops love for the male as is common to the young ladies, she feels more connected to her brother and thus feels more eager to see him fully recovered from his traumatic war experiences (Wisconsin 45).

Conclusion

When the book starts it is all about the nine children who are growing up together in a foreign land. However, the book transforms bit by bit to a full novel as the teens mature and as it presents issues that are not common in the kid’s stories. The presentation and the setting is captivating as well as the title being well chosen. The cultural transformation completes the transformation to a novel as almost the whole of the Chicano community is transformed to Mexican Americans.

Works Cited

Koelling, Holly & Carter, Betty. Best books for young adults. New York: Young Adult Library Services Association. 2007.

Santana, Patricia. Ghosts of El Grullo. Mexico. University of Mexico Press. 2008

Santana, Patricia. Motorcycle Ride on the Sea of Tranquility. Mexico. University of Mexico Press. 2004.

Wisconsin, Kat, Book Review: Motorcycle Ride on the Sea of Tranquility. Mexico: University of Mexico Press. 2002.