Role
Graphic Designer,
UI/UX Designer
Timeline
10 weeks
Winter 2026 · Class Project
UX 315 Class Project
2026
Context
Motorcycles are built for freedom, but many new riders still feel alone. Current dashboards focus on data, not people, so we redesigned the HMI to support connection, confidence, and safety, guided by Harley-Davidson’s Lead UX Designer, Erik Chapman.
HONDA BIKE HMI
Designed wireframes and final UI while translating research insights into clear, intuitive HMI and mobile experiences.
Team
Courtenay Rushings
Austen Maccherone
Grant Leslie
Alejandra Contreras
Aristotle Redding
Jamie Zhou
Chloe Rankin
Tools
Figma
Figjam
Figma Make
Unity
Nano Banana
01 The problem
Motorcycles are built for freedom, but many riders still feel alone
Motorcycling offers independence, but many newer riders lack accessible tools for connection and safety. Current HMI systems focus almost entirely on mechanical data, leaving riders without meaningful support beyond the basics.
Existing Biker Community
Local meetups
Informal Groups
Word-of-mouth
Scattered forums
New Rider
Fear of Isolation
Lack of Confidence
Uniformed of community happenings
Design Challenge
To create “A Social Compass for Motorcycles”
02 Research
Motorcycle interfaces already prioritize simplicity and glanceability, but riders don't struggle with the bike. They struggle with everything else around it.
5
PARTICIPANTS
130+
DATA POINTS
2
DEALERSHIPS
Across interviews and field research, we identified four key patterns:
Interaction must feel natural to the rider
Riders rely on handlebar controls, so the interface should mirror physical inputs and feel intuitive in motion.
Information must be simple and glanceable
Key ride data should stay clear, minimal, and easy to read to reduce cognitive load while riding.
Simplicity builds confidence for new riders
Beginner riders benefit from focused, uncluttered systems that make the experience feel more approachable and controlled.
Riders lack built-in ways to connect and feel supported
Most riders rely on scattered tools to find others or get help, leaving a clear gap for community and real-time support.
03 Ideation
Our ideation covered feature development, information architecture, zoning, branding, and multiple rounds of iteration alongside user testing and evaluative research.
We also made the intentional call to move certain features to a companion app, reducing cognitive load on the bike without losing any depth in our concept.
MAIN FEATURE
Pack Mode
Create, join, and ride with your group and see nearby members mapped directly on the motorcycle HMI Navigation
HMI + MOBILE FEATURE
Bike Bump
A quick, tap-to-connect mobile gesture that lets riders share profiles or kick off a ride together on the spot.
HMI + MOBILE FEATURE
Request Assistance
Lets riders quickly send for help and share their location with nearby riders, friends, or authorities when needed.
MOBILE ONLY FEATURE
Community Heatmap
See where riders are gathering in real time: active hotspots, popular meetup locations, and high-traffic routes.
To explore possible solutions for how to improve the riders safety and experience. We used multiple ideation methods that helped us get a wide range of ideas before starting to narrow them down.
Initial sketches helped the team to quickly explore multiple features and ideas and their interactions
Key Insights:
Through sketch exploration, we tested how connection and safety features could fit within the constraints of a 4-inch HMI display. This pushed us to simplify our ideas, prioritizing glanceable, low-effort interactions that support riders without adding distraction.
04 Style Guide & Zoning
Color System
Numbers
Text
Iconography
Typeface
Aa
Aa
75
75
Honda Red
#CC0000
#F72121
#870000
#F0F0F0
#FEAB45
#202020
Deep Gray
H1 Work Sans - Bold
H2 Work Sans - Medium
H3 Work Sans - Light
H1 Krona One
H2 Krona One
HMI
Style Guide
MPH
MPH
Designed for clarity, built for focus, and grounded in Honda’s identity.
We shifted more complex features to a companion app, reducing cognitive load on the bike while maintaining a connected and complete system.
Early designs revealed the need for clearer zoning. We refined the HMI to better separate critical ride data from secondary information, keeping key content central, glanceable, and easy to process while riding.
Protected
Telltales
User
Depends on requested page
System
Engine speed, speed, cruise control, time, connectivity, drive mode, turn indication, grip heating, fuel level
Driving Layer
Core ride data such as speed, fuel, navigation, and system indicators.
User Layer
Secondary features like communication, community, and assistance tools.
3
50
MPH
8:05 AM
Trip Content Window
User Layout
For every other page
3
8:05 AM
Request Assistance
Back
Share Location Alert
Give your emergency contact location access
Describe your situation
Share location
Anderson St. SE
Savannah, GA 31401
I feel unsafe with my environment
I am being followed
I am having vehicle troubles
Write a short description here...
Other
Change or add Contact
Emergency Contact
Current Location
Mia (default)
9:41
PACK MODE
Pack Invites
@RidewithMia invited you to join
Brunch Ride
Today @ 10:20am
Foxy Loxy Coffee
3 expected
Easy
2 min ago
Destination
Riders
Level
Decline
Accept
Pack Rides
Public Pack Rides happening right now
Easy
Female Only Ride
Live
Downtown Ride
Led by @ReaganMotor
9:35 am
The Hive Cafe
1.2 Miles
11:30 pm
Started
Destination
Distance
Ending
3 riders in pack
More detail >
Join Pack
Ghost
@RidewithMia
Connor P.
Invisible
Online
Start a Ride
@RidewithMia
Mia H.
Riding Solo
Friend Status
9:41
Plan Your Ride
Back to riding overview
Suggested Friends
Sarah B.
Riding Solo
Matt P.
Riding Solo
Add a Memo
Write a short memo here...
Location
Add Meetup Location
Time
Set Ride Times
Stops
Add Stops
Create Pack
Invite Rider
Send out Invite
Final Design
Bringing the riding experience to life through a system that is clear, supportive, and built around the rider.
Visual Goals
•
Reflect Honda’s clean, performance-driven identity
•
Prioritize glanceability and clarity while riding
•
Keep the interface minimal and distraction-free
•
Support confident checkout without clutter
Design Decisions
•
Large, central speed and ride data
•
Minimal navigation depth with clear, intuitive icons
•
Dedicated status area for alerts and notifications
•
Built connection into the core experience.
05 Final
Outcome & Impact
Better Rider Experience
Evolved the HMI from a data display into a connected and safer experience.
System Impact
Established a dual-system approach separating in-ride essentials from extended app functionality.
Real-World Validation
Tested through a functional ride simulation and guided by industry mentorship.
Live Demo
What began as research, sketches, and prototypes in Figma ultimately became a working installation that continues to introduce students to the possibilities of HMI and experience design.
After completing the project, we handed our designs off to an engineer to bring the experience beyond the screen and into a fully functional physical model. Using 3D-modeled motorcycle handlebars connected directly to the HMI, riders can use physical buttons and a D-pad to navigate the interface in real time while a synced ride video simulates the experience of being on the road.
The final model is now officially installed in SCAD’s UX building, where students can interact with the experience and test the system firsthand.
Key Takeaways
Design in Context
Design decisions must hold up in motion, prioritizing clarity, hierarchy, and real-time readability.
System Thinking
Distributing functionality across systems can reduce complexity and improve focus.
Brand Alignment
Understanding a brand’s values is essential to designing systems that feel cohesive and authentic.
Constraint-Driven Design
Designing within physical and safety constraints led to simpler, more intentional solutions.
Back to Top
Glanceable by Design
Critical information is always visible and easy to process in motion
Community Connection
Riders can connect, coordinate, and feel supported through features like Pack Mode and Bike Bump
Safety First
Quick-access assistance and alerts without interrupting the ride
