Creators of 'Tough Turban' say it'll make riding safer for Sikh motorcyclists
Share
Saskatoon -
Some turban-wearing motorcyclists in Canada have had helmet exemptions for years, but a Sikh man wants riders like his father to feel safer with his new protective turban that features bulletproof laminate and foam that hardens on impact.
Vic Bath, one of the creators behind “Tough Turban,” said he was inspired by his father who always dreamed of having a Harley-Davidson motorcycle growing up in India.
“He finally eventually got one much later in life. But to him, Harley always represented the idea of freedom,” he told CTVNews.ca during a joint interview with other creators behind the project. “I thought if it means that much to him, it must surely mean that much to other Sikhs who ride motorcycles.”
The prototype design, which hasn’t hit production yet, took two years to develop.
Bath, a creative lead at marketing firm Zulu Alpha Kilo, worked closely with Spark Innovations, industrial designers who’ve helped develop other unique protective headgear; and Pfaff Harley-Davidson, which sells motorcycles across Ontario.
Brandon Durmann, a marketing specialist at Pfaff Harley-Davidson who helped get the word out on the idea, said many of their customers in Toronto, Brampton, Vaughn happen to be Sikh.
“So this is a really good opportunity for us to showcase that and really put a face to our customers and give them a voice,” Durmann said.
Tough Turban’s chain-mail-like design features bulletproof laminate called Dyneema and a foam that hardens on impact that’s used in military armour and helmets. The design, which also includes 3D-printed chainmail lining, pays homage to how early traditional Sikh warriors used to affix chainmail onto their turbans before battle.
Spark Innovations, the firm helped create the prototype, consulted with Sikh riders to ensure the Dyneema material was flexible enough to be tied into a turban. (The Moto Foto | Dan Lim)
A Sikh motorcyclist wearing the Tough Turban. (The Moto Foto | Dan Lim)
Chris Pearen, president of Spark Innovations whose firm helped create the prototype, said his team consulted with Sikh riders, including the Sikh Motorcycle Club of Ontario.
“We included several materials that are currently used in other motorcycle clothing protection to layer up the turban to get to where we are today,” Pearen said.
Jagdeep Singh, spokesperson for the Sikh Motorcycle Club of Ontario, told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview he's "really excited" about the prototype but said more needs to be done before his group can endorse it.
“We welcome the freedom to ride message that the Tough Turban touts, however for now, it strictly remains a concept. The idea needs to be developed further and tested for practical daily wear," he explained.
“In the meantime, Sikhs should have the same freedoms to ride in Saskatchewan, Quebec and the eastern provinces. We continue our fight to seek helmet exemption for turban wearing riders in these provinces, and the ability to broaden the benefits that come from charitable rides led by our club.”
TOUGH TURBAN ALLOWS FOR EXPRESSION: BATH
Wearing a turban is a deeply important symbol for Sikhs and some motorcyclists of the faith have had helmet exemptions for years. British Columbia and Manitoba first granted Sikhs a helmet exemption in 1999, with Ontario and Alberta following suit in 2018.
Bath said the idea behind the Tough Turban “really came out of how we can celebrate the fact that people have the ability to have self-expression while riding a motorcycle but use the latest protective gear within that.”
Tough Turban’s chain-mail-like design features bulletproof laminate called Dyneema and a foam that hardens on impact that’s used in military armour and helmets. (The Moto Foto | Dan Lim)
But designers behind the “Tough Turban” acknowledge that despite it having safety material such as D30-like shock absorbers, it doesn’t offer the same kind of impact resistance and protection as a traditional full-face motorcycle helmet.
However, if you’re looking to nab one of the Tough Turban’s, you’re out of luck, at least for now. Although riders can download the “open source” documentation of their design, none of the parties involved have committed to mass production yet, but that could change soon as popularity for the idea has taken off on social media.
Videos of the turban prototypes have racked close to 20,000 views on Pfaff’s YouTube and Instagram feeds. And Bath and the team said some motorcycle apparel manufacturers -- including some overseas -- have been reaching out asking how they collaborate or be a part of potentially scaling up the idea.
“We received a lot of overwhelming positivity from around the world, which has been amazing… and it's been great to see that really embraced by the Sikh community from everywhere.”
One of those people is motorcycle enthusiast Shamsher Singh Sidhu, who tested out the Tough Turban in the videos. “Tying a turban to me is more than just a fashion statement, it’s a whole heritage, it’s your freedom to express yourself, your identity. And that’s what riding is to me – being on an open road, feeling the wind on you, it’s just freedom.”
Cynthia Cardinal said she was 'overwhelmed' with happiness when she received a text message on Monday with the news that serial killer Robert Pickton, who murdered her sister, was attacked in prison. She called it 'karma.'
As an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, daily fish oil supplements are a popular way to keep the risk of cardiovascular disease at bay.
Donald Trump had spent weeks needling U.S. President Joe Biden for his refusal to commit to a debate. But Washington political columnist Eric Ham describes how in one fell swoop, Biden ingeniously stole the issue from the Trump campaign and made it his own.
Passengers on a Singapore Airlines flight hit by severe turbulence on Tuesday described a sudden, dramatic drop as 'all hell broke loose' on board the Boeing airliner carrying 229 passengers and crew.
Last month’s cyberattack on pharmacy and retail chain London Drugs that forced the closure of all its stores in Western Canada was orchestrated by a 'sophisticated group of global cybercriminals' who are demanding a ransom—and say they’ll leak the company’s data if it doesn’t pay up.
Ticks are parasitic bloodsuckers, capable of spreading deadly disease, and they’re becoming increasingly common. Here’s what you need to know about them.
An Indigenous leader in British Columbia says little has changed since the crimes of serial killer Robert Pickton, as community members reflect on news that he is in life-threatening condition after being attacked in prison.
Last month’s cyberattack on pharmacy and retail chain London Drugs that forced the closure of all its stores in Western Canada was orchestrated by a 'sophisticated group of global cybercriminals' who are demanding a ransom—and say they’ll leak the company’s data if it doesn’t pay up.
Opinion polls continue to show a two-way race in the lead up to the next provincial election, as the BC Conservatives continue to cut into the NDP's lead and BC United's popularity is shorn away.
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
A group of concerned faculty, staff, students and alumni at the University of Calgary have written to the school's administration over its response to a protest held earlier this month.
OC Transpo will be holding a news conference this afternoon to update the city on progress made in the St. Laurent tunnel, five days after the station was closed to LRT riders because of issues with the concrete ceiling. The O-Train station at St. Laurent Station reopened for customers Wednesday morning.
Four new positions will be created this year for Ottawa Bylaw Services and Solid Waste Services to monitor illegal dumping through the transition period to the new three-item garbage limit in Ottawa this fall.
Thousands of runners will lace up their sneakers this weekend for the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. Here is everything you need to know about Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, including road closures.
Nearly two months ago, the Alberta government launched four investigations into a company that placed people in hospital awaiting assisted-living accommodations into hotels. Today, internal emails shared by the Official Opposition reveal both the province's health and social services ministries received a complaint about the firm, called Contentment Social Services (CSS), months earlier.
Almost two-thirds of Canadians feel that inflation at the grocery store is getting worse, a new poll suggests, even as food inflation has been steadily cooling.
Ticks are parasitic bloodsuckers, capable of spreading deadly disease, and they’re becoming increasingly common. Here’s what you need to know about them.
Nova Scotia's governing Progressive Conservatives easily retained the riding of Pictou West in a byelection held Tuesday, with first-time Tory candidate Marco MacLeod receiving more than four times the votes of his next-closest competitor.
The trial of a Winnipeg man who has admitted to killing four women has heard he searched the internet to look up the definition of what it means to be a serial killer.
A Winnipeg community centre has been left to deal with the aftermath of a break in, which resulted in a number of items being stolen, including a pitching machine.
The long weekend proved to be a memorable one for members of the Team Saskatchewan U16 flag football team — they brought home some hardware from Kingston, Ontario.
According to Environment Canada, rainfall has been recorded in Saskatoon for nearly half the month as showers, clouds and cool temperatures continue to dominate the forecast.
Photos captured last week by a concerned citizen in Greater Sudbury, Ont., show a bear in distress after its head became trapped in a plastic container.
Ward 11 Coun. Bill Leduc wants to fire the city’s integrity commissioner because he conducted a full investigation into a complaint about the politician’s cellphone bill.
OPP in Oxford County are hoping the owner of some special property will come forward. An urn with ashes inside, was recently found in Tillsonburg off John Pound Road.
A Barrie couple who lost their home in 2021 to a tornado that devastated a south-end neighbourhood spent an unforgettable day as guests at Buckingham Palace.
An Essa Township woman and her family are in a multi-year dispute with the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority over a secondary unit on her property to house her elderly parents.
One person has been charged following a crash in Windsor involving a pedestrian. On May 20 around 8:30 p.m., police were called to the 200 block of Parent Ave. near Chatham Street where a pedestrian had been hit by a vehicle.
Starting Sunday, there will be nightly closures of the E.C. Row Expressway from Banwell Road to Jefferson Boulevard — nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights until July 6.
Continuing their calls for the institution to disclose its investments and divest from companies seen as contributing to Israel’s war efforts in Gaza, demonstrators brought their signs, and plenty of noisemakers from their encampment.
Opinion polls continue to show a two-way race in the lead up to the next provincial election, as the BC Conservatives continue to cut into the NDP's lead and BC United's popularity is shorn away.
Last month’s cyberattack on pharmacy and retail chain London Drugs that forced the closure of all its stores in Western Canada was orchestrated by a 'sophisticated group of global cybercriminals' who are demanding a ransom—and say they’ll leak the company’s data if it doesn’t pay up.
Dr. Kathleen Ross, a family doctor in Metro Vancouver and president of the Canadian Medical Association, addressed the UN Tuesday – advocating for a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
After four targeted shootings in four days, Mounties in Kamloops are taking the unusual step of warning the public about two men they believe are likely to be targeted in future violent incidents.
With just over two minutes remaining in the first overtime, Mirko Buttazzoni scored to give the Bandits a 4-3 victory over the Sherwood Park Crusaders Saturday in Brooks.
79-year-old Madonna Wilkinson has been playing the accordion since she was 15, when she picked one up that had been left behind at one of her parents' rollicking parties in the oceanside town about 25 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L. She has played Sunday masses and St. Patrick's Day parties, and community events of all kinds.
Canada's new $10-a-day child care program is expanding, but there's growing evidence that demand for the program is rising even faster, leaving many parents on the outside looking in.
A new study shows an Atlantic salmon population in southern Newfoundland is disappearing, and it says nearby aquaculture operations are a likely contributor to the decline.
Catching 'em all with impressive speed, a 7-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. who only started his competitive Pokémon journey seven months ago has already levelled up to compete at a world championship level.
2b Theatre recently moved into the old Video Difference building, seeking to transform it into an artistic hub, meeting space, and temporary housing unit for visiting performers in Halifax.
A Starbucks fan — whose name is Winter — is visiting Canada on a purposeful journey that began with a random idea at one of the coffee chain's stores in Texas.
Members of Piapot First Nation, students from the University of Winnipeg and various other professionals are learning new techniques that will hopefully be used for ground searches of potential unmarked grave sites in the future.
The Liberal government will bring its proposal to increase the inclusion rate on capital gains to the House of Commons before the parliamentary summer break, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday.
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues the 'Team Canada' charm offensive to U.S. lawmakers and business leaders, Canada's ambassador to the United States downplayed the effect of another Trump presidency on Canada.
There is lots of work to do to fight for progressive values and workers on both sides of the Canada-United States border, the prime minister said Tuesday during a trip to Philadelphia.
As an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, daily fish oil supplements are a popular way to keep the risk of cardiovascular disease at bay.
Nestle will market a new, US$5 line of frozen pizzas and protein-enriched pastas in the United States which it says it designed specifically for people taking drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss.
OpenAI on Monday said it plans to halt the use of one of its ChatGPT voices that 'Her' actor Scarlett Johansson says sounds 'eerily similar' to her own.
Microsoft wants laptop users to get so comfortable with its artificial intelligence chatbot that it will remember everything you're doing on your computer and help figure out what you want to do next.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been accused of sexual assault in a new lawsuit filed on Tuesday by Crystal McKinney, a former model and winner of MTV's 1998 Model Mission competition show.
Misa Hylton, the mother of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' son Justin Combs, says her 'heart goes out' to Cassie Ventura in wake of the release of surveillance video footage showing Combs physically assaulting Ventura in 2016.
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
Almost two-thirds of Canadians feel that inflation at the grocery store is getting worse, a new poll suggests, even as food inflation has been steadily cooling.
Last month’s cyberattack on pharmacy and retail chain London Drugs that forced the closure of all its stores in Western Canada was orchestrated by a 'sophisticated group of global cybercriminals' who are demanding a ransom—and say they’ll leak the company’s data if it doesn’t pay up.
WestJet has pushed back its planned integration of Sunwing Airlines, a move that represents a setback for the Calgary-based company after acquiring the leisure carrier last year.
Ticks are parasitic bloodsuckers, capable of spreading deadly disease, and they’re becoming increasingly common. Here’s what you need to know about them.
A Barrie couple who lost their home in 2021 to a tornado that devastated a south-end neighbourhood spent an unforgettable day as guests at Buckingham Palace.
It's one of climbing's greatest mysteries: was Everest really conquered for the first time in 1953, or did two mountaineers make it to the summit in 1924, before dying in mysterious circumstances?
Barbie dolls will honour Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair and tennis champion Venus Williams, plus seven other athletes as part of a project announced by Mattel on Wednesday.
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h. (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Almost everyone is guilty of distracted driving at one point and time, but according to a report from Transport Canada using their most recent data from 2021, 25 per cent of fatal crashes involve speeding, while another 20 per cent involve distracted driving.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says federal opposition parties should be 'celebrating' the recently announced electric vehicle deals, despite their criticisms the Liberals refuse to make public the terms and conditions laid out in the contracts.