Honda to debut self-balancing electric bike
Big Red goes high-tech to attract new ridersThe most high-tech Honda motorcycle ever produced will be aimed at the least competent riders when the Riding Assist-e makes public debut at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show.
Combining the firm’s self-balancing technology, which premiered at this year’s CES Show in Las Vegas, with an electric drivetrain and packaged into a low and compact chassis, the Riding Assist-e will be aimed squarely at new riders.
Interestingly, the futuristic bike’s silhouette isn’t that dissimilar to the firm’s CB250, the very non-futuristic machine many thousands of Australians gained their motorcycle licenses on.
Images reveal the bike will employ a conventional front fork and single-sided swingarm with the electric motor mounted in a trellis-style tubular frame. There’s a large, single spoke-mounted front brake disc, a la BMW, and the lack of mirrors or indicators, and the concept-looking headlight suggests this is still very much a show-going prototype.
If the bike does self-balance its way onto showroom floors in the future, expect slightly less radical styling and the addition of some road-going necessities.
Other than what we learnt about the previously seen self-balancing machine based around Honda’s petrol-powered NC750 platform, specifications and details about the Riding Assist-e will remain scarce until the bike’s official unveiling later this month.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
