There’s an interesting video circulating on Youtube and Instagram, claiming that Honda unveiled a self-balancing motorcycle on November 29 in Japan.
In fact, if you watch it above, you’ll see a pretty sleek self-balancing motorbike on an enclosed road, a person who looks like a test rider, and an awe-struck crowd.
You’ll also hear the clicks of out-of-frame photographers capturing the action on camera — basically, all the hallmarks of a major unveiling.
But wait a minute.
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First of all, Honda has made no official announcement. Secondly, the company has indeed revealed a self-balancing concept bike… back in 2017.
The concept bike was created to showcase Honda’s Riding Assist tech, which reduces the possibility of falling over while the motorcycle is at rest. You can check it out below:
Back then, Honda didn’t disclose any plans to put Riding Assist into production, but perhaps it has decided to do it now?
At first glance, the two bikes aren’t exactly identical. But the more I look at them, the more I can notice a similar design language — although the 2021 vehicle seems smoothed out and more “muscular.”
But then again, even though I squinted as hard as I could, I was unable to read the logo on the 2021 motorcycle’s side — if your eye-squinting technique is any better and you can read it, please email me.
Plus, its self-balancing mechanism seems to be significantly upgraded or… totally different compared to the concept.
All in all, it’s difficult to say if Honda is reviving its 2017 concept motorbike and heading towards actual production.
In any case, I find the self-balancing bike showcased in the video utterly cool. It’s perfect for newbies like me who struggle to keep steady a 200kg monster at a stop sign or during a low-speed maneuver.
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