Gorgeous Honda Concept Sportbike

[Rincewind]

And it's an e-bike!  It uses the same electric engine used in the Honda Insight hybrid car.  The Insight electric engine is listed at only 13hp but a whopping 58 lbft torque.  Honda claims 600cc performance in a 250cc chassis.  That is more torque than any 600cc bike!

Beautiful design, Honda!    The LED headlights are even hidden.  





http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/New-bikes/2011/November/nov1011-hondas-incredible-rc-e-tokyo-show-concept/

[The Shepherd]

Looks good!

[SuperHans]

I wonder how much it weighs?

[JonS]

I wonder how much it weighs?

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.
Too bad all those electric bikes have such a limited range and large price tag.
At least this one is very good looking.

[Papa Lazarou]

I look foward to seeing it in next's year's electric TT.

[scottzilla]

Whats been missing from the Ebike thing is partcipation from the Japanese manufacturers.  Instead we have private, misguided companies struggling through it.  

I would like to buy most of the bikes presented as "Concept" bikes i've seen from Honda the past few years.  Too bad it never seems to occur to Honda to SELL THEM.

[keepergale]

The Japanese manufacturers are still trying to turn a profit on what they are building.

[knolltop314]

May not sell ... wayyyyy too quiet.  

[tdeboeser]

I wonder how much it weighs?

It's a concept... i'm guessin' 8 1/2 pounds...


 

[Cablebandit]

The revolution begins now.

 

[Justin]

I would have to play motorcycle sounds via helmet speakers - we already talk about I4's not having soul, imagine what the Guzzi riders will say about electric motorcycles.

[Silverbird]

Be nice if they put 10% of the effort they put into that thing into what they are selling in the showrooms

[veefer800canuck]

May not sell ... wayyyyy too quiet.  

Yeah, think of how many people will die compared to riding an open piped Harley. It's socially irresponisible to build such a bike.  


But the paint job, me likey. Classic Honda racing colours from the 60's.

[Bruce Bogtrotter]

Whats been missing from the Ebike thing is partcipation from the Japanese manufacturers.  Instead we have private, misguided companies struggling through it.  

Though that sounds a little harsh, I'd have to agree. After watching "Charge", I came away thinking guys like Michael Czysz are more attention-seeking bumblers rather than real engineers.

An e-sportbike from a major manufacturer is long overdue, but without an exchangeable battery network to sustain 500-mile days, e-bikes will remain commuters instead of tourers.

[FiremanBob]

What does the faux gas tank do? Is it there merely for cosmetics? With that riding position, I'd like to see something more comfortable to lean over.

[Mookie]

Looks a little chunky to me, but maybe there's a big battery in there for a decent range.   Can't say they've done anything this decade that's impressed me very much.  Even their Civics are crappy now...

[ConPilot1]

Gorgeous???


Are you high??  

[Cablebandit]

Gorgeous???


Are you high??  

That was my thought.  However it was too early to duck behind the couch.  

[jfurf]

For the record, Brammo just released a bike that gets slightly in excess of 100 miles per charge, thrusting them to the forefront of real-world usability for e-bikes.

I would love an e-bike for commuting. My commute is, I believe, about 14 miles each way. I could save tons of gas money and theoretically have far fewer mechanical issues/needs due to fewer moving parts. Then I could use all that money I saved to buy a gas-burning evil motor-sickle of death for joy riding around on. Seems like a good plan to me.  

[County Tar]

I would like to buy most of the bikes presented as "Concept" bikes i've seen from Honda the past few years.  Too bad it never seems to occur to Honda to SELL THEM.

They might be a little gun shy after the Rune.  

[falconati]

It looks great, so they won't make it.

[Kootenanny]

OK, I think that Honda looks great!

Whats been missing from the Ebike thing is partcipation from the Japanese manufacturers.  Instead we have private, misguided companies struggling through it.

OK, I'm dense...you'll have to explain the "misguided" comment to me.

[BlackAndChrome]

Hmmm... I thought I had seen this before... Seems like all industry concepts are just someone elses one-offs lol.

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/podolefsky/electric_motorcycle.html

[BashamR6S]

Looks Great! How ever..... I prefer the evil gas burners, 5 miles or 500. The roar of the engine will be something I miss if the world of Motorsport goes "E"fficient

Bash

[JSharp]

I think it looks good. One odd thing though, it looks like the styling department decided that we expect to see a radiator right behind the front wheel these days. I suppose it could be some fancy cooling for the electronics...

[Biking Sailor]

They might be a little gun shy after the Rune.  

Let's not forget the DN-01, a concept that should have never come to market!

[phoenix]

me likey  

[Kraz]

I'd be curious to see some real numbers, not just a mock up.

I rode the "Zero" electric bike at Laguna Moto GP this year... everything felt flimsy, quirky, and I certainly didn't feel any of that "instant, low end torque" everyone raves about E-motors having.  That scared me off commuting on one for a long time.  I wonder if a legit mc mfgr made an e-bike if it would also feel like a mtn bike.

[dorklord]

I think it looks good. One odd thing though, it looks like the styling department decided that we expect to see a radiator right behind the front wheel these days. I suppose it could be some fancy cooling for the electronics...

Cooling for the batteries?

[Kootenanny]

Well, KTM's just unveiled a working electric bike--a production model, not just a concept like Honda's.

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,68153.0.html

[JonS]

Looks Great! How ever..... I prefer the evil gas burners, 5 miles or 500. The roar of the engine will be something I miss if the world of Motorsport goes "E"fficient

Bash

At the Laguna MotoGP, there was an e  bike race. To me, it was too weird seeing racebikes going woosh and werrr around the track. Forget about hearing anything a ways away. I really didn't like it at all.

[scotteroni]

Word has it that this model will come with a smart phone docking station where you can download sound files from I tunes to make it sound like an early mid 80's  VFR gear driven V4.  

http://youtu.be/VCFDhtw_uzs

[spitfiremk21]

Just another one of those concept bikes that would sell pretty well but Honda don't have the balls to make. I still liked the NAS. That was a cool bike.
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/prototype-spy-concept/Honda-2004-NASa.jpg

[BashamR6S]

At the Laguna MotoGP, there was an e  bike race. To me, it was too weird seeing racebikes going woosh and werrr around the track.

Good racing? Look comparable to the evil gas guzzlers? I don't think I'd have enjoyed that much..
Bash

[veefer800canuck]

Hmmm... I thought I had seen this before... Seems like all industry concepts are just someone elses one-offs lol.

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/podolefsky/electric_motorcycle.html

Hey, I just read his whole build, he does good work. Bike looks very purposeful, wiring is neat, and everything seems well executed for a homebuild without a huge amount of cash. IIRC, he said 7 grand finished.



Apparently he's upgrading the motor, etc, so the V2.0 should be even better. Hats off to him.

[veefer800canuck]

It's amazing how loud the chain is on an electric motorcycle. Wow.

[tdeboeser]

It's amazing how loud the chain is on an electric motorcycle. Wow.

Chains and tires are loud on any bike...

[MDHCO]

I think it looks good. One odd thing though, it looks like the styling department decided that we expect to see a radiator right behind the front wheel these days. I suppose it could be some fancy cooling for the electronics...

Cooling for the batteries?

Like the hybrid cars and trucks, they probably are using the power, created by the back driven motor on deceleration, to charge the batteries.  Heat limits the recharge rate, which is why a dedicated cooling system is used.