There is always a host of next-level tech to come out of the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. This year among our favourites was the self-balancing concept motorbike from Honda.
The technology, of which the working title is being called Honda Ride Assist, focuses on ensuring that the bike will stand up, with or without a rider on, at both low speeds and standing still. The goal is to help riders keep their bikes upright at stoplights and in tight parking situations.
But how does it work? Believe it or not, Honda Ride Assist doesn’t use gyroscopes or moving weights. As Engineering Explained‘s Jason Fenske illustrates, the system instead keeps the bike upright with tiny steering inputs. The bike can also lengthen its wheelbase by automatically adjusting the front fork rake, giving it even more stability.
To an experienced rider, it may seem unnecessary to have something like this on a bike. But inexperienced riders crash so often, it’s easy to see the value of a technology like this. And who knows? If you ever find yourself trying to get a 900-lb Goldwing back on its wheels, you might be wishing for Honda Ride Assist.
