Honda Unveils Self-Balancing Motorbike That Can Ride Itself At CES 2017

The ‘Riding Assist’ technology helps the motorcycle maintain its balance and maneuver itself without the help of a rider

It is an easy feat to control motorcycles once they are in motion but it is a bit of a job for people who are new with motorcycles to maneuver in traffic and get them out of the parking lot. The initial balancing and slow speed cruising is something most beginners are nervous about. Honda seems to have a perfect solution, for they have showcased a concept bike that can balance itself during low speeds or when stopped completely.

Demonstrated at the CES 2017, the ‘Riding Assist’ technology helps the motorcycle to self–balance itself without the use of any gyroscope or any mass shifting devices. The concept is simple: when the system is turned on, the front fork angle of the bike is increased by disconnecting the forks from the handlebars, which lengthens the bike's wheelbase. Once the wheelbase is increased, the system then uses minute steering inputs to keep the bike perfectly balanced.

The bike is also electronically programmed to follow its owner at a walking speed if required. According to Honda, the ‘Riding Assist’ technology was developed from the UNI-CUB. There are a lot of self-driven cars in the automobile segment, but it's for the first time that a self-ridden bike is showcased.

There is no news from Honda about this self-ridden bike making it to the production line, but technology on similar lines might surely be seen in upcoming Honda motorcycles, which will make the roads the roads slightly safer.