Dragon on Wheels? Honda's Pokémon Bike is Officially Cuckoo!
Image Credit: Honda.
I'm gonna have to break some rules here - sorry. The motorcycle you're about to see isn't electric, or at least I'm not sure if it is. But it is so utterly bonkers I had to write about it! So - if you were expecting to read about an electric two-wheeler, sorry - not today. Because today we're diving into the wonderfully weird world of Pokémon meets a motorcycle!
Honda has decided that what the world really needs is a life-sized, rideable Koraidon. You know, that dragon-y thing from Pokémon Scarlet? The one that looks like it skipped leg day and replaced its wheels with itself?
Image Credit: Honda.
I've seen some things in my years of covering automotive, aero, and maritime marvels. But a motorcycle that's also a prehistoric Pokémon? That's a new one, even for me. Apparently, Honda's calling it the "Honda Koraidon Project," and it's about as bonkers as it sounds. Can you imagine a motorcycle, standing a majestic 8 feet 2 inches tall, and weighing in at a hefty 668 pounds? Parking that thing will feel like parking a small elephant in your garage.
This isn't a stationary concept either – it moves! Not just the wheels (or, well, the leg-wheels), but the whole shebang. Hands, legs, neck, face, the works. Honda has brought a cartoon character to life, and frankly, I'm a little bit terrified and a lot impressed. They've even got the eyes blinking and eyelids moving. This is the next level of attention to detail! Who needs a simple headlight when you can have animated dragon eyes?
Honda's throwing around fancy terms like "Honda Riding Assist," which, if I understand correctly, is basically robot-balancing technology. You know, the stuff they use in those humanoid robots that look like they're about to ask you for spare change? Well, apparently, it's keeping this Pokémon monstrosity upright.
Image Credit: Honda.
Apparently, 40 engineers were involved in this project. Forty! That's a lot of brainpower dedicated to making a dragon-motorcycle a reality. Can you imagine what went on behind closed doors? I'd pay good money to be a fly on that wall.
They're saying it can go into "Sprinting Build," which means it can walk on all four legs or "stand" on two wheels. I can just imagine it trying to parallel park in downtown Tokyo. Hilarious, right? Or, can you imagine people calling the police? "Yeah, officer, a giant dragon-motorcycle just ran a red light."
But let's not get our hopes up about seeing one of these dragons cruising down Main Street anytime soon. It's a concept bike, which, in automotive terms, means "we made it to show off, not to sell." But, if you happen to be in Tokyo from March 7th to 9th, you can see it at the Honda Welcome Plaza Aoyama.
Image Credit: Honda.
I can't help but wonder what if this was the future of transportation. Would we all be riding around on cartoon characters in a few years? I have no problem riding a Hello Kitty jet ski or a SpongeBob submarine. Oh, the possibilities…
Honestly, though, I'm kind of impressed. Honda's taken a wacky idea and ran with it, and it's certainly got people talking. A bit of Pokémon-powered madness is exactly what we need nowadays, with everything around us seemingly getting out of control.
The whole idea is refreshing, it's fun, and it's proof that sometimes, the best ideas are the ones that make absolutely no sense whatsoever. So, here's to Honda and their crazy dragon-motorcycle. May it inspire us all to embrace our inner child and build something utterly ridiculous.
