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Will Honda Put Self-Balancing Tech in their Goldwing?

Look Ma, No Trainers

Honda's Goldwing - a bike that will purportedly eventually carry self-balancing technology. Media sourced from Honda.
Honda's Goldwing - a bike that will purportedly eventually carry self-balancing technology. Media sourced from Honda.

This decade might be the last one where you’ll have to worry about squaring off those handlebars at the local rally meet spot.

Honda’s putting the embarrassment of bike tipping in the past by investing in a future where motorcycles don’t topple, ever –  and rumor has it they’ve included their iconic Goldwing in the relevant lab corner.

Previously, we saw Big Red tinkering with a self-balancing experimental safety vehicle… before that, Honda had their hands on an electric offering showcasing something similar, with the tech christened “Riding Assist.” 

Honda's Goldwing - a bike that will purportedly eventually carry self-balancing technology. Media sourced from Honda.
Honda’s Goldwing – a bike that will purportedly eventually carry self-balancing technology. Media sourced from Honda.

Today, though, Honda has filed a patent application for a slightly simpler version of their “Riding Assist” technology (or something nearly identical to it), complete with a tilt sensor that connects to a steering actuator. 

Coverage from Motorcycle Sports also confirms the tech is “identical to the one revealed on the Riding Assist models, which have since evolved into Honda’s latest ESV (Safety Test Vehicle) for the Gold Wing,” leaving us to wonder if Honda’s Goldwing might be the first to feature “Riding Assist” self-balancing tech and aid in the brand’s goal of “Zero Traffic Fatalities by 2050.” 

Honda's Goldwing - a bike that will purportedly eventually carry self-balancing technology. Media sourced from Honda.
Honda’s Goldwing – a bike that will purportedly eventually carry self-balancing technology. Media sourced from Honda.

In theory, this technology could make bigger bikes accessible to riders who might not feel that they could handle the heft – a development that would create an exciting level of versatility in our saturated markets.

Time will tell how/when Honda integrates the tech. Goodness knows they’ve been on the self-balancing bandwagon for a while, so this patent application tells us they’re keeping the lights on in the lab, and we look forward to updates as they trickle down the proverbial pipeline. 

*Media sourced from Honda*