When it comes to motorcycle companies, few are currently doing more bonkers things than Yamaha. From filing a patent for a fake internal combustion engine that doesn’t serve any purpose other than to make noise to unveiling a three-wheel-steering trike, the company just seems to be on a “why not?” streak. However, if those concepts weren’t crazy enough for you, take a look at this concept bike being unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it.
It’s called the MOTOROiD:Λ and it’s Yamaha’s latest venture into asking a question consumers aren’t: What if we took the rider out of the equation? Yes, this is a vision of a fully autonomous motorcycle, and while a self-driving car or a self-cleaning shower make sense, a self-riding motorcycle is less-obvious. Still, I reckon it’s important.
According to Yamaha, “The system trains in virtual environments and then applies its skills in the real world using Sim2Real techniques. By giving the machine a degree of independent decision-making, MOTOROiD:Λ represents another step toward a new relationship in which it can grow alongside its user.” That’s great and all, but where does the user sit? I don’t see any handlebars or a seat, or even traditional pegs. Or is this a bit like owning a racehorse?
Well, it’s sort of neither. What we’re looking at here is less of a concept and more of a new-generation testbed. Back in 2017, Yamaha unveiled the original MOTOROiD, a self-balancing electric motorcycle that could stand up and even come to a rider at the wave of a hand. Think Knight Industries on two wheels. Beyond turning sci-fi into reality, self-balancing technology could be genuinely helpful for riders with tired knees who don’t want to get trikes.
As anyone who’s ridden a bicycle—let alone rode a motorcycle—will tell you, two-wheeled things don’t like to stay upright on their wheels when stationary. Sure, Yamaha has demonstrated autonomous auto-balancing tech, but what happens when the battery runs down on one of these self-balancing bikes? Well, if you take a closer look, those legs coming off the bottom of the frame are stands, and the way the Yamaha MOTOROiD:Λ leans over onto one of those stands is suitably bonkers. When parked and powered down, it’s reminiscent of a RipStik, the caster board every younger millennial/older Gen Z either fell off of or watched their friends fall off of.
Speaking of falling, that’s exactly why the MOTOROiD:Λ looks the way it does. Yamaha claims the beefy frame, forks, and trailing arm with electronics tucked inside are “engineered to withstand the trial-and-error impacts of the learning process.” Perhaps that’s why so many finishes are still somewhat coarsely machined, because this thing would only look perfect for about five seconds. There’s something novel about a bike designed to drop itself, but in that context, the lack of rider provisions makes sense. If it’s pretty much guaranteed to crash in the pursuit of autonomous system training, I certainly wouldn’t want to be on it. That being said, this is the first MOTOROiD concept to not feature some sort of seat. Heck, the last one was occasionally meant to be ridden ““centaur” half-man, half-horse style.” Whatever that means.
While Yamaha is fairly vague as to exactly what use cases the MOTOROiD:Λ’s tech is for, I can see two potential benefits to autonomous motorcycles, the first really being fundamental mobility. There’s a chance that as we get older, our joints and backs and whatnot will start to give out long before our minds do. Riding is a physical experience, and even if our older selves are still able to do it for short periods of time, wouldn’t it be nice to have a little help in some of the moments when physical strength is needed the most? As a creative, I have a contentious relationship with artificial intelligence, but there’s a big difference between using vision models to put people out of their jobs and using them to help people pick up their bikes.
Of course, if Yamaha achieves a higher level of autonomy, the possibilities are much greater. Just as an autonomous car is a replacement for a traditional taxi, an autonomous motorcycle could be a taxi for your deep-fried cravings. Even though the MOTOROiD:Λ doesn’t have panniers to deliver you ghost kitchen chili cheese fries well after last call, an autonomous motorcycle can be useful for stuff like food delivery, where you don’t need the footprint of a four-wheeled vehicle but don’t want to put gig workers in the sightlines of any local area’s least considerate CDL-holder. For now though, it just seems like Yamaha’s having fun developing something new. Considering some of the other stuff the company’s been up to, the weird MOTOROiD:Λ seems like it’ll fit perfectly on their Japan Mobility Show stand.
Top graphic image: Yamaha
So it is a drone motorcycle. I think it’s a good and useful thing. I can see police departments send out drone motorcycles to get through traffic jams and ticket drivers.
So wild wacky action bike in motorcycle form? Can’t ride it, can’t ride it!
…But why?
I think the styling references to my old Niken are totally intentional: It sounds like they’re generating code for a Niken that has actively controlled steering and active, independently controlled fork pressures. My Niken was already almost impossible to crash but, with this, it could drive on the highway like a Tesla and you wouldn’t even have to put a foot down at a stoplight. No, I don’t know why that’s necessary either but Japs like their doo-dads. And, as the article says, Yamaha just makes cool bikes.
Actually, thinking more about this, I can see the uses. Active steering on a motorcycle could contribute to safety the way ABS and traction-control do — by intervening in only extreme scenarios. Yeah, even collision avoidance would be five steps too far for even for an rider who likes tech; having your bike swerve unexpectedly would be just too freaky. But a system that corrects a tankslapper on high speed gravel? Yeah, I could buy into that. A bike that maintains traction in hard cornering even though you’ve leaned the bike too much instead of adjusting your weight distribution? Maybe someday. As a maybe-someday exercise, I get it.
That’s a really good point; when a car does something unexpected (like automatic emergency braking), the worst it will likely do is terrify the driver. But, on a bike, a sudden intervention could make things worse. At the very least, it would seriously damage the trust a rider has that the bike will behave the way one expects. I like the idea of subtle intervention: I’m all for a system that could stop a tankslapper before I was even able to perceive it had started.
I’m thinking someone watched Hobbs and Shaw, then it was a ‘hold my beer’ moment 🙂
Motoroid the motorcycle you need to avoid a hemeroid sponsored by Preparation H.
Yamaha is the most anime motorcycle maker.
I’m not going to say Yamaha should stick to making pianos, but I really don’t get why they are spending time and money on this. Seems to me like doing a cool 160cc class scooter would be more profitable.
Yamahas bikes are amazing, and their engines are some of the best in the world, I’d love to build a car with a Yamaha bike engine someday! But as to why they bother with some of these concepts…that I have no idea…
The Honda Vultus NM4 and DN01 disagree. Yamaha does cool concepts but Honda actually builds the things.
Hahaha oh man I had completely forgotten about those!
Looking forward to video from that trade show. With such short kickstands, how does it get back up?
Like a T-Rex doing pushups… Awkwardly at best
It looks like a 1980s kids toy so much.
I fail to see the innovation here. Over the years I have had several riderless bikes. If only I had bothered to get them running and go out and use them…
So the idea is to use tech to have our fun for us now too? When does my electric monk arrive?
Think about it? Maybe for the lady cyclists who likes the revs but doesn’t want to go anywhere, especially naked.
That Harry Potter vibrating broom sold to a far wider age range on the female spectrum.
Self-riding motorcycle = self-licking ice cream cone.
Or a self-drinking beer.
What’s worse: a self-driving Ferrari, or one with dealer miles?
Great idea make a ramped self driving tow dolly that you just drive your Ferrari up on and you steer it from the Ferrari but dependability of a GM tow truck.