The legacy of motorcycle design has always revolved around performance. In the past this meant lots of power – either in terms of acceleration or top speed. Over time, however, the bike rider has changed. With recent offerings favoring lighter bikes that put comfort and handling ahead of horsepower.
Part of this transition to lighter bikes has been the evolution of electric motorcycles, but Honda’s latest offering takes the notion of hybrid power to a whole new level. The company recently offered a first look at their CB4 Interceptor concept that features a headlight fixture on the steering column that resembles a sort of wind tunnel.
Early reports are that this design actually features a turbo fan that powers not only the multi-LED headlight, but a touchscreen display embedded on the top of the gas tank.
So when the bike is in motion, the fan spins, creating kinetic energy that powers the display and headlight. The display allows the rider to access digital maps, use a phone or even connect to other electronic devices.
What hasn’t been made public is how the energy produced by the fan would be stored so the electronics don’t shut off when the bike slows down or comes to a stop. While we have to wait for Honda to work out the kinks in advancing from concept to prototype, Digital Trends states that Honda is not the first to try this approach. Apparently, Saigon-based Bandit9 has also tried incorporating a forced air type of fan, but they used it to help keep the engine cool.
