Honda's Gone Full Pokémon And Created Pocket Monster on Wheels
Image Credit: Honda.
Honda has gone utterly bonkers, in the best possible way, of course. They've only gone and nicked a creature straight out of a video game – one of those pocket monster things my kids used to jabber about – and turned it into a ruddy motorcycle!
This magnificent contraption, dubbed the "Koraidon Project," apparently takes its cues from some beastie called Koraidon in a game called Pokémon Scarlet. I'll confess, my experience with these digital critters is limited to vaguely recognizing a yellow one with pointy ears, and my better half Anna wrote about this project just before Honda officially unveiled it. But even my old eyes can appreciate the sheer lunacy of this endeavor. They've actually tried to make a real-life motorbike that looks like this thing. And they've seemingly pulled it off.
From what I gather, this Koraidon fella is quite the specimen in his digital world, and Honda hasn't skimped on trying to replicate him in metal and plastic. This futuristic machine supposedly has the same weight and size as the in-game critter. They haven't released the exact dimensions in proper inches and pounds yet, but you can just imagine the engineers scratching their heads, trying to figure out how to make a motorbike that convincingly mimics a fantastical creature.
Koraidon isn't just some static showpiece. Honda has gone full-on wizardry with this thing. It's got animated bits and bobs – moving hands, feet, and even a face that pulls expressions as it trundles along. It sounds like something out of a fever dream, or one of those Japanese game shows that defy all logic. I can just picture it now, this bizarre, animated motorbike rolling down the street, its face contorting in what I hope is amusement and not existential dread.
And the pièce de résistance? It can balance itself. No need for a kickstand on this bad boy. It just stands there, all on its own. Honda calls it "Riding Assist technology," which sounds terribly sensible for something so utterly daft. This self-balancing malarkey is inspired by Koraidon's in-game ability to handle all sorts of terrain. So, while you might not be traversing digital mountains on this thing, at least you won't have to worry about it tipping over when you pop into the shops for a pint of milk.
Of course, the million-dollar question – or rather, the as-yet-undisclosed dollar amount – is whether this thing will ever see the light of day beyond the exhibition hall. Honda is being coy, tight-lipped as a startled clam about any production plans or, crucially, any of the nitty-gritty technical details. No horsepower figures, no battery capacity in proper kilowatt-hours, and certainly no 0-to-60 mph times that we can all argue about down at the pub.
Image Credit: Honda.
It's a crying shame, really. I can just imagine the looks on people's faces as this thing silently whizzes past them. Forget your fancy Italian sports cars; this is proper head-turning material. Though, I suspect the local police might have a few questions about the legality of a Pokémon-inspired motorcycle on public roads.
Look, whichever side of the fence your opinion falls, you've got to admire the sheer creative chutzpah of it all. Honda has gone completely off-piste and created something that's pure fun. It's the kind of thing that makes you remember the joy of being a kid, when the most outlandish ideas seemed perfectly plausible.
Whether this Koraidon contraption remains a one-off flight of fancy or hints at a future where our favorite digital characters become tangible modes of transport is a mystery. But Honda has certainly got people talking. And somewhere, I reckon that tiny, Pokémon-obsessed version of my kid is probably doing backflips of excitement. Me? I just can't wait to see what other madcap creations these clever engineers cook up next. A self-driving Pikachu?
You know what? Despite my usual cynicism, a tiny part of me – the part that still remembers trying to ride the family dog – thinks this is rather brilliant. Sometimes, the best ideas are the ones that make you smile, even if they are a tad… bonkers.
