125cc class Honda Hydrogen Motorcycle
Honda has unveiled plans for its next generation of bikes, and they will include Variable Cylinder Management, a hydrogen-powered bike and a possible petrol/electric hybrid. Improving fuel economy and being green appears to have become top priorities, Honda's president and CEO said: "Average fuel efficiency increases 34 percent per year for Honda motorcycles," thanks to the introduction of more fuel efficient four-stroke engines.Over the next few years, Honda will develop the world's lowest-friction engine in the 100 to 125cc class. Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), already used in the manufacturer's cars, will be applied to motorcycles as well. VCM technology will be used on larger bikes to provide four-stage control. Honda predicts an increase in fuel efficiency by 30 percent compared to previous years.
By next year, Honda aims to have available motorcycles powered by hydrogen fuel calls. These will be powered by a setup derived from the Honda FC-X automobile.
Despite the new system's development costs, it should debut in the 125cc class, which is highly popular in Thailand and surrounding countries. Officially, Honda is yet to confirm the development of a hybrid motorcycle, but engineers made no secret of their strong belief in that path. They seem to think that this is a more promising option than the all-electric system already used by some other motorcycle manufacturers.
