Concept bikes are usually divided into two groups. On one side are the near-production machines that give a glimpse of something that will appear in showrooms a few months later, and on the other are the fantasy projects that draw crowds to exhibition stands for a few days, never to be seen again after their brief moment of glory.
Honda’s RC-E, which made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011, had all the makings of being firmly in the latter group. Twelve years ago, there was little serious indication that Honda had any imminent plans for an electric sports bike and the RC-E – a battery-powered racing replica that took inspiration from the company’s MotoGP bikes of the 1960s – seemed to be little more than an intriguing “what if…?”
But now, almost 12 years after the RC-E was first unveiled, the same bike has become the focus of a new Honda patent application, clearly showing that elements of the RC-E, if not the entire bike, are still being developed in the company’s R&D department.
The patent images are unmistakably of the RC-E. The shape of the fairing shown in the drawings, the layout of the frame, the suspension, the large electric motor in the middle, are all identical to those of the 2011 show bike. In itself, this isn’t too unusual, as Honda often patents ideas using the contours of old bikes where the shapes themselves aren’t important. However, in this case, the patent refers specifically to the structural arrangement of the rear suspension, which in itself is a key visual element of the bike.
It’s not exactly identical to the RC-E show bike. The concept had a single shock absorber, mounted directly between the top of the swingarm in front of the rear wheel and a bracket molded into the alloy semi-frame above the electric motor. Here, we see where the new patent differs: Its shock absorber is offset, fitted next to the electric motor and connected to the left side of the swingarm and the left frame rail. It’s more space-efficient than the original design and requires a more compact and narrower motor than the original.
However, it also shows that a large part of the RC-E’s philosophy is still current. The frame, for example, uses the electric motor housing as a structural element between the front rails and the swingarm, which rotates concentrically with the motor shaft. The idea is, of course, to create the straightest possible line between the steering head and the rear wheel, and the profile shots make it clear that this arrangement achieves that.
The big difference between this patent and the bike presented in 2011 is the context. In 2011, there were no serious attempts by the major motorcycle companies to create an electric motorcycle that was more convincing than a scooter. Today, the picture is completely different. Virtually every major motorcycle company, including Honda, has planned to launch a large number of electric motorcycles in the very near future, and we’re simply waiting to see what they do. Honda could do a lot more than recover the RC-E and reinvigorate it with updated motor and battery technology.
The new patent also gives us our first look under the RC-E’s fairing. The engine itself has always been visible and remains a key design element, but the patent reveals that there are three large battery packs, each with a unique shape, under the fairing. The first, designated B1 in the drawings, is located under the “tank” and above the frame rails. The second, B2, is larger and is located between the frame rails, going down into the area where a combustion engine is normally located. Finally, there is a third battery, B3, which is shaped to fit into the “belly” of the bike.
The motor itself is offset to the right side of the bike, leaving room for the rear shock absorber to run alongside it on the left, and is installed in a structural box bolted directly to the rear of the frame rails. Although the patent makes no specific reference to this, it seems that the bike is intended to be liquid-cooled, with a radiator conventionally positioned behind the front wheel.
While it is far from certain that the patent application will be successful – it will be up to patent officials to decide whether the arrangement is novel enough to be protected by a patent – it is clear that large elements of the RC-E, including the semi-frame and structural motor, are still actively under development and, with Honda launching its first major electric motorcycle in 2024, it is much more relevant than it was at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011.
