Tokyo Motor Show 2023: Yamaha Motoroid2 Showcased

At the Japan Mobility Show 2023, the Motoroid2 Concept vehicle by Yamaha garnered the most attention. This marks an evolution of the original Motoroid Concept showcased at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, six years back.

The first Motoroid concept was all about a vehicle that could recognize its owner and interact with them like it was alive. The Motoroid2 Concept enhances the basic ethos of the original concept bike and Yamaha has employed AI to make the interaction between the bike and the human more relatable. In fact, at the Japan Mobility Show 2023, Yamaha conducted a ballet dance with the Motoroid2 Concept to showcase how it can detect movement and follow instructions.

So, what is Motoroid2 exactly? It's an electric motorcycle with a rear wheel with a hub motor. But what's unique is that the centre of the wheel is attached to a swingarm that connects to a motorised pivot under the seat. This lets the rear wheel and swingarm move separately from the rest of the bike, kind of like tilting side to side.

The battery box, located beneath the central spine of the Motoroid2, can also swivel. This helps change how the bike's weight is balanced. The swingarm and battery box are connected, and they tilt together as part of what Yamaha refers to as the Active Mass Center Control System (AMCES).

The front wheel looks pretty ordinary, like most front wheels do. But when you look at the handlebars (the part you hold onto), you notice that they don't move or turn. Surprisingly, there's no physical connection between the handlebars and the front wheel to make it turn. It employs an electronic steering and the AMCES system to balance itself. The Motoroid2 can even lift off its kickstand and move by itself. It can also recognize faces and respond to gestures, so you can ask it to follow you.

Yamaha probably won't make a real electric motorcycle like this, but it's intriguing that they believe in the idea enough to create a second concept and even a working model.