Worst of all worlds?

Honda is innovating all over the place (hurrah) but their prototype 700cc auto 'motorcycle' seems to miss the point.

It’s twist-and-go, but it’s a motorcycle, not a scooter.  It’s got a low trellis frame but this doesn’t give any step-thru or scooter-type space for the rider and his or her feet. It’s not sporty, by the look of the single front disc, doesn’t have any wind protection and appears to be a motorcycle with the none of the advantages of a scooter … or the other way round.  The worst of all worlds then?

But, it DOES have a new parallel twin engine, with Honda’s take on the German Borg Warner dual clutch (DSG) gearbox fitted to some VW and Audi cars.  Now that gives smooth efficient changes and looks like a genuine leap forward.  But what a waste in a bike that’s neither fish nor fowl.

What we (me!) thinks would qualify as a step forward is a motorcycle-size and power scooter that has (at least) 16 inch wheels, doesn’t weigh a ton like the current crop of big scooters, doesn’t have a ludicrously long wheelbase or an engine that doubles up as a swing arm.  Now THAT would be a challenge.

But a challenge for who (or should that be whom?).  Well, it’s only Honda and BMW that are genuinely innovating on two wheels at the moment.  The others – especially, it pains me to say, Triumph - are just doing derivatives or pastiches.  Let’s see some bright ideas and genius executions – of those ideas, not the engineers!