Instant Torque Meets Thoughtful Design in the Honda WN7, the Company’s First Full-Size Electric Motorcycle

The WN7 is Honda’s first full-size electric motorbike, and it is now available from dealers around Europe. They’ve been watching this category for years, but rather than going all out for record-breaking performance numbers, they’re hoping to give riders a more down-to-earth experience, something that feels natural, is predictably engaging from the start, and gets you hooked from the minute you twist the throttle.

Their development strategy focused on properly integrating the battery and engine into the bike as a whole, rather than treating them as separate components. The 9.3-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack was bolted centrally and fairly low in the frame, and the case was employed to reinforce the entire thing. That means you get a bike that isn’t weighed down and has far better balance on both low-speed jolts and high-speed rides.

Under the hood (or rather, under the seat) is a liquid-cooled motor capable of producing 50 kilowatts of peak power and 100 Newton-meters of torque. It all adds up to a bike with a very strong, fast response, and Honda measured the time it takes to travel from 0 to 50 meters in a standing start at 3.9 seconds. The A2 license variant has a top speed of 129 kph; riders with more restrictive permits can choose a toned-down 11.2-kilowatt version.

There are four different riding modes that allow you to adjust the power delivery and regenerative braking. There’s a special button on the left bar that allows you to control how hard the bike slows down when you let go of the throttle – so in heavy traffic, you can just coast gently and leave the brakes for an emergency, or in a more relaxed mode, you can let the bike take its time and just glide along.

The bike has standard connectors like an electric car, so you can simply plug in a Type 2 AC point for normal charging or a CCS2 station if you’re in a hurry, and a quick charge from 20 to 80 percent in under 30 minutes is just part of the package. If you’re at home, simply plug it in and leave it for a few hours to fully charge. Honda claims it can travel 140km on a single charge, which is more than adequate for most people’s everyday commutes.

The bike has an 800mm seat height and is neither too big nor too wide, so even the most nervous new riders should be able to handle it with confidence. It also has a ‘walking mode’ that allows you to creep along slowly as a snail in reverse or forwards, making parking or getting out of a tight spot a breeze. Other features include a 5-inch screen, smartphone compatibility, USB-C charging beneath the seat, and all LED lights.

The WN7 will cost £12,999 in the UK and roughly €14,780 in much of continental Europe, putting it on par with the competition but also giving you Honda’s existing network of dealers and service staff to fall back on.
[Source]