Nelson Morales

Honda unveils electric ‘big bike’, refreshes leisure bike lineup with e-clutch models

Article (news)

Arthur Fuentes

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784624112269HONDA WN7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="The Honda WN7 electric big bike. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News"/>The Honda WN7 electric big bike. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — Honda Philippines unveiled several new “big bikes”, including its first electrified model with a power output that puts it squarely in the middleweight bike territory. At its Honda Safety Driving Center in Paranaque, the company showed off the WN7—short for “Wind Naked 7.” The tagline? “Be the wind.” While some may find the tag line cheesy, the specs underneath that minimalist, frameless aluminum chassis might actually back up the hype.HPI Product Planning Supervisor Jhon Carlo Esmas said the company decided to bring the EV big bike into the Philippines because they wanted Filipino motorcycle riders to experience the future of two-wheeled transport. “So I think we can say that the future is in electric. So, as you can see in the four wheels [car market], so most of our cars right now are going electric or hybrid. So that&#x27;s why in the two wheel [motorcycle market], we are one of the manufacturers who are the first ones to introduce electric vehicles,” Esmas said in an interview with ABS-CBN.At first glance, the WN7 looks like a standard streetfighter with bar-end mirrors, dual projector LED headlights, and a slick 5-inch TFT dash. Look closer, though, and the internal combustion engine is completely gone, replaced by a massive 349.44V lithium-ion battery serving as a structural member of the frame.Despite weighing in at a chunky 217kg (478 lbs), the WN7 packs serious punch. Its liquid-cooled motor outputs 50kW peak power—putting it right in line with a 600cc gas bike—and a staggering 100Nm of torque. That translates to a 0–50m sprint in 3.9 seconds (matching the CB500 Hornet) and a top speed of 129 km/h. Range lands at a respectable 144.1 km under WMTC testing.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784624177350HONDA WN7 RIDE.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Testing the Honda WN7 electric motorcycle at the Honda Safety Driving Center track in Paranaque. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News"/>Testing the Honda WN7 electric motorcycle at the Honda Safety Driving Center track in Paranaque. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>Where Honda really gets smart is charging. Instead of trapping riders in a proprietary ecosystem, the WN7 supports CCS2 automotive fast-charging. That means you can plug into standard EV car chargers, like the ones in malls, and juice up from 20 percent to 80 percent in 30 minutes. At home, a 0–100 percent full charge takes 2.5 hours.Rounding out the package are standard modern fixings: four riding modes (Sport, Standard, Rain, Eco), paddle-adjustable regenerative braking, a forward/reverse walking mode, Honda RoadSync navigation, and a built-in USB-C port under the seat.Draped in Graphite Black, the WN7 isn’t just another EV concept—it’s Honda’s clear attempt to make electric motorcycling feel, well, totally normal.Honda was kind enough to let motoring journalists test its new batch of motorcycles, including the WN7. While I’ve driven electric bicycles and scooters before, I was not prepared for the “weirdness” of riding an electric big bike. Motorcycles are generally loud and temperamental machines, and each throttle twist is supposed to let you feel the hum and roar of the engine. When you speed up or slow down, you feel the upshift and downshift when you squeeze the clutch, along with the corresponding delivery of power. Riding the WN7, meanwhile, was something else. Twist the throttle and it just goes, silent, straight and speedy. There was no sound, no vibration, just instant torque. If riding a traditional motorcycle was like talking to a horse and coaxing it to obey you, riding the WN7 was more like telepathy–at least that was how it felt like, riding it on the short Honda training track for several minutes.Hopefully, we can get to test it on longer rides in real road conditions. For those asking, there is no price set yet for this EV beast.<div>‘The best of both worlds with E-clutch’</div>Honda also unveiled new bikes featuring tech that wants to spare your left hand from fatigue when navigating Metro Manila traffic, but doesn’t take away manual transmission. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784624299091HONDA BIG BIKES.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Motoring journalists and content creators test Honda&#x27;s new e-clutch bikes. Handout"/>Motoring journalists and content creators test Honda&#x27;s new e-clutch bikes. Handout</div>Enter the Honda E-Clutch. Featured on the NX500 adventure bike, the CB650R naked bike, and the CB500R sportbike, the tech serves as middle ground between a traditional manual, a quickshifter, and a full-blown Dual Clutch Transmission, according to Honda officials. The technology automatically manages clutch engagement and disengagement whenever you start, stop, or switch gears. Pull up to a red light in high gear? Don&#x27;t worry—close the throttle, hit the brakes, and the engine won&#x27;t stall. A blinking indicator on the dash simply reminds you to click back down to first before twisting off again.Starting up feels as effortless as riding a semi-automatic cub, but here is the twist: the clutch lever is still right there on the handlebar.If you want to feather the clutch, launch hard, or manually take total control during a winding backroad sprint, you can instantly override the system at any time simply by pulling the lever. There’s a bit more free play in the lever when E-Clutch is active, but the tactile joy of riding remains entirely untouched.The system promises easier city commuting without sacrificing manual soul, which is something that big bike owners have always dreamed of.We were able to test the NX500 on the Honda track, and found it quite interesting. However, I think a real-world test could better back up Honda’s claims. Hopefully, we get to do that sometime soon. <div>New Honda app and website</div>Lastly, Honda is taking its rider experience digital. The country’s top motorcycle manufacturer by sales launched a brand-new connected ecosystem, pairing an upgraded website with the all-new MyHonda+ Philippines app.The new app and website aim to make buying and owning a Honda completely seamless. The app acts as a single digital hub where riders can explore product lineups, book dealer services, schedule test rides, unlock promotions, and tap into local rider communities.“Customers can add their motorcycle or big bikes to their digital garage. They can access important vehicle information through one convenient place,” said Eric Agtarap, Honda’s Digital Transformation and Innovation Department Manager.“Instead of trying to remember when or where to seek service, customers can now book a maintenance schedule, general repair, or product updates with a participating Honda dealer directly through the app,” said Agtarap.  The app is available on Android and iOS, and it doesn’t require ownership of a Honda motorcycle to register and use.

Honda unveiled several new big bikes, including its first electrified model with a power output that puts it squarely in the middleweight bike territory.

Honda unveiled several new big bikes, including its first electrified model with a power output that puts it squarely in the middleweight bike territory.