Honda WN7

[Tev62]

Honda Europe have announced that manufacturing is to start on their first large electric motorcycle, the WN7. Deliveries early 2026. Doesn't look too bad, only 217kg which is impressive.

The Honda WN7 is set to offer highly engaging performance, thanks to a svelte kerb weight of just 217kg and a powertrain - based around an 18kW water-cooled motor - that delivers an output level similar to that of a 600cc internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycle, but with 100Nm torque - more comparable to a 1000cc ICE. Honda is also making available an 11kW A1 licence version, broadening access to battery-powered motorcycling.

 

[Cormanus]

I wonder what sort of range it will have.

 

[misterprofessionality]

Well, it isnt the hot-swap battery bike they teased, but at least they're on the board.

 

[the Ferret]

Not too awful ugly. Looks along the lines of a modern sport bike

 

[Cormanus]

Answers my earlier question. Time for a leisurely coffee or tea while it recharges enough.

The WN7, which debuted as the EV FUN Concept at EICMA 2024, carries a slim and futuristic naked-bike design. Underneath, it packs a fixed lithium-ion battery capable of delivering over 130km of range, supported by flexible charging options that will be crucial for its success. Honda has made the bike CCS2 rapid-charge compatible, meaning a 20–80% “top up” can be achieved in just 30 minutes, while a home wallbox charger completes a 0–100% recharge in under 3 hours.

 

[The A-man]

Needs megaphone style exhaust pipes. Put speakers in them to make the vvrrrrroooommm sound!

 

[misterprofessionality]

They're already making electric cars and bikes with fake gear boxes so you can pretend to shift.... So why not?

 

[Cormanus]

I'm sure I read about an electric bike with a speaker to play an exhaust noise. As I recall you could select from a range of sounds.

 

[pdedse]

When something looks out of place, with lines that do not flow...it's difficult for me to see beyond that.

I get a similar feeling when I see big, square radiators on motorcycles.  Triumph is the only brand producing bikes with radiators I don't find jarring.

This honda's black box looks like a decently-sized sub-woofer.  I went to Zero's home page and the SR/S looks better with covering, and their DRS/X models have support bars crossing the battery that flow with the tank and molding.  It's visually more appealing to me.  And if my immediate reaction is not "that's a great looking bike" nothing's going to convince me to buy one.

 

[misterprofessionality]

I had read somewhere that you often see those big black boxes visible on electric bikes because these types of batteries need way more cooling than you might imagine.

 

[misterprofessionality]

I guess they don't put them on because they want it to scream ***this is electric*** for marketing purposes.

 

[suhawk305]

I’m wondering about the logistics on how we can conduct our future Honda WH7 Forum rallies. 130km or 80 miles… shorter loops or a lot of extension cords tapped in the lunchtime restaurant? Gee, maybe Mr.P will figure this out.  :hilarious:

 

[MagnaRider]

I’m wondering about the logistics on how we can conduct our future Honda WH7 Forum rallies. 130km or 80 miles… shorter loops or a lot of extension cords tapped in the lunchtime restaurant? Gee, maybe Mr.P will figure this out.  :hilarious:

I read that and thought having an 80-mile extension cord roll on the back that you could leave plugged in at the Hotel  :hilarious:

 

[peterbaron]

:hilarious: :hilarious: :hilarious:

 

[misterprofessionality]

By the time electric motorcycles are the "norm" they'll all be running solid state lithium metal batteries and probably be a whole lot more energy dense. Sporting range of up to 150 miles is going to have to be a minimum.

 

[Lunchbag]

Some of the Zero motorcycles have pretty impressive specs, and they've been building them for awhile.  I find them much more tempting than the WN7.  18 kW doesn't sound like much for a 217 kg bike.

About 11 yrs ago, I built a custom electric motorcycle.  Not because it was terribly practical, especially in 2014.  More for the challenge.

The funny part is, while I was looking around for a motorcycle with a blown motor so I could convert it, my own motorcycle blew up.  It was a 2005 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 iron barrel and the connecting rod snapped and flailed.  So I had exactly what I needed, a decent rolling stock ready to be converted.

When I finished it I called it the Royal E-field, and I put a bunch of info about it on a wordpress site.  If you have lots of time to waste, you can read about it here: Royal E-field

 

[Cormanus]

Good for you, LB. Do you still have the Royal E-field?

 

[pdedse]

Wow! What a project, Lunchbag.

If any forum members passed over visiting the website, I would encourge folks to slow down and take a look.  First, it's a very well designed site, and second it's fascinating to see a RE Bullet bike converted to electric.

If nothing else, watch the walk-around:

I loved the BUILD area of your website, and a big thumbs up for the bamboo hallow to paint on a windy day.  

Question: is the weight of the removed engine greater / equal to the weight of the batteries, and anything else bolted to the frame?  How does one know the stress is distributed in a similar way as to original setup?  Maybe that's a very silly question and the answer is obvious, but..curiosity.

I love the black used for the exposed areas of the batteries.  It provides for a pleasing contrast and relief of the dominant green.

Totally eerie to watch the Bullet hum along as you test ride.  It's just a look and a sound that are beautifully and wonderfully...mismatched!

Anything I've every said or thought about the bulkiness of batteries for motorcycles I'm going to take back for this build.  Seeing all the thought and work you put into this project forces me to take my hat off and say "extremely well done".  

Thanks for detailing everything with the site.  Easy to navigate and makes one want to explore the other areas.

:biker:  (without the exhaust, of course)

 

[misterprofessionality]

Man i didn't know you had that. When your ignition wires failed you should have just ridden that to Kingsport!

 

[Lunchbag]

Man i didn't know you had that.  When your ignition wires failed you should have just ridden that to Kingsport!

Technically that would be possible...might have taken a week to get there.  

---

Good for you, LB. Do you still have the Royal E-field?

I still have it.  I seldom ride it, and mostly to shuttle my lazy butt to/from the farm side of our property when I'm too lazy to walk back and forth to get tools, etc.  Sometimes into town and back, but now that I have this red beauty in the garage...you know which one is getting the love.

---

Wow! What a project, Lunchbag.

If any forum members passed over visiting the website, I would encourge folks to slow down and take a look.  First, it's a very well designed site, and second it's fascinating to see a RE Bullet bike converted to electric.

If nothing else, watch the walk-around:

I loved the BUILD area of your website, and a big thumbs up for the bamboo hallow to paint on a windy day.  

Question: is the weight of the removed engine greater / equal to the weight of the batteries, and anything else bolted to the frame?  How does one know the stress is distributed in a similar way as to original setup?  Maybe that's a very silly question and the answer is obvious, but..curiosity.

I love the black used for the exposed areas of the batteries.  It provides for a pleasing contrast and relief of the dominant green.

Totally eerie to watch the Bullet hum along as you test ride.  It's just a look and a sound that are beautifully and wonderfully...mismatched!

Anything I've every said or thought about the bulkiness of batteries for motorcycles I'm going to take back for this build.  Seeing all the thought and work you put into this project forces me to take my hat off and say "extremely well done".  

Thanks for detailing everything with the site.  Easy to navigate and makes one want to explore the other areas.

:biker:  (without the exhaust, of course)

Thanks!  It was a priority for me to document it well.  I had gotten a lot of encouragement from other folks who had blogged about their work, and I wanted to pass that on.  It worked...I used to get quite a few folks asking questions about how to do their own projects.  One of them was Fred Spaven, who converted a Royal Enfield (350?) and rode it across England.  His friend is a brilliant videographer and they made a nice documentary about it.  Free to watch on youtube: 

Amazingly, the weight of the batteries nearly equaled the weight of the original motor, and went in the same location, and the weight of the new electric motor nearly equalled the weight of the old transmission, and went in the same location.  So the weight and distribution turned out virtually identical to the original.

Regarding the structure, you're right it is important to ensure the strength and stiffness are adequate.  I didn't have the engineering tools or experience to analyze it, so I just overbuilt it.  Sandwiching the thick aluminum plates around the rectangular tube stock with heavy bolts was the key.  It took a long time for my brain to reach that solution, but it worked.

Also, here is a short article on the build for anyone who wants the cliff notes:
[attachment=740]