Modern motorcycles are technological marvels, in due to advances in the materials and techniques used to build them, tyres , suspension, and of course, electronics, besides aerodynamics. But all begin from somewhere in time. There are motorcycles that revolutionised motorcycles to the state we are in right now.
We have covered the mechanical advances in a previous article, so we will cover mostly on the electronics front in this one.
1. Honda X-ADV (2017) – The one which popularised adventure scooters
Okay, the first one on the list is not about electronic advancements, although the Honda X-ADV is equipped with the trick Honda Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT).
It was not the first adventure scooter, either, but it was the definitely the adventure scooter (despite Honda insisting that it is a “crossover motorcycle”) that popularised the adventure scooter segment. Look at where we are now… Honda launched the ADV350, followed by the ADV160, followed by almost every manufacturer issuing their own adventure scooters: WMoto, Zontes, SYM, just to name a few.
2. Kawasaki Z1000H (1980) – First fuel injected engine
Save for a handful of small motorcycles, big and small bikes in this age are electronically fuel injected. The method of fuel delivery is primarily used to clean up exhaust emissions, but it can also boost performance tremendously compared to the carburetor. And it is so ubiquitous that we do not even need to think about it anymore.
While electronic fuel injection fully caught on in the late-90s and early-00s, the 1980 Kawasaki Z1000H was already equipped with it. However, the market did not catch on to it as it needed to go against the well-established carburetor.
The next fuel injected bike would be the Kawasaki GPz1100 in 1981, followed by Honda’s first EFI bike, the CX500 Turbo in 1983.
3. BMW K100RS/K1 (1988) – First motorcycle ABS
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) was first develop for cars by Daimler Benz way back in 1978, only to find its way onto a motorcycle in 1988 when BMW launched the K100RS SE and K1. These were primitive systems and added 10 kg to the motorcycle’s weight. This system was also the grandaddy of traction control. The Ducati 1098 R became the first production motorcycle to include race TC.
Other manufacturers were slow to catch on, and BMW continued to persist with it, despite complaints of the system having faults here and there. But now ABS is a necessity, a guard against panic braking.
4. Bimota Tesi 1D (1991) – First digital meter display
This was hard to nail down but it was the Bimota Tesi 1D which had the first LCD digital display. And we meant completely digital, not part digital, part analog. The Tesi’s display had a strip for the tachometer, which another LCD panel for speed, temperature, odometer and fuel level. Looking back, it looks so rudimentary!
5. Yamaha YZF-R6 (2006) – First ride-by-wire throttle
Along with a new crossplane engine equipped YZF-R1, Yamaha launched the updated YZF-R6 with fuel injection. It also had four titanium valves per cylinder and a stratospheric 17,500 RPM redline. All these changes resulted in 133 hp at 14,500 RPM.
Oh yes, it had the Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) ride-by-wire throttle. However, it was not a true system like today as there were throttle cables leading to the ECU which calculated the throttle valve opening and injection. Yamaha did not capitalise fully on this technology by giving the bike ride modes and Suzuki capitalised on it.
Closing
Okay, that was Part 1, now onwards to Part 2!
