Electric Supercharged V3 prototype; GB 3505; EV Fun concept
By Ben Purvis
For years we have been told that electric bikes are the future and that it is 'over' for the combustion engine. Despite that the most exciting part of Honda's EICMA presentation wasn't its near-production electric bike but this prototype V3 engine that's expected to reach showrooms in an unknown model in 2026.
The prototype appeals in several ways, not least in its configuration. The V3 layout has rarely appeared in a bike, or any other vehicle, throughout the long development of combustion engines. The handful of V3s that have been made have been two-strokes, notably Honda's NS500 GP bikes of 1982 and 83 and the production NS400R street bike that followed from 1985 to 88.
Others include the KR V3 that powered the Modenas/Roberts GP bikes in the dying days of the championship's two-stroke era. But this is a four-stroke V3, and as such is unprecedented in motorcycling. Honda is believed to have considered a V3 when four-stroke GP bikes replaced two-strokes early in this millennium, before settling on the equally unconventional V5 layout of the RC211V, but no mainstream production bike has used a four-stroke V3.
The engine uses a 75-degree V angle, keeping it compact, and while Honda hasn't revealed its capacity it says it's aimed at 'larger-capacity' bikes. We understand it's around 850 cc, but it will have performance more akin to a 1,000 cc engine thanks to another innovation in the form of an electric supercharger.
There's no turbo on the Honda engine there's no turbo, but the electric supercharger should be able to both increase top-end power and bolster low-rev torque. Unlike an engine-driven supercharger or an exhaust-driven turbo, the electric 'blower' can build boost at any revs, whenever the engine management demands it, opening a huge array of new possibilities when it comes to maximising performance.
The electric supercharger also avoids the heat problems of turbos, so there's no need for an intercooler or the associated plumbing, although it appears that there are connections for coolant pipes directly on the supercharger itself.
Honda hasn't gone into detail about how the supercharger will be powered, but it's expected to require a second battery and potentially a separate, high-voltage electrical system. In cars that use electric superchargers, they normally work at 48V rather than the 12V of a standard system.
Honda EV Fun concept - production version due in 2025
The wait for a mainstream manufacturer to make a high-performance electric motorcycle has been interminable. Even as little-known brands have managed to prove that fast electrics with decent range are possible, the big players have stayed away from anything much quicker than a scooter.
While still a concept, Honda has confirmed that the EV Fun concept is due to be launched as a production model in 2025, meaning we're just months away from the finished bike.
There's no information yet in terms of performance, but the 180/55-17 rear tyre suggests there's a decent amount of power to put down. Honda simply says it's 'equivalent to a mid-sized internal combustion engine.'
The battery is big, resulting in a rather stretched-looking wheelbase, and it appears that Honda has opted to use an alloy battery case as a structural component in the chassis. The use of CCS2 charge socket is important, the type used on most European-market electric cars to give both AC and DC rapid charging ability.
While not mentioned in Honda's literature, the bike also appears to have the ability to use regenerative braking to help refill the battery. There's an in-hub unit on the front wheel, connected to a thick electrical lead, that's likely to provide regenerative braking. Normally this is a problem for electric bikes, as we tend to use more front brake than rear, but there's generally no way to recoup that energy. There's even a possibility that the unit in the front hub is a motor as well as a generator to make it two-wheel drive, but it's relatively small so any drive it provides is likely to be insignificant compared to the power going to the back wheel.
GB350S launched in Europe
While the focus was on Honda's futuristic V3 and electric bikes, a retro GB350S made its European debut after several years on the market (as the CB350) in Asia.
Cashing in on the current popularity of low-cost, sub-500 cc singles - a market dominated by Royal Enfield's smaller offerings and more recently the Triumph Speed 400 - the GB350S is motorcycling in its simplest form. Powered by a 348cc air-cooled, SOHC single, it's no ball of fire - peaking at just 15.5 kW (20.8 hp) and 29 Nm of torque - and even the five-speed gearbox is a throwback to another era. There are nods to modernity in the form of traction control and an assist/slipper clutch, as well as engine internals using the latest low-friction tech to boost economy to a remarkable 94.1mpg, but in most aspects the GB350S is an antidote to the overload of technology seen on other bikes at the show.
The ability to combine Honda's image for dependability and quality with a price that even undercuts many of Royal Enfield's similarly-sized machines promises to make the GB350 an understated success.
Battery sharing reaches Europe with Honda's Power Pack Exchanger e:
Honda has been pushing for swappable batteries for small electric bikes for years and has managed to get its Mobile Power Pack e: to become the basis of something approaching a standard among its peers - and after operating battery-swapping services in Japan and other countries including India, it's now coming to Europe with a 'verification test' in Malmo, Sweden.
Honda has partnered with a Swedish start-up, GoCimo, to bring its Power Pack Exchanger e: system to Europe. The Power Pack Exchanger e: is essentially a unit that simultaneously charges multiple Mobile Power Pack e: batteries, with a system to let customers swap their flat batteries for charged ones. That makes 'recharging' quicker, cleaner and easier than refilling a petrol tank, overcoming a major hurdle in the adoption of electric bikes.
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