Japanese ‘big four’ could use Damon Hypersport’s smart radar tech

Burgeoning Canadian start-up Damon Motorcycles has revealed the innovative tech that has made its new Hypersport electric sportsbike a headline grabber could find its way into Japanese motorcycles in the future.

The company launched the Hypersport – its first ever attempt at building a motorcycle - at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this month and turned heads with its eye-catching styling and impressive performance figures of 200mph from a 200-mile range.

However, it is two other features – CoPilot and Shift – that have captured the attention of the ‘big Japanese four’ of Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki.

CoPilot is Damon’s take on the radar assist technology a number of manufacturers are currently working on. The device uses a 360-degree radar detection system to survey the entirety of its surroundings and alerting riders to potential hazards by streaming images onto a large dashboard screen.

Shift, meanwhile, allows riders to adjust the seat, handlebars, footrest and windscreen of the Damon Hypersport depending on their riding style and surroundings. For instance, Damon says the bike can be set to a more upright position to make city riding more comfortable and lowering it for more aerodynamic highway trips.

It is technology Damon has been working on for a while with the intention of selling to manufacturers but found it was more effective to develop its own motorcycle to showcase the technology rather than adapt it for different machines.

It seems to have paid off with the CES showcase earning Damon plenty of interest from some illustrious industry names.

“When we kind of discovered this thing and started riding it for ourselves, we thought we can’t lean on motorcycle companies to take our idea of motorcycling to the future,” Damon CEO Jay Giraud told Wind Burned Eyes. “We’re going to have to do it ourselves.”

“They (big four) love it,” he said. “They love the tech. They tried CoPilot. They tried Shift. They’ve tried our powertrain.”

“Certainly, we’re interested in engaging with them. In my experience with building three automotive technology companies, I’ve interfaced with the OEMs for 12 years straight now on the subject of disruptive technology. It’s just they have a hard time, and they don’t need to disrupt the status quo.”

Alternatively, Damon may licence the technology, adding that he ‘wouldn’t say no’ if the manufacturers came knocking.