Could Human Looking Motorcycles Prevent Accidents?
I recently left a restaurant with some friends when one of them noticed my borrowed ride, a 2008 Ducati 848. "Look," she cooed, pointing to the bike, "it's got a face!" To be honest, I didn't think much about the comment-- after all, it wasn't the first time human features have been associated with a vehicle.
It turns out, however, that Honda engineers have been thinking about the human face. A lot. "The human brain," their 2005 study explains, "exhibits a strong response to facial patterns, especially to the eyes and mouth." The observation led to the extrapolation that human-looking bikes are more quickly recognized by motorists, making them more easily avoided. Honda's ASV-3 concept explored that idea, and according to Money.CNN.com the new DN-01 deliberately incorporates a human look into its front view.
While cutesy human-like expressions have long been incorporated into automotive design (think Bugeye Sprite, Miata, and even Herbie, for starters), an article in Canada.com suggests that the two-wheeled approach is a bit meaner. "The sportbike community really wants an aggressive, hard-edged design," Ducati's John Paolo Canton is quoted as saying. "Nobody wants to buy a 300-km/h motorcycle that looks cute."
Does the human meets machine aspect weird you out, or is the extra measure of safety a fair trade?
Photo © Basem Wasef
Comments
Cool, fun piece, Basem. I wish I could write more stuff like this. Stupid bike tests…
Pete,
Would it have made you feel better if I referred to the “borrowed ride” as a “test bike that was undergoing serious evaluation”? I’ve seen you working hard… riding lap after lap in the name of journalistic excellence.
Walking home last night I witnessed a close call with a car and a scooter. The car turned left right in front of the scooter. Big surpricse there! I’m all for anything to help cager’s brains realize we’re there, even if it means our bikes have faces.
So when do you set about making me crazy envious of your job, and tell us all about he 1098’s nimble little brother?
(It looks like a cat..a very mean one)
Pete,
Working on it… need to stop riding to write! If it’s any consolation, I always have to return these things; sometimes separation anxiety’s worse than not knowing what you’re missing.
Basem
You’re really tugging at my heart strings here..
Isn’t there some old philosophical load of crap that goes like “It is better to have loved and lost than never loved at all”
I’ve got a pretty good idea what I’m missing..something in the order of my VTR + half again…or minus half again if it’s sitting on a scale.
So park the bike already and start writing! ….. LOL!!
Okay, okay… UNCLE!!
Fair warning: The Duc isn’t next in queue… there are other slightly less exotic but equally interesting bike reviews coming. Sit tight.
Basem
If faces are going to be incorporated into the bikes, I hope that they consider the many types of riders and not just those that like the aggressive faces. I wouldn’t mind riding a bike with a nice face.
OK, how about a death’s head? Scare the cagers.
Cute my patoot! I want ‘em lean and mean.
Ok Bassm, Now we’re talking bikes!!!
What about a test on the bike and I;ll forget my comment on the HD “articles”?
Frank
Frank,
I just read and replied to your H-D comment… so I guess you’re a Duc fan?
Basem