One-Wheeled Electric Motorcycle Ready To Make Its Debut

Over the years, there have been many unusual modes of personal transport invented - There is the Segway, the Solowheel, the Uno . . . and the list goes on. However, none have been quite like this latest entrant to the market. Called RYNO or 'Ride Your New Opportunity', it is an electric uni-motorcycle with just a single 25-inch wheel!

But unlike the unicycle, this one is not difficult to balance upon or ride. That's because thanks to a combination of gyroscope sensors and accelerometers, this unique vehicle is self-balancing. In order to get it started, all the rider has to do is lean forward on the handlebars. This causes the sensor-balanced wheel to re-adjust and propel the bike forward. To stop, the rider can either use a hand brake or simply, lean back!

The 160lbs RYNO that can carry a load of up to 280lbs, is easy to haul around and even easier to park, thanks to its clever design. All the rider has to do, is tip the motorcycle forward and rest it on a rubber-footed bar that is attached to the front of the vehicle's frame. Fitted with a rechargeable battery that can provide power for about 10 miles, RYNO has a top speed of 25 mph. The cool part is that if a rider attempts to push the bike beyond its capability by either exceeding the speed or tilt limits, he or she will receive warnings from the vehicle's Auto Balance System. If they decide to ignore them, the system will temporarily take control of the bike and fix the issue.

However, don't plan on swapping out your car yet. That's because cool as it looks, the RYNO is not street legal. And while it may be okay to ride on sidewalks and bike lanes, you may encounter some resistance from the authorities simply because it looks as though it could topple any moment. In order to educate the authorities, the company has hired independent counsel that plan to go from city to city to convince officials of the bike's safety as a personal transportation vehicle.

In development for about seven years, RYNO is the brainchild of CEO Chris Hoffman who began working on it after his then 13-year-old daughter asked him to create a one-wheel motorbike that she had seen in a video game. Neither had envisioned that the radical challenge would one day, become a reality!

While the production version of this cool vehicle which is expected to be priced at $3,500 USD will not be ready to ship until 2015, the Portland-based company is currently taking orders for 50 hand-built limited edition RYNO's priced at a mere $25,000 USD each!

Resources:gizmag.com, wired.com