Voge’s Motorcycle Training Wheels

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Voge, a sub-brand of Loncin, is working on a mechanical solution to stabilizers for motorcycles. (Voge/)

There’s a famous apocryphal story that during the space race NASA spent millions on the development of a ballpoint pen that worked in zero gravity while those wily Russians simply used pencils. It didn’t really happen like that, but it’s often used as an illustration that the complicated, high-tech solution to a problem isn’t always the best, and it looks like Chinese bike brand Voge is taking that lesson to heart in the development of a new stability system to help maneuver and park motorcycles.

We’ve seen several versions of the self-balancing motorcycle in recent years, from Honda’s Riding Assist concepts to Yamaha’s Motoroid and AMSAS projects, all based around machines that can steer themselves and use mind-boggling arrays of gyros and tilt sensors to remain upright at low speed or even when they’re stationary. Even Harley-Davidson has worked on its own version of the idea. Voge’s parent company, Loncin, has filed a patent application for a system that aims to solve some of the same problems simply with a pair of retractable wheels that look a lot like the training wheels on a kid’s bicycle.

Yamaha’s Motoroid self-balancing motorcycle concept. (Yamaha/)

The objective is to make bikes that won’t topple over when they’re stationary or moving at very low speed, either being pushed or when they’re starting or stopping. It’s often the most nerve-wracking moment for a new motorcyclist, and both the Japanese developments and Voge’s extendable extra wheels aim to eliminate that low-speed risk. So while it might look laughable, there’s merit to the idea. There are even aftermarket solutions similar to this already on the market—the LegUp LandinGear, for example—aimed at helping riders who, perhaps through disability, can’t support the weight of their bikes but don’t want to give up riding.

Loncin’s idea is a bit more involved than simply adding electrically extending training wheels that bolt to the swingarm, but remains a self-contained, add-on package that could be fitted to pretty much any bike with a dual-sided swingarm. The extra wheels could be extended at the touch of a button or automatically when you come to a halt, but instead of simply extending to a fixed length they have sensors on each leg that are triggered when the wheel on that leg touches the ground, allowing the system to work on an uneven surface or a cambered road.

The second variation uses a parallelogram system. (Voge/)

Two versions of the idea are illustrated in the patent application. The first has the wheels mounted on leading arms, pivoting at their rear end and operated by electrically extending arms fixed to the bike’s swingarm in front of them. The second variant uses a parallelogram system, with two lateral links attached to an upright with the wheel at the bottom.

Detailed view of the system, that in theory could be attached to any double-sided swingarm. (Voge/)

Voge isn’t a brand that’s well known in the US yet, but it’s the export-focused, luxury arm of the vast Loncin bike making company. It already has a fast-growing presence in Europe, with a range of bikes from 125cc to 650cc, and recently launched the 900DS—a parallel-twin adventure bike using BMW’s F 900 engine. Loncin already manufactures that engine on BMW’s behalf, so the arrangement is similar to the one that allows CFMoto to use KTM’s 799cc twin in the Ibex. The bike shown in the new patent is the Voge 525DSX, a parallel-twin adventure bike that was launched earlier this year.

As well as helping prevent embarrassing low-speed topples, the idea would also make the traditional sidestand or centerstand unnecessary, acting as a sort of permanent, extendable paddock stand that comes into play whenever the bike is parked and helping to offset some of the additional weight it brings.

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