With the aging demographics of Harley-Davidson riders, the Tri Glide and other trikes and trike-conversion kits have gotten more and more popular over the last decade, spawning a slew of new companies to keep up with demand. Instead of following the crowd and going the three-wheel route, Ryno Motors from Beaverton, Oregon, has decided to veer in the other direction by offering a single-wheeled motorcycle.
The Ryno Micro-cycle has most of the attributes of an electric motorcycle, although it does remind us of a Segway, since both depend on gyroscopic force to keep them upright. The Ryno bike is equipped with handlebars, a seat, foot pegs and a full-size motorcycle tire. It can be set for speeds up to 10 mph and has an approximate 10-mile range. Unlike electric cars and motorcycles, it charges with a standard wall outlet, taking about six hours to fully charge.
Even with its steel frame, the unit weighs only 160 pounds and holds up to 260 lb., leaving out some of the more, uh, hefty bikers. The manufacturer considers the Micro-cycle to be similar to a personal assistive—or motorized—mobility device, and as such, is working with regulatory agencies and state authorities to allow use on sidewalks, bicycle lanes, trains and even in the elevator of your office building. Although the tire tread works best on pavement, it can also function on carpets or tiles.
The Micro-cycle will start at $5,295 when it goes on sale around mid-year 2014. We can see it now—a Ryno rally at Sturgis, much like the scooter rallies that take place there. We figure it would take only 100 hours, including recharging stops, to ride from our Minneapolis headquarters to the Black Hills… avoiding Interstates, of course.
The next Ryno Motors project on the horizon? Back to the future with hoverboards.
