7 days ago
Real-world Pokémon Koraidon motorcycle makes its first run in Japan【Video】
Legendary Pokémon visits legendary race circuit.
Though they're just as famous now for their cars, Honda first rose to fame with its motorcycles, establishing themselves as the producers of some of the best-engineered, highest-quality bikes on the market. But even with the company's impressive pedigree, would Honda be up to the challenge of producing a motorcycle that's also a Pokémon?
That's the task that Honda set for itself earlier this year when it announced that it would be creating a real-life version of Legendary Pokémon Koraidon, which first appeared in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Of course, while Koraidon looks more like a motorcycle than almost any other species of Pokémon, it's still a far more organic design than any real-world bike. So Honda definitely had its work cut out for it, and fans were eager to see the results of their efforts when the Koraidon was exhibited to the public during last weekend's festivities for the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture.
鈴鹿8耐で「ホンダコライドン」の展示とデモ走行をします！
🏍️ 展示
8/1(金) - 2(土) Honda RACING Gallery
🏍️ デモ走行
8/3(日) 決勝スタート前セレモニー
※天候やレースの進行状況によりデモ走行実施できない可能性あり。
"Hondaの本気が子供の夢になる'「ホンダコライドンプロジェクト」… — Honda 本田技研工業 (@HondaJP) July 18, 2025
There's plenty of detail, accounting for Koraidon's various fins, frills, and markings. Not only that, the eyes are incredibly expressive, able to shift and blink in a way that really makes the bike feel alive.
This Koraidon is no stationary statue, though, and things got even cooler on August 3 when, in a special ceremony held just before the start of the eight-hour race, Koraidon took to the track for its first-ever public driving demonstration!
As a sort of half-dragon, half-motorcycle, the in-game Koraidon's movement is a mix of rolling on its wheels and running with its legs. So naturally Honda's Koraidon was going to need to move its limbs too, and the effect is impressively convincing. It's a little hard to tell, in the video above, whether or not Koraidon's feet ever actually touch the ground or if they stop ever so short from making contact, but with some extra flex built into the movement of the Pokémon's ankles to further simulate the impact of hitting the pavement.
Though Honda's Koraidon looks to be sized such that a human rider could easily sit atop it, the movement of its limbs means leaves little space for a rider's own legs. On the other hand, the fact that it's able to drive itself and even make turns (utilizing the Honda Riding Assist self-balancing function), further adds to the sense that it's a living creature with its own free will.
Maybe a demonstration with someone riding Koraidon is something Honda has planned for future demonstrations, or maybe they just haven't found a true Pokémon Master to do the honors just yet.
Source, top image: Twitter/@poke_times
Koraidon ©2025 Pokémon. ©1995-2025 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
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