Damon Motorcycles Unveils New Prototype: Entering the Micromobility Market?

It also indicates that we might see some kind of product within the upcoming 12 months. However, the question remains: What exactly?

Say the name ' Damon Motorcycles In a crowd of people, odds are high you'll encounter one of three responses.

From those who aren’t into motorcycles as well as from beginners, you might hear a “Who?” response. For enthusiasts, though, they may respond with a puzzled “Are they still active?” And if someone tends to be skeptical, their answer could likely mirror “Do you mean Skully 2.0?"

Recently, we discussed the ups and downs of Damon Motorcycles, so I'll skip revisiting those details. Rather, my focus today is on the company itself. recent announcement In collaboration with Italian design and prototyping company Engines Engineering, they aim to create “the HyperSport Race Program,” intended to showcase “Damon’s technologies.” This initiative appears to be an extension of their current technological demonstration efforts. inspiriences Contributor Tim Stevens had the opportunity to experience this a few years back.

Sure thing! You can definitely have multiple technical demonstrators if you’re a startup! However, there are several key aspects to consider, starting with the first point below: Engines Engineering .

As mentioned earlier, it's an Italian motorcycle development company with more than four decades of experience under its belt. We have covered many of its innovations over the years, such as The Harley XR338 Street Tracker Concept based on the Benelli 302 engine , as well as The Stratos all-electric off-road concept And as you would likely imagine, E&E’s development services have been evident in prototypes, benchmark tests, and design processes for numerous combustion motorcycles and scooters. However, they also maintain a dedicated division focused solely on electric motorcycle development. In fact, back in 2020, one of E&E's designers took part in this area as well. switched to MV Agusta , which is quite significant if you're involved in motorcycle design.

According to E&E’s CEO and VP, Manfredi Fenici, this collaboration aims to "speed up the verification of Damon's cutting-edge HyperSport electric vehicle technology."

In another part of the announcement, Damon mentions that this collaboration forms part of their strategic initiative known as "Damon 2.0." This strategy encompasses expansion across four key areas: Data Intelligence, Personal Mobility (likely referring to the motorcycles once they become available), Licensing and Engineering Services, and an enigmatic category called Special Projects.

Here’s the intriguing bit, particularly for those of us who are detail-focused nerds. When Damon makes this announcement, they include an “About [Company]” section typical of most businesses releasing a statement. These paragraphs often go unnoticed as many people skip them after reading numerous press releases. However, I did Actually, after reading it, I have to point out that the word "motorcycles" does not appear at all. once .

To make things perfectly clear, the remaining part of the release where "About Damon" is included explicitly discusses its intentions regarding the creation of a technology demonstrator for the HyperSport Race Electric Motorcycle. In this document, the term "motorcycle" appears exactly three times: once in the headline and twice within the body of the text.

Returning to the section titled "About Damon," it primarily focuses on "personal mobility devices" and "technological solutions incorporating AI-powered safety features." The passage continues by discussing the four distinct "revenue streams" mentioned earlier, along with its capabilities in "cutting-edge data analysis, skilled engineering, and collaborations with original equipment manufacturers and first-tier suppliers."

The emphasis in the remainder of this paragraph is placed on software instead of hardware. The phrase "accessible mobility solutions" is highlighted here. Although exceptions do occur, an overemphasis on "mobility" typically suggests vehicles that have nothing to do with sports bikes whatsoever. (Remember folks, words carry significant meanings! )

Especially within the realm of electric vehicles, this term typically refers to both upright and straddling types of electric scooters, along with balance-centric standing models such as those that initially brought fame—or notoriety—to the Segway brand. To support this understanding, a footnote references a 2022 McKinsey report on micromobility, which provides data cited in an "About Damon" section.

In case you didn't know, motorcycles are generally not referred to as "micromobility" devices.

This appears to be a pivot on Damon's part, away from being solely focused on the fantastic dream of a hyper-aware EV motorcycle that may or may not come to fruition, and instead into a data, tech, and electric mobility company that aids other startups.

And, I mean, that actually seems to be a pretty common strategy across existing (or formerly existing) EV motorcycle manufacturers. Both Zero and Energica (RIP) have gone down the route of offering electric powertrain development services to other OEMs in the past. It's a strategy that makes sense, particularly if you have a proven product, design, and expertise.

However, as we reach April 2025, Damon lacks all of these elements.

At minimum, even if we are extremely lenient, it lacks all of those elements. yet And whether it ever will? That remains uncertain.

Good Job If You Manage To Land It

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