18 year old Canadian prodigy builds gyro-stabilised electric UnoMoto

Even if the UnoMoto is effectively just Segway technology in an R1 frame with footpegs, it’s a pretty incredible achievement for its builder. I mean, how many other 18 year olds can claim to have built an electric commuter vehicle in their back yard, let alone one that is operated without any controls other than two stabilising gyroscopes?

Gulak was inspired to build this unusual vehicle after a visit to China in 2006. The thick smog and choking pollution left Ben wondering how he could contribute to a cleaner future by building an electric commuter vehicle.

Gulak, from Ontario, was lucky enough to have his own machine shop to build the contraption in; his grandfather, an engineer, passed away and left Ben the machine shop they spent countless hours tinkering around in when Ben was a child. When he needed help with the custom tyres, frame and bodywork, he called upon John Cosentini from Motorcycle Enhancements, who suggested the R1 frame and helped with the process of sculpting bodywork dummies and making fibreglass moulds to create the fairings.

I’m not sure whose decision the front “air scoop” was, but in conjunction with the twin “eye” headlights, the UnoMoto looks from the front like an absolutely terrified goldfish in a batman mask.

Riding the UnoMoto is very simple. The on/off switch is the only electronic control, and once it’s up and balancing, you simply lean forward to accelerate, lean back to brake, and lean sideways to get one wheel turning a little faster than the other, which effectively steers the contraption. At top speed the UnoMoto will do about 25mph, and Gulak says its battery range is around 2.5 hours in normal use. When you switch it off, it rests back on its footpegs.

It looks absolutely crazy, it’s apparently a little intimidating to ride, you can’t wheelie it or do burnouts and lord knows you wouldn’t want to have a Volvo pull out on you at 25mph when all you’ve got stopping you is the electric motor - but the UnoMoto is an incredible world-stage debut for the young Canadian, and if he can put an outrageous idea like this one together at his tender age, we can certainly expect to hear more about Gulak’s projects in the future.

Via Motorcycle Mojo. For a similar concept using only one wheel, see Bombardier’s Embrio over at Gizmag.