When I think of Segway, I can’t help but picture a group of tourists in bicycle helmets rolling around town like Astromech droids (see: R2-D2), guided by someone with a flag affixed to their backpack. After all, the mobility company made its name in the two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transporter space (yes, that’s a thing).
Invented by Dean Kamen, an American engineer, inventor, and businessman, the Segway HT, or ‘Human Transporter,’ was brought to market 25 years ago. The company was acquired by Ninebot, a Beijing-based rival, in 2015, which subsequently broadened the scope of transportation devices the company would create – scooters, e-bikes, robotic lawn mowers, go-karts, and UTVs, among other things.
And while the brand has dabbled in the two-wheel space with its MUXI and Myon models of electric-powered bicycles, it hasn’t made a motorcycle, until now.
