How clever is this Showa suspension that automatically lowers the seat height when the bike is stationary, allowing short people to mount and dismount easier!
No more tip-toeing at the lights or teetering over when trying to get the sidetone down.
It’s not one of those air-suspension systems that customisers use to slam their creations closer to the ground.
The Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment (EERA) Heightflex suspension system has electronically controlled activators in the hydraulic valve to control the oil supply.
Showa has displayed the new suspension system on a Honda CRF1000 Africa Twin.
Honda Africa TwinTall adventure bikes are a natural choice for such a system. They are lowered for mounting and dismounting, but still retain good ground clearance for off-road duties.
However, Showa says it can also be fitted to other models.
Showa doesn’t detail how much it lowers the bike, but they say it will drop in about a second and will resume normal height a few hundred metres after you start again.
Not only does it lower when the bike is stationary, but it also levels out to adjust for the rear weight of a pillion or luggage, much like other systems used on some BMWs and Ducatis.
Sounds like a god-send for short riders.
Although, there are other, cheaper ways short riders can adapt to tall bikes.
Click here to read our tall tips for short riders.
Showa EERA steering
Showa has also announced an EERA electronically-controlled steering damper.
It adapts the damping force in real time to control tank-slappers, speed wobbles and other adverse steering inputs.
The system seems similar to the Swedish Ohlins electronic steering damper.
The Japanese suspension company says both systems were developed during World Superbikes, the Dakar Rally, the Motocross World Championship and the FIM Endurance World Championship.