Honda WN7 - ParkedFolks in Australia can ride Honda's newest EV, they just can't get too attached to the ownership partHonda's first serious full-size electric motorcycle is finally headed to Australia, but there's a catch. Actually, there are several. Only 50 Honda WN7s are initially coming to the country, they're reserved for existing Honda customers, and even if you're lucky enough to snag one, Honda isn't actually going to sell it to you. Instead, you'll effectively be renting the thing for as long as you want it.Honda Australia is offering the WN7 through local subscription provider Carbar for $400 AUD per month (about $260 USD), with registration and insurance included. There's no lock-in contract either, with subscribers able to cancel or swap with two weeks' notice. That's certainly less intimidating than dropping a giant pile of money on an electric motorcycle, but there's one fairly important detail: you're paying for access, not ownership.And before anyone starts wondering whether Honda has invented some dystopian future where motorcycles become another monthly subscription, relax. This arrangement appears specific to Australia. Over in the UK, Honda lists the WN7 at £12,999 on the road (about $16,500 USD) and offers conventional financing, including an optional final payment that lets the customer actually own the motorcycle.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhat a concept.Honda WN7 - HeroWorth The Hype?LiveWire Slashes Prices Overseas To Compete With Honda's WN7, Creating a New Financial IssueThe WN7 Electric Motorcycle Brings Honda's "EV Fun Concept" To LifeThat makes Australia a particularly interesting experiment. It's currently the only market outside Europe taking WN7 orders, and Honda Australia openly says it's using the subscription program to "test the market" for electric motorcycles. Given the tiny 50-bike allocation, this is less a nationwide EV offensive and more Honda dipping one extremely cautious toe into Australian waters.The motorcycle itself is much more serious than Honda's earlier small electric two-wheelers. The WN7 packs a 9.3-kWh lithium-ion battery and a liquid-cooled motor, with peak torque rated at about 74 pound-feet. Honda says its performance is comparable to a mid-sized combustion motorcycle, while the bike weighs about 478 pounds and rolls on conventional 17-inch wheels.Honda WN7Range is roughly 95 miles according to the spec sheet, although real-world numbers will inevitably depend on how and where it's ridden. The WN7 also gets regenerative braking, belt final drive and the usual collection of modern electronic conveniences. In other words, this isn't some glorified electric scooter wearing motorcycle cosplay. Honda clearly wants the WN7 taken seriously.AdvertisementAdvertisementAnd weirdly, the subscription model might help. Electric motorcycles still come with questions about depreciation, battery longevity and what today's expensive EV will be worth once newer battery tech arrives. Honda's Australian experiment pushes much of that risk back onto Honda instead of the rider. You can't actually own your WN7, sure, but perhaps that's exactly the point. For now, Australia isn't getting a normal motorcycle launch. It's getting a rather strange social experiment.What about you? Would you be willing to lease Honda's newest electric motorcycle for around $260 a month? Personally, the thought of actually not owning the bike is too much of a deal-breaker. Source: Honda Australia