Guys, I can hardly believe I’m typing this, but Honda is actually giving you the chance to ride a Pokémon.
It’s not just a Pikachu-themed VW Beetle or something like that, either. No, friends; it’s a Koraidon that Honda has been building as a demonstrator prototype to show off some of its riding assist and self-balancing technologies for the past couple of years.
There is, of course, a catch. Or truly, there are a few catches. The Honda Koraidon Ride On Dream Project (it’s Honda, they had to get the word “dream” in there somewhere, right?) will be taking public riders throughout the weekend of September 26 through 28, 2025.
The test rides will only take place at the Honda Collection Hall at the Honda Mobility Resort in Motegi, Japan. Over the course of this weekend, while MotoGP is going on, only valid MotoGP ticket holders will be allowed to access the Honda Collection Hall.
Am I hoping this means that we’ll get to see at least one MotoGP rider astride Koraidon since MotoGP is at Motegi this weekend as well? Just guess.
Honda will be distributing numbered tickets for this event each day, to riders who are at least 100 centimeters or taller (that’s over 3’2″, if you’re playing along in feet and inches). Prospective riders must also be able to both climb aboard and disembark from Koraidon’s back by themselves in order to qualify for a test ride, says Honda.
Now, as you may or may not recall, the Honda Koraidon’s running form was first unveiled to the world at the World Endurance Championship round at Suzuka back in August 2025. Whether you were aware or not, MotoGP racer Johann Zarco took advantage of the summer break in MotoGP to go race at the Suzuka 8 Hours, where he won.
And during that weekend, he also checked out the Honda Koraidon exhibition on track, and seemingly couldn’t get enough of it in person. Will we get to actually see him ride it this time? Will other riders take a page out of his book and maybe go pat Koraidon’s head for good luck during the MotoGP weekend?
Only time will tell, but I know what I’d like to see. There’s a reason Pokémon Go seemingly brought the world together back in pandemic times. Maybe a ride-on Koraidon is exactly what the world needs now?
