First debuting in 1969, Honda’s original ST Series — better known in most markets simply as the “Dax” — is a pint-sized small-displacement minibike with an ultra-unique T-shaped pressed steel frame. After an extended hiatus, Honda would revive the Dax in March of last year, delivering a modernized take on the two-wheeler that paired its iconic chassis design with the 125cc mill used in Big Red’s existing Grom and Monkey models. As the entire automotive and motorcycle industry prepares to transition to an all-electric future, however, one California-based concept artist has conjured up his vision of a T-framed scoot of the future with Michio Papers’ Honda E:Dax Concept.
Modeled in Solidworks and rendered in Keyshot before being cleaned up via post-processing in Photoshop, the concept is described by Papers as an urban LZEM — or “Light Zero Emissions Motorcycle.” Rather than leaving the Dax’s pressed steel frame on display, Papers has opted to design a new chassis before cloaking the structure in a single-piece-construction bodywork setup that integrates the bike’s “tank,” side covers, and tail-unit into a single item. In addition to new geometry, the frame also features a mono-shock rear suspension with a single-sided swing-arm and an inverted fork up front, complete with custom E:Dax-branded fork guards.
The E:Dax Concept is propelled by an electric powertrain with swappable batteries and a belt final drive. A small circular display set on the right handlebar acts as the two-wheelers instrumentation while a recess in its “tank” accommodates a smartphone, allowing the mobile device’s turn-by-turn GPS to be used while in the saddle. Other noteworthy elements on the new minibike design include a rear carbon aero disc cover, an alloy front wheel cover, knobby Yokohama tires, a circular LED headlight with an exposed carbon fiber inner housing, a bench seat that lifts up to reveal a small storage space, a tail-integrated flush-mounted circular LED taillight, Chumps handlebars adorned in ergonomic, oval-shaped grips, custom switchgear, and a belly-pan-inspired set of floor-boards caps off the bottom of the e-scooter’s silhouette.
While Honda had zero involvement with Michio’s new concept, the Japanese marque did actually unveil its own e-DAX prototype at the Tokyo Motor Show back in 2001. Weighing just 55lbs and sporting a fully electric drivetrain and a folding frame design, the e-DAX sadly never saw production, however, Papers’ design makes it abundantly clear that the Dax — and quite frankly the rest of Honda’s minibike lineup — lends itself quite well to electrification.
