Riding the wind: Honda WN7 on the roads of Lake Lecco
By Marco Ghezzi & Fabrizio Tiriolo – THE PACK ITALIA | As we trace the sweeping curves climbing from Lake Lecco toward Esino Lario, wrapped in nothing but the soft rush of wind, the words of Masatsugu Tanaka – the man behind the WN7 – come back to us: “We developed Honda’s first ‘fun’ electric model around the concept of ‘Be the Wind’, aiming for a riding experience that is smooth, silent, and seamless.” Be the Wind. A genuine emotion, or just a tagline? We went out to find the answer.
We pointed the handlebars well away from the city, deliberately putting a motorcycle designed for urban commuting through something completely different. A route threading between lake and mountain, at times genuinely demanding, to see just how far the WN7 is willing to go. It was built to be easy and accessible in daily use, but can it also stir something deeper on longer, more varied roads?
From Abbadia Lariana, the road begins hugging the eastern shore of Lake Lecco, and the WN7 immediately slots into harmony with its surroundings. Its agility and natural handling emerge corner after corner, making every kilometre feel effortless and enjoyable. The meaning of that “W” becomes clearer with every passing kilometre: there is no mechanical noise, no exhaust rumble, only a faint whisper and the sound of the air. Riding becomes cleaner, more meditative, and perfectly in tune with the tranquil lakeside villages rolling past all the way to Bellano.
The riding position is reasonably comfortable. The torso is slightly weighted toward the front, but remains relaxed, as do the legs, which sit at a natural angle for riders of average height, though taller riders may find things a touch cramped. One complaint: the seat is on the firm side and tapers a little too aggressively, making a stop feel welcome after an hour or so in the saddle.
We made a planned charging stop in Bellano. With a claimed range of 140 km, and our route having already begun in Milan, reaching 100 km felt like a sensible moment to top up, and to avoid arriving with too little in reserve. Here the WN7 shows a genuine advantage: it supports DC fast charging via the CCS2 standard borrowed from the automotive world, opening up a significantly wider network of charging stations and meaningfully faster top-up times.
Leaving Varenna, the ride shifts character entirely. We leave the lake behind and climb toward Passo Agueglio along the Route 65, a scenic mountain road that cheekily nods to its more famous American namesake. The road fills with bends and hairpins wrapped in raw, wild nature. The forest closes in around the asphalt, then suddenly opens onto breathtaking views, impromptu windows onto the lake below. This is where the WN7 genuinely surprises.
Agile and precise, it dives into corners with confidence and tackles hairpins and direction changes with impressive ease. The electric motor delivers power in a way that feels consistently substantial: 18 kW nominal, peaking at 50 kW, with 100 Nm of torque. Those figures translate into a thrust that is always immediate and satisfying, even on the steep gradients leading up to the pass. There are no gear changes, no screaming pistons, just fluidity, pure fun, and an energising hum that makes you understand what it truly means to feel at one with the wind.
The long descent from Passo Agueglio into the Valsassina valley becomes a playground for the regenerative braking system, which can be dialled across three levels using handlebar paddles. Switching between levels on the fly is quick and intuitive, and after a little experimentation we found ourselves barely touching the brake levers for the entire descent, a pleasing bonus that also feeds energy back into the battery.
The Valsassina has a rich industrial heritage rooted in ironworking and ancient mining, and a stop at the local ironworks museum offers a welcome chance to stretch and explore the area’s character. The return leg into Lecco closes a loop of around 160 km, a meaningful test for a motorcycle that has proven it can comfortably exceed its original brief.
Designed for the city, the WN7 reveals itself to be genuinely enjoyable on day trips and short touring rides too, offering a riding experience that is smooth, quiet, and genuinely engaging. The price of entry is €15,190, not inconsiderable for this category, though the overall build quality, some thoughtful technical solutions, and the exclusivity of the project go some way toward justifying it.
Charging on the road: almost fast, almost everywhere
Charge management proved to be a pivotal part of the journey. Thanks to CCS2 compatibility, the WN7 can access DC fast chargers across a wide network of operators, and we tested compatibility with several of the most common charging point operators, finding it reliable and connection-free in every case. The one notable exception was Tesla Superchargers, where repeated attempts to establish a session came to nothing.
On charging speed: with the battery at 40%, the session opened promisingly at 18 kW, then stepped down to around 11 kW once the state of charge reached 55%, holding there until 80% before tapering to under 2 kW, entirely normal behaviour to protect long-term battery health. As a practical rule of thumb, DC charging on the WN7 delivers roughly 3 km of range per minute.
Motorcycle clothing: OJ World
- OJ Atmosfere Metropolitane Escaper J jacket
- OJ Orizzonte modular helmet
All images © THE PACK ITALIA
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