Schaeffler Symposium: Riding the Motorcycle of the Future

During our 1000PS company visit, we attend the Schaeffler Automotive Symposium 2026 in Bühl and, alongside experts from the tech giant Schaeffler, take a look into the future of motorcycling. Instead of dry theory, we head straight to the test track. We ride electric development vehicles, an early hybrid prototype, and a 150 kW side-by-side, engage in detailed discussions with experts Torsten Bellon and Didier Busquet, and finally draw our conclusions. For those who want to experience the technology in motion rather than just hear about it, the 1000PS video features full interviews, test rides, and McGregor's personal insights into the future of motorcycles.

When hundreds of developers, manufacturers, and technology leaders gather in Bühl, you might initially expect an event full of dry theory, diagrams, and closely guarded exhibits. However, at the Schaeffler Automotive Symposium 2026, it wasn't just about looking at components under cold exhibition hall lighting. On the test grounds, attendees could move prototypes, try out automatic shifting systems, and experience electric drives under load. Where tires scrape against asphalt, engines rev up, and transmissions audibly engage, an abstract future suddenly becomes tangible.

Schaeffler showcased over 320 products from areas such as Vehicle Control, Chassis and Body, Powertrain, and Energy Management. For the first time, two-wheelers also received a comprehensive spotlight. In addition to bearings and engine control units, automatic transmissions, electric drives, and solutions for connected vehicles took center stage.

Torsten Bellon, Head of the Two-Wheeler & Powersports Division at Schaeffler, provides a sober assessment of his division's significance within the company. The two-wheeler segment currently accounts for about one percent of Schaeffler's total revenue, but it is growing. Consequently, his department consciously taps into the vast technical toolbox of the company. Components, electronics, and knowledge from automotive development are adapted specifically for motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, and other powersports vehicles.

Schaeffler does not manufacture its own motorcycles; instead, the company develops systems delivered to vehicle manufacturers. Much of this remains invisible to the rider, even though it operates deep within the mechanical heart of well-known machines. As a specific example, Bellon cites the engine management of the Ducati V4. Schaeffler supplies technology for fuel supply, air management, and electronic control. The name might not be prominently displayed on the tank, but the components often work directly between the throttle, injection, and combustion chamber.

According to Bellon, the history of the symposium dates back to 1978 when it was held as a transmission conference. It later evolved into the Schaeffler Colloquium before gaining its current international form. Every four years, the company brings together customers, vehicles, and specialists. The year 2026 marked the first time motorcycles and powersports products were represented on such a scale. It wasn't just about showcasing finished solutions under spotlight but also about riding, discussing, and further developing them together with manufacturers.

Anyone who automatically thinks of batteries and electric motors when it comes to future mobility will get a much more nuanced answer from Bellon. Schaeffler expects the combustion engine to remain in the two-wheeler sector for a long time. While the company no longer anticipates strong market growth there, it continues to work on new components and cleaner control strategies. According to Bellon, a currently developed generation is set to go into series production from 2027.

The reason is not just tradition or emotion. High-performance electric motorcycles still struggle with weight, range, and cost. While a small city scooter can be electrified relatively easily, a large touring motorcycle must carry enough energy for highways, mountain passes, and long daily stages. Each additional kilowatt-hour sits like a heavy passenger in the chassis. For powerful motorcycles, the combustion engine remains a technically and economically relevant solution for now.

Thus, Schaeffler continues to invest in classic engine technology. With the integration of Vitesco Technologies, additional knowledge about engine management, electronics, and combustion processes has been added to the company. In the future, technologies such as more precise camshaft adjustment could also migrate more from the automotive sector to motorcycles, according to Bellon. It's less about achieving even higher peak performance, as modern motorcycles usually have enough of that already.

Didier Busquet, Head of the Two-Wheeler & Powersports Product Group at Schaeffler, also sees further development potential in the combustion engine. In the interview, he showcases custom-shaped throttle bodies that can adapt air flow to different engine concepts. The goal is to combine performance and drivability with future emission requirements.

The next generation of engine control units is particularly interesting. The planned units are designed not only to manage two-, three-, and four-cylinder engines but also to control an automated transmission and a hybrid drive. This would transform multiple separate boxes into a compact unit. On a motorcycle, where the tank, airbox, suspension, exhaust system, and electronics compete for every inch, such integration can save space, wiring, and costs.

Automated shifting systems are no longer an exotic idea, but complex solutions have so far often been found in high-end motorcycles. According to Busquet, Schaeffler aims to make this technology accessible to the mid-range market and thus to a broader audience. A corresponding prototype was developed within six months and was already tested by the 1000PS editorial team at the symposium.

It's not just about relieving the rider from clutch work. An automated transmission can strategically connect the combustion engine and electric motor, control RPMs, and keep both drives within optimal operating ranges. At the same time, the rider should still be able to exert influence. It is still being determined whether manual interventions will be made via buttons or a traditional shift lever.

For small two-wheelers, Schaeffler sees significantly more potential for pure electric drives. The focus is initially on 48-volt systems for Asian markets, particularly India, and on smaller vehicles with a 150cc equivalent, which are relatively easy to electrify. Bellon mentions about 25 million two-wheelers per year, of which approximately two million are already electrified. Together with an Indian joint venture, an electric motor is being developed, while Schaeffler itself contributes the electronics.

This electronics system is intended not only to control the electric motor but also to manage other vehicle functions. Additionally, Schaeffler is developing a battery management system. Initially, it was assumed that such systems would be provided by battery manufacturers. However, according to Bellon, existing solutions did not meet all functional safety requirements. Especially with an electric two-wheeler, current flow, battery condition, and potential faults must be monitored to prevent a small deviation from becoming a major issue.

48 volts are particularly suitable for smaller vehicles in the power range of a classic 150cc two-wheeler. However, when significantly more power is required, the current levels increase significantly. This necessitates larger cross-section cables, which become heavier and take up more space. Therefore, in the long run, high-voltage technology could be advantageous for more powerful vehicles.

The higher the voltage, the lower the required current can be for the same power output. This allows for slimmer cables and reduces losses. Ideally, the rider notices little of this change. They simply feel the strong thrust of the drive without oversized cable bundles looming under the tank and seat.

The most emotionally exciting vehicle at the symposium was an early hybrid prototype. It combined a combustion engine, an electric motor, and automated shifting technology. In slow city traffic, such a motorcycle could run purely on electric power, making it silent. Outside the city, the combustion engine would take over, delivering the range, power, sound, and mechanical feedback that many motorcyclists cherish.

Schaeffler considers cost to be crucial. The hybrid should not result in a significant price increase over a standard motorcycle, but should remain a realistic alternative. Whether and when it becomes a production vehicle was still uncertain at the symposium. However, the basic idea is enticing: glide silently through the city and then later on the open road, enjoy the power, range, and sound of the combustion engine.

In the conversation, Busquet makes it clear that Schaeffler does not want to sacrifice riding pleasure for the sake of technology. The goal is to preserve the emotions, feedback, and familiar riding characteristics while reducing emissions and enhancing comfort and safety. The developers in the two-wheeler segment come from the motorcycling world themselves, and therefore deliberately view new systems from a rider's perspective.

At first, this may sound like typical manufacturer rhetoric, but it gains substance when considering automated transmissions and hybrid drives. A motorcycle should be efficient yet feel lively when you twist the throttle. It should be easy to operate without feeling sterile. And it should become cleaner without smothering every mechanical sign of life under layers of software.

For Bellon, the future doesn't lie in a single propulsion concept. In his view, small and urban two-wheelers can be electrified relatively easily. However, in the realm of high-performance motorcycles, weight, range, and cost remain significant challenges. Here, the combustion engine will continue to play an important role for a long time, while hybrid solutions could provide an additional bridge between the two worlds.

At the same time, Bellon sees Schaeffler's strength in the combination of different competencies. With the integration of Vitesco Technologies, the company can view mechanical components, engine management, electronics, transmission control, and electrified drives more as a cohesive system. The future should not be built on ever more individual components but on solutions where multiple functions work more closely together.

For Bellon, this is also what distinguishes Schaeffler from a mere parts supplier. Schaeffler doesn't want to wait for specific orders but rather collaborate with manufacturers to determine what technology future motorcycles need and how it can be made affordable for mass production.

After discussions and test rides, the 1000PS editorial team draws a clear conclusion: The future of motorcycles will not be defined by a single type of drive. Combustion engines will accompany us for a long time, electric drives will gain prominence especially in urban areas, and hybrid solutions could bridge both worlds.

Schaeffler's approach of viewing the engine, transmission, and electronics more as an integrated system appears particularly interesting. However, which concepts ultimately combine riding pleasure, practicality, and a reasonable price will not be decided in the lab, but on the road.