Dahon Speed D7: Dr. David Hon and His Dahon Folding Bike

During the “Space Race” of the 1970’s when the SoCal aerospace industry was in full swing, Dr. David Hon was a leader in the field of laser technology. After receiving his Ph.D. in physics from USC he was recruited by Hughes Aircraft, where he worked on many of the breakthroughs in the laser systems used in missile guidance and anti-aircraft guns.

After three years developing weapons, and recognizing the growing oil crisis, he decided to spend his time and energy on something that would benefit rather than harm his fellow human beings. Reflecting on his college days when he was dependent on the bicycle for transportation, he had the idea for a folding bicycle. Such a vehicle would remove barriers that keep people from adopting the bicycle as transportation, and provide portability, versatility and accessibility.

Dr. Hon’s engineering knowledge and experience led to the development of a folding bicycle. Since its creation 40 years ago, the design has been patented seven times and received numerous awards and acclamations. ($529, dahon.com)