Why defanging an engine is a financial nightmare

"Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura" (sundowne36) 09/12/2013 at 13:49 • Filed to: Two Wheels Bad, Honda, Honda Fireblade, Honda Hornet

0

2

So, not too long ago, I !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (and yes, the Burgman 400 SM special is going up for sale) because I wanted

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

A: An actual Motorcycle

B: Something spirited from Honda

Now, I got A, which was a good thing but B?

Now, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that what you're actually getting is a detuned, fuel-injected version of the CBR919 Fireblade mounted on what would essentially be a UJM chassis. It didn't help matters when in 2004, you never had adjustable suspension (cured in the later years) and at $7999, it wasn't even cheap. Sure, it came with a flat color when it rolled out and it was more ergonomic for people who had freakishly long legs and arms. But why offer something that, when it's supposed to be better than the spiritual predecessor, offer up something that's trumped-down and wedgied below the Fireblade?

However, it does feel nice and being a UJM, it also has its fun set up in the twisties. And with a 6-speed along with a feasible clutch, what you're actually getting is a bit of a compromise, but Honda, remember, if you're going to detune something, better make it special otherwise you're gonna have a bad time.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 09/12/2013 at 13:57

0

Honda Motorcycles are dead to me until they pull their heads out.

I had a Honda Hawk GT NT650, and loved it. It was WAY before it's time.

But they killed it. They languished the Superhawk. They didn't improve the VFR much after the mid-90s.

It was all CBR, off-road, and metric cruiser... and Gold Wing.

They let Ducati Monster and SV650 eat their lunch.

Honda 599 and 919 was interesting, until you saw how basic the chassis and suspension was, how detuned the engine was, (when FZ1, Bandit, and others were sharper) and yet the price was higher than the competition.

The final nail in the coffin for me was that they showed the NAS1000 concept... and didn't build it, or any successor to the Superhawk

That said, I do quite like the updated Honda Hornet, that came out after the 599 and 919 were cancelled for the US market... (like all of Honda's attempts. If it doesn't take off like a rocket, don't fix it, cancel it.)

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 09/12/2013 at 14:07

0

The problem I find with the SV650 and the FZ1 is that; it's just way too ballistic. Hell, the SV's engine was unforgiving and that clutchwork had to be precise to a T (somewhat responsible for Suzuki to euthanize the SV.) And the FZ1 was no better than the 2JZ with a single turbo: Lag, Lag, Lag, Lag, Lag, BAM! Torque was just too high on the rev range.