New Bikes - Honda 2013

New Bikes

Honda 2013

O MISTAKE ABOUT it, Honda is coming out swinging in 2013, as Big Red has pulled the wraps off no less than six new street machines. Two of them, the retro-styled CB1100 and Gold Wing F6B “bagger,” are flagship models that address some of the hottest trends in motorcycling today, while a trio of all-new 500cc models, the CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X, fill gaps in Honda’s lineup while offering substantial bang for the buck. Last but not least, Honda has unleashed a revised CBR600RR on the middleweight supersport ranks. Just before the CB1100 was unveiled to the US press, MCN was one of a select few media outlets to receive a special invitation to ride it—for all of one hour—near the company’s Torrance, California, headquarters. Naturally, we jumped at the chance.

The CB’s midrange and top-end power are equally silky, although it isn’t a high-rpm screamer. But that’s okay because the transmission is geared to take advantage of the CB’s torque anyway. Cruising along with the tach needle hovering around 3000 rpm is pure bliss, with plenty of power on tap if you want to up the pace. The only glitch I noticed is that the engine generates significant buzz through the handlebars between 4000–6000 rpm, although it instantly returns to silky smoothness from 6000 rpm to redline. Short shift it and cruise, or wind it up for spirited canyon carving, but stay out of the mid-range. The CB’s chassis can certainly keep pace with the best retro rides on the market today. Its steel, double-cradle chassis was a hallmark design in motorcycling for nearly 25 years, and the CB’s updated version delivers a familiar feel but with crisper, more modern handling. A low CofG and light steering with excellent road feedback allow you to drive it much harder into the turns than you might think, and the CB is willing and able to transition easily from side-to-side through tight turns. Honda claims a curb weight of 536.8 lbs. for the CB—a whopping 44.8 lbs. more than a Triumph Bonneville—but I’m not sure where they’re hiding all that excess poundage, as it certainly doesn’t feel that heavy. Suspension chores are handled by a preload-adjustable 41mm conventional telescopic fork and a pair of preload-adjustable shocks, and both ends deliver as plush a ride as most people would ever need, although aggressive riding reveals a slight lack of rebound damping out back. No criticism is due the CB’s brakes, however. Its dual front 296mm discs, bolted directly to the CB’s spokes to reduce unsprung weight, are clamped by four-piston calipers. Their power, feel and modulation are excellent, and the same can be said for the CB’s 256mm rear disc. If the CB’s classic looks aren’t enough, its comfy ergonomics should keep its owners happy for many miles. Its upright riding position and flat seat remind me of the Bonneville again, a machine that Honda clearly has in its crosshairs. There’s no wind protection here, so if you decide to go with an open-face helmet, you’ll likely rediscover the taste of bugs in your teeth. And just like the Bonneville, the CB’s retro styling looks great as-is, but the bike also provides a veritable blank canvas that begs for customization. We’ve already dreamed up wire-spoke-wheeled clubman and café racer-styled versions of the CB1100 for ourselves. The CB1100 hits dealerships in March.

First Ride—CB1100, $9999/$10,999 (ABS)

Gold Wing F6B, $19,999/$20,999 (Deluxe)

The CB1100, which has been available for sale in Japan since 2010, was actually dreamed up by a group of younger engineers at the company. Typical of “bike guys” who appreciate machines from eras long before their own, these hipsters spent a lot of late nights hanging out and bench racing about how a definitive Honda retro classic should look and function. That chatter turned into sketches, sketches into prototypes. What they came up with is a gorgeous retro bike that channels CB models from the 1970s and ‘80s. But does its performance match its good looks? Thumb the starter button, and the CB1100’s DOHC PGM-FI, fuel-injected 1140cc air/oil-cooled inline four fires up readily and settles into a silky idle, mellow exhaust notes humming from its chrome 4-into-1 exhaust with virtually no vibration detectable at the handlebar. I have to admit, this polite introduction led me to the mistaken belief that the CB1100 was going to be boring to ride, but after clicking its buttery-smooth 5-speed into first gear, letting out its silky clutch and grabbing a fistful of throttle, an authoritative rush of torque had the CB’s 18" X-spoke cast aluminum front wheel skimming the ground. It’s no brute, but just the same, neighborhood bullies would be well advised to steer clear of the CB at the stoplight drags—they might get an unpleasant surprise.

Honda officials are reluctant to call the F6B a bagger, although one look at its bad-boy styling cues clarifies its intent. A custom bagger done Honda’s way, the F6B is essentially a stripped-down version of the quintessential touring platform, the Gold Wing. That means the F6B utilizes the Wing’s fuel-injected, 1832cc horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine, twin-spar aluminum frame, ABS and sophisticated suspension system, which incorporates a hydraulic anti-dive circuit to resist fork compression when braking. The Gold Wing’s large-capacity saddlebags and premium audio system are also retained. But what a difference styling makes. Removing the rear trunk, chopping the windshield, adding a gunfighter-style seat and “blacking out” the motor, wheels and chassis gives the F6B a long, low and decidedly tough look that should appeal to custom bike fans, who, like us, probably never realized that a Gold Wing could project such an image. Of course, those who like the basic stance of the F6B but would appreciate a better-equipped version can opt for the F6B Deluxe, which adds a passenger backrest, centerstand, self-canceling turn signals and heated grips. Both the F6B and F6B Deluxe are available in black/black and red/black paint schemes. Either way, you’ll have to wait until February to get one.

SCOTT ROUSSEAU

A Retro, a Bagger, and more bang for the buck

▲ CB1100

by Scott Rousseau

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MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS

The standard CBR500R is available in Black, Pearl White/ Blue/Red or Red, but its ABS version is available in Red only. The standard CB500F is available in Black or Pearl White, with the ABS version available in Black only. Both will hit US shores in April. The standard and ABS versions of the CB500X will be available in Matte Black Metallic, but if you want one, you’ll have to be patient; neither version is scheduled to arrive in US dealerships until July 2013.

CBR600RR $13,800/$14,800 (C-ABS) ▲ GOLD

WING F6B

CBR500R, $5999/$6499 (ABS); CB500F, $5499/$5999 (ABS); CB500X, $TBD

The one constant in the supersport category is that nothing stays the same for long, and Honda’s critically acclaimed CBR600RR has received major revisions in an effort to dominate the middleweight supersport ranks. Updates to the RR’s 599cc liquidcooled inline four-cylinder engine are minimal yet significant. They include a redesigned, centrally located ram-air intake system and altered ECU and PGM-DSFI settings with the goal of boosting mid-range power and improving throttle response at high rpm. More attention has been paid to the CBR’s suspension, which benefits from the switch to a new 41mm Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF). The theory behind BPF technology is that its larger damper piston generates damping forces at lower internal pressures to allow for smoother, more responsive fork action. Naturally, the fork is fully adjustable. Out back, the CBR600RR’s Unit Pro-Link rear suspension gets a revised shock with new damping settings intended to improve its overall performance. Perhaps the most striking change lies in the RR’s new bodywork, which has benefitted from knowledge that Honda engineers have gained from the company’s MotoGP racing activities. The net

After stunning rival Kawasaki with the introduction of its CBR250R lightweight single sportbike in 2011, Honda appeared set to take one on the chin when Kawasaki responded with the Ninja 300, or so we thought. Instead, Honda is countering with a triple whammy in the form of three new middleweight twins, all of which slot nicely in between the Ninja 300 and the Ninja 650. And with three distinctive styling options wrapped around the same all-new parallel twin engine, beginners and returning riders suddenly have a lot more intriguing choices on which to spend their hard-earned bucks. The CBR500R and CB500F should appeal to value-minded sportbike fans, while fans of adventure-tourer styling and riders seeking more comfort and versatility will probably gravitate toward the CB500X. All three machines pack the same all-new 180°, liquidcooled DOHC parallel twin. Its specs include a very square 67.0mm x 66.8mm bore and stroke, a 10.7:1 compression ratio, four-valve heads incorporating lightweight rocker-arms to actuate the valves (much like the CRF250F), Honda’s Programmed Fuel Injection (PGMFI) and a gear-driven engine counterbalancer to reduce engine vibration. The engine also uses preloaded, scissortype gears for both the primary drive and engine counterbalancer gears to help reduce mechanical noise. All three share a common diamond-shaped chassis made of 35mm steel tubing. The CBR500R’s is cloaked in a full fairing that owes much of its style to ▲ CBR500R ▲ CB500F ▲ CB500X Honda’s race-winning CBR600RR and CBR1000RR sportbikes, while the CB500F’s naked styling positions the rider more upright and out in the open. Eerily similar in result is aerodynamic improvements that, according to Honda, styling to Honda’s NC700X, the CB500X’s appointments include add up to a 6.5% decrease in drag over the previous RR and cona roomy cockpit layout, a compact windscreen that can be adjusted tribute to the new model’s more agile handling and better wind proto varying heights and a larger-capacity fuel tank. tection for the rider. In turn, some of the improvements made to A Pro-Link single-shock rear suspension system supports all the new RR bodywork throughout the R&D process have been three machines at the back, while a 41mm conventional tele- translated back into the factory’s RC213V MotoGP machine. scopic fork tames the bumps up front, the only noteworthy difHonda is offering the CBR600RR in Repsol Edition racing colference being that the CB500X fork offers 4.9" of suspension ors in addition to Red and the Honda Racing White/Blue/Red travel, .6" more than the sportbikes. Cast-aluminum, 17" wheels, graphic scheme. The C-ABS model is available in Red only. 320mm wave-style front disc brakes and a 240mm rear disc complete the rolling stock. For riders seeking that extra margin of Final Thoughts safety, Honda will offer ABS versions of Normally the most conservative of the all three models. Japanese manufacturers, Honda is clearly Short-inseamed riders and beginners, returning to a level of aggression not wittake heart, the CBR500R and CB500F nessed in recent years. Its 2013 lineup is share a relatively low 30.9" seat height, proof, and if none of these models while the CB500X’s is only 31.9". The appeal to you, company officials instrumentation on all three machines claim there are more new products offers the same features, including a scheduled for release in the near speedometer, tachometer, odometer, dual future. Bad news for the competitripmeters, fuel gauge, clock, plus current tion, but really good news for motor▲ CBR600RR and average fuel consumption rates. cycle consumers everywhere. Visit us at WWW.MCNEWS.COM

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