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mj · 09-21-2001, 04:06 PM

I'm very disappointed in Honda ! I was really hoping that they would bring out a street fighter based on the superhawk motor, not a buzzy 4 cyl.

But even worse is Honda not bringing out a superhawk jr. ( 650 cc ) to compete with all of the sv 650's on the racetrack. Come on Honda wake up. The old hawk 650's are getting a little tired. Besides, we already have way too many cruiser models in this country. MAYBE NEXT YEAR !!!

starvingstudent · 09-21-2001, 04:24 PM

A Superhawk 650 would rule. And the better fuel efficiency of a 650 would mean that it could go more than 90 miles between fuel-ups...

But if Honda won't compete with the SV, somebody will. The Korean company Hyosung recently released pictures of a 600cc V-twin that looks a LOT like a cross between a GS500 and SV650.

minime · 09-21-2001, 04:42 PM

Our man, Yossef Schvetz, is at the Milan show and is putting together a number of features on new models on display there. Of course, this new Korean twin will be fearured, with a riding impression as soon as a production model becomes available.

Dual__Exhaust · 09-21-2001, 04:47 PM

It's all old news by now. Keeping the VFR an 800 is great especially with the power, the range, and the silent (really?) cam chains. Love the pipes, love that VTEC, love the hole in the nose, love the family resemblance, love the name.

The turbo off the PWC needs to make it back to the street and complete the CBRXX, along with some metallic chrome, slightly green paint - mix the paints from the new chrome R1 and the current green ZX12. [b] Make the XX's displacement OFFENSIVELY BIG, 1/4 mile in the 8's, and call it a day...in history.

mcho · 09-21-2001, 05:11 PM

I was hoping for the Varadero but I guess I will have to look at the new Suzuki. We just don't count in the USA.

vcs700s · 09-21-2001, 05:14 PM

The models you picked out were the ones I was really impressed with also. If I were to purchase a touring bike next summer I would look at the ST1300 first. I checked it out on Honda's website. Incredible!

reinerka · 09-21-2001, 05:26 PM

Honda has done some great work bringing the ST again on top of the BMW R1150RT. However it's dissapointing that it'll take till next summer to be able to look at the bike first hand and not even give a price for the beast to the public.

However the bad thing is that in Europe people are getting a lot of other goodies from Honda (Varadero, Deauville) that Honda is neglegting for the US Market.

As well the Silverwing is a shock. Couldn't they have come up with a more decent name for that? What does this thing have in common with a Wing apart it's name. I feel that with the movement of the GoldWing so much up there was enough space to introduce a smaller pure touring bike as a Sivlerwing again.

Honda is doing good things. They just need to be a little bit more carefull not outdoing themselfs. Once the market for the Cruisers is digging, Honda and all others that "just ride the wave" will have trouble. It would have been a good sign for them showing that they think ahead. So far they've not proven anything in that area.

starvingstudent · 09-21-2001, 05:31 PM

Thanks, Minime. Is there any discussion of us seeing Hyosung expand into North America? I'd love them stick a candle under the butt of the Japanese four so that they'll quit ignoring the lightweight do-it-all market.

desertbilly · 09-21-2001, 05:31 PM

I've been waiting for the ST1100 replacement for a while, and couldn't be happier with the ST1300 -- unless of course it was available now for $500 less than the old model. But I can wait 9 to 12 months for one. That will give Honda a chance to shake the bugs out of the new design; and, hopefully, a chance for the stock market and consumer confidence to recover a little bit.

I think the sleeper is the 919. I had no interest in it until I saw it. But now I think it's combination of performance, simplicity, capability and value could be a great bike for many years. It looks like it will have less power than the FZ-1, but also less questionable plastic and about 30 pounds less weight. Of course, it's not intended to be a track bike, but an all-around, fun street bike, that can handle anything, and do it very quickly, for not much money. Sort of a big brother to the SV650 concept.

I wonder if the 919 might be a problem for the Monster. I know there are obvious differences in the engine and the 'panache' of the make, but it seems to me like it will do everything a MonsterS4 will do, probably faster, definitely more reliably, and for $4,500 less. Does this sound like a Comparo?

Maybe Suzuki has something up it's sleeve, but the new model introductions for Kawi were pretty underwhelming. The FJR1300 will be nice if Yamaha brings it over. It's obviously a big year for HD with the V-Rod. But I'd say Honda has done a great job with this new crop.

starvingstudent · 09-21-2001, 05:40 PM

What do I think of the new breed? Perfect, if you're looking for something with the word "sport" and "tourer" in the name, or if you want to drop $9-12,000 and get a 110-150hp machine.

But FREAKIN' LAME if you like cheap do-it-all bikes. I mean, has Honda touched that market since their last incarnation of the Nighthawk in like 1994? I see NO Hornet 600, NO Hawk GT, NO Superhawk Jr. Nowadays Honda only seems to care about the "flagship" bikes--Goldwings, VTXs, STs, VFRs, RC51s. Oh yeah, we get a new CBR600 every two years that's .01% faster than the last one. But I see NOTHING for those of us who have $6000 and want to get something comfortable and agile that does it all.

Guess I'll just go to Suzuki, and have my choice of SV650, SV650S, and Bandit 600S (and GS500 for good measure). I love Hondas, but I hate their model lineup.

09-21-2001, 04:06 PM	#1
mj Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 21	Re: Year 2002 Honda reader feedback I'm very disappointed in Honda ! I was really hoping that they would bring out a street fighter based on the superhawk motor, not a buzzy 4 cyl. But even worse is Honda not bringing out a superhawk jr. ( 650 cc ) to compete with all of the sv 650's on the racetrack. Come on Honda wake up. The old hawk 650's are getting a little tired. Besides, we already have way too many cruiser models in this country. MAYBE NEXT YEAR !!!

09-21-2001, 04:24 PM	#2
starvingstudent Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 486	Competition with SV650 A Superhawk 650 would rule. And the better fuel efficiency of a 650 would mean that it could go more than 90 miles between fuel-ups... But if Honda won't compete with the SV, somebody will. The Korean company Hyosung recently released pictures of a 600cc V-twin that looks a LOT like a cross between a GS500 and SV650.

09-21-2001, 04:42 PM	#3
minime Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 334	Re: Competition with SV650 Our man, Yossef Schvetz, is at the Milan show and is putting together a number of features on new models on display there. Of course, this new Korean twin will be fearured, with a riding impression as soon as a production model becomes available.

09-21-2001, 04:47 PM	#4
Dual__Exhaust Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 22	Re: Year 2002 Honda reader feedback It's all old news by now. Keeping the VFR an 800 is great especially with the power, the range, and the silent (really?) cam chains. Love the pipes, love that VTEC, love the hole in the nose, love the family resemblance, love the name. The turbo off the PWC needs to make it back to the street and complete the CBRXX, along with some metallic chrome, slightly green paint - mix the paints from the new chrome R1 and the current green ZX12. [b] Make the XX's displacement OFFENSIVELY BIG, 1/4 mile in the 8's, and call it a day...in history.

09-21-2001, 05:11 PM	#5
mcho Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 17	Re: Year 2002 Honda reader feedback I was hoping for the Varadero but I guess I will have to look at the new Suzuki. We just don't count in the USA.

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09-21-2001, 05:14 PM	#6
vcs700s Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 59	Re: Year 2002 Honda reader feedback The models you picked out were the ones I was really impressed with also. If I were to purchase a touring bike next summer I would look at the ST1300 first. I checked it out on Honda's website. Incredible!

09-21-2001, 05:26 PM	#7
reinerka Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 6	Re: Year 2002 Honda reader feedback Honda has done some great work bringing the ST again on top of the BMW R1150RT. However it's dissapointing that it'll take till next summer to be able to look at the bike first hand and not even give a price for the beast to the public. However the bad thing is that in Europe people are getting a lot of other goodies from Honda (Varadero, Deauville) that Honda is neglegting for the US Market. As well the Silverwing is a shock. Couldn't they have come up with a more decent name for that? What does this thing have in common with a Wing apart it's name. I feel that with the movement of the GoldWing so much up there was enough space to introduce a smaller pure touring bike as a Sivlerwing again. Honda is doing good things. They just need to be a little bit more carefull not outdoing themselfs. Once the market for the Cruisers is digging, Honda and all others that "just ride the wave" will have trouble. It would have been a good sign for them showing that they think ahead. So far they've not proven anything in that area.

09-21-2001, 05:31 PM	#8
starvingstudent Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 486	Re: Competition with SV650 Thanks, Minime. Is there any discussion of us seeing Hyosung expand into North America? I'd love them stick a candle under the butt of the Japanese four so that they'll quit ignoring the lightweight do-it-all market.

09-21-2001, 05:31 PM	#9
desertbilly Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 133	I'm impressed I've been waiting for the ST1100 replacement for a while, and couldn't be happier with the ST1300 -- unless of course it was available now for $500 less than the old model. But I can wait 9 to 12 months for one. That will give Honda a chance to shake the bugs out of the new design; and, hopefully, a chance for the stock market and consumer confidence to recover a little bit. I think the sleeper is the 919. I had no interest in it until I saw it. But now I think it's combination of performance, simplicity, capability and value could be a great bike for many years. It looks like it will have less power than the FZ-1, but also less questionable plastic and about 30 pounds less weight. Of course, it's not intended to be a track bike, but an all-around, fun street bike, that can handle anything, and do it very quickly, for not much money. Sort of a big brother to the SV650 concept. I wonder if the 919 might be a problem for the Monster. I know there are obvious differences in the engine and the 'panache' of the make, but it seems to me like it will do everything a MonsterS4 will do, probably faster, definitely more reliably, and for $4,500 less. Does this sound like a Comparo? Maybe Suzuki has something up it's sleeve, but the new model introductions for Kawi were pretty underwhelming. The FJR1300 will be nice if Yamaha brings it over. It's obviously a big year for HD with the V-Rod. But I'd say Honda has done a great job with this new crop.

09-21-2001, 05:40 PM	#10
starvingstudent Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 486	HONDA NEEDS SMALLER DO-IT-ALL BIKES What do I think of the new breed? Perfect, if you're looking for something with the word "sport" and "tourer" in the name, or if you want to drop $9-12,000 and get a 110-150hp machine. But FREAKIN' LAME if you like cheap do-it-all bikes. I mean, has Honda touched that market since their last incarnation of the Nighthawk in like 1994? I see NO Hornet 600, NO Hawk GT, NO Superhawk Jr. Nowadays Honda only seems to care about the "flagship" bikes--Goldwings, VTXs, STs, VFRs, RC51s. Oh yeah, we get a new CBR600 every two years that's .01% faster than the last one. But I see NOTHING for those of us who have $6000 and want to get something comfortable and agile that does it all. Guess I'll just go to Suzuki, and have my choice of SV650, SV650S, and Bandit 600S (and GS500 for good measure). I love Hondas, but I hate their model lineup.