Wednesday, June 12, 2013
2013 Honda CB1100 first ride
The 2013 Honda CB1100's looks are a perfect mixture of old school and modern street bike styling features. As far as modern performance goes the list simply goes on and on. Starting with the CB’s fueling, the steed uses a programmed fuel injection system, continuously monitoring variables in order for the proper fuel mixture to be delivered in different conditions. An adjustable preload fork takes care of suspension duties up front while classic dual-rear shocks handle business on the rear. Lastly a vintage looking four-to-one all chrome exhaust system offers up a trick deep-rooted look while also aiding in function and performance.
Honda recently invited MotoUSA out for a secret test on the 2013 CB prior to its official unveiling. We were able to get a quick hour’s riding time aboard the vintage-looking stallion to get familiarized with it. Although it's before my time, I had virtually traveled back to the ‘80s thanks to timeless styling cues. From its standard fork, dual rear shocks, dual color black and silver wheels, to its air cooled engine all wrapped up in a candy red paint job, the CB really gives off some old school vibes.
As we hopped aboard the reborn Universal Japanese Motorcycle the first thing that comes to mind is the comfort factor. The wide and oh-so-soft seat feels as if Honda installed a couch cushion atop the motorcycle. As we rode it became apparent that the bike could perhaps be ridden for a long period of time without the worry of an aching backside, but a clear statement could only be made with a true extensive ride. The bars sit in a great position with a praiseworthy bend which further facilitate ease of operation.
We couldnt believe how perfect the brakes work with the CB. Stopping is smooth and easy even from high speeds.
An all-new 1140cc air-cooled engine powers the 2013 Honda CB1100.
Its foot pegs and levers are placed in proper context with the rest of the bike's rider friendly features. The wide, tall mirrors provide great rear viewing but are not practical for lane splitting by any means.
The bike is powered by a new 1140cc air-cooled DOHC engine, although the word engine could be replaced by “torque machine.” The bike exhibits exceptional amounts of torque yet carries a smooth powerband making it fun and easy to ride for most skill levels. The brushed side cases carry that old school look yet again while at the same time maintaining the eye candy factor.
Honda aims to bring back an old classic but with a new twist in the form of the 2013 CB1100. While many standard bikes these days incorporate under-sprung suspension for our likings, the 2013 CB1100 suspension department integrated a well sprung front fork and dual rear shocks. Damping of the suspension scored major kudos for working nicely all the way through the stroke. From fast rough roads to speed bumps and pot holes, the suspension handled every element we threw at it without a fuss. Handling characteristics are a dream. The standard riding position aids in helping the bike to be very rider friendly and easy to ride.
The braking package on the latest CB is a dream. Up front a set of 296mm discs paired with a powerful four-piston caliper provide excellent stopping power. At the rear a 256mm disc brake handles the business. While it may not be a big 320mm set of discs we see on full size sport bikes, the smaller discs provided plenty of power for getting this old school mount stopped on a dime. An ABS model will be available for an added $1000 ($10,999).
Overall, the 2013 Honda CB1100 is one cool bike. In the same vein as all the café bikes, street trackers, and custom street machines we see prowling the roads, the CB provides an open canvas for consumers to transform into anything they can imagine. With its $9999 price tag, the 2013 Honda CB1100 offers a little something for everyone with its timeless good looks and modern performance.
Monday, June 10, 2013
2012 Honda NC700X first ride
Aivan liian usein termejä kuten "ainutlaatuinen", "vallankumous" ja "peli muuttuu" ovat työntövoima moottoripyörä maailman kuvaamaan uusin ja suurin markkinointi velhot vastuussa tarttumalla huomiota. Se on aina suora hyökkäys ostajien kanssa enemmän ja paremmin ja nopeammin. Tämä on vuosittain ajan olemme tulleet odottavat uudet mallit käyttöön ja mainostetut kuin seuraavalle tasolle. Olemme tottuneet odottaa enemmän hevosvoimia ja lisää äärimmäisen suorituskyky kaksi pyörillä koneemme. Mutta mitä uutta tai kokematon rider? Valitettavasti monet voi luopua, ennen kuin ne alkavat, turhautunut oppiminen ohjata moottoripyörän koordinoitua tanssia että on tullut toinen luonto kokenut ratsastajia. Honda on sen tunnustanut ja vastauksen 2012-NC700X.Mutta tässä on paljon-Honda tietää, että NC700X on hauskaa, kun ratsastajan taidot kasvavat ja on edelleen houkutella niitä, jotka ovat vuoden ajan vyötään. Uusi rider tarvitsee ja mitä kokenut ratsastaja haluaa ovat useimmat tarkoituksiin planeetoilta. Aloittelija tarvitsee jotain, joka on helppo hallita luotsipalvelujen kaksi pyörillä signaalien aptitude ei voida hyödyntää, mutta kokeneille ratsastajille haluta kone, joka toimittaa että adrenaliini fiksoida kysyttäessä. Jokainen haluaa polttoainetalouden. Tämä on the Cliff Notes Hondan NC700X käsite. Niin Honda osuma merkki? Me osuma tien Ventura County selvittää vuorilla.
Lähes kaikilla osa NC700X on epätavallinen, mutta tämä seikkailu pyörä tyylistä kone sydän on erilainen kuin mitä Honda on tarjonnut tähän mennessä moottoripyörän ainakin. 670Cc samanaikaisesti Twin säädetään eteenpäin 62 astetta ja pitkään iskutilavuuteen sisustus 80mm iskulla ja 73mm sisähalkaisija. Tämä antaa NC: n voimala lineaarinen vielä vääntömomentin moottorin luonteen. Saadakseen tehokkuutta männät ovat matala-fiction pinnoite ja valvetrain on kevyt alumiini-roller-keinuvivut. Yksi 36mm kaasuläpän kehon metriä pois Liekkikaasu ilma seosta suoraan läpi downdraft tyyli saanti ruoansulatuskanavan väitti 64 mpg. Lähestyy skootteri polttoaineen talouden alueella.
Honda tarjoaa kaksi siirto konfiguraatioita NC700X, standardi kuusivaihteinen ja seuraavan sukupolven Dual kytkin automaattivaihteisto. DCT käyttää kaksi hydraulisesti Ohjattu kytkimet, että saat siirtäminen kahden kuvaustavan, Urheilu-tilassa tai ratsastajat voivat siirtyä kautta vaihdetta kautta melat vasemmassa reunassa sans kytkin. Tämä
uuden sukupolven "oppii" sallimalla ECUN havaitsemaan ajo-olosuhteissa Automaattinen tapa ja Räätälöi vaihto-pisteitä, jotka sopivat ratsastajat Ratsastus tyyli. Ratsastajat pulittaa $6,999 kuuden nopeus ja $8,999 DCT-malli. Suuri ero hinnan muista mutta Honda heittää yhdessä ABS, että ylimääräiset kaksi Grand.Runko on epäsovinnainen kuin moottorin suunnittelu ja DCT siirto kompakti teräsrunko, joka kiertyy moottorin kapea poikkileikkaus. Lihaksikas seikkailu tyylistä sisäpuolisiin ilman NC700X luultaisiin helppo skootteri. Pieni profiloidut rakenne mahdollistaa massiivisen 21 litran säilytysosaston jossa säiliö yleensä olisi, kun 3,7-litran teräs polttoainesäiliö asuu istuimen alle. 41 Mm etuhaarukka on 5,4 tuumaa matka, ja takana on 5,9 tuumaa kulkevat Pro-link varustetut takahaarukka.
Svengaava jalka NC700X löytää melko pienikokoinen ohjaamo. Vaikka istuimen korkeus on 32,7 tuumaa tuntuu pienempi ja useimmat ratsastajat pitäisi pystyä löytämään maanpinnan molemmat jalat. Istuin on tiukka ja ohut – mutta kapea kuten dual sport-istuin. Uninen baareja päästä tuntuu aivan oikeassa, kun istuin footpeg suhde on tiukka minun 5'10 "runko ja voi saada epämukavaksi, jos ylittää 6-jalka-merkki.
Honda oli kuuden-nopeus- ja DCT varustettuja malleja kädessä meille näyte. Hyppäsin ensin saada tuntumaa järjestelmän koska minulla on ollut vain muutaman stints on varustettu ensimmäisen sukupolven samaa tekniikkaa VFR DCT-peliin. Ensin on vähän ärsyttävä, ei ole kytkin tai siirtää vipu vasemmalla puolella pyörä, mutta voit nopeasti muuttaa. Hetkessä nautit pitkäiskuinen mill vääntömomentin merkin auto tranny samoin sinulle ajattelua. Säännöllinen kuvaustavan power-merkki ei ole paljon kirjoittaa kotiin noin nopeus-freak näkökulmasta, mutta se saa työtä tehdä silkkisen sileä tavalla. Tässä tilassa on kyse polttoainetaloutta, koska se siirtyy aikaisin ja pitää kierrosluku alhainen.
Peukalon asennettu kytkin Baari oikeus Urheilu-tilassa, ja siirtyy kiinteyttää koskaan niin hieman. Moottori saa myös rev edelleen ennen kuin seuraava vaihde valitaan automaattisesti.Manuaalinen avulla voit määrittää, kun nappaat seuraava vaihde purista käynnistää sormella vaihtaa, mutta nopeasti! Rajoitin potkuja 6500 RPM, ja jos olet tottunut vääntämistä on pyörä kaulan saada että kiire, löydät että rajoitin usein. Säädä vaihto-pisteitä, ja liha vallan oikeassa noin 4500-5000 revs, ja kiihtyvyys on odotettua parempi.
Standardi vaihteisto on, No, standard. Muutokset ovat Honda, luotettava ja vankka, aivan kuten voit odottaa. Ainoa moite se kytkin vipu tavoittaa voisi venyttää pienempi käsissä.
Kun moottorin suorituskykyä ei pidä kokeneille ratsastajille huomiota pitkään, matala painopiste ja hyvin lajiteltu alusta näytetään. Ohjaus on kevyt ja lähes likaa bike-ish. Ajatelkaa kääntämällä ja olet. NC700X kuuluu nurkassa kevyin input-kun se omistaa linja malttia, että et odottaa pyörä, joka on kehys, joka muistuttaa skootteri.
Ainoastaan road puutteita tasapainoa keskeyttäminen. Tiukempi tien hauskempaa NC saa, varsinkin kun oppii käyttämään pyörän vauhtia kuin hevosvoimaa ulos kulmat.
Kun on aika hidas NC700X roll jarrut eivät niin tähtien käsittely ja täytyy olla varovainen, ettei tule liian kuuma. Vastaus on ennakoitavalla mutta voimaa voisi olla parempi niille, jotka haluavat divebomb kulmat. Aloittelijoille tarttumalla kourallinen oikea vipu ei ole täydellinen katastrofi ja yhdistetyn ABS DCT-malli pitää Viimeisin epäkohtelias jarrutusten suorastaan siviili.
Olen todella vaikuttunut kanssa 2012 Honda NC700X, mutta ei tavallista syistä. Olen vaikuttunut Hondan kyky luoda pyörä, joka on yksi, jos ei kaikkein ystävällinen aloittelija laite markkinoilla. Mutta se voi yhtä aikaa rider siellä. Se näyttää siistiltä, on kätevät säilytystilat, ilahduttavaa alustan ja käyttäjäystävällinen moottorin; Uusi ratsastaja voi vaatia paljon enemmän. Minulle tämä "ainutlaatuinen" pyörä ei ehkä täysin "vallankumouksellinen", mutta mielestäni se voisi olla hyvin "peli muuttuu" moottoripyörä.
2012 Honda NC700X kuva Gallery2012 Honda-NC700X tekniset tiedot
moottori: nestejäähdytteinen 670cc Parallel-TwinJa aivohalvaus: 73.0 x 80.0 mm
Puristussuhde: 10.7:1
Polttoaineen toimitus: PGM-FI: n, 36mm kaasuläpän kehon
Kytkin: Märkä, monilevyisen tai hydraulinen kahden kytkimen
Siirto: Kuuden-nopeus
Final Drive: Ketju
Runko: Teräs
Etujousitus: 41 mm Teleskooppihaarukka 5.4 in. Matkailu
Takajousitus: Pro-Link, 5,9 in. Matkailu
Jarrut edessä: 320 mm yhden levyn hengen mäntämoottori paksuus / 320 mm yhden levyn 3-mäntämoottori paksuus ja yhdessä ABS (DCT malli)
Takajarru: 220 mm levy yksi mäntämoottori paksuus / 220 mm levy yksi mäntämoottori paksuus yhdistetyn ABS (DCT malli)
Omamassa: 474 kg/505 kg (DCT malli)
Akseliväli: 60.6 in.
Rake: 27,0 aspektista Trail: 4,3 in.
Istuinkorkeus: 32,7 in.
Polttoainesäiliön tilavuus: 3.7 gal.
Suositushinta: $6,999 / $8,999 (DCT malli)
Värit: Kevyt hopea metalliväri
Takuu: Vuosi
Sunday, June 9, 2013
2013 Honda Gold Wing F6B first ride
In its effort to liven up the look and expose the Wing to a wider demographic, Honda began by lopping off the plush passenger accommodations and topcase, replacing them with a standard pillion pad, black aluminum grab rails, and dual hard locking saddlebags integrated into one cohesive tail section. The wide front cowling sports a more aggressive look, anchored by the shorty windscreen sandwiched between revamped mirrors, basically the units from the Wing flipped upside down. The view from the side showcases an attractive triple louver design while the panels are skinnier. The exhaust cover is also smaller which allows a hint of chrome from the pipes to peak out beneath the horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine. At the far end of those pipes rests re-designed exhaust tips. Honda also swapped out seats, the new Gunfighter saddle shorter, thinner, and at 28.5 inches, a half-inch lower than the one found on the Wing. And while its engine remains virtually unchanged, Honda eliminated the reverse gear that comes standard on the Gold Wing. The combination of losing the topcase, dropping the extra gear, and ditching a few options like cruise control and its wiring resulted in trimming 62 pounds from the GL1800. It also lowered its center of gravity. Throw in a blacked-out color scheme and the 2013 F6B has its own sporting long and low identity.
Honda intends to change the perception of its Gold Wing and hopes its sporty new 2013 F6B is the vessel to do it.
Roll on the accelerator and the Honda F6B will straight up get it as it surges off the line, a wave of torque smoothly delivered by its 1832cc engine.The F6B has a look that’s both familiar and unique, but climb into its saddle and the differences are immediately recognizable. The bike feels lower and narrower. Riders can snug up closer to the tank thanks to the slimmer seat, pressure points have shifted in the lower back and situating two feet flatly on the ground is a cinch for my six-foot-tall frame. Even though the bike still has a claimed curb weight of 842 pounds, it doesn’t feel like it thanks to a center of gravity that has shifted slightly forward and down on the bike. Without having to look through a tall windscreen and not having the heft of the passenger backrest and topcase behind you provides a different sense of openness to riders. Mid-controls place feet comfortably beneath you and it’s an easy reach to the bars so riders sit upright with a slight forward lean.
But it is when the motorcycle is in motion that the changes are most apparent. Roll on the accelerator and it surges off the line, a wave of gratifying torque smoothly delivered by its 1832cc engine. Its characteristics are much different than launching a V-Twin, the power coming on less abruptly in a power band that is very linear. The highlight is a strong initial push and a healthy midrange, though first gear signed off a little early in the rev range just above 40 mph. Once up to speed, drop it into overdrive fifth and the F6B hums along at 65 mph at a fraction below 3000 rpm, requiring little effort from its liquid-cooled, single overhead cam engine. The powerplant features a parallel two-valve cylinder head with direct shim-under-bucket valve actuation and is a model of efficiency, with almost no noticeable vibrations or mechanical rumblings coming from Honda’s vaunted Flat Six. This despite the fact that its engine serves as a stressed member of the frame and is rigid-mounted. The engine-mounting system features a special design for its hangers and matching mounts that quell most engine vibrations.
Its five-speed transmission displays the same traits, slipping between gears with no fuss and nominal noise. Action at the shifter is smooth but at times finding Neutral proves to be challenging. Beyond that, the tranny on the F6B works seamlessly, each gear engaging smoothly without missing a beat. We didn’t miss the electric reverse of the standard Wing, but admittedly we didn’t have to push it back at much of an incline. It sits low enough and the seat is narrow enough that we got plenty of leverage rolling back but shorter riders might miss the reverse gear.
Its brakes are also exemplary, the linked braking system providing impressive power. Pressure from its three-piston calipers is firm and steady without being grabby while providing great feel to riders at the lever. Honda's Combined Braking System, with three-piston calipers front and back, has a second master cylinder and a three-stage proportional control valve (PCV) to operate the calipers in tandem. The front runs dual floating 296mm discs, and a good squeeze on the front brake lever activates the outer two pistons of the front right-side caliper and the center piston of the front left-side caliper while the secondary master cylinder and an inline proportioning valve activate the outer two pistons of the rear caliper. The rear brake pedal operates the center piston of the rear brake caliper, the center piston of the front right-side brake caliper and the outer two pistons of the front left-side caliper. It is the kind of system where riders get a good sense of the calipers biting into the disc when they squeeze the brake lever and feel the effects of smooth, even braking. Honda accomplishes this without much dive in the fork, the 45mm cartridge unit sporting an anti-dive system while utilizing the same internals, damping and springs as the Gold Wing.
(L) A 2013 Honda F6B sits next to a standard Gold Wing and shows the DNA they share while exposing their differences as well. (M) A shorty windscreen, mirrors that are essentially the Gold Wing mirrors flipped upside down, and a new front cowling give the F6B a fresh look from the front. (R) Predictable at the bars and stable at lean, the 2013 Honda F6B hugs the road when it's banked over with an almost sport-touring sureness.
As we head out of San Diego into the winding roads of the Cleveland National Forest, we waver between wanting to enjoy the beauty of the round rocks of the high chaparral and the desire to continue riding, but the way the Honda F6B is shining in the curvy stuff makes our decision to ride on an easy one. Stable at lean, predictable at the bars, the motorcycle hugs the road with almost sport-touring sureness. As you can imagine, without the topcase and with the lowered COG, the F6B transitions much easier than its predecessor. The chassis on the twin-beam aluminum spar frame is the same as the Gold Wings but doesn’t have to support as much weight so it, too, is sure-footed and reliable with just the right amount of flex. While the front fork is the same, the electronically adjustable rear suspension on the standard Wing has been replaced by a spring preload adjustable shock that sits under the right side panel and is manually adjustable. As a result, the shock’s damping rates were revised to accommodate the weight loss and the hydraulically adjustable rear feels a tad stiffer because of the reduction. Overall, it provides the same comfortable, high quality ride you’d expect from a Gold Wing. Our major grievance is that riders will be scraping pegs quite a bit more now!
Though there’s no topcase on the F6B, its hard saddlebags still hold more than a claimed 50 liters and we were able to stuff a Bell Skratch Deluxe Helmet inside and still get the doors shut. Opening the bags does require riders to remove the key from the ignition to open them. A positive side effect from this is at least the saddlebags are constantly locked
At first we were partial to the blacked-out version, but after spending much of the day in the saddle of the red one, it's a toss up between the two color options.and it does come equipped with an electric ‘bag ajar’ indicator to inform you if they’re not shut. We’ve had bags pop open while riding other motorcycles and having your stuff fly all over the freeway always sucks, so Honda’s attention to detail is appreciated.
Our first ride on the 2013 Honda Gold Wing F6B covered a total of 151 miles of highway miles in addition to plenty of remote two-lane traffic through winding roads with numerous elevation changes. Honda sets mileage estimates at 34 mpg and before our stint with the F6B was done, we had about 1/8th of a tank left in the 6.6-gallon fuel cell. While riding, an open-face helmet brought awareness to the wind creeping over the shorty windscreen that hits riders about mid-face. Buffeting isn’t bad, but the amount of air channeled back to the rider is noticeable when it’s virtually non-existent on the Wing. Besides that, the front fairing is plenty wide enough to shelter riders from most other debris kicked up on the road.
The layout of the cockpit is very intuitive, a round analog speedo front-and-center flanked by an odometer on the left and a fuel gauge/oil temperature indictor on the right. A four-speaker audio system bookends the instrument cluster, the sound plenty loud and clear even at freeway speeds. In the left saddlebag resides a connector for an iPod or MP3 player but the system runs standard AM/FM channels as well. Below the speedo cluster sits a digital, multi-information screen that cycles through features like an odometer/A&B tripmeters, clock, air temperature, audio controls and music information. A series of knobs and buttons to control these features is situated on a panel on the rider’s left side, the collection slightly imposing if you’re unfamiliar with them. Like most things, the imposition fades with familiarity. On a final note, both the brake and clutch levers on the F6B are five-way adjustable, a handy feature.
The 2013 Honda Gold Wing F6B will be the first model to incorporate Honda Signature Accessories like deluxe removable saddlebag liners at the time of its launch. There is a long list of Honda accessories ready to add custom touches to the F6B available as well, from a sharp-looking short, tinted windscreen to an outdoor cover that allows owners to access the bike’s saddlebags with the cover still on. It also comes straight from the factory in a F6B Deluxe version that comes with a center stand, self-cancelling turn signals, a passenger backrest and heated grips for a cool grand more.
The importance of the Gold Wing to Honda cannot be understated. Not many motorcycles make it to 38 years of production, but the GL has. Honda claims they have sold over 550,000 Gold Wings in the US alone. And though the
The Honda F6B handles so well, you'll be seeking out winding, remote patches of road to explore its lean angles on.2013 F6B has come a long ways from the 1975 GL1000, Honda reminds us that the current bike wouldn’t be possible without the past iterations that helped pave the way for it to succeed.
“Back in 1972, race bike-engineering giant Soichiro Irimajiri headed up design of the exquisitely sophisticated and ultra-high-performance prototype M1 motorcycle, specifically to explore the outer limits of the Grand Touring concept. The final result was truly a breakthrough machine, one that set new standards of design and performance thanks to its liquid-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine with shaft drive—key features that appear in today’s F6B.” - from a Honda Gold Wing Timeline
Honda is confident this exercise will succeed because it’s projecting as many F6B sales as GL1800. The GL trailed only the CBR250R in sales last year, and not by much. Considering the difference in price between the two is about $20 grand, it drives home the importance of the Gold Wing to the Honda bottom line.
Honda has done a bang up job with its F6B. It still exhibits some of the same characteristics as the Wing, from all-day comfort to its potent power delivery to its road-hugging chassis, but the riding experience is much more spirited thanks to the lower COG and sheddin’ of weight. It has enough power to launch you off the start line in a kinetic burst, it hugs the pavement when the road snakes up, and its brakes more than get the job done when it’s time to scrub off speed. And though it shares its DNA with the Wing, sample one and experience the much more spirited ride for yourself, one that matches its sporty new look. After our day in its saddle we must say we came away impressed with the new niche Honda has created, one affectionately dubbed the “sports bagger.”