Fill search field, and press [ENTER].
Pages
Categories
I recently received this note:
I’m a total newbie here. Did you install frame sliders for track purposes? Are they recommended for someone who is about to buy their first bike (mainly for the inevitable tips, crashes, etc)? I’m 30 and considering the 696 for my first bike. I’m in love with it. Some say it’s great for beginners and some say it’s too much bike. Your thoughts?
It’s been a long time since I’ve written about riding, and I did put some thought into my answer, so I will share that here. I have covered these subjects before, but the question asked, was a good one, so here’s a more relevant answer for those wondering, “Which bike first?”
I installed the frame sliders for street riding. It’s rare that I have an incident, but doing so would really mess up a Monster. I did a couple of track days, but I have had CFS for a few years, and that has destroyed my ability to drive a car (about 50% of the time), and to ride a motorcycle (almost 100%). When I am up to it, I photograph other people riding. Riding is the thing that I miss more than anything else.
The tough part of choosing a bike is simply that there is no way to really know what you will like to ride, until you ride it, and people are not-likely to let you test-ride them. One strategy is to buy something small-and-inexpensive first, and then buy a Monster as-soon-as-possible: not because it’s too big, but because that’s the easiest way to get experience with both, and you might end up loving both.
I really like small bike’s. On my second Basic MSF test: I ground the foot pegs on every corner, earned 100 points, and felt like I was flying. I never achieved that level of satisfaction on any other bike.
The flip side is that I wouldn’t be satisfied on the highway, at speed, in traffic, on a very small bike.
Around town? Small bikes are cool. When I was a kid (before I rode), they were all small bikes. Here is what the first Honda Gold Wing originally looked like: http://www.vf750fd.com/vf750f/75goldwing.jpg It started out as a slow-ish 999cc 4-cylindar, and it was smaller than a Monster 696, even with that larger displacement. The larger bike trend is caused by the need to homologate superbikes, to keep up with the Joneses, and to one-up Harley Davidson. The people that rode back-in-the-day (as the kids like to say), all miss their small bikes. Peter Egan, makes-a-living mostly writing about the small bikes that he misses, and he has a whole lot of fans that agree.
For a bike that is comfortable at highway speeds, I love the smallest Monster. Riding my cruiser, on the highway without the fairing, is like doing pull-ups. My SV650S, on the highway, with the low clip-ons, is like doing push-ups. My Monster’s ergonomics are such that the airflow holds me up; it’s comfortable at most speeds, and on all highways.
As a beginner, you would shift early, but not so early that the motorcycle stutters. Do so, and the Monster is a puppy. At some point you will want a faster bike. That’s when you teach yourself to shift at higher RPM’s. It’s as simple as this: Is the bike too slow? Shift down a gear while blipping-the-throttle, and it will rocket along, because blipping-and-down-shifting, is a way to get the engine’s RPM’s close to where it’s making more torque. You will read about how flat a V-twin’s torque curve is. This is a good characteristic of v-twins. However: the smaller the v-twin, the happier it will be at the RPM’s where it reaches maximum torque. Simply riding it more like a 4-cylinder, will make up for any perceived displacement (engine size) disadvantage, and may chase away any thoughts of wanting something larger.
More on blipping-the-throttle: the best way to match your RPMs to road speed is to shift like this:
- Squeeze clutch.
- Close throttle.
- Shift (up or down).
- Open throttle while letting out the clutch.
This video demonstrates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDLWmzomvZA
Here is how to do a clutch-less up-shift. People that never tried this, will advise against it, but the latest BMW superbike comes with a quickshifter, and quickshifters do the same thing for you. If it were dangerous, then they wouldn’t sell it.
- Put your foot under the shifter, and touch it with very-light pressure.
- Close throttle.
- Open the throttle, your motorcycle will shift-up at the correct RPMs.
Oh, and definitely buy any modern bike with anti-lock brakes, in the cases where that’s an option, and it is on Ducatis. They work exactly like every other bike, until you are about to fall due to wheel lockup, and then you simply don’t fall.
Honda and BMW combined ABS with other technologies many years ago, and people hated them, but modern ABS is nothing like those.
The MFS practice where you separate braking and swerving is usually forgotten in a crisis, but ABS can allow you to combine braking and swerving. The stickers on the motorcycle fuel tanks say to use ABS while riding straight up. Assumedly the factories’ lawyers have some reason for that, but it has saved my bacon while leaned way-over and braking too-hard, so follow the advice on the fuel tank, but be happy when you don’t, and the ABS works anyway.
See and print my photos at RedBubble.com (click).
The images are by Joe Salas, and are being used with his permission.
Supermoto is a form of racing that combines on-road, and off-road, on the same track. The racers typically ride dirt bikes with road-racing tires. What if one were to take an SV650 bike to a Supermoto race? It’s too big, right?
Dan Sewell races for CODE4Racing, is sponsored by Twin Works Factory, and teaches for Z2TrackDays. Below are images of Dan racing an SV650 in Supermoto. When does anyone do that? This may be the first time!
The photographer, Joe Salas, gave us permission to use the images here. Joe photographs track days, and races, and makes the photos available at 4theriders.com.
Here is why it works:
My SV650S, a sportbike, is uncomfortable on my wrists. I need to sell it now. Hopefully to someone who will either love-it, or race-it.
My cruiser, a V-Star, allows me to sit comfortably for hours, but required a windscreen to do so.
My Ducati Monster has ergonomics that are similar to the Ducati Diavel. Anywhere between 45 MPH and 85 MPH provides enough air to literally hold-me-up for hours. I don’t feel like the wind is pushing me, and I don’t feel like I am doing pull-ups. It’s like how I feel sitting behind the windscreen of on my cruiser, even though it looks nothing like that.
The Monster actually works well for cruising, and the Diavel is like a torque-y, massive, Monster.
Journalists are always complaining about adventure bikes that don’t work-well off-road, but naked bikes, and on-road adventure bikes, give the comfort that an aging sportbike rider, who doesn’t want a traditional cruiser, needs. They actually work quite well for cruising.
The Diavel is like nothing out there, but is closest to a V-Max, or Triumph Rocket III, and many folks call those ‘cruisers’, so it fits.
More? Here’s what I think about every motorcycle that I have ever ridden.
This is the controversial Ducati Diavel. The image is by http://www.flickr.com/photos/desmodex/ and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic.
Here’s my SV650S ABS. We are only riding in the parking lot; Gershwin’s helmet isn’t DOT approved.
My V-Star, with windscreen, after a long ride to Memphis TN.
My Ducati Monster is like a miniature Diavel. Here it is with the world’s largest frame sliders.
This beautiful image is owned by Falcon Motorcycles, and has nothing to do with this essay (but it does have straight pipes). It is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
People remember bikers with loud pipes, and stunters on public roads: in a bad way.
That jerk (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) Arnold Schwarzenegger was named AMA Motorcyclist of the Year as a negative award. Really. Rob Dingman promised to never pull that stunt again, but what a waste of the award! A great motorcyclist lost-out on earning AMA Motorcyclist of the Year, because they used it for a negative-award instead.
Governor Schwarzenegger signed California Bill SB 435, “the EPA label bill”, into law on September 28, 2010. This bill requires an EPA label to be in an easy-to-read location on all exhaust systems for motorcycles built after January 1, 2013. Never mind that these labels are never in easy-to-read locations. Never mind that the label tells law enforcement absolutely nothing about whether any particular exhaust system is actually quiet enough. The baffles in motorcycle exhaust systems are extremely easy to remove. A loud bike with no baffles, but an EPA label, might pass, but a quiet motorcycle without an EPA label would not? This law is that stupid.
Your bike was built before January 1, 2013, so you are in the clear, correct? Well, those folks with loud motorcycles, that were built before January 1, 2013, are the reason that this law was deemed necessary in the first place.
Why did they do this? The current laws require the bike to ride past a stationary sound meter at various speeds. Obviously that’s not something that police are going to do when they pull you over, so the AMA wrote model legislation that describes an inexpensive, easy, stationary test, but California’s lawmakers didn’t use it. California Bill SB 435 effectively makes almost all after-market pipes illegal. In some rare cases (read: Harley Davidson soft-tail models) an after-market muffler company might make an EPA labeled pipe, but the testing has to be done for every combination of motorcycle, intake system, and exhaust: not likely.
As goes California, so goes the rest of the country, because most of these great United States’ state lawmakers often don’t write their own laws about which vehicles are legal; they use California’s transportation laws as model-legislation instead. Maine already has a bill proposing this [cough]solution[/cough]. Really.
BILL NUMBER: SB 435 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 407
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 28, 2010
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 28, 2010
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 30, 2010
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 18, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 9, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 30, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 22, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 15, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 10, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 11, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 28, 2009
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 13, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Senator Pavley
(Coauthor: Senator Lowenthal)
FEBRUARY 26, 2009
An act to add Section 27202.1 to the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 435, Pavley. Vehicles: pollution control devices.
(1) Existing federal regulations require a motorcycle manufactured
on and after January 1, 1983, and exhaust emission systems for those
motorcycles, to meet specified noise emissions standards and require
that a label be affixed onto the motorcycle or exhaust emission
system indicating that the motorcycle or exhaust emission system
meets the noise emissions standards.
This bill would make it a crime for a person to park, use, or
operate a motorcycle, registered in the state, that is manufactured
on and after January 1, 2013, or a motorcycle, registered in the
state, with aftermarket exhaust system equipment that is manufactured
on or after January 1, 2013, that does not have the above label, and
would make a violation of this provision punishable by a specified
fine, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program by creating a
new crime. The bill would require the person to whom a notice to
appear is issued, or against whom a complaint is filed, for the above
violation, to provide proof of correction. The bill would authorize
a court to dismiss the penalty imposed for a first violation if the
person produces proof of correction to the satisfaction of the court.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 27202.1 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
27202.1. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not
park, use, or operate a motorcycle, registered in the State of
California, that does not bear the required applicable federal
Environmental Protection Agency exhaust system label pursuant to
Subparts D (commencing with Section 205.150) and E (commencing with
Section 205.164) of Part 205 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. A violation of this section shall be considered a
mechanical violation and a peace officer shall not stop a motorcycle
solely on a suspicion of a violation of this section. A peace officer
shall cite a violation of this section as a secondary infraction.
(b) A violation of this section is punishable as follows:
(1) For a first conviction, by a fine of not less than fifty
dollars ($50), nor more than one hundred dollars ($100).
(2) For a second or subsequent conviction, by a fine of not less
than one hundred dollars ($100), nor more than two hundred fifty
dollars ($250).
(c) (1) The notice to appear issued or complaint filed for a
violation of this section shall require that the person to whom the
notice to appear is issued, or against whom the complaint is filed,
produce proof of correction pursuant to Section 40150.
(2) Upon producing proof of correction to the satisfaction of the
court, the court may dismiss the penalty imposed pursuant to
subdivision (b) for a first violation of this section.
(d) (1) This section is applicable to a person operating a
motorcycle that is manufactured on or after January 1, 2013, or a
motorcycle with aftermarket exhaust system equipment that is
manufactured on or after January 1, 2013.
(2) Penalties imposed pursuant to this section are in addition to
penalties imposed pursuant to any other applicable laws or
regulations.
(3) This section does not supersede, negate, or otherwise alter
any other applicable laws or regulations.
SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.
2010 Ducati Monster 696 ABS
2010 Ducati 696 ABS ridden by Paul Danger Kile and Dr. Kay Ann Kile MD
This is a great cruiser for long distance. I spent the most time on this one. I added a fairing (to avoid the doing pull-ups feeling that you get when your upper body becomes a sail-in-the-wind) and hard luggage.
Paul Danger Kile’s 2004 Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic, at The Art of the Motorcycle: Memphis.
The non-S version is a baby bear bike; it is “just right” for most folks in every way. It’s a sportbike, but with a v-twin engine. I ride the S version: which goes a long-way towards explaining why I am happy to ride the Monster 696. I intended to install a tubular handlebars on here, but did not.
Gershwin Kile’s first motorcycle ride: we practiced in the parking lot that day.
2007 SV650S ABS
The Night Train is a Harley Softail model with a black crinkle-finish on the engine. The fit-and-finish is excellent. It pulls like a tractor at low RPMs, but costs around 2.5 times more than the V-Star 650. I did not purchase this one.
The Street Rod has mid-mount controls, inverted forks, and it is taller than a V-Rod. It was the sportiest non-Buell HD ever, but not as exciting as the SV650 or Monster. It also suffered from that I-could-buy-two-motorcycles-for-the-price-of-this-one issue. That’s my opinion; most Harley Davidsons are expensive, but obviously enough people desire them to justify the prices. I did not purchase this one. This model is no-longer available. The bike in the video has a custom exhaust system.
The Eliminator is fun, and inexpensive, but small. I rode this during an MSF course. The name “Eliminator” refers to drag racing, but this is not a fast bike.
Kawasaki Eliminator 125, image by Wikimedia user Museo8bits, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
This one is also fun, and inexpensive, but small. I rode this during an MSF course. The new TU250 is prettier.
My wife and I rented scooters in Fort Lauderdale. I am not sure what model they were. I like automatic transmissions in concept, but CVT transmissions are not as exciting as dual-clutch transmissions, regardless of engine size.
Gershwin Kile’s first scooter ride: Gershwin Kile, Paul James, and Amy James: KYMCO is a sponsor of James Gang / Hoban Bros. Racing. They provide the pit bikes. The photo was taken during the 2009 AMA Pro roadraces at Heartland Park Topeka.
This fun music video is called Dray / Zabanov / lead “Dude on Gold”. The description’s translation is “Amazing Dude goes to the GOLD!”, and yes, I think that it’s great, even though I only understand one word in the whole video.
I don’t know Russian, but I imagine (this is where I make stuff up), that the woman is either asking the dude if she can have a ride on his Harley-Davidson, or saying, “I thought that the Wolf Brothers MC only rode two-wheeled Urals?” To-which he replies, “No, but the Ural | Wolf is named after the Russian Night Wolves MC.”
The Russian comments on the YouTube page are the usual Gold Wing = car, and only old people ride Gold Wings. The fact that such an amazing bike gets the same negative responses regardless of the language and culture barrier proves that people all over the world are unable to recognize excellence. Folks on Gold Wings lean just as far at a given turning radius and speed as everyone else does. Why people would assume that a more comfortable seat all of a sudden makes the bike less of a motorcycle is something that I will never understand. What are your thoughts?
All photos are from the Web sites listed below. Permission was given by Laura Klock.
Written 2009-09-26, re-edited 2009-11-06
World’s Fastest Bagger (WFB) is one of Laura Klock’s Web sites. Brian and Laura are from Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, but the WFB site is dedicated to the family’s Bonneville Salt Flats runs. WFB also refers to the bagger that Brian built for those runs.
WFB shows sweet bikes making Bonneville runs, and these riders are women: as-in Mom, daughters, and friends. Now that‘s mega-cool. The Web site’s images (and the images at other family Web sites) will make you want to learn more about the story behind each one.
The images at these site made me wonder things such as:
[nggallery id=4]
Here are the Klock family, and friends, Web sites that I am aware of:
Scooters
The EV-Cub electric motorcycle is absolutely beautiful. It looks enough like a Honda Dream (or Super Cub) to elicit feelings of nostalgia for the vehicle that made Honda a global success, while at the same time looking ultra modern.
EV-Cub
EV-Cub
Rumors abound about the CB1100, 4-cylinder, air-cooled universal Japanese motorcycle (UJM) coming to America. They are just rumors though. Yamaha has had a model like this in their lineup for sometime, but they won’t sell it here. The truth-is: these motorcycles would be a smashing hit here, but they haven’t been engineered for US emissions and noise standards. These are some of the most beautiful retro-bikes ever.
CB1100
CB1100 Customize Concept
Like the CBs above, but these ones are water-cooled.
CB1300 SUPER FOUR
CB1300 SUPER TOURING
Go to my SkyDrive to page see more Honda images from the 2009 Motor Show!
These two videos are both called “Lucky Biker” on YouTube. The first video shows an outrageous high-side, where the rider gets back on the bike. The second video shows an outrageous low-side, where the rider gets back on the bike. The high side video is likely real. I have seen saves like that before, but what about the low-side video? I do not believe that the second video is real, and it definitely has nothing to do with MotoGP (which is part of its name), but it does remind me of something that really did happen to me.
Did he really do that, or was it faked? I don’t know. What I do know is that back when I was single, and living in Arkansas, I had this experience: I was riding South on my way home from Missouri, at about 2:00AM, coming from wherever it is that I ride motorcycles to in Missouri in the middle of the night.
A police car pulls up close on my tail, and on go the pull-the-truck-over lights, so I move to the shoulder. He follows me at greater-than-shoulder speeds, and he is right on my tail. I begin braking, and the paved shoulder gives way to pea gravel. The rear wheel locks-up, the motorcycle drops me off its left-side, and then gets back up on its own, and takes-off. I go sliding down the road, while the police stop. Meanwhile the motorcycle leaves the road, rides a little farther on its own, and leans itself against a bush.
I get up from in front of the police car’s bumper and ask them if I can get my bike. One of the officers keeps asking, “Are you OK? Are you OK?” And I say, “Folks tell me that everyone goes down at some point, and I had to do it in front of police officers. That’s embarrassing. Can I go down there and get the motorcycle?” By this point I had removed my helmet, and Missouri is a helmet-law-state. I didn’t know if they would ticket me for going down to get the bike without suiting-up, but I really didn’t want to put the helmet back on. The one officer says, “yes”, the other officer is still shaken, and still not believing that I could be OK. The street-slide was kind of a relaxing ride though.
I ride the motorcycle back up to the road, and in front of the police vehicle’s head lights, so that I can look it over. There is only one scratch. It’s on the very back of the rear fender, which is a part of the bike’s body that couldn’t have possible touched the ground during that incident, and it’s the only part that was actually damaged. Not even the color-matched ABS bags hanging off each side in-back were scratched.
The calm officer explains to me that my tail-light is out, and that they can’t let me leave without it working. The not-so-calm officer is still asking me if I am all right. I am still answering, “Yes.”
I pull out my tool case. Get a screwdriver. Get a taillight bulb, and change the bulb. These two officers were floored. The one guy still couldn’t believe that I was OK, and the other guy was now surprised that I was actually rode around with a spare bulb and tools.
In the second video the rider, either during a race, or at a track day, lowsides his bike. The bike gets up, and keeps on going down the track. The rider runs after it, and gets on, and then takes-off. Did he really do that, or was it faked? It is possible for the bike to get up and keep riding on its own even as it slows down; that’s what happened to me, but what are we really looking at here? It’s likely a creative-person’s special effects demo.
This was the bike that picked itself up. No, those bags in back were not scratched!
Stunter Video From India (where everyone rides): Bajaj Auto Pulsar 220 TV Ads
The Bajaj Auto (as in automobile) Pulsar 220 DTSi motorcycle is from India. They only make a little more than 21HP, and 19 foot-pounds max: as reported by Motobeam.com. Yet like any motorcycle: they can be so much fun in the hands of someone who really knows how to ride them. Check it out: Indian stunters, stunting in perfect formation, for these two TV ads.
The ads even come with doodely-doodley hammer-on guitar music in a 1980s stylee. A true must see.
And yet another affordable motorcycle not available in the US.
It's the Bajaj Auto Pulsar 220 DTSi. Image, linked-from, and linked-to MotoBeam.com. Please click on the image to go to MotoBeam.com.
We posted this in 2007-09 (and possibly earlier), with updates in 2009-10. The AirTronics reviews and videos were removed, because their corporate Web site longer exists.
Almost every advance in the world-of-motorcycle-safety came from the world-of-racing with the exception of two: anti-lock brakes (ABS) and airbags. How about we start out with those, and then get back to the racing?
I will briefly describe a couple of strategies for using air to protect riders, and I will also direct y’all to some cool videos that other people have created.
Yes, it really does look like you are saved by a big butt when the Honda airbag has been deployed.
The Gold Wing Airbag is most-helpful in the event of a front-end collision. The airbag will eject the rider from her motorcycle, but it will also absorb most of the enertial energy, and slow-down the rider’s deceleration beforehand.
There are many types of motorcycle crashes that aren’t caused by collisions: Honda’s airbag might not help with some of these. I will cover some of these other situations when I write about tires-and-suspension, traction control, anti-lock brakes, reverse-torque-limiting clutches, head-shake, and other topics.
If you don’t want a Gold Wing, then you don’t want a Gold Wing. I am very happy with my motorcycle, and it’s not a Gold Wing. One cannot ride a Gold Wing on the racetrack. Many people just can’t afford a Gold Wing. If are planning to buy a new Gold Wing though, then please, please buy the airbag.
During a collision your pelvis gets crushed by the “fuel tank”, your head bounces off the other vehicle, your neck snaps, your spine gets compressed, and your skull gets crushed. Your last thought before all that happens shouldn’t be: “Gee, I am glad that I saved money by not buying that airbag.”
Here is a standing-still Honda demo of the airbag:
Some of these might help in some of those other circumstances that I mentioned above. Plus, they aren’t tied to only one motorcycle.
Dainese D-Air:
Simone Giorgi, Valencia
Spidi Air Bag, linked-from, and linked-to: http://www.wairbag.com/newfiles/mt1.html
Hit*Air (part deux):
Autobike Airbag Jacket:
Have you seen this bike yet? It’s the Honda NT700V, and it’s a beauty.
The NT700V comes in Metallic-Red or Silver if you don’t want ABS, and just silver if you do want combined braking ABS. It looks like it will provide a comfortable touring mount for less than half of the Gold Wing’s price. The NT700V starts at $9,999, the ST1300 starts at 15,999, and the Gold Wing starts at 22,899.
The original goal for my Suzuki SV650S ABS was to use it as a sport touring mount. First I was going to add a more comfortable seat, and handlebars with handlebar-risers, and then some luggage, and… I probably would have purchased this bike if Honda had decided to sell it here a few years ago.
The NT700V has stock flush mounted signals; when is the last time you saw that? It has built in frame sliders; you can barely see them. They are those little black triangular pieces.
Here are some pics:
Image from, and links-to, www.totalmotorcycle.com
Image from, and links-to, www.totalmotorcycle.com
Image from, and links-to, www.totalmotorcycle.com
Here is what HondaNew.com has to say about the NT700V:
09/04/2009 – TORRANCE, Calif. -
If you’re looking for a light touring machine that’s fun, easy to ride and ready to carry you to work and play seven days a week, look no farther than the new NT700V. Fully outfitted and ready to roll, the NT700V can turn your daily commute into riding bliss and then carry you off on that weekend adventure. With full fairing, interlinked saddlebags, a strong 680cc V-twin engine and more, the NT700V is ready for any journey you can dream up.
- Powerful four-valve 680cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine for strong performance and economical operation.
- Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) delivers excellent throttle response over a wide range of throttle settings and riding conditions.
- Combined Braking System (CBS) with a triple-disc brake system plus the option of ABS for confident braking in varying conditions.
- Large-capacity saddlebags feature a pass-through space between the two sides to facilitate packing of longer items and provide additional carrying capacity.
- Five-position windscreen can be set at the preferred height.
- Convenient remote adjuster for rear shock spring preload adjustment facilitates changes in rear suspension settings.
- Standard model is available in Metallic Red and Metallic Silver colors. ABS model is available in Metallic Silver color only.
Honda Genuine Accessories
- Top Box, 45L Red and Silver, Inner Bag-Trunk, Lower Top Box Pad, Fairing Wind Deflector Set, Knee Pad Set, Heated Grips, DC Socket, Tank Pad, Outdoor Cycle Cover.