My thoughts on 'new' Honda...

Honda is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Japan. In 1969 the legendary CB750 was born; a 120mph inline four with a front disc brake - way ahead of anything else at it's time. It made an impact on English bike manufacturers, stealing sales and (along with the Kawasaki Z1) was the beginning of an end to British motorcycles.

21 years later (in England anyway) the Vfr750r Rc30 was released. This homologation model of the already brilliant Vfr750 was put on the road to allow Honda to race it in the world superbike championship. This bike could reach 82mph in first gear and weighed just 180kg dry. Once again, Honda had developed a class leading bike.

Iconic machine: Vfr750r Rc30

In 1992 the original FireBlade was released. The Honda four injected the idea of saving weight and improving aerodynamics as opposed to just ramming as much horsepower into big, heavy slogs - it weighed 34kg less than the lightest rival, Yamaha Fzr1000. It was an amazing bike.

All three of those bikes have reached a 'classic' status along with many other Hondas (Nr750, Rvf 750 etc...) and are worth a fortune. They broke barriers down, they came up with new and original ideas. Their engine reliability is legendary (despite a small dodgy patch... Vf750 era). Their bikes have won Moto Gps, TT races and world superbike championships...

... So what on earth has happened?

The 2014 Honda range looks a bit... dull.

Perhaps it's just me but I'm getting pretty tired of every new Honda bike being released with that weird, triangular, 'Y' shaped headlight - it makes every bike look the same and the face of the bike look like a donkey. It's also pretty easy to guess at what colours their new bikes will be released in, you'll have a choice of; 'bland reddish pink' or 'old man grey'.

 

Anyone else sick of it?

Forgive me if I'm wrong but they have 9 different engines (above 450cc) which have been shared around a whopping 22 different bikes. They haven't even bothered to retune some of them despite putting them in different variations of bike, for instance the Cbr500r has the exact same power delivery, gearing etc... as a Cb500x. As I said before, they all share the same style headlight  and dull colouring and I'm not sure about you, but I think it's nice to stand out from the crowd and have people interested in the bike you're riding. Imagine a world where everyone rode a grey Cross runner... So why do they insist on everything looking like one?

Can you actually tell the difference at a glance...?

But quite possibly, the worst thing about Honda's 2014 range is definitely the new Vfr800f. The last Vfr 800 Vtec had divided opinions due to it's quirky engine character. However, after ten years without any changes, it still didn't look too outdated and was still a damn good bike - although on the expensive side.

However the new Vfr800f has dissapointed me. I was really excited when I heard about a new Vfr, as they're bikes I've always admired, but what a let down, I couldn't actually work out why Honda had done such a thing. It actually looks like a chinese rip off 125. The gorgeous twin underseat exhausts from the previous Vfr have been ditched for a boring silencer that looks as mean as my Nan's hairdryer, totally blocking that iconic single sided swingarm (which is the only part of the bike that still looks decent).

Do the words 'bland' and 'cheap' come to mind?

They've also added 'self-cancelling indicators' - Wow Honda! How did we all manage before? I mean come on, if they're cutting costs so much then why invest in such pointless technology? ABS, traction control, heated grips and an adjustable seat height are all included in the standard price which, I think, is similar to the previous model's. This sounds pretty good, although if it were down to me I'd ditch the heated grips and traction control to make way for the decent sportsbike image that this bike deserves, not the Chinese look. It may be a sports tourer now but the heritage is still there. Don't make it boring just yet.

Believe it or not, despite all of this ranting from me, I think that they are producing decent bikes. The new 500 range might be cheating by sharing the same engine and looks from other bikes but they are such great value for money. They produce 47bhp (ideal for A2 license holders), kick out 80mpg and are only £500 more expensive than a Yamaha Yzf R125. The Fireblade Sp looks amazing too and I guess hope can hold out for the new Vfr800f... Although it's never going to win me over. Reliability is amazing on all bikes and the finishes are brilliant, I'd put all of my faith in one of these bikes to take me everywhere, all year round.

So Honda might be good in building solid, real-world machines but I think that bright flare they once had has started to flicker.

Let's hope they burn bright again one day.

How did you get inspired to start biking?

Apologies for the massive delay between blogs recently. It's a bit tricky sometimes to get yourself motivated but I'm feeling inspired now so I'm back, with a new post revolved around inspiration. Now let me begin...

What inspired you to get your bike?

Was it seeing the local nutter on his crotch rocket race through the streets? Was it watching Ewan and Charley travel the world on them? Or was it to fulfill a commute cheaply?

When I was sixteen I was desperate to get my 50cc and any bike would do, I wouldn't care as long as it had an engine. I found my little Derbi on eBay and went all the way to Sussex to collect it. When we got back we discovered slightly bent bars, few battle scars from a slip the previous owner had and a horrible sumo wrestling sticker - but did I care?

It was a bike. It had wheels. An engine. A headlight. A reg plate. A tank. An exhaust. It was the real thing! Hours were spent sitting on it, dying to turn sixteen. Not before long, I hit sixteen and was off and away. So on and so forth.

It was meant to be... except for the paddington bear pyjamas.

My father has been a biker since I was about two years old and when you have grown up with countless evenings, sat on your dad's knee, scrolling through eBay looking at all the great, fast bikes on there. The occasional trips to the hairdressers where I would nag my dad to take me in  to the local motorbike dealer, just for a look at all these huge, powerful bikes. When I got a little bit older I began to read magazines over my dad's shoulder, my knowledge and thirst for more grew.

I remember times when I had just started middle school and I saw my Dad ready to pick me up at the gates. I remember the excitement as I saw the leather jacket and helmet. Over the moon, I swung my leg over the back seat and hung on tight. The noisy, spluttering V twin roared beneath us and we were off. All of my mates looking and pointing at us. It was fantastic, even if it only lasted a few minutes. They were jealous - and I was loving it.

The shadow... The bike that made me realise biking was for me

That bike was an 80s maroon Honda 1100 Shadow - a very rare bike. That has been one of my all time favourite motorcycles and I can tell you, it's purely because of that moment of feeling like the coolest kid around. A moment never to be forgotten.

Of course, after most of my life spent wishing to ride a motorbike and dreaming of being as cool as my Dad, I was hungry to get one as soon as I could. He was obviously my inspiration - how could he not inspire his son to want a bike? The cool racing leathers he wore, the sportsbikes, the classics, the cruisers, the tinted visors, the noise, the speed. It was all so much to desire.

What were your inspirations in getting your bike? Were they similar to mine? And were you glad they happened?

I wouldn't be sat in this chair, writing this blog to post on the internet if I hadn't been inspired by my father. There would be no YouTube channel. No trips. No S.L.A.P. And I really don't think I would be the same person at all.

Strange how things work out isn't it?

Thoughts on my next bike

I think my departure with my Sv650s may be coming soon.

I've owned this bike for 18 months - the longest that I've owned a bike. After a lot of Sunday scratching, trips to Wales and a journey to south France, I have loved and bonded with the Sv a lot but I have come to realise a crucial flaw...

It is not good for road trips.

I've had several 200 mile days and one 700 mile day and it's very fair to say that it is not comfy at all. The pegs are too high, the bars are too low and the clutch is quite heavy in traffic. This results in calf pain, lower back ache and a lot of pressure on your wrists. Call me a wimp if you will but It's really putting me off doing trips on it. I've looked into bar raisers and they cost close to £300 to raise them an inch which I can't really justify in case they make no difference.

Economically, it isn't bad but it isn't great either. Lately I have been getting between 40-50mpg and when I'm pricing up trips this is bumping the price up quite a bit - especially when I'm on a budget. The tank range is around 125 miles before the fuel light flashes which really is annoying when you're trying to make up a lot of miles and requires many fuel stops.

And finally, the luggage capabilities drive me insane. I have carried my camping gear on the Sv for three road trips. I use soft, oxford throw-over panniers and a Hein Gericke roll bag to carry my sleeping bag, cameras and tent. They're okay to use if you're going somewhere for a week and won't be changing campsite but if you will be packing and unpacking every day on a tour, you will consider just booking into a B&B. It's such a pain in the arse to strap and unstrap all of this gear day in, day out.

Don't get me wrong, the Sv650s is a fantastic bike and I have no regrets in buying it. However, as road trips have became more important to me than a quick blast on a Sunday, I feel that's it's time to ditch the sportsbike and get something better for trips.

It's time for the Sv650s to go... but what next?

My next bike must have reasonable comfort, hard luggage and good fuel economy. Off road ability would be pretty good too as a little mud track in the middle of a road trip to Scotland could be conquered, adding another dimension of riding to the trip, but this isn't totally necessary.

I know this specification sounds typically dull. Call me an old man if you want, but I'm putting my road trips above racing around.

So one of my options is to make a comfortable change to Sports tourers such as a 2003 Honda Vfr800 V-tec or a 2006 Triumph Sprint St. This would be the power option. With both bikes producing over 100bhp, I certainly will be able to cruise nicely on motorways and still have fun on the twisties. However, fuel consumption is not as good compared to little 650 singles and twins and comfort will still be quite compromised.

My other option is to get a slower, frugal, single cylinder bike such as a BMW G650Gs or a Yamaha Xt 660 R/X. A G650gs will tick all of the boxes in my specification and can return 65-70mpg, as well as being reasonably priced but will 47bhp be too slow?

Finally, my favourite idea is to stick with similar power to my Sv650 but in a more comfortable form. Such as the 2011-13 new Suzuki Dl650 Vstrom, this bike obviously uses the same engine as the Sv650/Gladius but has been made more economical and comes in a much more comfortable, touring-based package without sacrificing much power. Other bikes that fall into this category for me is the Kawasaki Versys, Honda Cb500x or a Yamaha Tdm 900.

Suzuki Dl650 V-strom... Courtesy of motorcyclistonline.com

If you've owned or ridden any of these bikes and you could give me any advice on what you think about my change, I would be very grateful. I'm quite torn and I really want a bike that will last me a good, few years and be up for a few, big trips.

Do you need an adventure bike to have an adventure?

Courtesy of www.hdwallpapersinn.com

Looks cool doesn't it?

But is it really necessary to have a £15,000, 270 kg bike that has more whizzes and gadgets than the average spaceship? Do you really need heated seats, grips and clothing? Do you need ABS and traction control? What about electronic adjustable suspension? I mean sure, if you're into all of that stuff than fair enough, but is it really necessary? Could you live without it?

Will a 2013 Bmw R1200Gs get you to Vietnam and back? Yes. Will a 1987 Honda C90 Cub be able to cope with the same trip? Of course it would.

Obviously, the bike which you choose will adjust the difficulty of your trip. But it could also adjust the fun. For instance, you could tour the world on an R1 which will obviously not be as economical on fuel and tyres, it will be very uncomfortable and luggage space is limited. But would you have a hoot? Probably more so than some dull, lifeless, built-for-the-job workhorse. 

Then again, you could travel the world on an old 80s Dt125 and you'll be breaking down frequently and requiring rebuilds etc... You'll have a top speed of 65mph and will struggle up hills, but the delays and the hard bits are what make a trip memorable. Which brings me onto my next question;

'Is buying a bike made for touring the best thing to tour on?'

Maybe, depends on how tough you are. Can you handle having to travel at 40mph on a scooter in the bitter cold rain with no heated grips or big, wide fairing to take all the impact? Or do you find that idea a true adventure?

I'm not saying a GS or a Pan European etc... are dull, boring bikes. I'm sure there're owners out there that love them, and I don't have any particular hatred towards them. I'd just like to open the new narrow-minded view of 'I need a GS to have an adventure' a little bit further.

Because it's simply not true.