HONDA HORNET 2000

Honda Hornet 2000

  By looking at the following recipe, see if you can guess what we're cooking up today: Take a class-leading lightweight super-sports bike, keep the engine and brakes but remove all the body work. Cobble together a new chassis and add the wheels from a top hyper-sports machine and what do you reckon the resulting dish will be? It's a standard though some call it a roadster. Call it what you will or call it a Hornet, as Honda prefers you do.
It might seem like a strange recipe to use when you want to build a bike to slot neatly into the ever-growing roadster market but, nonetheless, it's one that works well.

Just like its cousin, the CBR600F4, the Hornet has proved a hit in Britain and it's easy to see why. Here's a bike with instant mass-market appeal.
Honda was very shrewd; when they made this bike, they managed to launch a brand new motorcycle that had enough components from one of their longest running and most successful models to ensure that the bike buyer wouldn't be concerned about becoming a prototype guinea pig. The use of the old model CBR600 powerplant - an engine that's well proven on both road and track - ensures instant piece of mind for the user.
Honda was also clever with the styling. Or perhaps brave is the correct word? The ultra-up-swept exhaust pipe isn't everyone's cup of carbon monoxide but it is distinctive. It ensures that the Hornet will not just blend in against a background of Bandits and Zephyrs. There's no fairing on the standard model, just a traditional round head lamp (remember those?) and a pair of clocks complete with the regulation chrome bodies, just like an early Z1 Kawasaki.
For this season Honda added a half fairing on the "S" model which is sold alongside the standard Hornet. The jury is out as far as the styling of the "S" is concerned and the naked Hornet still sells very well, seemingly untroubled by the presence of its flashier brother. Honda has also increased the wheelbase by five mm to 1425 mm and increased the diameter of the front wheel to 17 inches. This has given the Hornet more stability which is nice since many testers complained that the original version was too twitchy.

"The Hornet is a budget bike and has been built down to a price, rather than up to a specification."
The test model that Honda supplied to Motorcycle Online was almost brand new, barely run-in and all still very shiny.
The finish looked good but I have heard complaints about finish from another magazine tester who rode a bike supplied from a dealership. That bike, which had obviously been outside more and had not been prepared to quite the same (extremely high) standard as our test bike, was already sporting signs of corrosion.
The Hornet is a budget bike and has been built down to a price, rather than up to a specification. It might take a bit of tender loving care to keep it all bright and shipshape, especially if you intend to make it your ride-to-work hack. Nevertheless, our test bike looked great in bright yellow. It may be a roadster but there's a subtle look of aggression about it which is accented by the sporty tail-piece and the high-level silencer.
"The Hornet is an easy bike to ride and it's a doddle to throw into a bend."
Although fitted with a former CBR600 motor that has been re-tuned for extra torque, the Hornet is still no grunt-master. It's a four-cylinder four-stroke with only 600 cc of motive power. It's not a V-twin and even the slower SV650 from Suzuki actually feels like it has more poke. The truth of the matter is the Hornet will out-perform the SV650 in a straight line but it does so without feeling quite as exciting. And the Honda pilot will have to use all the six-speeds supplied in the sweet little gearbox to keep the Hornet buzzing. Vibration is typical of the genre; four-cylinder bikes do vibrate but it isn't usually that intrusive. The Hornet is no different as you can tell it's running, but it won't loosen fillings.
I passed the bike on to Graham, my neighbor and faithful gofer, for a ride. Graham has not been effected by the, "I'm a Superstar road tester," syndrome and is a good barometer of how a bike feels to a guy who still works for his living.

Graham has owned a CBR600F in the past and his first comment was, "I feel like I'm back with an old friend!" Indeed, the CB600 is a lot like the bike it's derived from, despite the slight shifting of the ponies down the rev-range. It still needs to be stirred quite hard to get the best out of it but it delivers the goods in a fuss-free manner which is instantly accessible to riders of all levels of experience.
The Hornet is an easy bike to ride and it's a doddle to throw into a bend, especially since it's endowed with plenty of leverage from the real handlebars. You know, the type made of a single piece of chromed tube? The upright riding position combined with the sporty geometry provides a quick steering bike that still verges on the twitchy side when pushed hard through bumpy corners. At speed it's a little nervous, though it's more of a spring thing than a geometry problem since the soft front end means the bike will move around a tad. Fear not, however, since the upright riding position means your head will be ripped off by the wind long before the bars twitch out of your hands in a speed wobble.

This isn't a bike for 120 mph motorway blasts, France-and-back-in-16-hours style. It will tour; the riding position is plenty comfortable enough for long jaunts as is the wide saddle. The tiny petrol capacity - only 16 litres - will be a pain for the adventurous cross-continent touring types, though. More to the point, this is a bike for good old-fashioned backroad fun, or simple ride-to-work chores. It's a genuine all-rounder.
The willing engine and eager handling are backed up with good brakes. They are the same as you'll see on older CBR600Fs and they are adequate without being stunning. If you ride the Hornet alongside the latest version of the CBR600F4, you might wish for the CBR's better braking and suspension set-up. But, ridden in isolation, the Hornet's stoppers perform well enough. The front end gets a bit squirrelly if you insist on using the brakes very hard, especially deep into a corner; it's short on damping and long on dive. The rear shock is more competent, with better damping and springing. But if you really want class-leading handling then you should choose the CBR, not the Hornet.

The Hornet is a friendly bike. The lack of body-plastic means the inevitable parking lot spills won't hammer the pocket-plastic so hard. The low seat height, upright handlebars and relatively low weight will mean that the spills will happen less often, even if your legs aren't as long as most bike designers think they should be. No surprise, then, that the Hornet has proved popular with the female population.
Complaints are few. I don't like the switch gear and found the indicator switch a long stretch even for my giant thumb. It needs to be a little lower on the switch module. The short front mudguard may be stylish but it means the naked engine is getting doused by water, mud and stones, especially if you ride the bike in Britain. That'll make short work of those down-pipes.
"Honda. It stands for reliability, quality and excellent after-sales support."
The petrol tank's lack of capacity almost caught me out during one jaunt. The bike ran onto reserve, but I decided to try to make it for 20 more miles to use my favorite local supermarket fuel point, rather than the high-priced one that came up first. It proved a mistake as the three liter reserve was almost exhausted by the time I rode into the chosen petrol station. The bike coughed and spluttered onto the fore-court with the tank bone dry and the motor running on what was left in the float bowls. The Hornet may have smaller carbs than the CBR (34mm compared to 36mm) but it still likes to guzzle gas if ridden very hard.

The Hornet has followed the CBR600F into sales success. It hasn't set the market aflame nor has it dominated the charts like the CBR did. But this isn't due to any problem with the bike; it's more to do with the depth of the competition which includes cheaper bikes like the SV650 and sportier bikes like Yamaha's excellent Fazer.
The Hornet does have a number of advantages over the competition, though. The first being the name on the tank: Honda. It stands for reliability, quality and excellent after-sales support. The second is that, unlike the SV650, it's based on a well-proven engine, although the Thundercat-derived Fazer can make this boast too. When it comes to buying the choice is down to the individual, it's impossible to say which bike suits your taste best, that choice has to be down to you. But it is possible to say that the Hornet recipe will suit most people's tastes most of the time. And who can ask for much more in a bike than that?
CB600F Hornet Specifications

Engine: Liquid-cooled 4-stroke,
16-valve DOHC inline-4
Bore x Stroke: 65 x 45.2mm
Displacement: 599cc
Compression Ratio: 12:1
Carburetors: Four 34mm downdraft
flat-slide CV-type
Max. Power Output : 88bhp@11,750rpm
Max. Torque: 45lb/ft@9,250rpm
Ignition: Computer-controlled digital
transistorized with electronic advance
Starter: Electric
Transmission: 6-speed
Final Drive: ‘O'-ring sealed chain
Dimensions: H 2,095 x 740 x 1,065mm
Wheelbase: 1,425mm
Seat Height: 790mm
Ground Clearance: 140mm
Fuel Capacity: 16 liters (including 
three-litre reserve)
Wheels Front: 17 x MT3.50 hollow-
section triple-spoke cast aluminum
Rear:  17 x MT5.50 hollow-section
triple-spoke cast aluminum
Tyres: Front 120/70 ZR17
Rear 180/55 ZR17
Suspension Front: 41mm telescopic
fork, 120mm axle travel
Rear: Monoshock damper with 7-step
adjustable pre-load, 128mm axle travel
Brakes Front: 296 x 4.5mm dual hydraulic
disc with dual-piston calipers fitted with
sintered metal pads and gripping floating steel rotors
Rear: 220 x 5mm hydraulic disc with
single-piston caliper and sintered metal pads
Dry Weight: 176kg

Honda Motorcycle History

Honda Motorcycle History

Honda was founded in the late 1940s as Japan struggled to rebuild following the second World War. Company founder Soichiro Honda first began manufacturing piston rings before turning his attention to inexpensive motorcycles. Mr. Honda always had a passion for engineering, and this became evident by the wild sales success of his motorcycles in the 1960s and by competing head-to-head against the world’s best on racetracks. Today, Honda is a juggernaut, offering class-leading machines in most every category. 

• 1906 Soichiro Honda is born in Hamamatsu, Japan. His father owns a blacksmith shop that also repairs bicycles. As a young man, Honda is an apprentice in an automotive garage in Tokyo.
   
• 1928 Honda returns to Hamamatsu to open his own auto repair shop. Enamored with speed, he builds his own race car.
   
• 1936 Honda is injured in an auto racing accident.
   
• 1937 He forms a company to manufacture piston rings. After a shaky start (owing mostly to his complete lack of formal training in metallurgy) his company becomes successful. He is a key supplier to Toyota, which starts manufacturing cars at about the same time.
   
• 1946 Soichiro Honda sells his piston-ring business. Japan is struggling to regain some semblance of normalcy, after having been bombed flat at the end of WWII. Honda realizes the need for affordable transportation and begins grafting war-surplus two-stroke motors onto bicycles. (The motors had originally been intended for use on portable generators for military radios.)
   
• 1948 Honda Motor Co. Ltd is incorporated. Soichiro Honda focuses on the engineering side of the business, while financial operations are controlled by Takeo Fujisawa.
   
• 1949 The company produces its first real motorcycle, powered by a 98cc a two-stroke motor. When an employee sees the first one assembled and it is ridden outside the factory, he says, “It’s like a dream.” The name “Dream” was adopted for the bike, officially known as Model D. 
   
• 1951 Mr. Honda is infuriated by the noise, smell and fumes from the two-stroke motorbikes (including his own) that crowd Japanese city streets. In response, the company creates its first four-stroke motorcycle, the Dream E (146cc).
   
• 1952 Despite the fact that he despises such “primitive” powerplants, Honda flirts with his original notion of auxiliary motors for bicycles. The Cub F (two-stroke, 50cc) clip-on motor is sold through thousands of independent bicycle shops across Japan. It is only manufactured for two years, but it introduces the “Cub” trademark, which will be popular for decades in various guises.
   
• 1953 The Benly J (4-stroke, 90cc) is released. At least some of these were sold with “Benly” tank-badges, and carried the Honda name on engine cases only. The Benly series also lasted a long time, and ushered in an era of improved performance. They were immediately popular with Japan’s amateur racers.
   
• 1954 Soichiro Honda shares his own dream, of success in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. He writes, “My childhood dream was to be a champion of motor racing with a machine built by myself. However, before becoming world champion, it is strongly required to establish a stable corporate structure, provided with precise production facilities and superior product design. From this point of view we have been concentrating on providing high quality products to meet Japanese domestic consumer demand and we have not had enough time to pour our efforts in motor cycle racing until now… I here avow my intention that I will participate in the TT race and I proclaim with my fellow employees that I will pour all my energy and creative powers into winning.” Mr. Honda attended the Isle of Man races as an observer that year, paying particular attention to the German-made NSU motorcycles that dominated the 125 and 250 classes. Although it is widely believed Honda “copied” these machines, it is not true; the NSU racers were singles with bevel-drive cams–nothing like the early Honda racers.
  
  
   
• 1957 The leading Italian manufacturers, including MV Agusta, Gilera, and Mondial announce that they will withdraw from World Championship racing, citing increasing costs. MV Agusta will renege on this agreement and continue racing. Honda buys one of the last Mondial race bikes. The Japanese company doesn’t copy the Italian bike, but it does use it as a source of inspiration and an example of the standard they need to reach.
   
• 1958 The Super Cub (aka C100, aka CA100, aka simply “the Honda 50”) hits the market. It features a pressed-steel frame, leading-link fork, step-through design and a 50cc four-stroke motor. It is destined to be sold under various names, and will later grow to 70cc, and finally 90cc. It will become the most popular motorcycle–indeed, the most popular motor vehicle of any kind.
   
• 1959 Honda enters the famed Isle of Man TT races for the first time. The company fields five machines in the 125cc “Ultra-lightweight” class. The bikes are 125cc twins, of the type raced the previous year in Japanese national competition. Naomi Tanaguchi achieves the team’s the best TT result, finishing sixth. Honda wins the manufacturer’s trophy in the class. Honda opens American Honda Motor Co. in Los Angeles.
  
  
   
• 1961 Honda dominates both the 125cc and 250cc classes at the TT. Mike Hailwood wins both races, with Hondas finishing 1st through 5th positions in each case. The Isle of Man Examiner newspaper says simply, “It was a devastating win for the Orient.”
   
• 1963 This year, Honda focuses on F-1 car racing, and the motorcycle racing program suffers. Sales of street bikes remain strong, however: the Super Cub is awarded the French Mode Cup; Honda opens its first overseas plant in Belgium; Grey Advertising unveils the famous “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” campaign. Early the following year, Honda buys commercial time in the Academy Awards for a “nicest people” television ad featuring the Super Cub.
   
• 1964 Two-stroke motors begin to dominate the smaller-displacement racing classes. In order to remain competitive in the 250cc classes, while still relying on four-stroke motors, Honda produces a six-cylinder 250, the 3RC164. This engineering marvel dazzles the racing world, but it is not enough to prevent Phil Read from winning the championship on his Yamaha ’stroker. In ’66 and ’67, however, Mike Hailwood will use the six to win the 250cc World Championship.
   
• 1968 19 years after the company’s first two-wheeler rolled out of the factory, Honda produces its 10 millionth motorcycle.
   
• 1969 Honda unveiled the CB750 at the Tokyo Motor Show in late ’68, but it didn’t hit the market until early ’69. It is impossible to overstate the impact this bike made, as the first modern mass-market four, and the first mass-market bike to come with a disc brake. Until well into 1970, CB750s were made with sand-cast, not die-cast engine cases. In truth, die-cast cases were lighter, stronger, and more oil tight. But it’s the sand-cast models that are prized by collectors.
   
• 1970 Honda entered four riders in the Daytona 200, but only one–Dick Mann–finished. The three DNFs were completely overshadowed by Mann’s victory. It was a huge win for Honda in America. That year, the 200 grid also included all-new triples from Triumph and BSA, and the first XR750 Harley-Davidsons. Although the factory bikes are often referred to as CR750 models, the CR750 was never sold as a complete motorcycle; it was only a kit of parts to be assembled on a CB750 donor bike. The factory racers were built by Honda’s Racing Services Center (the predecessor of today’s HRC) and officially designated “CB750 Racing Type.”
   
• 1972 Honda finally admits that in order to build a competitive 250cc motocrosser, the company has to make another two-stroke motor. CR250 “Elsinore” reaches the U.S. in early ’73. It is immediately the most effective production race bike in its class, and Gary Jones wins the AMA motocross championship on it in its first year.
   
• 1973 Soichiro Honda retires as the company President. He remains on the Board of Directors, which grant him the honorific title ‘Supreme Advisor’ in 1983.
   
• 1974 The first Gold Wing, the GL1000, is introduced at Cologne. It reaches the U.S. market in early ’75. The ’wing is the first Japanese production four-stroke to be water-cooled. It also features shaft drive and is one of the first production bikes to be fitted with a fuel pump. The pump is required because the “tank” in the normal position is actually an electronics bay and conceals the radiator overflow, while the real fuel tank is under the seat, to help keep the center of gravity low.
   
• 1978 In an effort to build a competitive four-stroke motorcycle for the 500GP World Championship, Honda produces the oval-piston NR500. It was effectively a “four-cylinder V-8, with 8 connecting rods and 32 valves. It is a technological tour-de-force, but manufacturing challenges prevent it from racing until late in the ’79 season. Honda persists with the machine through the ’81 season, but even Freddie Spencer can’t manage to win on it.
   
• 1981 Honda Gold Wing production moves from Japan to a new factory in Ohio.
   
• 1983 Freddie Spencer wins the 500cc World Championship. For the first time, Honda wins the “blue riband” championship. (The company first won the Manufacturer’s Championship in the 500cc class in 1966.)
   
• 1986 After a shaky start, the V-four “VF” series of road bikes is redeemed with the redesigned VFR750F “Interceptor”. Its gear-drive overhead cams once and for all banish cam drive and wear problems, and the model is generally acknowledged as being the “best all-’round road bike” for most of the next ten years.
   
• 1987 The CBR600F “Hurricane” is Honda’s first fully-faired, four-cylinder street bike.
   
• 1990 The VFR750R (aka RC30) finally arrives in the U.S., three years after it is first sold in Japan. It’s a true homologation special, and a genuine race bike for the street, selling for twice the price of a stock Interceptor.
   
• 1991 The company mourns the death of Soichiro Honda.
   
• 1992 200 units of the legendary NR (aka NR 750) are produced. This is a street-legal version of the ill-fated NR500 Grand Prix racer, which sells for a breathtaking $60,000. It’s loaded with ahead-of-its-time features including carbon-fiber bodywork, a digital dash, underseat exhaust, a single-sided swingarm, and fuel injection. In spite of lavish use of carbon and light alloy, it weighs nearly 500 pounds, and most of the people who have ridden it (still a small statistical sample!) are underwhelmed.
   
• 1993 The CBR900RR stuns the sportbike world. Designed by Tadao Baba, the “Fireblade” combines the power of an open-class motorcycle with the weight and handling of a 600.
   
• 1995 The radical EXP-2 (two-stroke 400cc) wins its class in the Granada-Dakar rally. The bike is the proof-of-concept for a cleaner burning and more powerful two-stroke engine concept that uses a pivoting “valve” to close the exhaust port.
   
• 2001 Valentino Rossi wins the last ever 500cc World Championship on the NSR500 two-stroke.
   
• 2002 All change. Or not. Rossi wins the first World Championship in the 990cc MotoGP era, on the five-cylinder four-stroke RC211V. Valentino Rossi wins the last ever 500cc World Championship on the NSR500 two-stroke.
   
• 2004 Honda prototypes a motorcycle powered by a fuel cell.
   
• 2006 The 50,000,000th Super Cub is sold.
   
• 2007 Honda is the first manufacturer to offer a motorcycle with air bag crash protection.
   

Redding hails Motegi circuit

Redding hails Motegi circuit

Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Briton declares himself fan of Japanese track.

He may not have had the best result at Twin Ring Motegi on his circuit debut, but Scott Redding is full of praise for the Japanese track where he took eighth place in 2008. The Blusens Aprilia rider is relishing the opportunity to get back to the far east, eager to earn not only a higher placing than at last year’s race, but to earn further points after an anticlimactic opener in Qatar.

“The Motegi circuit is one of the most beautiful in the World Championship,” states the Briton in anticipation of this weekend’s 125cc clash. “Last year’s race did not go very well for me, but overall it was not too bad. I think that this year, on the Aprilia RSA, things should be much better.”

The youngest ever Grand Prix winner, Redding is keen for a sequel with his new factory bike, although preseason testing was not entirely satisfactory for him. Qualifying eleventh and dropping down two places in the four-lap Qatar race has, if anything, only made him more motivated.

“We are hoping for better weather and to be able to work comfortably. I can’t wait to race there (in Motegi) because what happened in Qatar was very strange, at the end I was a bit upset and really disappointed.”
TAGS

* Qatar

UPDATE MOTO GP CALENDAR

Update to 2010 provisional MotoGP calendar

Monday, 16 November 2009
The FIM have announced that the provisional date of the 2010 Czech Republic Grand Prix has been moved to August 15th.

The FIM have today announced an amendment to the provisional calendar for the 2010 MotoGP World Championship, with the Czech Republic Grand Prix to be held a week earlier than originally scheduled.

Date Grand Prix (Circuit)
April 11th* Qatar (Losail)
April 25th Japan (Motegi)
May 2nd Spain (Jerez)
May 23rd France (Le Mans)
June 6th Italy (Mugello)
June 20th Great Britain (Silverstone)
June 26th** Netherlands (Assen)
July 4th Catalunya (Catalunya)
July 18th Germany (Sachsenring)
July 25th*** United States (Laguna Seca)
August 15th Czech Republic (Brno)
August 29th Indianapolis (Indianapolis)
September 5th San Marino & Riviera di Rimini (Misano)
September 19th Hungary (Balatonring)
October 10th Malaysia (Sepang)
October 17th Australia (Phillip Island)
October 31st Portugal (Estoril)
November 7th Valencia (Ricardo Tormo Valencia)

Reserve Circuit: Motorland Aragon Circuit

* Evening race
** Saturday race
*** Only MotoGP class

Braking New Ground

Braking New Ground

Anti-lock supersport stoppage
Cycle World By Don Canet

Skilled sport riders have historically been quick to discount the safety merits of an anti-lock braking system, viewing it as an unnecessary luxury feature best suited to the sport-touring set. Honda now aims to convince us otherwise, offering optional C-ABS (combined anti-lock brakes) on its 2009 CBR600RR and CBR1000RR models.

Having sampled a wide variety of bikes over the years that offered ABS, linked brakes or a combination of both, I could be counted among the sport-minded community content without the added cost, weight or, often, intrusive operation of previous assisted braking implementations.

Scattered showers and damp pavement provided ideal conditions in which to gather first impressions of a C-ABS-equipped CBR600RR during the bike's press launch staged at the Honda Proving Center of California. Following a technical brief detailing the system's sophisticated components and operation, I put in a few dozen laps around the HPCC road course, exploring the capabilities of C-ABS.

My conclusion? Years spent developing feel and finesse through my right fingers and foot have been rendered obsolete by this system. Grabbing a handful of brake or standing on the pedal results in nothing less than strong, controlled braking action. Although a momentary initial release in braking force is detectable, pulsation is not felt through the controls once the system detects impending wheel lock and enters an anti-lock state of operation. Neither does the chassis buck like a rocking horse, another characteristic of many slow-cycling, grab-release-grab ABS setups. The CBR's ECU-controlled plumbing makes extremely quick and near-seamless adjustments in system pressure.

The combined or linked aspect of the RR's setup is a vast improvement over earlier-generation linked arrangements dating back to the CBR1000F and CBR1100XX of the 1990s. There's no sudden front-end dive when lightly applying rear brake at low speeds, allowing riders who dab the rear brake when making U-turns to do so without ill effect.

Although Honda spokesmen make no claims regarding the system's effectiveness beyond straight-line use, trail-braking performance is a natural question on the minds of many sport riders. I found the smooth nature of the CBR's ABS and its combined brake effect allow fairly aggressive rear-pedal application mid-corner without unsettling the chassis. I used this technique in a series of left-hand bends at HPCC and was able to confidently check my speed and tighten my line. Another experiment I conducted was trail-braking deep into corners, easing off the front lever while remaining on the pedal down to the corner apex. Although I came away unscathed, I advise readers looking to try this to carefully ease up to this technique as I did. This is not a fail-safe system; it does not rewrite the rules of physics.

Although Honda spokesmen make no claims regarding the system's effectiveness beyond straight-line use, trail-braking performance is a natural question on the minds of many sport riders. I found the smooth nature of the CBR's ABS and its combined brake effect allow fairly aggressive rear-pedal application mid-corner without unsettling the chassis. I used this technique in a series of left-hand bends at HPCC and was able to confidently check my speed and tighten my line. Another experiment I conducted was trail-braking deep into corners, easing off the front lever while remaining on the pedal down to the corner apex. Although I came away unscathed, I advise readers looking to try this to carefully ease up to this technique as I did. This is not a fail-safe system; it does not rewrite the rules of physics.

Following the launch, we obtained a pair of CBR600RRs for further study on the street and test strip, one with C-ABS and another without. Drained of fuel, the standard bike weighed 386 pounds on CW's scales, while the C-ABS model came in at 411 pounds. Both bikes produced 102 peak horsepower and 45 foot-pounds of torque, but the additional 25 pounds accounts for a quarter-mile time 0.2-second off the 10.59 seconds at 129.16-mph pass set by the non-ABS model.

That's a fair trade-off, we think, for all but the most track-day-driven. Every CW staffer who has ridden the C-ABS model on the street sensed the feeling of invincibility that this system imparts. We found ourselves actually seeking out slick surfaces, such as paint lines, oil spots or loose sand, to brake across. To a man, we were amazed by how transparently the system adjusts to variations in grip.

Looking to back our seat-of-the-pants findings with hard data, we gathered comparative stopping distances from 60 mph on each 600RR. Back-to-back stops were performed on dry, bumpy pavement; we then repeated the test in both wet and dry conditions on a smooth stretch of asphalt. We also measured each bike's stopping distance when only the rear brake pedal was applied, the results of which clearly display the huge advantage Honda's combined system provides.

While the shortest stopping distance on dry pavement came aboard the non-ABS bike, safely finding the limits on a bumpy surface required four attempts. Only a second pass was needed on the more predictable smooth surface to beat the ABS. Mulligans, however, are not a luxury one enjoys when faced with a real-world panic stop. The fairly close wet-road stopping distance of the two can also be attributed to the consistent surface condition throughout the stop. Once again, throw in variables such as a deep puddle or a rain-soaked paint line, and there's little doubt that the gap between the two bikes' stopping distances would increase. And remember, this testing was done with a practiced hand/foot at the controls; less-skilled operators will benefit that much more from this smarter ABS.

We came away very impressed with what Honda has achieved with its latest-generation C-ABS. After years of riding bikes with anti-lock brakes, we've come to expect compromises in the feel and function during high-performance braking. Honda has made us rethink our position; to do so with a pure sporting platform makes this doubly astonishing. While many sportbike enthusiasts will stand to benefit greatly from the added safety this system offers, the $1000 premium tacked onto a $9799 base price and the 25-pound weight penalty can't be ignored. Having already invested countless miles in developing a keen, if not infallible, sense of human-controlled ABS, I hope Honda continues to give buyers a choice.

ASIMO ROBOT

 Honda Develops New Personal Mobility Device

Honda's robotics technology (Left to Right): U3-X, Bodyweight Support Assist Device, Stride Management Support Assist Device, ASIMO humanoid robot.

TOKYO, Japan, Sept. 24, 2009 – Pursuing the concept of “harmony with people” Honda has developed a new personal mobility technology and unveiled U3-X, a compact experimental device that fits comfortably between the rider’s legs, to provide free movement in all directions just as in human walking – forward, backward, side-to-side, and diagonally. Honda will continue research and development of the device including experiments in a real-world environment to verify the practicality of the device.
    This new personal mobility device makes it possible to adjust speed and move, turn and stop in all directions when the rider leans the upper body to shift body weight. This was achieved through application of advanced technologies including Honda’s balance control technology, which was developed through the robotics research of ASIMO, Honda’s bipedal humanoid robot, and the world’s first^* omni-directional driving wheel system (Honda Omni Traction Drive System, or HOT Drive System), which enables movement in all directions, including not only forward and backward, but also directly to the right and left and diagonally. In addition, this compact size and one-wheel-drive personal mobility device was designed to be friendly to the user and people around it by making it easier for the rider to reach the ground from the footrest and placing the rider on roughly the same eye level as other people or pedestrians.
    Honda is planning to showcase the U3-X at the 41^st Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (sponsored by JAMA) which will begin on October 24, 2009 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.
    Striving to propose the next-generation mobility which expands the joy and fun of mobility, Honda has been conducting robotics research since 1986, including ASIMO, walking assist devices and U3-X, at the Honda R&D Co., Ltd. Fundamental Technology Research Center in Wako, Saitama, Japan.
Key features of U3-X:
 
Free movement just as in human walking
1.Device control featuring application of balance control technology cultivated through ASIMO research:
The incline sensor detects the incline of the device based on the weight shift of the rider and determines the rider’s intention in terms of the direction and speed. Based on the data, precise control is applied to return the device to an upright position, which achieves smooth and agile movements and simple operation by weight shift only.
2.HOT Drive System (Omni-directional driving wheel system):
Honda developed the world’s first wheel structure which enables movement in all directions including forward, backward, side-to-side and diagonally. Multiple small-diameter motor-controlled wheels were connected in-line to form one large-diameter wheel. By moving the large-diameter wheel, the device moves forward and backward, and by moving small-diameter wheels, the device moves side-to-side. By combining these movements the device moves diagonally.
Compact size which fit between the user’s legs
3.Compact and innovative package:
The combination of the balance control technology and the HOT Drive System enabled the one-wheel style compact and innovative package of the device. In addition, the device adopts a light-weight monocoque body in which the foldable seat, footrests and body cover that also function as the frame are stored in the body of the device, achieving highly portable convenience.
Key specifications of the experimental model

Length×Width×Height(mm)	315×160×650
Weight	less than 10kg
Battery Type	Lithium ion battery
Operation time (with fully charged battery)	1 hour

* Based on Honda’s internal research

On Golden Wings

They call me the "Million-Mile Man" around these parts because I love to ride -- anywhere, anytime -- but, believe it or not, in all that saddle time I've never cruised on Honda's seminal tourer, the Goldwing. When the opportunity for MO to test one arose, I quickly took delivery of a bright yellow, 30th Anniversary Edition Wing with pure, visceral excitement in my heart and mind.

Thus equipt, I set sail for points north of MO with all haste. I must admit, I approached this king of long distance with some trepidation regarding its overall dimensions. Thoughts like "how am I going to handle this behemoth?" come to mind. Once aboard, my fears quickly diminished -- everything just seems to fall into place once moving, bringing the bike back down to size, so to speak.

Ah, sunny SoCal -- make fun of it all you want, but it's like this year-round.

Think you'll need that owner's manual?

Got stuff?

Under power, the motorcycle becomes less of a threat to your bike handling skills than you would think, thanks to easy-to-reach bars that give plenty of steering leverage, six cylinders offering torque-o-plenty and a chassis with unexpected agility. Once I convinced myself to ride this two-wheeled car like a motorcycle and not the Millennium Falcon, it proved to be effortless at times.

Smooth, flowing lines still grace the 2005 Gold Wing. In fact, the blend of body panels to saddlebags is so silky in appearance that it's almost phallic. I found myself wanting to just reach out and run my hands over the smooth headlamps, across the upper portion of the fairing, down the gas tank then along the prominent aluminum frame spar and all the way back to the flawlessly integrated luggage. Once again, Honda refinement comes through. Speaking of integrated styling, turn signal and brake lamps seem to have a symbiotic relationship with the bodywork. As seen from behind, the Wing might be mistaken for a Civic or Prelude. Very Honda indeed.

"Even with only the front two speakers installed on this unit the music often sounded like it was coming from headphones."

Refinement continues throughout the cockpit. Analog gauges handle the basics with the speedometer front and center. Just below the line of sight for the gauges is an LCD display offering radio/CB information and various setting readouts, as well as trip and odometer readings. Ambient air temperature can be displayed by pushing the mode button and will remain on-screen for approximately thirty seconds before returning to your choice of radio stations. Glancing further down the console to the area just above the fuel door is a myriad of buttons and dials. What you'll find here are controls primarily for radio, CB and intercom. There are six preset buttons for each of two FM and one AM "banks", for a total of 18 presets. Additional selectors control weather band, CD and auxiliary items in the event you want to pipe in your IPod.

Speaking of IPods, Fonzie the photographer commented rather dryly, "The built in IPod ready mini-pin is a sweet touch for the new class of touring riders. I imagine the older rider, those with 100K miles on the original Gold Wing, will be quite confused as to what to do with the little wire stuffed in that glove box."

Directly to the left and right of the selector buttons are a dial for volume and mode. What the mode button offers is an option to tune something Honda calls the "ambiance" settings for the speakers. Consisting of a low, medium and high. In essence, this creates a "surround sound" effect. Believe me, it works quite well. Even with only the front two speakers installed on this unit the music often sounded like it was coming from headphones.

Not to be left out of the bells and whistles game, each handlebar gets a few goodies to play with as well. The controls found on the right bar are for setting and adjusting the electronic cruise control. Mmmm...cruise control (you should begin salivating right about now for a nice, comfortable ride up the interstate). Additionally, there is an odd little push button just left of the starter button. It won't eject you out of your seat at the precise moment you find yourself in danger but it will make you go backwards. Yes, it's the mighty reverse device, and it operates in an easy and slick fashion, by pressing the starter button. You must have the ignition on, but the bike can't be running. Simply push the reverse button to on, wait a second or two, and then use the starter switch as your "throttle." It moves just fast enough to keep you upright while you use your little feet as outriggers to keep you upright.

Page 7,432 of the owners manual explains in-detail, exactly how to optimize CB reception while motoring your merry way backwards out of a downhill parking slot.

"It should go without saying, but if storage is your thing, the Wing has you covered."

Over on the left bar, things get a little more in-depth. A pod set atop the grouping is specifically for CB control with volume, channel and squelch. The remaining buttons are for adjusting AM/FM volume, channel or disc selection (if you have the optional CD player) and a nifty mute button. Pushing the mute button will cause 'MUTE' to display on the LCD and that's good because as our beloved Alfonse said: "The quick mute is rather handy at the toll booths and when haggling with the hobos wanting to clean the windshield."

Wrapping up the electronic gizmos are two trick little features. Just within reach of the riders left, you'll find a dial for electronically adjusting headlight pitch. This is here for good reason, as the neighboring buttons are for electronic pre-load adjustment of the rear spring. If you find yourself carrying a large load, passenger or both, you'll have the option of increasing the pre-load to help firm up the ride. If you're mostly empty but aggressively slicing up canyon roads, you'll want to increase pre-load as well to help with greater ground clearance.

Should you be casually tooling down interstates or surface streets, decreasing the pre-load will provide a softer ride. If you're in tune with your bike and know exactly where you want the rear end situated then you can create two pre-sets: ideally one firm and one soft. Given all that, Alfonse (That's Fonzie to most of you) remarked, "The electronic suspension system was quite spiffy, but not as cool as on the current BMWs which adjust on the fly so you can really sense the change. Yes, I am spoiled, thank you!" The suspension settings are also displayed on the Gold Wing's LCD.

Alter Ego Not Included

A couple more remarks with respect to all the dials, knobs, buttons and the like: they're all relatively easy to use, even when adjusting on the fly while wearing medium weight gloves. Most of the controls and gauges are back lit for your visual pleasure, after the sun goes down.

It should go without saying, but if storage is your thing, the Wing has you covered. Three cavernous hard bags, as usual, are seamlessly integrated with the bike. I was able to stuff a full set of racing leathers, gloves and a few odds and ends in the trunk. I used one saddlebag for a duffel containing a small laptop computer, some camera gear and a couple of other office related trinkets. The other bag held my clothing and shoes, enough for a four-day trip.

Booop! Your lights are on...

Both bags still had plenty of room for the little last minute items that we all seem to remember right after the bags are closed. If you wander around back and look underneath the trunk, you'll note two helmet locks tucked up out of sight. They're operated via a small knob on the floor of the trunk closest to the turn signal/brake light area. Unfortunately, Honda engineers weren't considering ease of use when they placed the releases here. It was often a chore to work my hand in to a point where I could use them. Nevertheless, the locks are a nice convenience. In a trap door on the floor of the trunk, you'll find the storage area for the CB and CD player. Both items are apparently a luxury as Honda considers them accessories.

In the "tricked out" department, there are two more treats: a keyless/wireless remote to lock or unlock the bags and a display on the LCD to let you know that you're absent minded and neglected to completely latch any of the three. This proves to be more than just an electronic scolding. It will actually prevent the bike from starting. The bags are, in essence, airtight and the bike knows it. So make sure you get a solid click from each saddlebag, as they were often the culprits preventing me from a quick departure. That's not to say the bags were a problem to close, but rather were very subtle and you don't have to slam them shut.

Pete demonstrates the form that got him expelled from the MSF class.

"The prime directive of such a machine is to cover great distances with as much comfort as possible."

Just a nice, firm push with a reassuring click of the latch and you'll be down the road. If you find a handful of smaller items to carry along, feel free to utilize four little cubbyholes. The driver and passenger each get two with one being lockable on the driver's right. They're rather small in my opinion, but at least you can shove a mobile phone, pair of gloves or set of keys in each.

The prime directive of such a machine is to cover great distances with as much comfort as possible while still allowing you to enjoy the activity of motorcycling. There are purists out there that opine that such a motorcycle will rob you of the true experience. They often claim that motorcycles like the Gold Wing are too isolating from the elements, too refined and too car-like. In many ways, I can understand opinions like that. After all, I would venture to guess the rawness of motorcycling is what lured and then trapped many, if not all of us into such a blissful existence.

Quite frankly, I don't want to be beat down from the ride itself when I arrive at my destination. After years of saddle time or maybe just age, I find that doing any distance that requires most of the day to cover is best served on a bike like the Gold Wing. If a more pure form of motorcycling is desired then I'll seek it out at the racetrack or local canyon carving. The distances will be shorter or more invigorating, going by much more quickly by virtue of the increased mental activity.

Endless freeway miles click by effortlessly when aboard the Wing.

Overall ergonomics were just about perfect for my 5'8" frame. Generally, it gives a feeling of sitting in a well-designed office chair. Fonzie had similar thoughts: "Although I am approximately 150lbs shy of the typical rider load for this bike, I didn't feel lost within its bulk. I say within the overall bulk because it's nearly the same in the front and the rear, leaving just a "low spot" for the rider and passenger to fit into from the side." All controls are within easy reach and don't cause any real distraction from the road. The only nit I've to pick is with the saddle (it truly is a saddle). When drifting down the road the wrap around edge is pure heaven. However, when it was time to bring the big Wing to a stop I had to develop a little technique of sliding just forward, toward the gas tank, in order to get my thigh past the seat's edge.

When you're trying to finesse nearly a thousand pounds (with a passenger and gear) to a smooth stop you'll want the ability to securely place your feet firmly on the ground. Although I suppose I could just grow a few inches and resolve the whole thing. Nevertheless, the seat is plush.

I had the opportunity to sample passenger accommodations courtesy of Fonzie riding me around city streets. I must say I'd almost rather be a passenger. The comfort level back there is better than most cars I've been in. It was reminiscent of being in my favorite recliner.

Handling, whether on the street, canyon or freeway was always two things: stable and predictable courtesy of the "multi-box-section dual-spar aluminum frame", which Honda has siphoned from racing technology. Lane changes at speed required the slightest input. Despite the heft of the Wing, it never lumbered or wallowed if the pavement was rough, and rapid steering inputs didn't upset the chassis in the least. Don't infer from these qualities that the bike is as responsive as a sport-touring machine. After all, with a 66" wheelbase, 4.3" of trail, a little over 29 degrees of rake and a claimed dry weight of 799 lbs it's never going to be very "flick-able."

Riding the Gold Wing can be effortless at times, once you convince yourself to ride this two-wheeled car like a motorcycle and not the Millennium Falcon.

Local EMTs liked this color so much, they even painted the ambulance stripes in Gold Wing Yellow.

But considering these dimensions while careening down the Angeles Crest Highway the Gold Wing is still a formidable tool in the twisties. After cranking up the pre-load to its highest setting in order to increase ground clearance (though that's not the true purpose of increasing pre-load), chasing a sport bike with a passenger was quite entertaining.

The reason I mention harassing the sport bike rider isn't to regale the reader with my riding prowess but more to illustrate as to what the Wing can actually do despite its size. Truth is, it's a great handling bike. Whether at freeway speeds, parking lot pace or canyon carving you can have just about as much fun as you would on a much more focused machine, as long as you don't get too carried away.

"I noticed the throaty exhaust note which sounds a lot like a modern six cylinder sports car."

Despite the fact that the 74.0mm x 71.0mm, two valve, SOHC, 1,832cc engine is over-square, it never seemed to be lacking in the torque department. It seems to have it in reserve, which is quite nice when trying to carefully guide the bruiser up and around a tight curve when you're loaded down. In fact, I found it easier to start from a dead stop in second gear rather than first. First always seemed too short and the powerful flat-six was easily capable of pulling from zero mph in second.

Speaking of power, I found most of it useful from around 2,200 rpm but the 4,500 to 6,000 rpm neighborhood is where a lot of your freeway juicing will be used. It was also the point where I noticed the throaty exhaust note which sounds a lot like a modern six cylinder sports car. Use the five-speed tranny to get to overdrive (or "sixth gear", as some might call it) and comfortable cruising speeds range anywhere from 85mph to around 110mph. While we're on the subject of the transmission, I want to mention that first gear is a little short and shifting was a tad on the notchy side. It wasn't uncommon to find a false neutral between 2nd and 3rd.

Braking is optional on the Gold Wing. Well, not exactly, but Honda's ABS/LBS (Linked Brake System) is, and it'll cost you an extra $1,100.00. My test unit was so equipped and I generally like ABS on a bike like this. Since I'm not seeking the ultimate in performance, I'm willing to sacrifice some progressive feel in exchange for coming to a solid stop quickly. While staying in the general foot peg area, MO's intrepid photographer Alfonse said this: "One little addition I would like to see included with the GL1800 is a heel shifter. The peg is big enough to move your foot around on already, but I needed to click away with my heel at times."

Goldwing History

1978 GL1000 Thirty years ago, a pioneering Japanese motorcycle manufacturer created a machine that would set a new benchmark in motorcycle touring, or even motorcycling for that matter. In 1975 Honda Motor Company, Inc. introduced the Gold Wing. Otherwise known as the GL1000, its heart was a 999cc flat four-cylinder power plant. However, it was first tagged as a muscle bike and it looked a lot like other "standards" of the day, save for the heads lying low in front of the rider's feet. It's beginnings gave little hint to its future transformation into a first-class touring bike. The year 1978 saw the introduction of the now famous (or infamous as some would have it), Comstar wheels, in addition to an instrument 'pod' placed on the gas tank. Higher rising handlebars came the year before. It wasn't until 1979 that the bike received a set of hard saddlebags and trunk, and an official Honda fairing wasn't available until the 1980 GL1100 Interstate model, finally placing the bike in the true tour bike mode. It has continued in this direction ever since. An important note to the history of Honda: 1981 saw production of the Gold Wing move to Ohio, in a seemingly obvious maneuver to bolster their US presence. The Aspencade model of 1982 offered an electronically operated air pump for the suspension, CB radio and Clarion AM/FM stereo as standard equipment to set it above the Interstate model, on which those items were optional. Stepping up the horsepower game in 1984, the Wing was graced with an 1,182cc motor, although still a flat four. Some aficionados alleged this to be an answer to Yamaha's Venture. Whether one can believe it or not, fuel injection made its debut on the 1985 model, along with cruise control and an on-board "travel computer." 1988 GL1500 A long time in the saddle is what most of us dream of... A major wind of change blew across the indomitable touring bike in 1988, bringing with it a complete redesign with dramatic styling changes, a reverse gear and most importantly, a whopping increase to 1,520ccs of displacement, thanks to the addition of two more cylinders. This new flat-six engine configuration would become a hallmark of the Gold Wing. Aside from obvious modernizing changes in style, the bike we see today draws much of its lineage from this model. However, thirteen years of steady production ended to give way to the most current model: a new Gold Wing flying on an 1,832cc platform now known as the GL1800, graced with an all-aluminum frame, ABS and technology on loan from its sport bike cousins. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2005, Honda gave the venerable touring master a special badge, matching key and an opening banner display on the LCD dash to proclaim to the world a dominating history that any motorcycle would be honored to have. Other than the nice touches for its birthday, little has changed on the Wing since 2001, when it received a face-lift, new frame and the aforementioned displacement boost. Nevertheless, today's bike is even more of the legend that people have come to respect. Even the non-riding public knows a Gold Wing when they see one. After years spent growing up in Michigan and watching Wings sail up the highway in front of my house, I often desire to climb aboard the large machines and glide along to any place I wish, with complete comfort and confidence. No other motorcycle exemplifies the ability to do just that as well as a Honda Gold Wing. "With this standard-setting motorcycle going stronger than ever, it's easy to see another thirty years of production in its future."

On Golden Wings

They call me the "Million-Mile Man" around these parts because I love to ride -- anywhere, anytime -- but, believe it or not, in all that saddle time I've never cruised on Honda's seminal tourer, the Goldwing. When the opportunity for MO to test one arose, I quickly took delivery of a bright yellow, 30th Anniversary Edition Wing with pure, visceral excitement in my heart and mind.

Thus equipt, I set sail for points north of MO with all haste. I must admit, I approached this king of long distance with some trepidation regarding its overall dimensions. Thoughts like "how am I going to handle this behemoth?" come to mind. Once aboard, my fears quickly diminished -- everything just seems to fall into place once moving, bringing the bike back down to size, so to speak.

Ah, sunny SoCal -- make fun of it all you want, but it's like this year-round.

Think you'll need that owner's manual?

Got stuff?

Under power, the motorcycle becomes less of a threat to your bike handling skills than you would think, thanks to easy-to-reach bars that give plenty of steering leverage, six cylinders offering torque-o-plenty and a chassis with unexpected agility. Once I convinced myself to ride this two-wheeled car like a motorcycle and not the Millennium Falcon, it proved to be effortless at times.

Smooth, flowing lines still grace the 2005 Gold Wing. In fact, the blend of body panels to saddlebags is so silky in appearance that it's almost phallic. I found myself wanting to just reach out and run my hands over the smooth headlamps, across the upper portion of the fairing, down the gas tank then along the prominent aluminum frame spar and all the way back to the flawlessly integrated luggage. Once again, Honda refinement comes through. Speaking of integrated styling, turn signal and brake lamps seem to have a symbiotic relationship with the bodywork. As seen from behind, the Wing might be mistaken for a Civic or Prelude. Very Honda indeed.

"Even with only the front two speakers installed on this unit the music often sounded like it was coming from headphones."

Refinement continues throughout the cockpit. Analog gauges handle the basics with the speedometer front and center. Just below the line of sight for the gauges is an LCD display offering radio/CB information and various setting readouts, as well as trip and odometer readings. Ambient air temperature can be displayed by pushing the mode button and will remain on-screen for approximately thirty seconds before returning to your choice of radio stations. Glancing further down the console to the area just above the fuel door is a myriad of buttons and dials. What you'll find here are controls primarily for radio, CB and intercom. There are six preset buttons for each of two FM and one AM "banks", for a total of 18 presets. Additional selectors control weather band, CD and auxiliary items in the event you want to pipe in your IPod.

Speaking of IPods, Fonzie the photographer commented rather dryly, "The built in IPod ready mini-pin is a sweet touch for the new class of touring riders. I imagine the older rider, those with 100K miles on the original Gold Wing, will be quite confused as to what to do with the little wire stuffed in that glove box."

Directly to the left and right of the selector buttons are a dial for volume and mode. What the mode button offers is an option to tune something Honda calls the "ambiance" settings for the speakers. Consisting of a low, medium and high. In essence, this creates a "surround sound" effect. Believe me, it works quite well. Even with only the front two speakers installed on this unit the music often sounded like it was coming from headphones.

Not to be left out of the bells and whistles game, each handlebar gets a few goodies to play with as well. The controls found on the right bar are for setting and adjusting the electronic cruise control. Mmmm...cruise control (you should begin salivating right about now for a nice, comfortable ride up the interstate). Additionally, there is an odd little push button just left of the starter button. It won't eject you out of your seat at the precise moment you find yourself in danger but it will make you go backwards. Yes, it's the mighty reverse device, and it operates in an easy and slick fashion, by pressing the starter button. You must have the ignition on, but the bike can't be running. Simply push the reverse button to on, wait a second or two, and then use the starter switch as your "throttle." It moves just fast enough to keep you upright while you use your little feet as outriggers to keep you upright.

Page 7,432 of the owners manual explains in-detail, exactly how to optimize CB reception while motoring your merry way backwards out of a downhill parking slot.

"It should go without saying, but if storage is your thing, the Wing has you covered."

Over on the left bar, things get a little more in-depth. A pod set atop the grouping is specifically for CB control with volume, channel and squelch. The remaining buttons are for adjusting AM/FM volume, channel or disc selection (if you have the optional CD player) and a nifty mute button. Pushing the mute button will cause 'MUTE' to display on the LCD and that's good because as our beloved Alfonse said: "The quick mute is rather handy at the toll booths and when haggling with the hobos wanting to clean the windshield."

Wrapping up the electronic gizmos are two trick little features. Just within reach of the riders left, you'll find a dial for electronically adjusting headlight pitch. This is here for good reason, as the neighboring buttons are for electronic pre-load adjustment of the rear spring. If you find yourself carrying a large load, passenger or both, you'll have the option of increasing the pre-load to help firm up the ride. If you're mostly empty but aggressively slicing up canyon roads, you'll want to increase pre-load as well to help with greater ground clearance.

Should you be casually tooling down interstates or surface streets, decreasing the pre-load will provide a softer ride. If you're in tune with your bike and know exactly where you want the rear end situated then you can create two pre-sets: ideally one firm and one soft. Given all that, Alfonse (That's Fonzie to most of you) remarked, "The electronic suspension system was quite spiffy, but not as cool as on the current BMWs which adjust on the fly so you can really sense the change. Yes, I am spoiled, thank you!" The suspension settings are also displayed on the Gold Wing's LCD.

Alter Ego Not Included

A couple more remarks with respect to all the dials, knobs, buttons and the like: they're all relatively easy to use, even when adjusting on the fly while wearing medium weight gloves. Most of the controls and gauges are back lit for your visual pleasure, after the sun goes down.

It should go without saying, but if storage is your thing, the Wing has you covered. Three cavernous hard bags, as usual, are seamlessly integrated with the bike. I was able to stuff a full set of racing leathers, gloves and a few odds and ends in the trunk. I used one saddlebag for a duffel containing a small laptop computer, some camera gear and a couple of other office related trinkets. The other bag held my clothing and shoes, enough for a four-day trip.

Booop! Your lights are on...

Both bags still had plenty of room for the little last minute items that we all seem to remember right after the bags are closed. If you wander around back and look underneath the trunk, you'll note two helmet locks tucked up out of sight. They're operated via a small knob on the floor of the trunk closest to the turn signal/brake light area. Unfortunately, Honda engineers weren't considering ease of use when they placed the releases here. It was often a chore to work my hand in to a point where I could use them. Nevertheless, the locks are a nice convenience. In a trap door on the floor of the trunk, you'll find the storage area for the CB and CD player. Both items are apparently a luxury as Honda considers them accessories.

In the "tricked out" department, there are two more treats: a keyless/wireless remote to lock or unlock the bags and a display on the LCD to let you know that you're absent minded and neglected to completely latch any of the three. This proves to be more than just an electronic scolding. It will actually prevent the bike from starting. The bags are, in essence, airtight and the bike knows it. So make sure you get a solid click from each saddlebag, as they were often the culprits preventing me from a quick departure. That's not to say the bags were a problem to close, but rather were very subtle and you don't have to slam them shut.

Pete demonstrates the form that got him expelled from the MSF class.

"The prime directive of such a machine is to cover great distances with as much comfort as possible."

Just a nice, firm push with a reassuring click of the latch and you'll be down the road. If you find a handful of smaller items to carry along, feel free to utilize four little cubbyholes. The driver and passenger each get two with one being lockable on the driver's right. They're rather small in my opinion, but at least you can shove a mobile phone, pair of gloves or set of keys in each.

The prime directive of such a machine is to cover great distances with as much comfort as possible while still allowing you to enjoy the activity of motorcycling. There are purists out there that opine that such a motorcycle will rob you of the true experience. They often claim that motorcycles like the Gold Wing are too isolating from the elements, too refined and too car-like. In many ways, I can understand opinions like that. After all, I would venture to guess the rawness of motorcycling is what lured and then trapped many, if not all of us into such a blissful existence.

Quite frankly, I don't want to be beat down from the ride itself when I arrive at my destination. After years of saddle time or maybe just age, I find that doing any distance that requires most of the day to cover is best served on a bike like the Gold Wing. If a more pure form of motorcycling is desired then I'll seek it out at the racetrack or local canyon carving. The distances will be shorter or more invigorating, going by much more quickly by virtue of the increased mental activity.

Endless freeway miles click by effortlessly when aboard the Wing.

Overall ergonomics were just about perfect for my 5'8" frame. Generally, it gives a feeling of sitting in a well-designed office chair. Fonzie had similar thoughts: "Although I am approximately 150lbs shy of the typical rider load for this bike, I didn't feel lost within its bulk. I say within the overall bulk because it's nearly the same in the front and the rear, leaving just a "low spot" for the rider and passenger to fit into from the side." All controls are within easy reach and don't cause any real distraction from the road. The only nit I've to pick is with the saddle (it truly is a saddle). When drifting down the road the wrap around edge is pure heaven. However, when it was time to bring the big Wing to a stop I had to develop a little technique of sliding just forward, toward the gas tank, in order to get my thigh past the seat's edge.

When you're trying to finesse nearly a thousand pounds (with a passenger and gear) to a smooth stop you'll want the ability to securely place your feet firmly on the ground. Although I suppose I could just grow a few inches and resolve the whole thing. Nevertheless, the seat is plush.

I had the opportunity to sample passenger accommodations courtesy of Fonzie riding me around city streets. I must say I'd almost rather be a passenger. The comfort level back there is better than most cars I've been in. It was reminiscent of being in my favorite recliner.

Handling, whether on the street, canyon or freeway was always two things: stable and predictable courtesy of the "multi-box-section dual-spar aluminum frame", which Honda has siphoned from racing technology. Lane changes at speed required the slightest input. Despite the heft of the Wing, it never lumbered or wallowed if the pavement was rough, and rapid steering inputs didn't upset the chassis in the least. Don't infer from these qualities that the bike is as responsive as a sport-touring machine. After all, with a 66" wheelbase, 4.3" of trail, a little over 29 degrees of rake and a claimed dry weight of 799 lbs it's never going to be very "flick-able."

Riding the Gold Wing can be effortless at times, once you convince yourself to ride this two-wheeled car like a motorcycle and not the Millennium Falcon.

Local EMTs liked this color so much, they even painted the ambulance stripes in Gold Wing Yellow.

But considering these dimensions while careening down the Angeles Crest Highway the Gold Wing is still a formidable tool in the twisties. After cranking up the pre-load to its highest setting in order to increase ground clearance (though that's not the true purpose of increasing pre-load), chasing a sport bike with a passenger was quite entertaining.

The reason I mention harassing the sport bike rider isn't to regale the reader with my riding prowess but more to illustrate as to what the Wing can actually do despite its size. Truth is, it's a great handling bike. Whether at freeway speeds, parking lot pace or canyon carving you can have just about as much fun as you would on a much more focused machine, as long as you don't get too carried away.

"I noticed the throaty exhaust note which sounds a lot like a modern six cylinder sports car."

Despite the fact that the 74.0mm x 71.0mm, two valve, SOHC, 1,832cc engine is over-square, it never seemed to be lacking in the torque department. It seems to have it in reserve, which is quite nice when trying to carefully guide the bruiser up and around a tight curve when you're loaded down. In fact, I found it easier to start from a dead stop in second gear rather than first. First always seemed too short and the powerful flat-six was easily capable of pulling from zero mph in second.

Speaking of power, I found most of it useful from around 2,200 rpm but the 4,500 to 6,000 rpm neighborhood is where a lot of your freeway juicing will be used. It was also the point where I noticed the throaty exhaust note which sounds a lot like a modern six cylinder sports car. Use the five-speed tranny to get to overdrive (or "sixth gear", as some might call it) and comfortable cruising speeds range anywhere from 85mph to around 110mph. While we're on the subject of the transmission, I want to mention that first gear is a little short and shifting was a tad on the notchy side. It wasn't uncommon to find a false neutral between 2nd and 3rd.

Braking is optional on the Gold Wing. Well, not exactly, but Honda's ABS/LBS (Linked Brake System) is, and it'll cost you an extra $1,100.00. My test unit was so equipped and I generally like ABS on a bike like this. Since I'm not seeking the ultimate in performance, I'm willing to sacrifice some progressive feel in exchange for coming to a solid stop quickly. While staying in the general foot peg area, MO's intrepid photographer Alfonse said this: "One little addition I would like to see included with the GL1800 is a heel shifter. The peg is big enough to move your foot around on already, but I needed to click away with my heel at times."

Goldwing History

1978 GL1000 Thirty years ago, a pioneering Japanese motorcycle manufacturer created a machine that would set a new benchmark in motorcycle touring, or even motorcycling for that matter. In 1975 Honda Motor Company, Inc. introduced the Gold Wing. Otherwise known as the GL1000, its heart was a 999cc flat four-cylinder power plant. However, it was first tagged as a muscle bike and it looked a lot like other "standards" of the day, save for the heads lying low in front of the rider's feet. It's beginnings gave little hint to its future transformation into a first-class touring bike. The year 1978 saw the introduction of the now famous (or infamous as some would have it), Comstar wheels, in addition to an instrument 'pod' placed on the gas tank. Higher rising handlebars came the year before. It wasn't until 1979 that the bike received a set of hard saddlebags and trunk, and an official Honda fairing wasn't available until the 1980 GL1100 Interstate model, finally placing the bike in the true tour bike mode. It has continued in this direction ever since. An important note to the history of Honda: 1981 saw production of the Gold Wing move to Ohio, in a seemingly obvious maneuver to bolster their US presence. The Aspencade model of 1982 offered an electronically operated air pump for the suspension, CB radio and Clarion AM/FM stereo as standard equipment to set it above the Interstate model, on which those items were optional. Stepping up the horsepower game in 1984, the Wing was graced with an 1,182cc motor, although still a flat four. Some aficionados alleged this to be an answer to Yamaha's Venture. Whether one can believe it or not, fuel injection made its debut on the 1985 model, along with cruise control and an on-board "travel computer." 1988 GL1500 A long time in the saddle is what most of us dream of... A major wind of change blew across the indomitable touring bike in 1988, bringing with it a complete redesign with dramatic styling changes, a reverse gear and most importantly, a whopping increase to 1,520ccs of displacement, thanks to the addition of two more cylinders. This new flat-six engine configuration would become a hallmark of the Gold Wing. Aside from obvious modernizing changes in style, the bike we see today draws much of its lineage from this model. However, thirteen years of steady production ended to give way to the most current model: a new Gold Wing flying on an 1,832cc platform now known as the GL1800, graced with an all-aluminum frame, ABS and technology on loan from its sport bike cousins. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2005, Honda gave the venerable touring master a special badge, matching key and an opening banner display on the LCD dash to proclaim to the world a dominating history that any motorcycle would be honored to have. Other than the nice touches for its birthday, little has changed on the Wing since 2001, when it received a face-lift, new frame and the aforementioned displacement boost. Nevertheless, today's bike is even more of the legend that people have come to respect. Even the non-riding public knows a Gold Wing when they see one. After years spent growing up in Michigan and watching Wings sail up the highway in front of my house, I often desire to climb aboard the large machines and glide along to any place I wish, with complete comfort and confidence. No other motorcycle exemplifies the ability to do just that as well as a Honda Gold Wing. "With this standard-setting motorcycle going stronger than ever, it's easy to see another thirty years of production in its future."