Honda

September 21, 2001 9:59 AM

Honda has released their 2002 and 2003 motorcycles and upcoming models. For those of us into that type of thing. I think Honda should have some strong sellers here, hopefully regaining some market share in naked bike and sport tourers as well as the large cruiser segment.
posted by mich9139 (11 comments total)

They're nice, but they can't touch the sex appeal of the 1973-styling of my CL350.

That's a lie. The VTX owns me.
posted by waldo at 10:28 AM on September 21, 2001

well, this is an odd link for Metafilter, but.... I have to say, I am just your average run of the mill kind of library employee that would love to ride that 1800 VLX. I have taken a few rides on the Yamaha Big boy, but this one just blows me away as far as style and power. That is one good looking cruiser.
posted by bradth27 at 10:29 AM on September 21, 2001

VTX that is. (not the little VLX..... damn my attitude toward spell check....)
posted by bradth27 at 10:31 AM on September 21, 2001

Too bad their sportbikes are so ugly. Something about the headlight treatment on the new 954 and VFR really doesn't do it for me - they look like something a fifth-grader doodled on the margin of his notebook. It's like they're trying to copy the look of the R1/R6 but can't quite get it right.

They should have gone their own way like the GSXR-1000 or especially the Mille. Now that is one nice-looking bike.
posted by jaek at 10:36 AM on September 21, 2001

am i the only one who thinks that the 919 is a blatant ripoff of Ducati's Monster series?
posted by christian at 10:59 AM on September 21, 2001

You want sexy?
begin drooling...
posted by fatbaq at 11:02 AM on September 21, 2001

mille is a great bike. i really like aprilia's futura. also, honda's New American Sports concept is simply amazing. was expecting to see a single sided swingarm on honda's new st1300, but i guess it wasn't meant to be.

for the time being, i'm happy with my ace750.
posted by mich9139 at 11:45 AM on September 21, 2001

i like the 919 a lot...but why is it that these guys only want to sell liter class naked sportbikes in the US? after learning to ride, I'd love to get something like a Suzuki SV650..but that's really my only option in the US...Honda should bring the Hornet (which is to the cbr600 like the 919 is the cbr9xx), I think it would sell really well.

of course, I've gotta get the money together first. If anyone in the Los Angeles area knows of a cheap bike, especially an older kawasaki ex500/ninja 600r or a suzuki gs500e, let me know :)
posted by chacal at 12:03 PM on September 21, 2001

I wanted to get a motorcycle, but it's such a hassle. In order to get a license, someone would have to teach me to ride, and since I don't know anyone who rides, it would have to be the MSF class. Problem is, those things are booked up 1/2 year in advance.

As far as I know, Harley has some limited classes to teach new riders, but there isn't a dealer offering these classes reasonably close to where I live (washington, DC).

Manufacturers should really do something about this. These delays are no way to encourage people to get into riding.
posted by Witold at 12:15 PM on September 21, 2001

for those interested in getting a license, or brushing up on your skills, take the motorcycle safety foundation course. for harley's calss, taught on buell blasts, go here. the harley course isn't as wide-spread as the msf course.

good luck getting into either course. as witold pointed out, there can be tremendous waits. some people enroll in other states, spending that weekend in a local motel of with friends. course prices also differ greatly from state to state. you can show up the day of the class, as sometimes spots open.
posted by mich9139 at 12:44 PM on September 21, 2001

I'm feeling you on the lack of smaller bikes in the States. We've got the Bandit 600, and the SV 650. No CBR400RR, no Hornet, no Fazer, no Africa Twin, etc etc.

I think it's 1) the lack of graduated licensing lets new riders hop right on the latest greatest GSXR-1000 and 2) Europe is much more bike-friendly what with super-expensive gas/parking and encouraged lane splitting.
posted by jaek at 1:28 PM on September 21, 2001