The pandemic has forced the cancellation of the 47th Tokyo Motorcycle Show, so motorcycle manufacturers have chosen to virtually launch their new products, including the Honda CB-F concept.
This “modern retro” is a tribute to the CB900F of the 1970s-80s.
1982 Honda CB900F
But don’t get your hopes too high that it will come to Australia.
The 20-13 CB1100 was also a great retro tribute bike, but Honda abandoned it, even after it was substantially updated with a sixth gear and ABS just a year later.
CB110 Concept Type II
Instead, we have the very uninspiring CB1000R sport. That bike is still shown on its website, but we think it’s been quietly discontinued as there are no 2019 models available for sale that we can find. Just as well!
The CB-F is powered by a water-cooled, inline 998cc four-cylinder engine with a six-speed box, the same drivetrain as the CB1000R, so maybe this is the replacement bike.
Although the CB-F is just a concept at the moment, Honda tends make production bikes very close to their concept moneys.
That’s good news, because we like the CB-F with its retro boxy shapes, single round headlight and silver/blue colouring.
Obviously, the missing indicators and mirrors will be added.
And maybe that elegantly small and simple exhaust pipe will be modified for emissions regulations.
Let’s hope it doesn’t end up as hideous as the pipe on the CB1000R!
The chassis is made of lightweight high-tensile steel with an aluminium single-sided swingarm and upside-down forks, so it should be a lithe little handler.
Honda describes the CB-F as an “ambitious fusion of cutting edge technology with a design paying homage to the CB900F”.
Let’s hope Honda Australia does bring this one in!
Honda has been releasing a raft of patents o√er the past year for futuristic products and innovations, but the latest is actually a retro design based on the CMX 500 Rebel.
While the Rebel is a cruiser style, this is a more traditional bike like the Triumph Bonneville with a round headlight, bench seat and flat fuel tank.
It retains the Rebel’s 471cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin four-stroke engine, but has a modified chassis and sub-frame.
While this could be a handsome offering that would do well, we would prefer Honda Australia just imported the retro CB1100.
Honda CB1100
Or even better, go ahead and produce the sexy Concept CB Type II which they unveiled at the 2016 Osaka Motorcycle Show or the CB4X from this month’s EICMA show in Milan.
CB110 Concept Type II
CB4X
While Honda’s current range of motorcycle lack flare, these concepts and patents show they don’t lack for design, only commitment!
Honda patents
This latest patent from Honda continues its blitzkrieg of patent applications.
Honda patent for variable riding position
This is one of many patents Honda has lodged in the past year and we are not sure how many of these they will put into production.
This new patent join the following from Honda over the past year:
It will be interesting to see if it has the same power as the H2 or whether it is “retuned”.
Crome W800
Chrome W800
Chrome W800
Meanwhile, the Chrome W800 not only has more chrome than the SE or Cafe, but also a silver-finished engine, chrome tank badge and a 19-inch front wheel with a chrome fender.
There is no word yet on when it will arrive or pricing, but we suspect it will sit between the SE at $11,999 and Cafe at $13,999 (plus on-road costs).
Kawasaki W800 SE
W800 Cafe
Many – including us – had been expecting a scrambler W800 version.
Kawasaki is also expected to unveil a baby Versys with the Ninja 400 engine at the show along with updates to the Ninja 650 and Ninja 1000.
We have not heard any confirmation yet from Kawasaki over the rumours that the big green machine has gobbled up Italian icon, Bimota, for which it has historically supplied engines.
The first twin-cylinder Royal Enfields in six decades are now arriving in showrooms around the world and riders are lining up at dealerships for test rides.
Dealer principal Richard Nicholson asked if I could pick it up at close of business on Saturday and have it back first thing Monday morning as demo rides were booked solid.
Such is the hype and excitement in these new parallel twin models!
I’m happy to report that after thrashing the bike through traffic, down highways and over the Border Ranges, the Interceptor 650 lives up to most of the hype. Watch my brief video review below.
Royal twins
The learner-legal Royal twins are the Interceptor and the Continental GT. I will ride the latter next weekend, again between solidly booked demo rides.
The only differences are the straight bars, bench seat, tank badges and centre stand on the Interceptor while the GT has clip-ons, a humped seat, painted logos and no centre stand.
Here are the ride-away prices, depending on tank colours.
Interceptor 650
$9790 (solid colours — orange, black and silver);
$9990 two-tone (orange, white and gold pinstripe; red, black and white pinstripe);
$10,290 chrome tank.
Continental GT
$9990 (pale blue, black with gold GT stripes);
$10,190 (two-tone black/silver with yellow pinstripe, white with silver and blue stripe);
$10,490 (chrome).
Retro styling
Richard says the previous problems with Royal Enfield chrome tanks have been resolved.
A close inspection at the demo models substantiates a vast improvement in paint and chrome finish.
In fact, the overall quality is a substantial improvement. I pulled the locked seat off the bike and was pleased to find the paint extends right down the tank where you can’t see it and the welds are neat.
Even the initials of the bike builder responsible are hand painted on the end of the tank under the seat.
Builder’s initials
That’s pride of workmanship, with good reason.
Wiring and cabling is tidy, plastics are smooth, the vinyl seat is good quality and even the footpegs are nice rubber and alloy units.
The only build fault I could find was a slightly gummy weld joint where the headers leave the cylinder.
Those who love the retro look will appreciate that Royal Enfield didn’t go to town on the chrome which the original ‘50s/‘60s cafe racers didn’t have.
Instead of acres of chrome, the engine casings and wheel rims are brushed alloy (black rims on some models) which looks understatedly stunning. (Now there’s an oxymoron for you!)
For a $10,000 bike there are quite a few niceties and extras such as twin instrument pods with a tachometer, comprehensive toolkit and lockable fuel cap.
It also sits on retro-style Pirelli Phantom tyres originally made for the Ducati GT1000 and used on the new Triumph Bonneville.
And how many $10,000 bikes come with a centre stand as standard these days, let alone a toolkit? In fact, how many bikes twice the price have a centre stand and toolkit!
The latter is in a side panel which is locked with the ignition key. It also has a latch inside that unlocks the seat.
Speaking of which, it’s soft and quite comfortable, but after two hours in the neutral riding position you sink down into the seat and you can feel the supports underneath.
The seat is 804mm high, but it’s very narrow, so at 183mm tall I could easily get my flat feet on the ground with knees bent.
Pillions will enjoy the thick padding and the substantial grab handle at the back.
Royal Enfield has kept the price down by making this a lo-fi bike. No fancy traction controls and electronic wizardry, although it does have ABS, of course.
The instruments are basic with just two analogue pods (speedo and tacho) and a small LCD screen with readouts for odometer, trip A and B and a voltmeter when running. No clock, ambient temperature, weather forecast or stock market readouts!
And you have to reach over and touch a mode button between the two dials.
The indicators and taillight are also basic and the mirrors are cheap units that come loose over rough roads and blur at highway speed.
The rear tail features a cheap and ugly rubber fender extender that can easily be unscrewed and discarded.
Heartbeat
Many Royal Enfield enthusiasts are attracted by the slow and methodical pulse of the single-cylinder engine.
These parallel twins have a 270-degree crank like the new liquid-cooled Triumph Bonnevilles, so they are a totally different heartbeat.
And unlike the the 500 singles, you don’t need to schedule a slot in your diary to reach 100km/h. It will reach 100km/h in about six seconds.
Some say it will top 170km/h, but I managed 140 — under controlled conditions, of course!
It will certainly cruise at legal highway speeds in a relaxed manner with very little vibration or hand/feet tingle.
Riders in hot climates will also appreciate the fact that they do not run near as hot as the new scorching Bonnes. The cylinder heads still get quite hot, as you would expect, but there are coated metal protectors so you don’t burn your knees.
The 648cc twin is oil and air cooled with a modest 47 horsepower or 35kW at 7100rpm and 52Nm of torque at 4000rpm.
It doesn’t sound like much, but the midrange is smooth and meaty.
The engine is mated to a super-slick, six-speed gearbox and clutch with a moderate pull so it is easy to use in traffic.
You will need to feed the bike some revs in the first couple of gears for rapid acceleration from the front of the queue at the traffic lights.
If you continue to rev the bike to the limiter and dance on the gearshift you will get maximum results, but you may also hit a few false neutrals.
With such moderate horsepower there is not a lot of point in spinning it out to the red line every shift.
I found it yields satisfactory results if you short-shift through the gears and ride around town in fourth or fifth at 4000rpm.
Out on the highway, it cruises without stress at 4000 revs in sixth. Since the engine pulls lustily from 3000 revs, you can roll on the throttle without having to drop a cog.
I pushed it moderately hard through traffic and winding hills, yet the bike yielded impressive economy figures over about 500km of 3.6L/100km.
That means range of almost 350km from the 12.5-litre tank.
The Interceptor 650 I rode was fitted with aftermarket slip-on Emgo mufflers for an extra $300.
Richard regrets fitting them to the Interceptor, saying they don’t suit its more sedate image.
He says they should have gone on the more racey-looking Continental GT cafe racer.
Emgo mufflers
They also sound a little nasty and anti-social when revved hard, although they do give the throttle improved response, he says.
There are S&S Cycle mufflers coming in about six months that promise a better sound.
Ride and handling
The twin cradle frame and twin-shock suspension set-up is as traditional as it gets, but it works.
It’s not the lightest 650 out there at 202kg dry, but the frame and suspension combine to provide a light-steering, agile bike.
I found the American-made Grabriel shocks a little on the soft side for my 80kg frame, even after pumping up the rear preload to the fourth of five settings.
You can adjust them by hand if you’re strong and put the bike on its centre stand, although there is a C spanner included in the toolkit.
It still managed to bottom out over some big bumps, bounced around at the rear and wobbled a little over mid-corner irregularities.
However, that was when it was pushed hard. If you trot along at legal pace, it’s all quite controllable with those wide, braced handlebars.
I believe Ohlins is working on suspension upgrades, but that could be overkill on a $10k bike.
The Interceptor turns in quite quickly and holds its line well on its narrow, 18-inch front and rear Pirelli Phantom tyres.
They have good corner and braking grip, although the front was found lacking on emergency stops with the bike’s single disc and hefty weight.
The brakes are Bybre which is a discount Brembo offshoot and they have braided steel lines for good feel. Still, a second front disc would be welcome.
Despite the heft, the bike is easy to lift onto the centre stand with a convenient handle beside the seat like on old bikes.
Conclusion
There has been a lot of pent-up demand for this bike since it was announced almost two years ago.
Thankfully the excitement and hype is justified.
Royal Enfield has done a good job of bringing a top-value product to the market that will equally excite old stagers, neo-classic hipsters, learners and novices, mature riders and those who are looking for a good donor bike for a custom.
This bike would be very easy to modify into a bobber, scrambler, street tracker or cafe racer.
No doubt Royal Enfield will also produce more model variants and we’d loved to see this engine in the Himalayan adventure bike.
Jawa Motorcycles have returned with such a vengeance in India, there could be pressure to export to other markets and delay the revival of BSA.
Currently, owners Mahindra Motorcycles are only licensed by the original Czech Jawa company to make and sell the bikes in India.
However, that could change in the next few years judging by the success of their three new Classic Legends models unveiled in India last November.
The bikes are currently sold out until November 2019 and caused such excitement that competitor Royal Enfield registered their first sales decline in several years in December.
Jawa Forty Two
BSA revival delayed?
Mahindra has released the bikes under the new brand called Classic Legends Private Ltd.
However, the revival of the British BSA brand could be held up while the company tries to cope with demand for its Jawa bikes.
The company had set up a website for Jawa orders but had to take it down after crashing from demand.
Jawa say they wanted to sell 90,000 bikes a year, but it could be more.
That will place huge pressure on their manufacturing resources and could delay the release of the BSA revival.
New Classic Legends
Perak bobber, Jawa and Jawa Forty Two
The new Indian-made Jawa motorcycles, currently only available for domestic sale, are the Jawa, Jawa Forty Two and Perak which will follow later this year.
The Jawa and Perak feature the traditional “egg-shaped” headlamp with integrated instruments. The Forty Two has a separate offset instrument pod.
Jawa
Forty Two
Other iconic features include a tool box, dual shocks, twin peashooter exhausts and flat bars.
Indian prices are Rs 1.64 lakh, Rs 1.55 lakh and Rs 1.89 lakh, respectively. That’s about $A3130-3600 ($US2280-2600, £1780-2050).
All are powered by a new 293cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine which has been styled to resemble the original air-cooled motor.
It has a very modest output of 20kW (27bhp) of power and 28Nm of torque.
The bikes come with a disc brake on the front with single-channel ABS and a rear drum brake. To be considered for global exported, Mahindra will first have to update to all discs and two-channel ABS.
Jawa Classic Legends tech specs
Jawa
ENGINE: 293cc Single Cylinder, 4 Stroke, Liquid Cooled, DOHC
BORE STROKE: 76 x 65
COMPRESSION: 11:1
POWER: 20kW (27bhp)
TORQUE: 28Nm
Jawa Forty Two
TRANSMISSION: Constant Mesh 6 Speed
FRAME: Double cradle
TYRES: 90/90 – 18; 120/80 – 17
SUSPENSION: Telescopic Hydraulic Fork; gas canister dual hydraulic shocks
BRAKES: 280mm disc with floating caliper and ABS; rear 153mm drum
Kawasaki has filed trademark applications for the retro name Meguro in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Europe, and the Philippines.
The trademark application seems to point to the development of more retro models such as the successful Z900RS and Z900RS Cafe and the new W800 Cafe (pictured above).
Z900RS
Z900RS Cafe
Meguro invested in Harley-Davidson during the Wall Street Crash of 1929 to gain technological know-how.
They used that knowledge to start making gearboxes and by 1937 were making their own motorcycles.
Megruo supplied bikes for the Japanese police and military and even went racing in the 1950s.
The company offered a range of motorcycles from 50cc to 350cc, but they were too expensive.
Kawasaki-Meguro B8 125cc
Meguro revived
Kawasaki saved the company from extinction in 1960 and made several models in a Kawasaki-Meguro partnership.
Together they made 125cc, 175cc and 250cc single-cylinder models, 500cc K-series twin and the 625cc Kawasaki W.
The W625 was the inspiration for the development of the retro parallel-twin W650 in 1999.
Kawasaki replaced the W650 with the the 775cc W800 in 2011.
While that air-cooled model appeared destined for extinction thanks to Euro emissions standards, Kawasaki surprised by unveiling the W800 Cafe at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan last November.
W800 Cafe
Kawasaki Motor Australia confirms the W800 Cafe will arrive later this year.
Pricing and full specifications are not yet available for the retro model as production is not until mid-2019.
But it seems clear that Kawasaki intends to mine its historic roots with more retro models.
However, the name Meguro is not well-known outside of Japan.
The trademark application actually says the name could be used for “two-wheeled motor vehicles; motorcycles; scooters; mopeds; bicycles; structural parts for motorcycles”.
So “Meguro” could start appearing simply as badging on a range of retro models.
Or it could be the name for a whole new platform of neo-classic motorcycles.
1982 Honda CB900F
CB110 Concept Type II
