Naked Nr

NAKED NR

THE MAKING OF A $72,000 STANDARD

THE PURSUIT OF INDIVIDUALITY TENDS TO PUSH PEOPLE to extremes, but for some people only the unthinkable is good enough. Fujio Watanabe, president of Daishin Industry tuning company in Japan, belongs in the latter category. Having waited a decade for Honda to put the finishing touches on its $60,000, oval-piston NR750, the first thing Watanabe did when he got his hands on one was rip it to pieces.

Why? “People are fed up with racer replicas,” Watanabe explains, “Naked bikes are now the most popular...I built this bike as I thought bikers would like to see it...What’s more, I think it is a safer bike now.”

Safer? Watanabe says his naked NR is 88 pounds lighter, easier to handle, and takes the fear of shredded CFRP (carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic) out of the riding equation. Safer for the bike, certainly, but maybe just the opposite for the newly liberated rider-especially in light of the fact that Watanabe-san is also hard at work deciphering the bike’s complex system of limiters that restrict Japanese NRs to 77 horsepower. So far he claims to have found 105 horses, and thinks there may be as many as 160 lurking within the bike’s oval stables.

Gone is the stock bundle-o-snakes exhaust system, replaced by Watanabe’s own 8-into-2. Gone, too, is the liquid-crystal instrument panel, replaced by a Suzuki Bandit tach and speedo. Clip-ons have given way to a low, flat handlebar. The tank cover and tail section are by Akito Design, and the seat appears to be from a Hawk GT.

Watanabe’s motives are perfectly clear to those of us who grew up J.C. Whitney-izing various luckless conveyances: You do it because it’s there. On top of expressing his individuality, Watanabe had in mind to shock those who think of the NR as some kind of motorized sacred cow-too holy to touch. “What we have done is similar in concept to cutting the roof off a Ferrari F40,” Watanabe says. Yes, and may we suggest a snorkel hood scoop, air shocks, traction bars and Mickey Thompson 50s-all of which do wonders for the flowing lines of the Ford Maverick.

In fact, Watanabe’s bike appears very well done. We’re not sure about the exhaust aesthetic, but it does provide the proper V-Four rumble. It’s tough to argue with hanging Honda’s 32-valve crown jewel out where it’s visible, and it’s impossible to argue with making the NR 88 pounds lighter.

What’s that saying about men and boys and the price of toys? Watanabe is definitely a man’s man in that context: On top of the price of the stock NR, Watanabe’s modifications have so far required an additional $12,000-and he’s not satisfied yet. Hey, J.C. Whitney stocks some cool sissy bars.

Pat Devereux