Honda

HONDA

CRUISERS '96

Waitin’ for the Wide Wing?

OVER THE YEARS HONDA HAS OFFERED UI' A DIVERSE line of cruisers. Parallel-Twins, V-Twins, V-Fours and inline-Fours, running the displacement gamut from 250 to 1100cc. In the early days, there were Customs, Nighthawks and Rebels; now there are three Shadows, a pair of Magnas, a Rebel 250 and an ACE in the hole.

Introduced last year, the nostalgia-laced American Classic Edition, based on the Shadow 1100, was a fast-seller. Both

bikes return unchanged for ’96, with the addition of new colors. The ACE comes in a choice of nine two-tone schemes ($9799-$9999) or solid black ($9499). The Shadow 1100 makes do with five two-tones ($8599) and solid black ($8299).

Admittedly, Honda let its cruiser guard down at the end of the ’80s. The genesis of the company’s modern cruiser lineup was the 1993 Magna 750. Dubbed “Project Phoenix” by the men in white coats, it was likened to the great bird from Egyptian mythology that rose from its own ashes. This year, the snortin’ V-Four-powered Magna returns in regular ($7399) and Deluxe ($7899) versions.

The venerable 600cc V-Twin Shadow VLX ($5599) lives on, as does a Deluxe model ($5899), which comes in a pair of two-tones, has modest chrome touches and a jazzedup seat.

On hiatus from Honda’s U.S. fleet since 1987, the Rebel ($3999) has returned. Powered by a 234cc parallel-Twin, it features an ultra-low seat height (26.6 inches) and a claimed dry weight just over 300 pounds for easy maneuverability. After a quick ride, we deem the “new” kid on the block to be a capable mini-cruiser. On par with other Hondas, detailing is excellent. Shifting, accelerating and braking around town with traffic, the Rebel holds its own. The chassis is up to freeway cruising, but 55-mph-plus speeds put the little motor far up in its rev range, making for a tingly ride.

Okay, so where’s the heavy artillery? Early rumors pointed to a mountain-motored Magna, but current thinking leads back to a concept bike Honda showed briefly last year. Powered by a Gold Wing Six, this “Wing Glide” or “Wide Wing” would give Honda the ammo it needs to take on Yamaha’s Royal Star and Kawasaki’s 1500 Custom.

Tight-lipped Honda spokesmen didn’t deny the existence of the Six, saying, “We’re constantly on the lookout for new iterations of the custom motorcycle. The custom market is strong here in the U.S. and gaining strength in Japan and Europe, so we see it as a viable market segment that will command a lot of our attention.”

Translation? Watch this space.