Honda 2001
HONDA 2001
Honda hauls out the big guns
WENDY F. BLACK
THERE WAS DARKNESS, AND IT WAS complete. And then there was light. Actually, there was a lot of light. And some smoke. And mirrors. And a booming, disembodied voice that gave the whole affair a surreal feel. And then there were the motorcycles, Honda’s new-for-2001 motorcycles. They were what all of the schtick was about.
With apprehension hanging in the air like the vapor already there, Honda’s assembled sales force prepared to view the new models at this year’s dealer show in Las Vegas. During the weeks leading up to the event, rumors had run amok. We’d heard possibilities of a new sport-tourer, a new muscle cruiser, even a four-stroke motocross bike. As it turns out, the rumors weren’t that far off the mark.
At last year’s dealer meeting, Honda, reeling from being outsold in the U.S. by a certain Milwaukee outfit, announced its intentions for market domination. This year, the ’01 models are to be one more step in that direction. “This is the second year of a threeyear plan,” said Honda Senior Manager Gary Christopher. “We are dedicated to achieving the number-one position overall in the motorcycle market, and in each of the major market segments. Cruisers and touring bikes are two of the biggest markets.”
So with much fanfare and lots of ado, Honda’s first order of business was to bring out its flagship. Upon a stage ordinarily reserved for showgirls clad in sequins and feathers roared AMA Superbike hopeful Nicky Hayden aboard the new Gold Wing 1800.
Witty repartee was bandied about, and the appreciative audience oohed and aahed. What you see, right off the bat, is the refashioned bodywork, which isn’t as all-encompassing as the 1500’s and comes in flashier tints. You also get a glimpse of the bike’s enormous dual-spar frame. Is Honda trying to turn the Gold Wing into a sport-tourer? Well, sort of.
For the new Wing, Honda higherups brought in Large Project Leader Masanori Aoki, whose resume includes the NSR250, CBR250RR, CBR400RR, etc. A sportbike guy, in other words. “Gold Wing 1500, very much like automobile,” he said quietly, smiling shyly.
“But Gold Wing 1800, motorcycle-motorcycle.”
The overall intent was to turn the Gold Wing into a better-handling, more sporty motorcycle. Reasoning for this could be that Honda was caught off guard by BMW’s recent debut of the swoopy and luxurious K1200LT.
The company line, however, is that it’s looking to appeal to a younger crowd, without losing the touring amenities that endear the Gold Wing to the Old Guard. To do this, Aoki and crew went back to the proverbial drawing board for the engine and chassis, and gave said pieces an overhaul.
At the heart of the matter is the brand-new 1832cc liquid-cooled sixcylinder engine, said to make 118 horsepower and 125 foot-pounds of torque at the countershaft. Although Honda contemplated several different engine configurations, the powersthat-be decided to stick with tradition and go with a flat-Six. Unlike its predecessor, however, this one is fuel-injected, with two 40mm throttle bodies working in conjunction with six Keihin injectors.
The new 1800 “pancake” motor is said to be almost 2.5 pounds lighter than its elder counterpart and is repositioned 2 inches farther forward, largely made possible by the VTRlike side-mounted radiators. But the engine had to be more compact, too. This was achieved by decreasing the cylinder heads’ overall dimensions and by reorienting the valves into a single horizontal row, a la the Chevy V-Eight and its ilk. Additional shrinkage comes from forsaking the old cam belt drive for a thinner, chain-actuated system.
The original goal was to move the rider closer to the steering head and eliminate the Wing’s long, tiller-like handlebar, thus giving a better sense of balance. Additional perks are more room at the foot controls and more spacious passenger accommodations.
Changes to the chassis are numerous, starting with the more rigid aluminum frame that’s reportedly 25 pounds lighter than the steel spine it replaces. Improvements to suspension include a 45mm fork with a new-and-improved antidive system and rear-spring preload that’s adjustable from the saddle via electrohydraulic controls.
The bike is also equipped with a single-sided swingarm that, combined with the standard centerstand, makes removing the rear wheel simple. Just unbolt a panel beneath the license plate, remove the wheel’s five lug nuts and the wheel slides right out. No muss, no fuss, no pulling off the saddlebags.
Honda’s Linked Braking System now comes standard on the Gold Wing’s triple-disc setup, while ABS is an option. Wider cast-aluminum wheels shod with radial tires (finally!) are the finishing touch.
A host of touring refinements joins the performance enhancements-as in a windscreen that can be manually adjusted over six settings with what Honda calls “a simple yet ingenious” ratcheting device. A cushier, lower saddle has been installed, as has a cruise control that’s more sensitive to speed variation.
Options are available out the yin-yang, among which are heated handgrips (finally, again!) and a Panasonic CD player, with a six-disc changer that fits neatly beneath a trap door in the top box and doesn’t intrude on luggage space. It’s also said to be virtually skip-free.
Response to the $17,499 bike was overwhelmingly positive, with old and young alike admiring its sleek lines. Remarked one dealer, “We haven’t had a new Gold Wing in 13 years. I can sell this.”
While the Gold Wing’s debut evoked no-holds-barred enthusiasm, the early-release year-2002 VTX 1800 had the crowd craning its collective neck for a closer peek. This chrome-encrusted street-rod flexes its muscles with shameless abandon.
“Honda wanted to make a statement,” explained Christopher. “The VTX is a high-performance cruiser, not only in engine, handling and braking, but in the overall sense.”
This thing does seem to be all about power and performance. Its 1795cc fuel-injected six-valve V-Twin is said to make 103 horsepower and 117 foot-pounds of torque at the countershaft. Liquid-cooled, its cylinders are splayed 52 degrees and boast 4-inch bores, the largest Honda has ever made. Ditto the beefy connecting rods. Remarked one Honda test rider, “This thing is a beast. For a cruiser, it’s really fast. It will annihilate a Valkyrie in a roll-on.”
Though the VTX is the first motorcycle to be powered by this monster motor, it most likely won’t be the last. Hypothesized Christopher, “This engine could certainly power something other than a cruiser-type motorcycle. It could even spawn other members of a new high-performance engine family.” Hmm...
Supporting this hunk of metal is a tubular-steel frame, a 45mm inverted fork and dual shocks. Flashy cast-aluminum wheels keep things rolling, and a trio of discs slows everything down. And we mean way down, because the VTX, like the Gold Wing, benefits from linked brakes.
Because the VTX won’t be available until March, 2001, Honda wouldn’t fess up to a price. But we’d venture a guess that the VTX will be in the $15,000 neighborhood.
While both big-bore bikes certainly stood out among the bright lights and big city, there was one more piece of business on Honda’s agenda. With the stage obscured by shadows and the audience strangely hushed, colorful spotlights suddenly began circulating and an audio clip was cued. The thundering roar of a four-stroke Single reverberated through the amphitheater. Dealers, who’ve been hoping for a new fourstroke motocross bike, let loose with raucous applause, never mind that it’ll be months before even a prototype is shown.
Although Christoper wouldn’t divulge displacement or other details about the MXer, he did forecast a game plan: “Under AMA rules, you can race for a full year with a prototype bike. So for the ’01 season, we’re going to race a prototype. We’re still trying to figure out who will ride it, and what races we’ll race. The bike will likely compete in one or two events in Japan before the end of the year, and then we’ll plan what we’re doing for Supercross or motocross in the U.S.”
Honda’s 2001 soiree, then, where big bikes were the life of the party-and then some. You gotta love Vegas.
