... woo hoo! It's always very timely here, since we're halfway through the non-riding season, and getting ready to salivate over what's new and exciting. The fact that it is a four hour + drive each way over mountain passes is irrelevant!
This is the first year in several where I'm actually looking forward to seeing what is new. Specifically the new updated Bonneville/Thruxtons and the Africa Twin. I'm not thinking of getting anything new (the novelty of Rhoda the Roadie has not worn off yet) but it never hurts to look.
The $64k question is why Honda had to give the Africa Twin a 270 degree phased crankshaft to "give a distinctly desirable sound and feel - almost like the rumbling of a v-twin motor"? :qgaraduate
I'm looking forward to seeing the africa twin in the flesh too. Could be the next bike when the steamer gives up the ghost in about 10 years time!
No, my head is not being turned, even though it's nice looking bike. You will not get much change out of $20,000 otr, here.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%203.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%203.jpg.html)
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%201.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%201.jpg.html)
The red is nicer...
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%202.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%202.jpg.html)
And if you think a 'normal' gearbox is complicated...
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%205.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%205.jpg.html)
No, my head is not being turned, part 2. This thing is the same price as a Spyder, here.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2022.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2022.jpg.html)
Hmmmm, it takes all types to ride!!
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2020.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2020.jpg.html)
Here's an interesting Roadie-into-ADV-bike modification and story
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2016.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2016.jpg.html)
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2014.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2014.jpg.html)
Not sure why this little gem was on display.... they were never imported here officially.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2012.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2012.jpg.html)
Imho the jury is out on the new Thruxton. I'm not keen on the upside down clip-ons; much preferred the 'w' tubular bar on my '10.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%208.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%208.jpg.html)
Late '60s Trident engined steamliner
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2019.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2019.jpg.html)
Touratech catalogue, anyone? :augie
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2018.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2018.jpg.html)
The new Norton Dominator. Price tba
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2017.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Bike%20Show%2022%20Jan%202016%2017.jpg.html)
Linky poo to the roadie story?
cause my eyes suck and your picture ain't much better
never mind I figured out how to zoom in on it
You look good on that Africa Twin Nick.
I was at the show on Friday and met up with Ken (fishnbiker) and had a good chat about Steamers.
Quote from: Sparky on January 25, 2016, 04:48:43 PM
I was at the show on Friday and met up with Ken (fishnbiker) and had a good chat about Steamers.
D'oh!! :icon_wink: It did not even occur to me to touch base with other Tiger-philes. Sorry!
Saw a new Africa Twin at Spalding on Sunday. I loved the retro red white and blue metallic paint scheme and the look of the bike in general. The pics don't do it justice; I just hope it rides as well as it looks.
Quote from: Bixxer Bob on January 25, 2016, 09:42:47 PM
Saw a new Africa Twin at Spalding on Sunday. I loved the retro red white and blue metallic paint scheme and the look of the bike in general. The pics don't do it justice; I just hope it rides as well as it looks.
I'm curious... how much will they cost over there? At the current exchange rate, using the price they are here, it would be about 9,800 pounds.
10.5k for the basic model.
Can't believe I want a Honda... :^_^
Quote from: Nick Calne on January 26, 2016, 12:18:34 AM
Can't believe I want a Honda... :^_^
Nothing wrong with that...... you do, after all, meet the nicest people on a Honda. :ImaPoser I admit to having a soft spot for the marque, since they were what started my riding career.
Funny how that works- my nostalgia trigger is '80's-early '90's Yamaha dirt bikes. They are what I learned on years ago. :wheel
If I was in the market to replace my Steamer the Africa Twin would be at the top of my short list.
The bigger question would be DCT or not ? Do I want to pay for technology that I don't really need as I don't mind shifting gears and consider it part of the riding experience. I wonder if the DCT is technology for the sake of technology ? It's not like ABS or traction control which do not take away from the riding experience as these systems do their thing in the background with little intrusion until needed. It will be interesting to see the sales numbers on DCT vs non DCT.
I would complain to the organisers, they could have had a nice Orange Girly that has done the Dempster and the Dalton on the stand, all they had to do was ask and I could have got Lawrence to dig it out of the shed. :ImaPoser
Quote from: Sparky on January 27, 2016, 04:22:38 AM
The bigger question would be DCT or not ?
Honda must understand this question and have a reason for putting the idea into production. I expect it will be a good thing.
Quote from: Nick Calne on January 28, 2016, 09:15:24 AM
Honda must understand this question and have a reason for putting the idea into production. I expect it will be a good thing.
But is this Honda doing what they do best?: answering a question that nobody asked.
We cannot deny that many of the technologies or engine configurations that we take for granted came out of their factories. I wonder though if this is just another corporate willie wave.....
To me, using a clutch and shifting gears is a fundamental part of the fun of riding a motorcycle (or driving a car, for that matter), and in mho it makes controlling the vehicle so much easier. It's always good for a laugh when someone shows up to do their Motorcycle Skills Test on their twist-and-go.
There was a time I'd agree Nick, but it is very likely that you are yesterday's news on this one... Drive a modern performance car with an smg and it will all be revealed.
Until recently I had car with semi auto, and it made driving it fast a joy, driving round town a joy, cruising on the motorway a joy. It just was brilliant all round. All the control of a manual, none of the clutch legwork. If I was choosing an Africa twin today I would test both set ups to be sure... because I bet this technology is coming to most bikes soon.
Will it be ideal for a bike with such off road capacity? :^_^ It might just be more weight.
Would it suit a tiger? :nod
The cvt on twist and go bikes is a completely different animal btw!
I read this r/r, and the tester - once he'd sussed it out - seems happy enough using the DCT off road :
http://lanesplitter.jalopnik.com/ride-review-the-2016-honda-africa-twin-is-exactly-what-1748124826
I know I would find it a difficult transition... I use my clutch lever a lot.
And I have enough frustration with a tw*t-nav, without even more switches and buttons to find and operate :icon_eek:
and what about the idea of having to input all the settings you found to be just right, every time you restarted the bike :bug_eye
I can't help thinking there must have been a signifcant demand for Honda to come up with it, I hope there will always be an option for luddites though.
Quote from: Nick Calne on January 28, 2016, 07:30:45 PM
There was a time I'd agree Nick, but it is very likely that you are yesterday's news on this one
The cvt on twist and go bikes is a completely different animal btw!
Guilty, as charged. I know I'm a dinosaur... and proud of it. :thumbsup
My personal feeling (whether cvt or this dual 'clutch' flappy paddle technology) is that if a rider cannot control the flow of power to the rear wheel by controlling both the revs and how the power is modulated through the gearbox there is something lacking in the equation. Hence my comment about cvt/twist-n-go riders trying to do precise slow speed manoeuvres.
But then, I'm not a proponent of ABS or traction control, either.... :icon_rolleyes:
Quote from: nickjtc on January 28, 2016, 03:57:43 PM
But is this Honda doing what they do best?: answering a question that nobody asked.
We cannot deny that many of the technologies or engine configurations that we take for granted came out of their factories. I wonder though if this is just another corporate willie wave.....
To me, using a clutch and shifting gears is a fundamental part of the fun of riding a motorcycle (or driving a car, for that matter), and in mho it makes controlling the vehicle so much easier. It's always good for a laugh when someone shows up to do their Motorcycle Skills Test on their twist-and-go.
All well and good Nick, and I agree with you wholehaeartedly, but we are looking at it as seasoned bikers. Now look at it from the point of view of a seasoned scooter rider who's never had a clutch or gear lever, or a direct entry car driver who's never used a motorcycle clutch and thinks it'll be too much to learn; twist and go tech with the power, comfort and handling of a big bike???
I know exactly what you mean Nick. I use my clutch a lot like you and Jaydub but I'll be surprised if the technology doesn't just cope with it to the point it is a non-issue.
This type of gearbox takes away some control and forces a bit more use of the brakes. I suspect the abs/tc/dct have been tuned in to one another somewhat, especially for slow speed usage. I'll bet a little bit more back brake is used than otherwise.
Oh and Bob's right. Young newbies don't like levers, they like buttons and gizmo's....
You could look at it in reverse; for instance, we use a 50cc twist and go as a pit bike at race meetings. It's the most unnatural feeling in the world if you're not used to one so I guess the feeling the other way round is similar.
Also, a year or so back I did a course where they were teaching us old guys that started on 2-strokes to block change instead of blipping down the gears. A habit of a lifetime is hard to change but I thought I'd give it a go. Ordinarily, for a roundabout I'd roll off the throttle and blip down the box with maybe a bit of brake if necessary then power on through but with this method I had to pull the clutch, think what gear I needed to be in, stomp down the box while braking then let the clutch out and power on. I thought I'd run out of time but in fact the opposite was true; starting from the same point, I was all finished braking a good 70 metres from my aim point. The theory works so do I do it? Na! I still blip shift like an old fart....
Like Nick I wouldn't have given you tuppence for ABS/TCS on the Hondas, in fact it was one of the reasons I gave up buying VFRs, then I bought an ex police Pan European to sell on and make a buck.........
Until you use it you'll never understand, like changing the rear shock on the Tiger, slam on the brakes on the Pan and my god it stops quick! I was so impressed I kept one for european long haul where I have to be somewhere tomorrow and its 800 miles and I have no time to take the road more interesting. Stunning tech and I'm sure the DCT on the Africa Twin will be the same.
I'm still trying to think of all the engine configurations that Honda designed,that we take for granted now? ( As Nick mentioned..) V4,straight 6?
Quote from: threepot on January 29, 2016, 12:46:34 AM
I'm still trying to think of all the engine configurations that Honda designed,that we take for granted now? ( As Nick mentioned..) V4,straight 6?
Flat boxer 4/6 (a la Gold Wing), UJM across-the-frame 4, and as you say V4 and in line 6 (a la BMW). They may not have been the first with any of them, but they sure made an impact when they did introduce their versions of them.
Quote from: Bixxer Bob on January 28, 2016, 11:15:25 PM
All well and good Nick, and I agree with you wholeheartedly, but we are looking at it as seasoned bikers.
I agree Bob; but how does a person become a seasoned rider (can't call yourself a biker here unless you ride a HD.... long story... :icon_lol:) unless they know how to have full control of their machine at all speeds?
Like I said, I'm a dinosaur. :icon_wink: :icon_wink:
Having said that I wouldn't mind taking a dct machine for a test ride just for s's and g's.
http://youtu.be/lbeS4uaxzLM (http://youtu.be/lbeS4uaxzLM)
:wheel
Big cojones on that rider. But fair do's, it has been done on other big adv bikes.
Even if the majority of purchaser would not come even close to riding under conditions as gnarly as that, at least it is good to know the bike could do it.
I wonder when the aftermarket is going to leap in with luggage.....
Interesting road test article on the Africa Twin in the latest Rider mag. The tester had some reservations about the dct off road:
"During technical riding, such as slow, tricky, hill climbs or weaving around obstacles, not being able to manually feather the clutch is problematic. Also, in the automatic modes, gear changes can happen unexpectedly, which is less than ideal in low traction situations."
He did like the reality that you cannot stall the engine, though.
I admit that I am getting more curious about the bike all the time.
Interestingly the bike is 'cheaper' here than in the US. $12,999US converts to $18,168can at the current exchange rate. Here the base price is $17,999..
Touratech have made luggage for it I understand.
By way of comparison, how much is a tiger xcx in Canada?
Nick where did you get the $17,999 price ?
Courtenay Motorsports website shows the base model at $14,299 and the DCT model at $14,999, compared to similar models from other manufacturers I think the pricing is very competitive.
Quote from: Sparky on January 30, 2016, 11:39:54 PM
Nick where did you get the $17,999 price ?
Woops. You're right. I was looking at the VFR1200X price. Honda.ca lists the price as "from" $13,999. We are getting a stonking deal compared to our friends south of the border. Unless, of course, their taxes are significantly less than ours.
Quote from: Nick Calne on January 30, 2016, 11:35:23 PM
By way of comparison, how much is a tiger xcx in Canada?
From around $14,200 and up, plus pdi/documentation/freight/taxes, depending on location. So probably around $16,000, or about 8,000 pounds otr. Triumphs are (finally) getting more and more popular here, although I have only seen a handful of 800 Tigers, ever.
Quote from: nickjtc on January 28, 2016, 11:05:35 PM
Guilty, as charged. I know I'm a dinosaur... and proud of it. :thumbsup
Nothing to be proud about look what happened to them!!
It's why I have tried to keep my bikes as up to date as pos with brakes/wheels/suspension and anything else that helps the job along,ride you old bike in isolation!! Then fine come up against a modern day version that's when you find how things have moved on.
buy the manual trans and put a recluse or similar in it so it doesn't stall.
Quote from: Chris Canning on January 31, 2016, 10:40:12 AM
Nothing to be proud about look what happened to them!!
I think I know what is going to happen to me, Chris :icon_wink: :icon_wink: Except it probably won't be an asteroid. :qgaraduate
Going back to the video, I love the Africa Twin colour scheme and the overall look is growing on me. As I said, it looks better in life than in the pics. And I agree, a skilled rider can make just about anything look good. Guy Martin won Dirt Quake (a mad, race-what-you-brung event at Kings Lynn speedway cinder track) on a HD chopper FFS :icon_lol: :icon_lol:
http://youtu.be/t9hxJR35u0o
people like to pick on harleys ...............
but in old skool days a harley wore the #1 AMA plate for quite awhile .
turn right throw it sideways and throttle on .............................yeeha
You've all probably seen this then...
http://youtu.be/jXsoAdh5P5g
Quote from: Bixxer Bob on February 01, 2016, 11:45:36 AM
Guy Martin won Dirt Quake (a mad, race-what-you-brung event at Kings Lynn speedway cinder track) on a HD chopper FFS :icon_lol: :icon_lol:
Brilliant. I'm not sure how that would work over here with all of the liability issues..........
Quote from: nickjtc on February 01, 2016, 05:06:17 PM
Brilliant. I'm not sure how that would work over here with all of the liability issues..........
sign a waiver...............
they have them here all the time
Quote from: Mustang on February 01, 2016, 03:54:48 PM
but in old skool days a harley wore the #1 AMA plate for quite awhile .
Only because the AMA fixed the rules so it wasn't possible to use any else that was competitive. :icon_wink: