The explosion in popularity of cafe racers over the past 10-odd years was a challenge to Australia’s old-school motorcycle journos in more ways than one. Seeing the existential writing on the wall for their typewriters and booze, they began to snipe willy nilly at the new kids on the block. Their hipster fashions. Their questionable riding abilities. Their lack of alcoholism. It was all fair game for the soon-to-be-extinct species, but nothing crystallized the generational differences quite like the young whippersnapper’s love of the Honda CX500.
As a base for a 21st Century cafe racer, they were a great bike. Cheap, brutally reliable, and offering a v-twin engine that had a whole bunch more appeal than Honda’s vanilla twins or in-line fours. They were a little – dare I say it – Italiano in their vibe. And so without a clue as to the history of this much-maligned Hamamatsu ‘horror’, off the kids went to make some of the scene’s best custom bikes. But why were the bikes so hated in the first place by some Aussies, and was it really deserved?
Remember: All of the Slacks, All of the Time – image via Honda US
The Tortoise and the Hair
First revealed in 1978, it would be a gross understatement to say that the CX split opinions. But to really understand why, you have to transport yourself back to Australia in the 1970s. As a culture dominated by men, beer, and sport, riding a motorcycle was still seen as quite the rebellious act. And not rebellious against the dominant mustachioed paradigm, but – if it were actually possible – towards it. Only a man’s man rode a bike in public back then. Real men and proper outlaw bikers. Then along comes this uppity Japanese motorcycle company with the balls to not only make bikes that didn’t break down but to also dare to release a v-twin. Didn’t Honda know that v-twins were sacred?
An ‘81 CX500 – image via silodrome.com
Journos both locally and overseas were clearly befuddled by the bike. Its lack of horses and plain looks really didn’t help matters. Neither did the fact that globally, Hondas were selling like hotcakes and that the company’s production figures were through the roof. So in a response belying their own biases and predilections towards the hairy-chested Italian sports bikes of the era, they condemned the CX500 as an overweight and underpowered flop with a perceived lack of sex appeal, no doubt further damaging their already questionable chances in attracting the local sheilas.
The GL650 ‘Silver Wing’ touring model – Image via Honda US
Bike of the Year
Cam chain tensioner and big end issues sprung up early in the model’s life cycle, adding fuel to the CX doubter’s fires. Quickly rectified by dealers, the general public was not perturbed and the bike’s comfort, handling, adequate performance, and refinement were traits that shone through during test rides undertaken by potential owners. It should also be said that not all the media at the time were negative about the bike. Indeed, Wheels Australia made it their Bike of the Year in 1978, no doubt in part to ruffle a few old-school feathers.
The ‘Harley’ variant aka the CX500 ‘Custom – Image via Honda US
But why ‘Plastic Maggot’ you say? There’s no doubt that on paper, the bike did look rather slow. With 200-odd kilos (441 lb) wet and ‘only’ 50 horses, it was most definitely not going to pull your arms out of their sockets. And Honda saw fit to repackage the platform in a few faired variations that were quite generously clad in Japan’s best injection-molded tech. Notably, there was the GL500 ‘Silver Wing’ with its panniers and full front fairing, along with the most famous of all the CX models – the CX500 Turbo – with its undeniable 80s aero cladding and plentiful go-faster stripes.
An original CX500 – image via motorcyclespecs.co.za
World’s Fastest Maggot
Once the dust had settled and the macho Aussie bike journos had turned their questionable attentions to other anger-inducing topics like feminism and cirrhosis of their livers, the CX would soldier on like so many of its brethren. Fed a regular diet of oil, plugs, and tires, the bikes became the favorites of couriers both locally and in the UK, where stories of CXs exceeding 200,000 miles (320,000 kilometers) were not uncommon.
The Honda CX650E ‘Eurosport’ – image via caferacer.net
And there’s even a turbo CX500 that set a 141 mph (227 kph) land speed record at Bonneville in 2017. As Lucas Anderson, the bike’s owner stated in 2017, ‘We have beat on and abused that engine for years and it still keeps running, and it has three land speed records under its belt. The engine that was in the bike for the record runs is the original engine that came with our bike in 1979, which I think is pretty cool.’
A killer CX500 cafe racer – image via Sasha Lakic
The moral of the story is one as old as time itself; only fools judge books by their covers. For as underwhelming and unexpected as the CX Honda may have been, it went on to sell over 300,000 units in all its various 500 and 650 guises, proving the critics wrong and the Honda engineers so very right. But that’s not to say that Honda didn’t learn from the CX. For them and their engineer-led design processes, it was an important lesson in ensuring that bikes not only had superlative engineering but that they also looked the part. Enter stage right Honda’s VF1000R in 1994 and the start of the world’s next big moto obsession – sportsbikes.
Honda’s Japanese firm has given the Honda Rebel some updates – and Honda Europe is celebrating the multi-faceted features of the model by partnering up with FCR Original on the release of two special editions – both customized by FCR Original, polished to a mean sheen, and ready for the road.
Despite this, the bikes are getting a hefty amount of attention from motorcycle lovers around the globe – and FCR’s contribution to the builds is nothing short of a masterpiece.
I’ll admit, I’m new to the motorcycle scene – so new, I hadn’t heard of FCR Original before this article.
So I decided to do a wee bit of research.
Quoted on their website as dealing in anything from “perfect restorations to fine dragster spec tuning,” FCR Original is all about quality bikes, done right.
And did you know that FCR Original raced their crazy Triumph at the Sultans of Sprint?? I didn’t – and I wanted to know more about these guys.
Upon loading FCR Original’s website, I was smacked in the face with a long lineup of muscle machines, each screaming “I am legend” as much as their anatomy belied a logical and intelligent build.
Whether leaning toward class and cocktails or canteen whisky, FCR Original’s showroom appears to cater to nearly every spectrum of a biker’s dream garage, and then some.
Fast forward to the CMX Sport and CMX Bobber, both of which have been very nicely blessed by the French company – and I’m getting a little excited at this point.
FCR did some neat work with the CMX Sport, though the team kept the standard 1084cc engine with the 86 ponies under the hood.
The Sport features minimalist 3D-printed bodywork, with the back end stripped to create a more lean look.
The swingarm has also been modified to allow room for some blacked-out Öhlins shocks, along with lower mudguards, wider handlebars, custom footrests, LED lighting, a beaut of a polyester/carbon fuel tank, and an Alcantara seat to keep your stuff up to snuff.
The tyre size was increased from the factory 16” rims to 17” Dunlop D212 tyres, and FCR Original has also given the Sport a custom stainless steel exhaust – guaranteed to be all the caffeine you could ever need, and an addition that does justice to the Africa Twin-derived engine.
If the CMX Sport is a rowdy youth, the CMX Bobber boasts 007 Sean Connery from nipper to tail.
The classy cruiser has balloon tires, a perforated leather seat, a minimalist bodywork (thanks again to the 3D printing process used on the CMX Sport), fenders the size of my lunch sandwich, and custom blacked-out spoked rims dressed in Bridgestone rubber to complete the bobber experience.
The CMX Bobber has kept the factory swingarm and suspension, though the front has been lowered a good 25mm.
Top the kit and caboodle with aluminum handlebars, a custom-painted headlight complemented by LED indicators on either side for a minimum profile, and a subtle house-made, blacked-out exhaust – and you’ve got yourself one heck of a cat.
We’re excited to see if these come to the Western Hemisphere for a gander, though at this point, I’d be willing to fly over there for the chance to peek into FCR Original’s shop…
It’s the early ’80s and 12-year-old me is in deep trouble. My parents were livid. One minute I’d been fooling around on a Honda CT110 ‘Postie’ bike, and the next I was being screamed at for risking my own death and breaking the law. All I knew was that I’d been riding up and down some dirt roads on a friend’s farm in country New South Wales, north west of Sydney, having the time of my life. Then in a moment of childhood inspiration, I’d decided to take to the nearby public road ‘to see how fast the bike could go’. 30 seconds later, there’s me doing 90 km/h (55 mph) on a 60 km/h (40 mph) public road in a t-shirt, shorts and thongs and with five more years to go before I could even think about getting a licence. As for a helmet, and registration? Absolutely not. And I don’t even want to think what would have happened if a cop had caught me.
The wind blast was so strong, I had to squint which also had the interesting effect of making it almost impossible to see where I was going. And the tears from my young, innocent eyes were streaming backwards into the hair above my ears, making it all cold and wet.
If I had stopped and thought about anything for more than a nanosecond, I may have realised that the farmhouse was in fact on the hill above the road, so my cnot-very-delighted parents sat and watched in horror as the whole event unfolded in front of them.
That is, they watched until my sheer velocity took me toward the horizon and out of their view. Welcome to the fantastic and dangerous world of the Aussie ‘Postie Bike.’
Photo courtesy of thepostiebike.com
Snail Mail
But let’s start at the beginning. The legendary Honda CT110 ‘Postie’ bike is a dual-sport or ‘Trekking’ bike (yes, you read that correctly) that commenced production in Japan in 1980 as a replacement to the company’s CT90. Somewhat surprisingly, the platform was designed by Honda as a tool for hunters, fisherman and outdoorsmen to traverse mild off road routes and to also be used as a kind of safe and gentle commuter.
With a massive seven horses at the crank, the bike was sold in many countries including the USA. But it would be the Aussies and the New Zealanders off-roaders that would really take to it. And this would come about in a rather unusual way. See, some smart little public servant drone in a down under government department decided that they’d be a great tool for the postal staff to speed up their deliveries and to also increase their hauling capabilities. Which is all good and well, but how did regular yobbos like me end up trying to kill themselves on them?
Photo courtesy of thepostiebike.com
Post Master General
The answer is simple. After a very comfy, non stressful life trundling around local neighbourhoods delivering gas bills and letters from Aunty Beryl, the well-serviced, nigh on unbreakable and hard-ever-thrashed Hondas were retired in remarkably good condition and sold as ex-government vehicles at rock-bottom prices to whatever lout, miscreant or local hoodlum with a unemployment cheque could afford them. Bungee strap a plastic milk crate on their rear luggage rack and – hey friggin’ presto – you had the world’s most uncool daily.
And while I can’t be sure of the specific details on what type of CT I was tearing around on as a pre-teen, they were delivered in three distinct flavors. The straight CT110 had a semi-automatic four-speed transmission and a centrifugal clutch. The bikes sold to Australia and New Zealand Post lacked the dual range sub-transmission of the standard bike and there was also a CT110 AG model that ran 6 volt electrics, presumably so that farmers wouldn’t risk setting their sheep on fire with the full 12 volts.
It’s also interesting to note that the bikes were not available for purchase by the general public directly from Honda until 2009. The fact that they were somehow kind of rare and yet still managed to leave such an impression on the general population is a real testament to their cult status. Honda Australia still sells a CT110X model, too. But as before, their Aussie website clearly states that ‘the Honda C110X Postie is available to registered Australia Post contractors only and cannot be sold to the general public.’
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org
Local Deliveries Only
And when I wasn’t running from some imagined cops on one the Posties were a common sight all over Australia, usually being used in summertime for skint teens and 20-somethings to make runs down to the local shops for a chocolate milk, sausage rolls or to pick up a few beers which were definitely not consumed right outside the bottle shop before the owners headed down the beach for a sunset dip. How the striped, faded beach towels stuffed into the milk crates at the back didn’t get blown out at the first sign of a bit of wind is an aerodynamic conundrum that Australia’s best engineers are yet to solve.
It’d be an interesting exercise to speak to some traffic cops from back in the day as to what they thought of the phenomenon and how exactly they would approach the average Postie bike rider. Being the absolute lowest bar for a road-going, privately-owned vehicles, the chances are that if a cop was to pull one over for shits and giggles, the chance of collaring the rider for not having a licence or a regulation helmet must have been sky high. Indeed, the centrifugal clutch system made it a piece of piss to ride, as my 12-year-old self would no doubt testify.
Photo courtesy of Honda
Red Letter Day
A quick scouring of Sydney’s local classifieds reveals the secondhand market is still going strong, with a whole heap of old Posties available from ones that look like they have been stolen and dumped in the ocean for a few hundred bucks to immaculate originals at around the four grand mark, it’s great to see that the legend is alive and well.
You’ll also be glad to hear that despite ceasing production in 2009, Honda announced in 2020 that the CT125 would be sold as a replacement (see above). As you’d expect, they have gone to much trouble to update the design, equipping it with modern ABS and a whole bunch of other mod cons that somehow manages to sterilise the legend just a little.
Photo courtesy of MotoFomo.com.au
As a riding experience, it won’t surprise you to learn that the bikes were pretty mild affairs. The semi-step-through frame was a clear hat tip to their moped-ish influences and as with many of Honda’s bikes, they were designed to be as vanilla and brutally functional as possible. If you rock up for your first ride expecting some kind of life-changing retro experience like a Vespa or a ‘60s two-stroke, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Remember, they were being issued to postal workers who just needed something to replace their old bicycles. The quieter, innocuous and easier they were to ride, the better.
Photo courtesy of Silodrome.com
Post Modern
But thankfully that ‘am I awake yet?’ experience was soon to be rectified come the wave of custom craziness that’s circled the world in the past decade. And while I can’t be sure that some 1990s speedy-loving genius didn’t attack one with the tools to see just how fast the little buggers could go, there was a definite trend around 2015 or so for Aussie Custom shops to soup the CTs in a very ‘what’s the worst possible candidate for a custom bike ever’ kind of a two-finger salute to coolness. How very Aussie.
Proponents were led by a Melbourne outfit wittily titled ‘Post Modern Motorcycles’ (Geddit?!). Owner Jim Clarke delighted in mimicking the very serious custom styles of the time, creating incredible custom bikes that simultaneously inspired without taking themselves too seriously.
Photo courtesy of lanesplittergarage.com
With 20/20 hindsight, it’s all too easy to rationalise the Postie’s cult status into one thing or another, but it’s important to mention that, like the AMC Gremlin or England’s Morris Minor, sometimes a vehicle that is really rather wrong can also be so very right.
And that thought becomes even more relevant in today’s consumer space where an increasingly large amount of products are researched ‘till the cows come home to ensure that they are as bland, functional and safe as possible. It’s nice to know that sometimes, it’s perfectly OK to be a little crap.
Today we celebrate the belated birthday of seven-time 350cc and 500cc world title champion Giacomo Agostini, or “Ago” – an Italian rider with an unmatched gift for racing.
According to an article posted on TopGear, young Agostini was born June 16, 1942, in Brescia, Lombardy, where he started his passion for riding in secret.
His first title was won in 1963 when he snatched the Italian Hillclimb Championship riding a 175cc Moto Morini.
The successes continued into 1965, where Agostini became a member of the MV Agusta works team. The season saw Giacomo’s first ride for MV, finishing second only to his teammate and mentor, Mike Hailwood.
With Hailwood scooped up by Honda the following year, Ago became lead rider of MV Agusta – setting the young prodigy up beautifully for what was to be a whirlwind of wins.
By 1968, Giacomo was hitting uncontested streaks in both the 350cc and 500cc class titles.
Hit Ctrl + Paste for 1969.
And again for 1970.
It soon became obvious that the man breaking statistical averages across the world was honed in on his game – and perhaps a little crazy, as all riders should be.
MoreBikes has a snippet of Agostini recalling the state of the tracks back in his day:
“We ran because we had a lot of passion, a lot of desire to run. You could not choose, the tracks were what they had, the straw balls were something palliative.”
Agostini’s winning streak was broken only by the crumpling of his bike in the first lap of 1971’s Isle of Man TT. At this point, he had completely cleared the table, winning 26 titles in the 350cc class and 32 in the 500cc class – a mind-boggling 58 titles acquired, in a row, nonstop.
Ago had two short retirement periods in 1971 and 1972, with his official retirement from the motorcycle scene in 1977, leaving behind a burning hot legacy that still inspires riders today – and Top Gear was right when they said that Agostini’s statistics are insane.
Ago took the title of every race he finished, stamping five years’ worth of wins in the record books.
1966-1972 was when he won seven world titles in a row in the 500cc class, and that’s not counting the seven world titles for the 350cc class garnered 1968-1974.
If we were counting Ago’s win for Yamaha in 1975, that brings the number of world title wins to FIFTEEN.
All told, Giacomo Agostini’s 14-year career saw 223 races; he took the gold home 122 of the 159 times that he made the podium, with 117 inofficial ‘fastest lap’ records tucked under one capable arm, 6 of which are considered official pole positions.
Perhaps Agostini’s quote, translated in 1967 from the Vault, would best describe the Italian’s career and his drive to ride: “I want to do everything I can – while I can.”
For more information on Italians and motorcycles, head over to MotorBikeWriter.
Phil with his trusty Honda Aero 1100 near the St. Johns River in Florida, not long before he had to say goodbye.
On April 8, 2021, at 8:47 p.m. near Sarasota, Florida, my 2001 Honda Aero 1100, a trusted traveling companion for the last 14 years, met its unceremonious end when the driver of a car ran a red left-turn arrow and crossed my lane of travel.
I bought my Aero in 2007, and ended up owning it longer than I’ve owned any other motorcycle. To say that it was a great bike is a major understatement. The Aero was steadfast, reliable and enjoyable for many magnificent motorcycle tours. Recently I had the thought that it might be the last motorcycle I’d ever own. Drawn to its classic styling, even after a decade and a half owning the bike, I would still smile when I looked at it parked in the garage.
On the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2008
Yeah, okay, so I loved the bike.
When I bought the Aero in 2007, it already had a windshield, auxiliary lights and highway bars, and within a short time I added a Corbin seat, Champion hard saddlebags and a throttle lock. Once outfitted, the bike was completely comfortable and suited for long-distance travel. I rode many 12-hour-plus days without complaint. Together, we logged nearly 100,000 miles from coast to coast.
Some of the best of these rides have been documented in the pages of Rider. Riding the Aero the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway culminated in my first article published in the magazine, “A Ride on the Ridge,” in the July 2009 issue. Living in the Atlanta area for many years, we explored well-known roads, like Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway, and hidden gems throughout the Southeast.
When I moved to Seattle, Washington, in 2010, I rode the Aero through the Ozarks, on Route 66 west of Flagstaff, over the Hoover Dam and through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. While living in the Pacific Northwest, new routes up and around Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and the Cascades, as well as east into the high desert around Yakima took us through some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve ever seen. More unforgettable memories and and more features in Rider, such as “Olympic Peninsula, Motorcycle Heaven in the Northwest” (May 2012) and “The Cascade Loop” (January 2014).
Mount St. Helens, Washington, in 2011
One of my most memorable rides was taking the Aero the “back way” to Idaho on the Brownlee-Oxbow Highway, along the Snake River and into Hells Canyon. On all these rides, through hundreds of hours and countless miles through some of the most deserted roads in America, I never doubted that the Honda would get me there and back. Many times I patted its tank like a cowboy pats his horse.
In 2016, at a career dead end and financially tapped out, I moved to southwest Florida, where my extended family lived. With no income, hustling to find a job and get back on my feet, the logical thing to do was sell the bike. Sadly I did, but I told the buyer, “When you buy your Harley” — everyone rides them here — “I want first call on buying it back.” Fourteen months later, my Aero came back home.
Near Harmony, Washington, in 2012
Our last tour was just a few weeks ago, a whirlwind five-day, 1,000-mile ride around northern Florida, with overnight stays in Cedar Key, Apalachicola, Jacksonville and Crescent Beach. A lovely ride.
But now it’s gone. Due to a split-second error by an impatient driver, the Aero suffered terminal front-end damage. It’s never easy to say goodbye to those we love. My Aero will be missed, but I’ll always have great memories of our years and miles together.
A cutaway of the Honda VFR1200F’s engine is color-coded to show the 1-3-5 gears, clutch pack and solenoid valves in red and the corresponding setup for gears 2-4-6 in blue. Dual clutches allow rapid-fire, nearly seamless gear changes. (Tech images/illustrations courtesy of American Honda)
The age of the Dual Clutch Transmission is not approaching, it’s already here. If you happen to be comparison shopping Ferraris, Lamborghinis, or McLarens to fill out your garage, you won’t find a stick shift in the bunch, just DCTs. But for now, Honda is the sole motorcycle manufacturer offering this option.
First introduced for 2010 on the VFR1200F, Honda’s 2021 lineup offers seven distinct models with an optional DCT: three versions of the Gold Wing, two versions of the Africa Twin, the NC750X, and the new Rebel 1100. For the 2019 and 2020 model years, across Gold Wing, Africa Twin, and NC750X models, half the units sold were equipped with DCTs. And when you include Fourtrax ATVs and Pioneer and Talon side-by-sides, Honda obviously has a whole lotta DCT goin’ on.
Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission debuted as an option on the 2010 VFR1200F. (Photo by Kevin Wing)
In our road tests we’ve discussed the benefits of having a DCT along for the ride. Even if you absolutely insist on manual shift for your own machines, you gotta admit an automatic transmission opens the door to many new riders — and that’s always a good thing for our sport. Without clutch and shift levers, there are fewer controls to operate, allowing beginning riders to stay focused on throttle control, braking, leaning and staying out of harm’s way. They can also avoid the frustration of stalling or not finding neutral. Grizzled riders may scoff that such are the dues one must pay to learn to ride a motorcycle, but the fewer barriers to entry the better.
Illustration shows the shaft-in-shaft configuration of the dual clutches, as well as the odd (1-3-5) gears and clutch in red and even (2-4-6) gears and clutch in blue.
Since we’re only gonna find more DCT options down the pike, let’s learn more about how it works. First, understand that this system does indeed use two clutches rather than just one hanging off the end of the transmission input shaft. Honda’s DCT setup positions a pair of clutches in a shaft-in-shaft configuration: a hollow outer shaft and a second one that runs inside it (see illustration 1). One clutch carries odd-numbered gears (1, 3, 5, plus 7 on Gold Wing models) while the other carries even-numbered gears (2, 4, 6).
On the Gold Wing models, the DCT adds a 7th gear as well as a reverse chain and gear.
In the accompanying color illustrations and cutaway VFR1200 engine image, the red parts are the 1-3-5 clutch pack and gears, while the blue parts are the 2-4-6 clutch pack and gears. This allows two gears to be engaged at the same time, so while one gear is busy supplying power to the rear wheel, the DCT preselects the next gear and it stays ready for immediate engagement when the clutches pass the baton. This is accomplished through the use of linear solenoid valves that send hydraulic pressure to actuate the clutches as directed by the ECU.
On the Honda Rebel 1100 DCT’s left handlebar are the manual downshift (-) and upshift (+, on front of switchgear) buttons and emergency brake. Note absence of clutch lever. (Photo by Drew Ruiz)
In practice, a DCT-equipped motorcycle with the ignition off or at idle will be in neutral, so all DCT bikes feature a parking brake (above). Once the bike has been started, to engage first gear the rider presses the “D” (Drive) button on the right switchgear (below). The “A/M” button switches between automatic and manual modes, and the “N” button shifts the transmission into neutral (this happens automatically when you come to a stop regardless of mode). When Drive has been engaged, to pull away from a stop all the rider has to do is roll on the throttle, just like the twist-and-go convenience of a scooter.
Right handlebar has the DCT mode buttons. (Photo by Drew Ruiz)
The default mode is Automatic, with shift points electronically programmed. For fuel economy, the DCT typically shifts into higher gears quickly, to keep engine speed low. On the Rebel 1100 tested in this issue, DCT shift points vary based on the riding mode: Standard mode has a middle-of-the-road shift schedule, Rain mode shifts earlier to keep revs low, and Sport mode shifts later to allow high revs. When the throttle is rolled on abruptly, such as to make a quick pass, the DCT quickly downshifts a gear or two so the engine can deliver power as needed. At any time, a rider can use the down (-) or up (+) buttons on the left switchgear to change gears as desired.
Honda has also tailored the DCT for different models. For example, Africa Twin DCT models have four automatic modes (Drive and three Sport modes with successively higher shift points), and Gold Wing DCT models have 7-speed transmissions with a reverse gear.
With more than a decade of proven performance in the books, the motorcycling Dual Clutch Transmission is clearly here to stay.
How well does this 2021 model hold up to more than 40 years of Honda Gold Wing testing and scrutiny? I love it all. Except for one thing… (Photos by Drew Ruiz)
EIC Drevenstedt asked me a simple question: “How many Honda Gold Wings have you ridden?” My answer required lots of mental calculations: maybe 75 or 80 total? “Okay,” he said. “Then you go ride the 2021 Gold Wing Tour DCT and tell me how it fits in with all those past Wings.”
Back in the late 1970s, I worked at Cycle magazine, and we rode the living snot out of every test bike, including the big ones. So full disclosure: I’m an outlier regarding performance standards. I’ve always pushed motorcycles far beyond the typical pace, and I prize light and lively handling above all else. Since 2000 I’ve ridden over 40 different fifth-gen Wings (2001-2017 GL1800s), but I had yet to ride the sixth-gen GL1800 that was introduced in 2018 and updated in 2020.
Comfy accommodations fit better than ever, fore and aft.
The mechanicals, measurements, electronics, and such of the sixth-gen GL1800 have been thoroughly covered in previous Rider tests (September 2020, November 2019, May 2018, and January 2018). But there are several updates baked into this 2021 iteration:
Katie praised the rear seat armrests and heaters. But no drink compartments!
Revised passenger accommodations: The passenger seat backrest reclines more and has thicker foam and a taller profile. Both my wife and daughter prefer this setup compared to the previous-generation GL1800s we ride (2003 and 2008; see “SIDEBAR: A Tale of Two Gold Wings” below). They especially like the longer armrests but regret the loss of the two rear storage compartments.
Larger trunk: The top trunk now holds 61 liters (up 11 from before; total luggage capacity is 121 liters) and can now stow a pair of full-face helmets. The low back lip facilitates easy loading, but care must be taken to tuck in the cargo’s stray straps, sleeves, etc. so the lid latches securely.
The trunk’s sloped rear face eases loading but stray straps can foul lid closing.
New seat cover and rear turn signals: The seat’s new suede-like material has a premium look and feel to it, and the colored seat piping is a nice touch. The rear turn signals are now all red for a cleaner look.
Updated audio: Improvements include upgraded, 45-watt speakers with richer sound, optimized automatic volume-adjustment level, a standard XM radio antenna and new Android Auto integration in addition to the previous Apple CarPlay integration.
Electric windscreen, fancy dash with navigation, four ride modes, and a modern 4-valve engine. What’s not to like?
My other impressions of the sixth-gen Wing? Awesome brakes. Truly awesome, much like sportbike binders. I never felt the brakes on my 2008 Wing were lacking, until now. Equally important, rider ergonomics are vastly improved. I’m a big guy, and I’ve always felt cramped and confined by the previous-gen GL1800’s seat/bar/peg configuration. The latest iteration offers much more natural and comfortable ergonomics.
Gold Wings are engineered to be run hard — really hard — and they’ll go better and faster than the vast majority of owners will ever suspect. For 2021 the overall feel is taut and modern, much closer to the sport-touring side than ever before.
The Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) is also impressive and relieves some of the rider task load, especially while riding around town and dealing with traffic. Its shift points in Tour mode are accurate, if a bit relaxed, while Sport mode’s power delivery feels much crisper and even a bit abrupt. Sport mode holds shift points so much longer you really need to be totally sport focused, not even a little bit lazy in your planning. And that’s not a complaint; Sport is my preferred setting on tight back roads. The DCT can be a little tricky during ultra-low-speed maneuvering, but I adapted fairly quickly. I do, however, miss being able to slow-roll a tight turn using the clutch during gas station maneuvers and such.
Although the 6th-gen GL1800 displaces only 1cc more than the 5th-gen, the flat six was completely redesigned.
As for styling, the new machine looks stunningly sleek and remarkably athletic parked beside my 2008 GL1800. However, I am not much swayed by a machine’s cosmetics; it’s what she’ll do that counts. And Gold Wings have long been unfairly maligned for their size and looks without proper respect for their high level of full-throttle performance.
It’s hilariously revealing when anybody bad-mouths the Honda Gold Wing as an “old man’s bike,” especially if their opinion isn’t based on actual riding experience. When I wrote the test for the then-new GL1200 for the February 1984 issue of Cycle, my conclusion was: “This year the Honda engineers have pulled off an unbelievable trick — they’ve taken a 790-pound machine and made it nimble and manageable. The choice is clear. Why put up with a big-feeling touring mount when you can have something as close to magic as we’ve seen in a long time?”
Whew! Lofty praise indeed. But it reflects how much Honda engineers have always invested in the basic bones — the chassis and engine — of every generation of the Gold Wing to create a good-handling package.
Things got bigger and better with the gen-four GL1500. I didn’t spend much time on full-dresser 1500s, but I fell deeply in love with the stripped-down 1,520cc Valkyrie muscle bike — unvarnished, rowdy fun! Do you have your October 1996 issue of Rider handy? That’s my story, “The Great Escape,” with our daughter Kristen joining me on the new Valkyrie in Montana. After completing that trip I had more Valkyrie miles logged than any non-Honda employee. And I loved it.
The Gold Wing has been Honda’s flagship touring model for 46 years. It has set and reset standards for comfort, performance, reliability, and sophistication, and won Rider’s Motorcycle of the Year award in 2001 and 2018 (and the Gold Wing-based Valkyrie Tourer won in 1997).
Within the realm of big tourers, I am especially enamored with the fifth-gen Wing for both its handling and power. When I dove into the first corner aboard the GL1800 back in 2000 during the bike’s press intro, that previously beloved Valky instantly turned to toast; the GL1800 simply smoked it on handling alone, not to mention the big boost in power. For riders with a serious sporting bent, it was a real revelation thanks to its delightfully agile handling and precise steering. (We have former Large Project Leader Masanori Aoki, who was responsible for several CBR sportbike models before heading up the GL1800 project, to thank for that.) It felt nothing short of wondrous at the time and it remains a wonder and a mystery even today, which is why many uninitiated “experts” still foolishly look down their noses at Wings.
Solo or with a passenger, there’s no motorcycle touring experience quite like the Honda Gold Wing.
Fact is, I’ve personally schooled more than a few leather-clad sportbike riders by treating them to a sudden appearance of a Wing in their mirrors — followed by polite passes, of course. I’ve logged thousands of miles on dozens of different GL1800s and I know exactly how well they get down a road, twisty or straight. Until you’ve ground down a GL1800’s footpegs to half-length smoldering stubs, you’ve got nothing to say about how a Gold Wing supposedly cannot perform.
A well-used set of Honda Gold Wing footpegs, courtesy of the author.
That brings us to this 2021 Gold Wing Tour DCT, which is an impressively sporting, fun, and stylish package. It’s so good in so many ways it really outshines the early fifth-gen GL1800, a bike I love dearly. In my book, the sixth-gen’s main shortcoming is that its Hassock-style front end that lacks the delightful steering agility of its predecessor. And that nimble feel is what originally set the GL1800 apart from other big rigs. The 2021 may be 80 pounds lighter, but that benefit is largely offset by heavier steering and muted front-end feel and feedback.
After rolling up thousands of serious test miles on all of these models and more, which is my favorite? It’s probably just me, but the nimble steering of fifth-gen Gold Wings still holds sway in my heart.
I regret that loss, but then I’m a nut for steering agility. In the real world, for every rider with a sport orientation like mine, dozens more will line up for all of the comfort, convenience and technology features that make the latest Gold Wing Tour DCT such a sweet touring machine.
The 2021 Honda Gold Wing Tour DCT in Candy Ardent Red. It’s also available in Metallic Black.
2021 Honda Gold Wing Tour Specs
Base Price: $28,300 Price as Tested: $29,300 (DCT model) Website:powersports.honda.com Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, longitudinal opposed flat six, Unicam SOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl. Displacement: 1,833cc Bore x Stroke: 73.0 x 73.0mm Transmission: 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission automatic (as tested) Final Drive: Shaft Wheelbase: 66.7 in. Rake/Trail: 30.5 degrees/4.3 in. Seat Height: 29.3 in. Wet Weight: 838 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 5.6 gals. Fuel Consumption: 40 mpg
SIDEBAR: A Tale of Two Gold Wings
The author with his son-in-law Gregg and daughter Kristen, and their two fifth-gen Gold Wing GL1800s.
Motorcycle industry gurus talk about expanding the touring market with younger riders. But nobody seems to do anything about it. So I did.
Back in 2019, I had one motorcycle — my trusty Honda 919. My wife Katie had basically quit riding with me even though a pair of artificial hips let her hop on a backseat freely again. A GL1800 seemed a nonstarter. Yet next thing I knew, I owned not one but two Gold Wings.
How’s that? Well, we had invited the entire family to vacation with us in Tuscany last June, including motorcycle rides with a private guide. Sweet, huh? That commitment meant Katie needed seat time prior to Italy and a Wing in the garage would supply necessary incentive.
In November of 2019, I found a used 2003 GL1800 showing 29,000 miles. It was a cream puff, and for $5,500 it was a steal. Katie and I mounted up and she fell in love with riding all over again. Life was grand. And then COVID-19 hit. Even worse, serious health issues sidelined me for nearly all of that cursed year.
So I told my son-in-law Gregg (not Drevenstedt!) to come and take the Wing so my daughter Kristen could enjoy a break from the pillion of their Yamaha R6. Kristen had logged thousands of miles with me on Wings and Valkyries from her teen years onward, so she’d surely dig it. But to my surprise, Gregg immediately fell in love with the whole Wing thing and they headed out riding most weekends, having a blast. Months later, I’d feel like a heel by repossessing it. So I bought another GL1800, this time a 2008 for $7,800. And I gave them the ’03. Growing the touring segment one young couple at a time … for less money than that trip to Italy would’ve cost us! — KL
Honda Australia has issued an official recall for their 2020 Fireblade CBR1000RR sportsbike over an issue with the suspension that could cause the bike to drop in height.
The notice, issued through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says the left cushion connecting plate may have been reversed when fitted and break “over time”.
“If the connecting plate breaks, the vehicle may drop in height suddenly, increasing the risk of an accident and injury or death to rider(s) and other road users,” the notice says.
Owners of the 20 affected bikes are asked to contact their nearest Honda motorcycle dealer and arrange for their motorcycle to be inspected and repaired free “at their earliest opportunity”.
Even though manufacturers and importers usually contact owners when a recall is issued, the bike may have been sold privately to a rider unknown to the company.
Therefore, Motorbike Writer publishes all motorcycle and scooter recalls as a service to all riders.
If you believe there is an endemic problem with your bike that should be recalled, contact the ACCC on 1300 302 502.
To check whether your motorcycle has been recalled, click on these sites:
The 2021 Honda 2021 CRF300L (above) and CRF300L Rally get more power and torque, a new assist-and-slipper clutch, less weight, and other improvements. (Photos by Drew Ruiz)
When Honda set out to improve its top-selling dual-sport models, the CRF250L and CRF250L Rally, it didn’t take half measures. The overhaul was executed as a package deal, integrating the modifications to improve the entire machine, and the 2021 Honda CRF300L and CRF300L Rally offer more power and more all-around capability. Having previously tested both 250 versions, I can assure you that Big Red has elevated the game for its CRF300L lineup.
Built on the same platform, the Honda CRF300L Rally (left) adds a windscreen, more seat padding, and a larger for tank, making it a great lightweight adventure bike.
The upgrades proved themselves at Honda’s press launch for the new bikes, where the assembled moto-scribes sampled both the CRF300L (MSRP $5,249) and CRF300L Rally ($5,999). From carving apexes on twisty pavement to negotiating rocky dirt roads and challenging single-track, we tackled nearly every kind of terrain a dual-sport rider might expect to encounter.
Our test ride on the Honda CRF300L and CRF300L Rally included a mix of pavement and dirt. The lightweight bikes are easy to maneuver on any terrain.
Arden’s Gear Helmet:Fly Racing Formula Carbon Jersey/Gloves/Pants: Fly Racing Kinetic K121 Racewear Boots: Fly Racing FR5
The CRF300L and CRF300L Rally share the same powerplant, a liquid-cooled 286cc four-stroke single which boasts 15% more displacement, power, and torque than its 250cc predecessor, thanks to an 8mm stroke increase. Honda says the extra 36cc, paired with cam lift and timing mods, pumped up the four-valve single’s low- and mid-range power, and it wasn’t kidding. With 2.5 more horses (27.3) and nearly 3 lb-ft more torque (19), the 300s are quicker, with noticeably more low-end grunt than their predecessors.
A 36cc bump in displacement (to 286cc) and other updates to the CRF300L’s liquid-cooled single yielded a useful increase in power and torque.
The added power and torque, and reduced ratios in the lower gears, kept me from needing to slip the clutch to climb out of the gullies on the last single-track section of our test ride. The motor/tranny combo put enough tractable power to the ground in 1st gear to effortlessly climb the steep, curved trail. The EFI fueling through the 38mm throttle body was spot-on as well, instilling confidence the bike wouldn’t stall at lower revs. Even so, I hedged my bets by covering the clutch lever, the easy pull of Honda’s new assist-and-slipper clutch requiring just a single finger. The slipper function worked equally as well as the assist, preventing skids on a few too-hot corner entries on the pavement.
On the street, the 300s are a kick to flick from corner to corner, doing their best work on tight roads. And though they aren’t rockets, once at speed they have the chops to stay there if you observe the cardinal rule of small moto riding: never back off. But when you do have to slow down, the CRFs are ready with two-piston calipers up front squeezing a 260mm rotor on the standard and a 298mm plate on the heavier Rally. Both use a single-piston caliper and 220mm rear rotor. The front stoppers are the stars of the show, generating easy-to-modulate stopping power, while the back brakes are suitable assistants, capable of locking up the rear wheel on any surface. ABS is a $300 option on both models, but was not fitted to the test bikes.
The CRFs’ basic suspension package — 43mm inverted fork, Pro-Link single rear shock, both with 10.2 inches of travel but no adjustments except rear preload — turned in a solid performance throughout the day. Rake and trail have been reduced, which helped in the tight singletrack corners, but the bikes remain quite stable on road or off. The new cast aluminum swingarm, said to improve lateral flexibility and feedback, no doubt played its part, though too subtly for me to isolate as I plowed through ruts, slammed rocks, choosing some dodgy lines without the bikes pitching me off.
The lighter standard CRF300L excels here, soaking up nearly everything in its path, or at least not getting badly out of shape. Yes, it will literally kick your butt with rear-end bounce on major hits, and there could be more rebound damping at times, but it stayed on course, letting me survive to choose the next bad line. Having almost 11 inches of ground clearance to play with didn’t hurt, either.
Honda lightened both bikes, making them easier to toss around. Nine pounds came off the Rally (now 333), a notable achievement while adding 4 pounds of fuel (0.7 gallons, now 3.4) and fitting long-ride comfort items like handlebar weights and rubber footpeg inserts. The standard model lost 11 pounds (now 309) making it even easier to flick into corners or pick up, should the need arise. The new LCD instrument panels even lost a couple ounces while presenting more information. Speed, rpm, and gear position were easy enough to see at most times, the smaller text for the odometer and fuel mileage being difficult to read off the pavement.
Speaking of mileage, using Honda’s claim of a 250+ mile range for the Rally, the 300s are capable of almost 74 mpg. We couldn’t track fuel consumption during the press launch, but the mileage readout on the bikes I rode hovered near 60. If ridden with a lighter hand, 74 mpg may well be possible. Sixth gear is an overdrive that should help highway mileage and comfort, though downshifts are necessary for any hills.
Only a half inch separates the tall-ish seat heights for the 300s, 34.7 and 35.2 inches for the standard and Rally, respectively. The extra padding for longer rides on the Rally was noticeable, but we spent so much time on the pegs for the 300L’s dirt-centric test loop that I can’t comment on its seat. However, the standing position was comfortable for my 68-inch frame and I could stretch my 31-inch inseam enough to touch two feet on the ground from the taller Rally. Despite their counterbalancers, both machines are a bit buzzy; I’ve yet to meet a single that didn’t tingle.
2021 Honda CRF300L
The new 300s have the potential for reaching a very large audience of two-wheel enthusiasts. They are small enough to hang on the back of a car or RV, lively enough to generate grins all day long on most any surface, easy enough to ride that newcomers can quickly feel at home, and the Rally has range enough to travel. The tough part is choosing between them. My choice is the standard model, for its off-road ability, though I would not hesitate to take the Rally on an extended back-roads tour.
2021 Honda CRF300L Rally
2021 Honda CRF300L / CRF300L Rally Specs
Base Price: $5,249 / $5,999 (add $300 for ABS) Website:powersports.honda.com Engine Type: Liquid-cooled single, DOHC w/ 4 valves Displacement: 286cc Bore x Stroke: 76 x 63mm Horsepower: 27.3 hp @ 8,500 rpm (claimed, at crank) Torque: 19 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm (claimed, at crank) Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet clutch Final Drive: O-ring chain Wheelbase: 57.2 in. Rake/Trail: 27.3 degrees/4.3 in. Seat Height: 34.7 in. / 35.2 in. Wet Weight: 309 lbs. / 333 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 2.1 gals. / 3.4 gals.
In light of further closures and lockdowns across India, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has announced in a statement that they will be extending warranties and free service periods to all customers whose perks were set to end between April 1 and May 31, 2021.
All extensions will remain in effect until July 31, across all dealerships in India – and anybody that was experiencing a lack of warranty or service due to increased limitations will have their services catered to.
Quoted by Livemint as “the corporate social responsibility arm of all Honda group firms in India,” the Honda India Foundation (HIF) has also pledged 6.5 crores (around 9.5 million USD) as an initiative to bring support and aid in unprecedented times.
The funds will be going to 5 states in the country – Gujarat, Rajasthan Karnataka, UP, and Haryana.
The support of HIF also involves the following:
the installation of oxygen production plants in Manesar, Alwar (Rajasthan), Kolar (Karnataka), and Gautam Budh Nagar (Uttar Pradesh).
HIF will establish facilities housing up to 100 beds in Rajasthan and Haryana to support the demand for space.
Distribution of PPE masks and sanitizers to essential workers.
Distribution of medical equipment (oxygen concentrators, pulse oximeters) to government hospitals in rural areas.
With the country shutting down and now rumors that HMSI will have to shut down temporarily, the aid is a welcome gesture to keep the country – with their motorcycles and scooters – running.
