Opinion on the competition's new stuff?

[MN-Rider]

Honda launched some new bikes yesterday, have you checked them out? What is your opinion on the competition?

Click to see new Honda's

[big worm]

well at least they tried with the Gold Wing F6B.....should have built something more like the valkarie but with a fairing !!!

[SWVA_08V2k]

Originally Posted by big worm

well at least they tried with the Gold Wing F6B.....should have built something more like the valkarie but with a fairing !!!

Agreed. I thought it still looked good and was a sharp looking bike but I think it would have looked better on something like the valk.

I have also noticed that a lot of companies are making the older looking bikes again like honda has done with the CB1100.

[Pretzel]

That GW "cruiser" style is interesting; if I ever go GW, that would be the one. And the 1300 custom line is workable. "Meh..." to the rest.

[pacomutt]

I really like the old school look of the CB1100.

[RBS2]

I like the look of the F6B. Essentially a bagger, ish, but all the features of a GW. Wonder how it compares to the Vaquero and Cross Country.

[Old Bear]

Not much, I'll stick with m Vaquero!

[Romans5.8]

The Valkyrie DID have a fairing version, called the 'interstate'





It's fairing was more batwing-ish and the details, down to the taillights, had a muscle-cruiser flair to it. The Goldwing, while a fantastic bike, is not really much of a cruiser. Even the the F6B to me, is still a sport tourer. In MY opinion, the F6B is going to butt up against the BMW's and Honda's own ST1300 as the 'ultimate' in sleek sport touring. The riding position and styling is a lot more sport than cruiser.

Fantastic bikes though. Being $4,000 cheaper makes it tempting, it puts it in the price range of the touring-cruisers (Voyager, Electra Glide, etc.), which is a big plus in Hondas favor. I suspect people will be putting aftermarket top boxes or even fitting Goldwing top boxes on to these things and just making them a poor mans Goldwing. (Although a $20,000 motorcycle doesn't exactly sing poverty, LOL). I really think Honda could make this a home run if they include a quick-disconnect kit for a matching top box. The top box on the Goldwing is more 'integrated', and the bike itself doesn't quite 'work' without it. (For starters, it contains the taillight and some essential components, such as I believe the actual stereo unit, Honda just uses a 'control pad' up front, as opposed to an actual head unit in the fairing like H-D and Kawasaki) This bike however, could be a really cool 'convertible' tourer with a quick disconnect top box, similar to how Harley does with the street glide or electra glide.

All in all I like the F6B, but I don't think it's revolutionary. I certainly don't think it's a replacement for the Valkyrie Interstate.

I like the CB1100 also. I am secretly hoping Kawasaki follows suit and re-introduces the KZ series of motorcycles. Now that both Honda and Triumph are making clones of their past models. I know triumph uses 'fake' carbs complete with non-working choke knobs, and even non-functional sync screws and all sorts of little components to make it look exactly like the older carb setups in order to house and disguise the fuel injection system. I wonder if Honda is doing similar?

[SWVA_08V2k]

Originally Posted by Romans5.8

The Valkyrie DID have a fairing version, called the 'interstate'





It's fairing was more batwing-ish and the details, down to the taillights, had a muscle-cruiser flair to it. The Goldwing, while a fantastic bike, is not really much of a cruiser. Even the the F6B to me, is still a sport tourer. In MY opinion, the F6B is going to butt up against the BMW's and Honda's own ST1300 as the 'ultimate' in sleek sport touring. The riding position and styling is a lot more sport than cruiser.

Fantastic bikes though. Being $4,000 cheaper makes it tempting, it puts it in the price range of the touring-cruisers (Voyager, Electra Glide, etc.), which is a big plus in Hondas favor. I suspect people will be putting aftermarket top boxes or even fitting Goldwing top boxes on to these things and just making them a poor mans Goldwing. (Although a $20,000 motorcycle doesn't exactly sing poverty, LOL). I really think Honda could make this a home run if they include a quick-disconnect kit for a matching top box. The top box on the Goldwing is more 'integrated', and the bike itself doesn't quite 'work' without it. (For starters, it contains the taillight and some essential components, such as I believe the actual stereo unit, Honda just uses a 'control pad' up front, as opposed to an actual head unit in the fairing like H-D and Kawasaki) This bike however, could be a really cool 'convertible' tourer with a quick disconnect top box, similar to how Harley does with the street glide or electra glide.

All in all I like the F6B, but I don't think it's revolutionary. I certainly don't think it's a replacement for the Valkyrie Interstate.

I like the CB1100 also. I am secretly hoping Kawasaki follows suit and re-introduces the KZ series of motorcycles. Now that both Honda and Triumph are making clones of their past models. I know triumph uses 'fake' carbs complete with non-working choke knobs, and even non-functional sync screws and all sorts of little components to make it look exactly like the older carb setups in order to house and disguise the fuel injection system. I wonder if Honda is doing similar?

Did not know about the "Interstate" model, which I never really was a big fan of Honda's. But I like it.

I was thinking the same thing about the F6B. A quick connect top box would make a nice option for it and have the ability to change from a "around town" bike to a "touring" bike. But from the pics it looks like they did not really leave any spot open to do that with that is not covered in some sort of plastic. To me it looks like their attempt to turn the bike in to a "Bold-Wing" instead of a "Old-Wing"

[Romans5.8]

Originally Posted by SWVA_08V2k

Did not know about the "Interstate" model, which I never really was a big fan of Honda's. But I like it.

I was thinking the same thing about the F6B. A quick connect top box would make a nice option for it and have the ability to change from a "around town" bike to a "touring" bike. But from the pics it looks like they did not really leave any spot open to do that with that is not covered in some sort of plastic. To me it looks like their attempt to turn the bike in to a "Bold-Wing" instead of a "Old-Wing"

I became a bit more of a Honda fan when I bought my wifes bike. Just a very well built machine, with an excellent warranty. Service seems great too. I think they have an enourmous 'gap' in their lineup though. You either have a very small Shadow line (not just engine size, the bikes are very small) or the mega-tourers or choppers. I had predicted that this new lineup was going to include some mid-sized bikes but, not really!

I think it could work though. My require some sort of modification or be a little 'ugly', but if you want seamlessly integrated trunk and bags, you spend $4,000 more and get the big one!