johnhypnotherapist
Reviewed: 02 November 2010
quick reliable but twitchy
I bought mine a 1999 3 months ago with 65k on the clock. Since then I have put another 3k on it including a two up 1k tour of Wales. It has been bang reliable except a fuel pipe, clutch cable and fan motor all cheap to repair secondhand. The engine rvs freely to 13000 rpm with a noticable burst at 6,000 and 10,000rpm. I can easilly hit 100mph in third in around 7 seconds although some clutch slip is required get of the line quick without lifting the front! The finish overall is the usual Honda quality. I added a fender extenda, rear hugger, tank protector, crash bungs and fly screen.
As a fast naked it comes without a center stand which it really needs for any chain adjustment and general maintenance! When servicing the tank must come of to change all the plugs which I found a nuisance and lead to a burst feuel pipe. Without a passenger on board I find the handling twitchy and the tyre pressures must be strictly observed to avoid following road faults of which there are plenty in London. The handlebars are to low for me at 6ft tall and I raised them with 1" spacers although I still find them heavy on th wrists after a few miles. Lacks a fuel gauge, the tank range is poor!
A good package but budget suspension lets it down, though the engine is willing! NOT a good first big bike as it is far to fast and twitchy for the inexperienced........ a CB500 would be better. Overall as a budget built naked it does the job it is built for but one cant help thinking that the overall lack of equipment.... like a center stand or fuel gauge,with tank range never more than a measly 120 miles, that Honda could have come up with a much better bike for slightly more cash! Reliability is not an issue or even the overall finish but it lacks in areas that become a nuisance in everyday use or longers treks which it is well capble of even two up. Cruising two up at 100mph is possible with a fly screen and decent conditions but otherwise better to stay below 80 mph and less if windy and no passenger aboard as it can become very twitchy and demading!Its a revvy package that delights in being ridden hard and is well proven in the London despatch rider market often clocking well over 250k - but regular fully synthetic oil changes are a must! My overall feeling for the bike is that it is a cheap way into an exciting ride but one needs to be aware of the pitfalls of the budget build. Overall a great bike that could have easilly have been a better bike. As a city bike it is tremendous, a commuter with speed, a tourer just and something I always look forward to riding although in most conditions you are unlikely to rise above 6000 rpm in any built up areas.
