
Kertagosa (Klungkung, Bali)

Onde-Onde Kacang Merah
Honda CB900F Hornet
STINGER MISSILEWords: Rod Chapman
Pics: Ellen Dewar
Some bikes make you smile, some bikes make you giggle, and some bikes - like this blinged out Honda Hornet 900 - simply make you howl like a deranged loon... This bike has the capacity to reduce you to a drooling mess and blow your 'Captain Sensible' façade into the weeds, as you go in search of new and inventive ways to scare old ladies and make children cry.
Okay, so maybe I'm getting a little carried away with myself, but then that's exactly what has happened each and every time I've hopped aboard the latest offering from Honda Australia's press fleet garage.
BACKGROUND BRIEFING
Honda introduced the CB900F Hornet in 2002. The CB600F Hornet had sold steadily enough since 1998, so it seemed to make sense that a bad-ass bigger brother might also hit the spot. With a 919cc older format Fireblade engine slotted in place, you certainly couldn't whinge about the grunt, and its upright ride position and broad bars made it a mobile jungle gym of licence-burning fun.
Hornet Snr has also been a steady seller in Australia over the years, but to spur those sales on Honda Australia thought it would turn one into a project bike, to show just one example of what's possible.
JOB DESCRIPTION
You can take a look at the add-ons in the panel below, but what I want to concentrate on is the laugh-yer-guts-up ride this well and truly pimped steed delivers. In short, if I was going to buy this bike I'd save everyone a helluva lot of trouble and hand my licence in to the cops before I took delivery of it. It's that much fun.
The note of those twin Moriwaki slip-ons sends a tingle up your spine with every blip of the throttle, while its sheer power and grunt - while less than earth-shattering on paper - translates into an arm-wrenching ride of pure delight. Throw in the fact it's ready to hoist its front wheel skywards at the slightest flick of the clutch, and this baby is guaranteed to rock your world.
The front brakes, with trick 'flame' rotors and braided lines, are superb, while the motocross-style bars only seem to encourage acts of anti-social mischief. Non-riding folk couldn't hope to understand...
BEING SENSIBLE FOR A MOMENT
The thing is, it's really just a stock bike with some added eye-candy. The engine hasn't been touched, and its fuelling hasn't even been re-mapped. Its suspension is stock too. If you wanted to build the bike you're looking at now, you'd need a few basic tools and an hour or two - and that's it.
Complaints? The sidestand is difficult to hook from beneath the rearset; the mirrors are next to useless and then there's the cost. The bottom line for all that bling is around $10,000 - throw in the $12,000 starting price and you're looking at a hefty wad of cash indeed.
I could also list Honda's typically high level of refinement in there too. "That's a bad thing?" I hear you ask. Well not necessarily, it's just that for a bike that purports to be a hooligan machine, in stock form you could even say it's a little bland - almost too good to be 'bad'. Still, it's amazing how a few aftermarket bits can sex up a bike's personality - and the creation before you is rolling proof.
YOUR FINAL WARNING
If there's even the slightest twinkle of a maniac lurking deep within your biking psyche, stay well clear of the 900 Hornet, especially one like this. Go back to your wife and kids, and have normal conversations over the Cornflakes at breakfast. Me? I'd rather snap one up and never look back - and when I'm not riding the wheels off it, I'll make do with spontaneous cackling and throwing rocks at the moon...
THUMBS UP
- Laugh-yer-head-off performance
- Great city bike
- Head-turning looks
- Tricky to hook sidestand under the left rearset
- Indicators look cool but aren't easily seen in bright daylight
- Police don't think wheelies are clever...
PIMP YOUR RIDE
Want to hot up your Hornet? To turn what was already an awesome giggle machine into a true stunner of street-fighting cool, Honda Oz threw on a heap of bits and pieces. Run through Honda's shopping list and check out what your budget would cover.
- Pro Taper Contour handlebars $179.95
Universal mount kit for h/bars $59.95
Pro Grip Dual Compound grips $22.95
Goodridge braided brake lines (front) $299.95
Goodridge braided brake lines (rear) $139.95
Moto Master 'Flame' brake rotors (pair) $799.90
Extreme Creations twin-headlight conversion $695.00
Michelin Pilot Power (front) $215.00
Michelin Pilot Power (rear) $299.00
Lightech billet mini LED indicators (two pairs) $250.00
Valtermoto billet bar ends $79.95
Valtermoto tank cap bolt kit $29.95
Valtermoto engine bolt kit $179.95
Valtermoto body bolt kit $99.95
Valtermoto accessory kit $149.95
Valtermoto billet rearsets $599.95
Lightfoot Engineering spoked Morad rims $4600.00
(17" x 5.5" rear with modified Talon KTM cush-drive hub and 17" x 3.5" front with modified Harley narrow glide hub both including adaptors, heavy-duty spokes and gloss black powder coating) Moriwaki Zero titanium exhaust system $1395.00
- For more information contact the following distributors and manufacturers:
Serco (Pro Taper), tel: 1800 625 356
Off Road Imports (Pro Grip), tel: (02) 4577 7022
John Stamnas Pty Ltd (Goodridge), tel: (07) 5447 7411
NF Importers (Moto Master), tel: (02) 9704 2800
Extreme Creations, tel: (02) 9939 4878
Michelin Australia, tel: 1300 727 878
Roadrocket (Lightech, Valtermoto), tel: (03) 9329 7600
Lightfoot Engineering, tel: (03) 9898 3677
Mick Hone Motorcycles (Moriwaki), tel: (03) 9890 0304
| SPECIFICATIONS - HONDA CB900F HORNET |
| ENGINE |
| Type: liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve, four-stroke, in-line four cylinder |
| Bore x stroke: 71 x 58mm |
| Displacement: 919cc |
| Compression ratio: 10.8:1 |
| Fuel system: Electronic fuel-injection |
| TRANSMISSION |
| Type: Six-speed constant mesh |
| Final drive: chain |
| CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR |
| Frame type: Alloy beam |
| Front suspension: 43mm telescopic forks, adjustable for preload |
| Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable for preload |
| Front brakes: Twin 296mm discs with four-piston Nissin calipers |
| Rear brake: Single 240mm disc with single-piston Nissin caliper |
| DIMENSIONS AND CAPCITIES |
| Dry weight: 194kg |
| Seat height: 795mm |
| Fuel capacity: 19 litres |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max power: 110hp at 9000rpm |
| Max torque: 9.3kg-m at 6500rpm |
| OTHER STUFF |
| Price: Standard Hornet - $11,990 plus ORC |
| Colour: Candy Glory Red |
| Test bike supplied by: Honda Australia |
| Phone: (03) 9270 1111, www.hondamotorcycles.com.au |
| Warranty: 24 months/unlimited kilometres |
Source:
http://www.bikepoint.com.au
Honda CBR125R
MIGHTY MOUSEMake no mistake about it, the CBR125R may look the goods, but it is tiny - which will be terrific news for anyone who wants a bike that is sharp, well-mannered, but super light and easy to handle.
It looks and feels about two-thirds of the size of a CBR600RR - itself no giant - and is considerably slimmer than any 250 we've ridden.
The basic package has been around in Europe for a few years and is well proven - in fact it was Honda's top-selling model in Britain in 2005, thanks to licensing laws which encourage people to start off on something small.
In this country, the introduction of LAMs-style laws which allow people to learn on 650s in several states (with Vic joining in soon), the 125 doesn't make quite as much sense, unless you really want something that's unbelievably light and easy to handle.
At the centre of the machine is a 125cc, two-valve, four-stroke single, that's liquid-cooled and changed over from carburettor to fuel injection for this model year. We don't have a power figure, but its predecessor made a modest 10kW and I wouldn't expect this version to be making a great deal more.
Honda has gone for a relatively straight-forward chassis: twin-spar steel frame, with 31mm convention forks up front and a direct (no link) monoshock on the rear. Braking is a single disc at both ends, with a two-piston caliper working the front and a single on the rear.
Tyre sizes are super-skinny by current standards: 80mm up front and 100 on the rear. That means the replacement cost should be very modest.
On the road the machine is a doddle to ride. Starting is instant, with no choke required, and it quickly settles into a smooth idle. A little warm-up time can pay off, as it needs a few revs to get going. We generally found it needed about 3000 to get rolling adequately, but more like 5000 if you wanted to make a quick get-away. It revs to 11,000 (with max power around 10,000), so there's plenty to work with.
Performance is actually quite lively, though it's far from being a superbike. A two-stroke equivalent, like the Cagiva Mito, would hose it on top end, but this is an easier bike to ride.
The clutch and gearbox package is good, providing easy and slick shifting, even on this very low mile (@300km when we picked it up) example. Gearing ratios mean that it's a toss-up whether you hold sixth or use fifth gear on the freeway - the slightest headwind or slope will soon see you changing back as top speed is in the vicinity of 110km/h -- perhaps a little more in ideal conditions, with a small rider.
Handling, as you might expect, is light and sharp. It's pretty hard to mess up a package that's this light. The suspension is adequate rather than spectacular, providing a decent ride and quite good feedback to the rider. A bumpy road can eventually overwhelm the damping, but we reckon it's fine for what you pay.
The level of grip offered by the tyres is good, but has its limits and you get warning when they start to struggle. In the meantime there's enough of everything there to play boy racers.
Finish is quite good - particularly for the price - and there's space under the pillion pad for small items like a wetsuit of U-lock. Honda also offers a modest range of accessories.
We ended up liking this bike a lot, to the point where spouse Ms M would take it out for a run across the city, rather than the 600 sports or 650 naked test bikes we had in the shed at the same time.
I certainly wouldn't be looking to travel on the thing (though anything's possible...;), but as a runabout with a bit of sporting ability - particularly for someone who wants a compact machine -- it's well worth a look. At the moment, you can get one for $4000 plus ORC, which seems pretty good.
| SPECIFICATIONS - HONDA CBR125R 2007 |
| Engine Type: 124.7cc Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 2-valve SOHC single |
| Bore & Stroke: 58 x 47.2mm |
| Compression Ratio: 11:01 |
| Ignition: Fully transistorised with electronic advance |
| Transmission: 6-speed |
| Final Drive: O-ring sealed chain |
| Dimensions (mm): 1920mm x 675mm x 1070mm |
| Wheel Base (mm): 1294 |
| Seat Height (mm): 776 |
| Dry weight (kg): 115 |
| Ground Clearance (mm): 172 |
| Fuel Capacity (litres): 10 |
| Front Tyres: 80/90 17M/C (44P) |
| Rear Tyres: 100/80 17M/C (52P) |
| Front Suspension: 31mm telescopic fork, 109mm axle travel |
| Rear Suspension: Monoshock damper, 120mm axle travel |
| Front Brakes: 276 x 4mm hydraulic disc with dual-piston calliper and resin mould pads |
| Rear Brakes: 220 x 4mm hydraulic disc with single-piston calliper and resin mould pads |
| Dry Weight (kg): 118.9 |
| Warranty Period: 12 Months |
| Price: $4290 plus ORC. With $300 Cash Back = $3990. (Cash back lasts to end of August, 2007) |
Honda CBF1000
MEET MR VERSATILEHonda has along history of producing decent all rounder road bikes, though the range had been somewhat short of them of late. The CBF1000 has just arrived to plug that hole and does a pretty decent job of it...
OVERVIEW
The loss of both the 900 Hornet and CBR1100XX Blackbird from the local Honda range has left a massive hole in the line-up and, unlikely as it may seem, one bike has gone a long way towards filling the gap - meet the CBF1000. Based on the Fireblade engine, it's a jack of all trades, fitted with ABS and stacks up as a great package.
PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
While motorcycle sales in this country are booming, there is also little doubt that competition for the customer's dollar is fierce and the margins tend to be low - particularly in the price area that the CBF1000 plays in, which is $15,000.
For that money, Honda is offering quite a toy. Essentially you get a Fireblade-based litre bike with decent suspension, civilized powerplant and a mix of the company's combined brakes (the foot pedal operates brakes at both ends, while the hand lever operates front only) plus the safety net of ABS.
Anti-lock braking has suddenly moved well down the price scale for many brands. Once the preserve of expensive kit (mostly from BMW), it's now common to see it in this price range.
All-up, you get the general feeling that Honda has tried hard to pack a lot into this machine and it feels it.
DRIVETRAIN
This is probably the highlight of the machine. With 98 horses, the sports-based engine is certainly not stressed and should last forever. That said, close to 100 horses is more than enough to make the bike feel very lively and whip it past 200km/h without trouble.
Honda's in-house PGM-F1 fuel injection has long been among the best available. The low-end performance is not fantastic, but adequate, while there's very broad and strong midrange plus a top that is ample.
In terms of character, the powerplant comes across as willing to tackle just about anything - a nice match for the chassis.
The six-speed gearbox and light clutch gave no cause for complaint - quite seamless even on a low-mileage example.
Fuel consumption is generally around the 16km/lt mark.
CHASSIS
The CBF1000 is one of those bikes which really disguises its weight. I was a little shocked to read a 240 kilo figure after having ridden the thing, because from the saddle it comes across as being light, admirably narrow, and very nimble.
In reality it's a breeze to fling through peak-hour traffic, while feeling capable and comfortable on the open road.
In tight stuff, it's willing to turn in and the steering comes across as medium speed with a good degree of accuracy.
The front suspension on our test bike tended not to respond to small ripples in the road - riding over rather than across them - but with more substantial challenges, the suspension response came across as good. It's not surprisingly set for the road, which means it will swallow some pretty decent-sized bumps without complaint.
Adjustment is basic: none on the front and preload on the rear.
Braking is three-piston calipers up front and a single rear, with the connection for the rear pedal. All up they come across as being reasonably sharp without being exceptional - certainly up to the job of the odd fang into the countryside. The ABS cuts in without any surprises and is a nice bonus on something in this price range.
PACKAGING
Finish comes across as good and there are numerous nice touches, such as the adjustment for the seat height, windscreen and handlebars. Frustratingly, the manual advises to get it set up at a dealer, rather than explaining how to do it yourself. It doesn't look particularly difficult (except the windscreen could be a tad fiddly).
There are some nice touches for the owner, such as a centrestand - hardly essential, but definitely useful at times - twin trip meters and a clock. While there's a fuel gauge, there's no warning light of switch.
You can fit it out with colour-matched hard-luggage that actually looks as though it belongs. Panniers cost $1865 while a topbox starts at $740.
COMPETITORS
Without question the closest match out there is Triumph's Sprint ST which is about $1500 more expensive in ABS form but boasts panniers as standard (effectively making it a little cheaper once bags are in the picture) and a significantly more powerful engine.
Less direct competitors are numerous, such as SV1000 from Suzuki and Yamaha's FZ1 range. Perhaps most challenging is the Suzuki 1250 Bandit, priced at $12,490 with ABS. For some, the Honda badge alone will have some value.
ON THE ROAD
This is one of those bikes that feels pretty right from the minute you settle into the saddle, and gives every impression that it will tackle almost anything you ask of it. High praise - but accurate. It's not the sharpest sports bike out there, but it's nevertheless great fun to throw through a set of curves. At the other end of the scale, it will tackle a reasonable dirt road without drama and acts as a decent commuter.
If you need one bike that does a bit of everything, the CBF is a must to have on the list of potentials.
WHAT WE LIKED
- Lively & versatile motorcycle
- Very user-friendly
- Value
NOT SO MUCH
- Fuel range could be more
- Rider adjustments could be more accessible
RATINGS
- Overall rating: 4.0/5.0c
- Engine/Drivetrain: 4.5/5.0
- Chassis: 3.5/5.0
- Price, Packaging and Practicality: 4.5/5.0
- In the saddle: 4.0/5.0
- X-factor: 3.5/5.0
| BASIC STATS |
| Engine: Fireblade-based 998cc inline four, injected |
| Power/torque:98hp @8000rpm/9.5kg-m @6500rpm |
| Weight: 242kg |
| Fuel tank: 19 litres |
| Seat height: 780-810mm (adjustable) |
| Price: $14,990 + ORC with ABS |
Source:
http://www.bikepoint.com.au