Honda CB500X

While still waiting for my beloved Honda CRF 1000 Africa Twin vaporware, I recognize I need in my life another good, fun, street/touring bike... something that doesn't cost a lot... something with a good brand name history... something to make great memories with.

A smaller, thrashable, trashable, certain run-of-the-mill, not too small, not too big, steed is now in order.

It's the Honda CB500X.

Perfect!

What does it need? For fun? Nothing. But gearing it down, putting some robust dirt bike handlebars on it, and perhaps some sticky sport rubber and a pipe and Power Commander would spice things up!

Just say yes, MotoBum. Just say yes.

A white Honda CB500X; I'll take it

The Honda CB500X cockpit; a nice looking place to the spend the day

2015 Honda CRF 1000 Africa Twin

My absolute dream bike is in development -- the replacement to the Honda XRV 750 Africa Twin (RD07), which ceased production in 2003 and was never, ever, available in the USA.

Not a lot is known about the new bike yet other than that it is definitely coming. Leaked by the CEO of Honda Italy early in August, 2013, it was announced that a proper Honda dirt-worthy ADV bike was coming for 2015 and that it would be a twin. Simultaneous Honda Uh'merica filing of the "Africa Twin" name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office sealed the leak to be truth -- a new Honda Africa Twin is definitely being made *and* it will be available for me and all of my closest friends to purchase and ride.

Life just keeps getting better.

A week ago, German publication Motorrad published an artist's conception of what this machine could very well look like. It looks oh-so-tasty. Combined with an article Moto.it published around the same time, the purported spec sheet is worth salivating over, especially as we can predict this motorcycle won't be too expensive.

Rumored Specs:

• 900-1000cc parallel twin engine (let's hope for a 270 degree crank)
• 100 bhp
• 397 lbs dry weight / 440 lbs wet weight
• 5.2 gallons of fuel
• 21" front wheel (spokes front and rear)
• Visually similar to CRF 450 Rally bike

Reference posts:

Asphalt & Rubber: Rumor: New Honda Africa Twin Coming? To the USA Even?!

Asphalt & Rubber: More Honda Africa Twin Rumors from Europe

http://www.moto.it/news/nuova-honda-africa-twin-crf-1000.html

Honda NM4

March 20, 2014 -- Honda displays an amazing "Neo-futuristic" concept bike at the Osaka Motorcycle Show. The thing looked like a production Akira feet-forward motorcycle. I thought they'd never make it. They called it the NM4

April 1, 2014 -- Honda announces the NM4 will be available mid-2014 as a 2015 model. The USA market gets the NC700X/CTX700 670cc DCT platform while the rest of world gets the revised NC750X/NC750S/Integra 745cc DCT version. US EPA bureaucracy is probably responsible for the discrepancy. Oh, well. Time will tell.

I've waited my whole life for a bike like this. It's only a matter of when, not if, I will be getting one.

Asphalt & Rubber blog concept announcement

Honda Worldwide site concept announcement

Asphalt & Rubber blog production announcement

American Honda production News Release

Honda USA site -- NM4

2014 Honda Valkrie

Big cruisers are good for one thing and only one thing -- burnouts. And this big new Honda is no exception. I'll take it!

Yamaha Cross-plane Twin

While the Yamaha news release of the 850cc triple turns out to be slightly less crazy than anticipated (with a conventional triple's 120-degree firing order), the newer news of an actual cross-plane twin with a 270-degree crank is obsession worthy. Displacement is unknown at the moment and is estimated to be somewhere between 550-900cc. Any way we cut it, there are sure to be some fun two-wheeled sleds harnessing the magic of that twin engine. I can't wait.

Yamaha Cross-plane Triple

Yamaha is about to release info about their concept engine and "new sports" machine featuring a mid-capacity four-stroke triple with an uneven firing order. Ohhhhhh yeahhhhhhh. And I can't get my mind off it.

Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere (again)

This bike still has my mind. This week the passion for it remains. I do plan to add one to the stable for long two-up journeys.

As with most motorbikes, it's the accessories list that really makes them special. And the XT1200 is no exception. Here's what this one will get:

• California Scientific windshield
• Touratech adjustable windshield mount with GPS bar
• Touratech headlight bezel
• Touratech LED daytime running lights with headlight bezel
• Touratech anodized Zega Pro 38/45 liter hard bags + mount
• Touratech handguards, red, with white handguard extensions
• Pro Taper Raptor handle bars
• Twisted Throttle handlebar risers for 1 1/8" bars
• Alt Rider crash bars
• Alt Rider skid plate
• heated handgrips
• heated passenger seat