So, what is it with Honda's [Archive]

N4CR

19th October 2005, 19:25

I see more people praising them than knocking them and saying they are the best thing since.. well... a bsa bantam or something :rofl:

I personally don't like them that much... but yeah, can't really generalise because there will be some I'll sit on and go 'what the fuck was I thinking'.

Honda and Gixxer freaks - pack of crazy people at times. :mellow:

oldrider

19th October 2005, 19:31

What on earth brought that on RantyDave??

SixPackBack

19th October 2005, 19:33

Honda is number one

outlawtorn

19th October 2005, 19:34

I reckon all bikes are good, just that some have nicer mechanics to them or have nicer asthetics to them, each to his own. Two wheels are just so much nicer than 4...... :niceone:

ducatilover

19th October 2005, 19:38

i didnt like em till i rode a vtr250.......

now i am about to buy a bros 650 :niceone:

go honda :headbang:

RantyDave

19th October 2005, 21:14

What on earth brought that on RantyDave??

Dunno. More spare time than usual (or less focus), I'd been wondering what caused it and finally got round to asking. Was wondering if there was a good reason behind it - like they're famous for crappy engine case castings or nuts that go rusty.

But it appears that they've just become a target for no apparent reason, so I may as well join in :)

Dave

MacD

19th October 2005, 21:19

They're a bit too........nice! ;)

(guys will know what that means)

hazard02

19th October 2005, 21:21

i'd say the poor Suzuki's cop it more than anyone else. my old manager never missed an opportunity to point out how he felt they were inferior.
i laughed it off every time because he rode around on a mini chopper...

The Stranger

19th October 2005, 21:28

You want reliability you buy Honda.
Their small engines are second to none.
Their cars are fast and reliable.
Their Outboards were the first to offer a 5yr warranty and are reliable.
Hell even their lawnmowers are more reliable than any others.
How many manufacurers have enre entered Formula 1 so competitively?
And the bikes, well need i say more.

oldrider

19th October 2005, 21:35

There seemed to be a real downer on Honda a while back. I think it may have been around the time Rossi (is that his name) left Honda and went to Yamaha.

Maybe they deserved it, I don't know. It was a bit like the way New Zealanders seem to dislike America these days.

I cant see any valid reason for any of it but then again I am so yesterday I suppose.

Look at the way the media misrepresent things Winston Peters says. I don't personally like him but the media are disgraceful. Perhaps its just trendy.

I have always found Honda's very reliable machines in every way. Had quite a few too. Cheers John.

Magua

19th October 2005, 21:55

Buy a Honda car and you'll never hear the end of it. I bought an Integra and my car nut friends manage to fit the word gay into any sentence involving my car or hondas in general.

N4CR

19th October 2005, 22:06

Fuck. Tegs are sooo ghey. I mean I see them with white paint, mags and fluffy toys plastered all over them all the time. Oh and the red type r badges and shit along with the GT-VTEC NISMO MOPAR MUGEN CASTROL makes it faster. Kinda like KRAS or something on my bike.

In fact, I'm going to buy a VTEC sticker for my mums car next time the leads start grounding onto the block or wherever in old age. The VTEC will help it rev higher again. I might add a MOPAR sticker for better air flow. Then I can't forget the 'turd' sticker aka TRD - that makes it reliable when running super high windscreen washer fluid pressure.

Ok.. I'll stop now. Just pray John don't see what you wrote.

I have heard multiple owners telling me about their tegs (and other hondas) doing over 240,000kms with only tyres and belts needing replacing (and oil/petrol/water etc). Bloody reliable cars.

VasalineWarrior

19th October 2005, 22:06

They are the toughest built most abusable bike brand in my experience. Owned 3 and could'nt kill any of them. Only thing that lets them down is styling, but that's a personal preference-everyone in the bike world seems to get quite fixated on a particular brand which is the only reason I could see to knock' em.
(Suzuki Rules!!!!!)

John

19th October 2005, 22:09

Ok funny story. I walked into work and everyone was admiring my bike - and this random cager comes upto me (i work with him and he had just been done on a DUI which makes it funnier) and he goes "honda makes shit bikes huh?" ... I just looked at him, shook his hand and fucked off.

oh, and honda is gay.

John

19th October 2005, 22:11

Buy a Honda car and you'll never hear the end of it. I bought an Integra and my car nut friends manage to fit the word gay into any sentence involving my car or hondas in general.
and you wonder why your bike doesnt go? even that pos doesnt want to be ridden by some gay honda cage driver.

WHO THE FUCK DRIVES CAGES ANYWAYS YOU POOFS.

Zapf

19th October 2005, 22:13

I am sure some "UNNAMEED" Honda dealer in Auckland can be part of the reason too...

I for one will never visit that shop on the shore again. Even when I have bought a new bike from them in the past... still get told to go away. :whocares:

Magua

19th October 2005, 22:32

and you wonder why your bike doesnt go? even that pos doesnt want to be ridden by some gay honda cage driver.

WHO THE FUCK DRIVES CAGES ANYWAYS YOU POOFS.

I had a mazda, it bit the dust at 283,000kms.

John

19th October 2005, 22:38

I had a mazda, it bit the dust at 283,000kms.
are you trying to hit on me, because I am sorry I dont swing that way.

avgas

19th October 2005, 22:47

Honda's are ok.....i dislike the cam noises they make, and the lack of excitement they have - but that doesnt make them bad bikes.
Ive tried all the jappa's and they all fail and excell at different things
The only other prob. i actually have is alot of honda riders, dont see outside the square - thats all.
4 times i had people think that their * (insert honda here - typ. CBR6 or smaller), was twice as fast as the next bike. Overconfidence with an Ego

Zapf

19th October 2005, 23:03

*sic

20th October 2005, 07:55

honda, yup its a brand alright..

vifferman

20th October 2005, 08:04

:whocares:
I care.
They suck, those money-grubbing bastids who don't give a damn about customer service.

vifferman

20th October 2005, 08:19

I have owned only Hondas, not actually because I'm one-eyed, but because every time I go to buy another bike, and test-ride all sorts of makes/types/models, the only one that feels right to me is invariably a Honda. The others have ergos that feel weird, or the fit/finish isn't as good.

Are Hondas the best bikes? For a given value of "best", maybe. As others have said, they're not always the most exciting, fastest, best-handling, most powerful, etc., but it's interesting how in shootouts they'll rank other bikes higher, but almost always say things like, "The Honda was the easiest and most practical bike for real-world riding", or, "When going downtown on an errand, we invariably grabbed the Honda's keys", or, "We fought over the keys to the Honda for the ride home from the track."

I'd like a Ducati ST2/3/4, or a Triumph Sprint ST or something more lithe and sporty than the VFR, but I can't afford the service costs and the things I've read about breakdowns, component failures and the like have put me right off. The VFR has rated higher more times in Sport-Tourer shootouts than any other bike, and has been Bike of the Year more frequently than any other model from any manufacturer. Having said that, Honda has - in my opinion - really screwed up by not updating it for 2006, and lost both potential new customers and long-time VFR stalwarts.

If I had the money, and could fill my gargre with bikes that stir my soul, it's possible there'd be only one Honda amongst the many other bikes. But I'm not rich, am only 'allowed' one bike, so I've picked something that's a very good all-rounder, that's reliable, different to most other bikes as far as sound, engine type, etc., looks OK (apart from the front indicators), has sufficient grunt, is reliable, has good ergonomics, good resale value, and just happens to be a Honda.

inlinefour

20th October 2005, 08:31

honda, yup its a brand alright..

But then again the rest are pretty good to. For those who complain about Honda or say they had a shitter, whats your problem and WTF did you do to the poor thing? I've had many a bike, never had a problem with any Honda, just done the maintianance (some should learn of this concept?), but I've had many a trouble with Suzuki and just a few with Yamaha. Although the good outweighs the bad with the Yammys, Suzuki = trouble, from my experience. I've never owned a Kawasaki in my life, but I know enough Kawasaki owners who get annoyed with their bike to say I'll possibly never own one either. For all those trolling, flaming, I leave a picture just for you. You want arsehole? Well here is my Honda arsehole pic...

oldrider

20th October 2005, 09:27

Vifferman has said it all really. I think that all of the Hondas I have owned have had that "sterile" hint of perfection.

There is nothing left for you to add, or to personalise the look or performance of the bike.

For instance what can you add to a Honda ST1300, the damn things are so close to perfection yet their ride is still unmistakeably Honda.

In saying this I do not denigrate or belittle any other brand of motorcycle, I do not think there is a bad brand of bike out there these days and we are still able choose our own. They all have their attractive features. :niceone: Cheers John.

vifferman

20th October 2005, 09:57

Vifferman has said it all really. I think that all of the Hondas I have owned have had that "sterile" hint of perfection.

There is nothing left for you to add, or to personalise the look or performance of the bike.
Not true, and in fact, it is every biker's responsibility to make their biker their own, by adjusting, modifying, farkling, customising (and sometimes even crashing!) it to make it truly theirs, and the way they want it, regardless of what make it is. Apart from maybe an MV. Or Britten.

Even though my bike is pretty good, Mr Honda did some things wrong, and it irks me to leave it like that. Thus far, it has heated grips, quickened steering, an Evo Star shift kit, packrack, uprated headlight bulbs, a quick-connect for my battery charger, CF tank guard, Staintune highmount zorst, lowered gearing, and stainless peg feelers.
Still to come are different front indicators, uprated suspension, Uni airfilter, maybe a flappervalve-ectomy, custom seat, possibly a PowerCommander and braided brake lines.

John

20th October 2005, 12:21

ohhh its like fish to the bait...

Lou Girardin

20th October 2005, 13:13

They seem to have developed a reputation as bland bikes. They do everything well, but not in an exciting way. Whether this is justified or the concoction of journalists interviewing their PC's is debatable. With their history, I wouldn't go along with the bulletproof engineering theory though.
If you like Hondas, good for you. Enjoy.

Mental Trousers

20th October 2005, 14:13

The Honda V4's were the most gorgeous things on the planet thanks (NC30 & NC45 in particular). The NSR's kick ass too. Otherwise, they give the feeling of being a bit bland. But crap?? Only 1 eyed, dyed in the wool Honda haters could really say that.

froggyfrenchman

20th October 2005, 14:15

you cant really generalise between brands, or you will end up comparing a tl1000 to a gl145. or a gn250 to a vt1000.

Cibby

20th October 2005, 14:19

i love honda's :love:

judgeshock

20th October 2005, 15:47

The VTR is the first honda i have owned and it seems to do everything right.
Its a very nice all round machine. :niceone:

Storm

20th October 2005, 15:51

To quote the Toyota ad-
"But I suppose you would say that"

:bleh:

HenryDorsetCase

20th October 2005, 15:57

Its inarguable that Honda invented the superbike with the 1969 introduction of the CB750.

(bound to cop a few hits for that......)

generally since then, they have been at the top of the stats for motorcycles in any given category (power/performance/reliability/no of units sold, whatever).

so any bashing is purely tall poppy syndrome, and to be ignored accordingly.

One of the few mistakes they ever made was putting another camshaft in a perfectly good engine.....

(thats just baiting...)

judgeshock

20th October 2005, 15:57

Yeah true it wouldnt be good if i said it was a piece of crap already.

notme

20th October 2005, 16:00

......... For all those trolling, flaming, I leave a picture just for you. You want arsehole? Well here is my Honda arsehole pic...

Hey let's all do that.....a thread full of honda buttholes for the trolls :devil2:

Ixion

20th October 2005, 16:03

Its inarguable that Honda invented the superbike with the 1969 introduction of the CB750.

(bound to cop a few hits for that......)

..

This is quite true. I very well remember the excitment (almost awe) with which the motorcycling world greeted the original CB750. It was not much of a super bike by todays standards , but back when it first came out it was revolutionary. The fuss over it was enormous, and we all regarded it as being something totally different to all the "ordinary" new bikes about.

The British motorcycle press even ran a series of articles based on the wait for the first private rider in the country to actually get one the road (It was Lord Denbeigh for anyone who's interested.)

It wasn't so much that it set new standards of performance . It was pretty hot stuff by the standards of the day, but there were faster bikes (The Renfield for one) . But it was DIFFERENT. It was the sort of bike with which Ago had demolished the hegemony of the Manx Norton. There had been nothing like it on the roads within living memory. It set the stage for a whole new era of motorcycling.

HenryDorsetCase

20th October 2005, 16:06

vifferman

20th October 2005, 16:07

Hey let's all do that.....a thread full of honda buttholes for the trolls :devil2:
Sounds like a scheme. Here's two:

vifferman

20th October 2005, 16:09

The Honda V4's were the most gorgeous things on the planet thanks (NC30 & NC45 in particular).
Hey! You forgot the RC30 and RC45!

And the Honda NR (commonly known as the NR750).
But I spoze that's technically sort of a V8, but with only 4 pistons.
And 32 valves.
And a HUUUUUGE pricetag.

Bonez

20th October 2005, 17:54

Subject says it all really. I see them slated, abused and regarded as sacrilege. They don't *look* crap and I don't see more fuxx0red Honda's than anything else - so what gives?

Dave
I'll give the standard "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" reply. Owned two Honda m/cs for almost 20 years. One is almost 30 years old. Like the Eveready Bunny some Honda models just keep on going and going and going......................... Oh and both are fairly fucken standard and they ARE MINE :drinkup:

kro

20th October 2005, 17:56

I haven't owned a Honda, but its not by choice, they have made truckloads of top bikes.
2 wheels is 2 wheels, I don't think there is a good and bad side to it.

heavenly.talker

20th October 2005, 17:57

I have a wee classic 600 vlx shadow. She sure is pretty and still runs like the bomb. So far I'm enjoying her...still haven't fallen in love yet but I'm sure that I could with a little more time in the saddle! And they say it's men who have to try before they settle

oldrider

20th October 2005, 19:52

Even though my bike is pretty good, Mr Honda did some things wrong, and it irks me to leave it like that. Thus far, it has heated grips, quickened steering, an Evo Star shift kit, packrack, uprated headlight bulbs, a quick-connect for my battery charger, CF tank guard, Staintune highmount zorst, lowered gearing, and stainless peg feelers.
Still to come are different front indicators, uprated suspension, Uni airfilter, maybe a flappervalve-ectomy, custom seat, possibly a PowerCommander and braided brake lines.
Fair enough. :niceone: I don't need any of those things but I have put Givi luggage on this one. :whistle: Cheers John.

inlinefour

22nd October 2005, 09:43

This is quite true. I very well remember the excitment (almost awe) with which the motorcycling world greeted the original CB750. It was not much of a super bike by todays standards , but back when it first came out it was revolutionary. The fuss over it was enormous, and we all regarded it as being something totally different to all the "ordinary" new bikes about.

The British motorcycle press even ran a series of articles based on the wait for the first private rider in the country to actually get one the road (It was Lord Denbeigh for anyone who's interested.)

It wasn't so much that it set new standards of performance . It was pretty hot stuff by the standards of the day, but there were faster bikes (The Renfield for one) . But it was DIFFERENT. It was the sort of bike with which Ago had demolished the hegemony of the Manx Norton. There had been nothing like it on the roads within living memory. It set the stage for a whole new era of motorcycling.

Honda was the first Japanese manufacturer with the others just following in Sochiro's footsteps.

Bonez

22nd October 2005, 10:00

I
One of the few mistakes they ever made was putting another camshaft in a perfectly good engine.....

(thats just baiting...)I'll bite. Honda 750 sales were actually waining after 10 years of production. The F2 top end was shit. Yip owned one for a while and flicked it off a quick as I could. The Integra(CB750FC2) is much better, handling wise, and for that matter so was the R65 I had at the time. Could never understand the decision for two cam chains though. And as for the stupid looking early comstars (probably provided a bit of flex on rougher roads) Theory was I think two small chains less problems. But it must have increased production costs as opposed to one longer one, simpler too. At the time Honda, IIRC, seemed to be bringing a new model of some sort out every other month. In saying that my fc2 has been pretty damn reliable. With production of that engine ending ending in 1985 in the Japanese market, six years after the DOHC CB750K. The hydraulic lifters on the later CBX/CB was a good design decision though I thought and that motors still being produced I see. So that is around 20 odd years production run. I'm talking air cooled here. Of course the CBR motor is a lot better than the sohc one ever was. :spudwave: Anyone know if Honda are bringing in the air/oiled CB750 in to the country new?

inlinefour

22nd October 2005, 12:20

Anyone know if Honda are bringing in the air/oiled CB750 in to the country new?

But I'm aware that Honda are again producing parts for old bikes again due to the demand. Can't compare the CBR to a CB as it would be like comparing the spitfire to a new F22 in reality. If anyone knows, ever, where a nice 1970ish CB350/4 is for sale I'll be ever so keen. Had 350-750cc inlinefours to do up and out of all of them, wish I'd kept the 350 and still had it now.
Ive got several good books about motorcycles and they all do the same thing. Make such a big mention of the CB750 series and how it revolutionised motorcycles today. However if we are going to compare them to the bikes of today, they are just old and slow... :mellow: