Honda Air Blade Scooter

HONDA AIR BLADE SCOOTER

When I was asked to review the Honda NC 110 Air Blade scooter, I jumped at the oppurtunity because with oil prices at record highs, scooters have become very relevant in today's world,and because I love ALL motorcycles, even if it’s a 110cc scooter with a CVT transmission.

When viewing the Honda AirBlade for the first time, it immediately becomes apparent that it is a quality product, unlike numerous lesser brand scooters on the market today. The fit and finish is excellent and all materials used are good quality in typical Honda fashion. It is clear that the Air Blade has been designed to last and to be reliable like all Hondas.

Scooter riding is taking off all over the world, and rightly so for many reasons. Congested roads, high fuel prices, pollution, global warming to name a few. More and more people are realising that it not only makes sense, but it’s also FUN!

When I first rode the Air Blade, I was struck by how user friendly it is. The scooter is light and easy to manoeuvre and is easy to move in and out of the garage etc. It is powered by a fuel injected 110cc 4 stroke engine, which produces about 6,7Kw (9 hp), which may not sound like a lot, but it is quite sufficient for what it was designed for, which is urban use. The CVT transmission works fantastically and is almost seamless, although it does take some getting used to initially. Performance on the Air Blade is adequate, with the scooter out accelerating most cars up to 70km/h (44mph), and then steadily  accelerating up to a comfortable cruising speed of around 90km/h (56mph), with speeds of over 100km/h (62mph) attainable if you wish.

A feature which sets the Honda Air Blade apart from many other scooters is its 14 inch wheels, which provide greater stability than the wheel barrow sized wheels found on lesser brands. This greatly improves handling and safety on rougher roads and makes for a far more confidence inspiring ride. It also has Honda’s legendary combined braking system, which splits the brake force between the front and rear brakes, dramatically improving safety under heavy braking.When applying the rear brake it automatically applies some brake force to the front brake. This system is very effective in preventing wheel lock up and skidding under heavy braking.

With fuel prices at record highs, you’ll be pleased to know that fuel consumption figures of 40 to 45km/litre (95 to 107 mpg) are easily attainable on the Air Blade! Honda claim that the fuel injected engine is 15% more fuel efficient than equivalent carburettor fed engines and produce 80% less emissions. So the Honda Air Blade is shaping up to be quite a sensible choice for someone who needs a nippy urban run around, add to that the fact it has lots of storage space under the seat and in two small consoles in front and you have a fun, cheap and practical and reliable way to get around. You also have the backing of Honda, which has to count for something when you compare what’s out there.  Storage space under the seat is generous and easily swallows up a bag of groceries without any trouble at all. The combination of the storage space, the comfortable floor boards and the CVT Transmission makes for a convenient “hop on and go” scooter, which will get you from A to B in an urban environment quicker and cheaper than most other forms of transport.

2000 Honda Valkyrie.

2000 Honda Valkyrie.

Phrases like “attention grabbing” and “curb appeal” are certainly apt when describing the Honda GL 1500 Valkyrie. It is hugely impressive visually, with its massive shiny engine and traditional styling it stops traffic wherever it goes.

I had just returned from a trip to the 2010 Sturgis Rally in South Dakota, USA, and was in the market for another motorcycle, when I stumbled across a 2000 Honda GL 1500 Valkyrie F6C looking for a home. The Honda Valkyrie had always fascinated me, especially since a friend of mine told me that had seen a course marshal at the Isle of Mann TT, set off on lap to clear the course before the start of the race. The marshal returned in a hugely impressive lap time, a time that would have been impressive on any motorcycle, let alone a 660 Lbs./300kg Valkyrie, and to top it all off, upon removing his helmet he appeared to be in his late sixties!!

Within a few days of my return from the Sturgis, I was the proud owner of a Honda Valkyrie F6C. The Valkyrie is a large motorcycle and its size can be quite imposing, until you start to ride it. Firstly it has a low seat height which allows for a decent bend in the leg and a nice flat footed stance when stationary. It also has wide bars, giving plenty of leverage and making the bike a pleasure to ride even at very slow speeds. Even at higher speeds the handling is impressive and always composed. I found the Valkyrie to be one of the easiest motorcycles to ride despite its size. The addition of a passenger made no difference to the handling or the ease of riding.

One of the first things you notice when walking around the Valkyrie, is the build quality and the quality of the components. It becomes obvious that little expense was spared by Honda and that this really is a special motorcycle, a motorcycle designed to last for decades and decades. There are reports of Valkyrie engines running for hundreds of thousands of miles trouble free.

 

The 1520cc (93 Cu in), engine is derived from the Goldwing but has been tweaked for extra performance. It has hotter cams and six carburettors instead of two. It also has lower gearing. All this translates to 100 HP (75KW) at 6000RPM and 96 ft –lb (130 nm) at 5000 rpm, making the Valkyrie, the original power cruiser. Performance is brisk to say the least, with the combination of arm stretching acceleration and the intoxicating sound of the six cylinder engine being quite addictive. The water cooled flat 6 layout of the engine is identical to Porsche 911 engines and the sound is remarkably similar to a Porsche at full cry! The engine has incredible torque, more so than the figures suggest and pulls without fuss from very low down in almost any gear. If there’s a smoother engine in the world of motorcycling, I’ve not come across it.

There is however a downside to having six carburettors, and that is fuel consumption. The average consumption figure in my experience was 23 to 24 mpg (10km/l), better figures are probably achievable if you’re not enjoying the performance of the engine, but not significantly better. Add to this the fact that there is no fuel gauge or low fuel warning light, but rather an old fashioned fuel tap which you have to manually turn to reserve when she starts to run out and you have one of the few negative aspects of the Honda Valkyrie. The fuel consumption issue is a factor when touring and it is good advice to plan your trip and your fuel stops carefully in order to avoid running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere.

If you’re planning to tour on the Valkyrie, it’s probably a good idea to get yourself a touring screen. I  have a quick release one on mine, which easily clips on and off  depending on your riding needs. I also have leather saddle bags which also make life easier for day to day real world riding and commuting. The sissy seat is standard and is much appreciated by my wife. The riding position is comfortable and relaxed and is pretty well suited to long distance riding, provided you have the touring screen fitted. There are a host of accessories available on the internet for the Valkyrie. Sales of the Honda Valkyrie were hugely successful in the US, and many owners choose to customize their bikes. Interestingly the Valkyrie was built in the United States at Honda’s plant in Marysville Ohio.

Since the advent of the Valkyrie, numerous other more modern power cruisers have hit the market, many of them comfortably outperforming the Valkyrie, but few have the charm or the outright curb appeal of the Honda Valkyrie. If you ride a Valkyrie, get ready for LOTS of attention, from bikers and non-bikers alike. People approach you at filling stations and strike up a conversation about the bike and fire questions at you left and right. It really does have mass appeal, and has a way of making its rider feel very special.

It’s a bit of a sad thought, that in a new world of credit crunches and declining oil stocks that outrageous motorcycles like this are probably on the endangered list. As a result they are fast becoming collectable. The 1500 Valkyrie’s bigger brother, the 1800 Rune was probably Honda’s last outrageous project. The Rune however was never an everyman motorcycle, and sold only in limited numbers.

Honda quality and reliability make 1500 Valkyries a pleasure to buy used. The value for money is astounding. They are also the sort of bikes that people tend to look after and treat well, as they are special bikes and they have that sort of effect on people.

My ownership experience has been pleasant and special. I love the bike and can honestly recommend a Honda GL 1500 Valkyrie to anyone looking for an outrageous yet reliable, user friendly power cruiser. I hope my review of the Honda Valkyrie has been useful.

1995 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic

Sturgis Rally on a 1995 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic.

When you’re a biker from the southern tip of Africa, trips to the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota, USA, are once in a lifetime events. Add to that the fact you’re given the use of a 1995 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic for a marathon trip of 6000km/3000miles in 13 days and you have the makings of lifelong memories!!

I come from a very long and varied biking back round. Growing up in South Africa, I started riding motorcycles at age 9 and have never looked back. I think it is safe to say that motorcycling has become part of my DNA.

I raced in the 125 Junior motocross class in high school and then gravitated towards road bikes after leaving school. The list of bikes I’ve owned is long and varied and includes a 1982 Laverda Jota, a 1986 Kawasaki 900 Ninja, a 1989 Yamaha FZR 1000 EXUP (2 of those), a 1998 Honda Blackbird, a 2004 Honda CBR 1000 Fireblade, a 2005 Honda XLV 1000 Varadero, a 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa, a 2004 Kawasaki ZX10, a 2006 Suzuki M109R Boulevard, a 2007 Suzuki GSXR 1000, a 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa, a 2008 BMW F800GS and finally a 2000 Honda Valkyrie.

When my old friend John Holland from Seattle Washington invited me to come over and join him on a ride to the 2010 Sturgis Rally and on top of that offered me the use of one of his bikes, I jumped at the opportunity! Up until this point I had, neither owned nor ridden a Harley, as you can see from the list above, my background is mostly Japanese rice rockets, and so naturally I was very excited at the prospect of doig a major tour on a Harley!

I arrived in Seattle in early August 2010, and John immediately introduced me to the gleaming 1995 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic. I was immediately struck by the massive size of the bike and then by the weight of the bike when I swung my leg over and lifted it off the stand. I had visions of dropping it in the main street of Sturgis and starting a domino effect and having to run for my life! I am of average weight and height (5’10” 170lbs, or 1.78m and 75kg), and this down the middle average build has stood me in good stead over the years, as most motorcycles are designed with the average sized rider in mind. The Ultra however was the first bike I ever got on and felt that I was too small. John wasted no time in handing me a helmet and suggested that we take a ride so that I could get acquainted with the Ultra. In no time at all my fears were put to rest about the size of the bike, immediately upon getting under way she sheds her weight and she feels light and easy to handle, even at very slow speeds, even walking pace! The dry weight of the Ultra is 765 pounds (347kg), but as I said before, she feels nowhere near as heavy as that once moving. The balance of the Ultra is outstanding, and it is clear that a huge amount of thought went into the riding position and ergonomics of the bike. The seat height is 28 inches (711mm), which gives riders of average height a decent bend in the leg when putting their feet down. The bars were the perfect distance for me, and everything felt completely natural for me. The Ultra truly is a mile eater!

The Sturgis Rally is a weeklong affair and we planned to stay the entire week. Add to that 3 days riding getting there and 3 days back and that translates to a lot of luggage. As you can see the Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic has tons of luggage space. It has two hard side panniers with removable inserts for your convenience, as well as a hard top case with a luggage rack on top of that. It also has 2 storage compartments up front for smaller items. 

Loading the Ultra down like a mule made no difference to the handling of the bike at all, it took anything I could throw at it and always felt composed and planted. As the days went by, I became more and more impressed with the bike, it truly has a soul of it’s own and has tons of character, something Japanese manufacturers fail to engineer into their motorcycles. I can honestly say that I get the whole Harley thing now, I understand it finally.

In the engine department, the 1995 model still has the 1340 cc engine, which is no rocket ship, but is willing and fit for purpose.For those interested, the engine produces 60hp (43.8kw) at 5500rpm and 69ft-lbs (94nm) at 3600rpm.Regardless of the figures, it has tons of grunt low down and sounds fabulous. We spent all day riding across the Montana plains at 75 to 85 mph (120km/h to 140km/h) in temperatures in the upper 90’s (mid 30 DEGREES C), bike fully loaded without the motor skipping a beat. Fuel consumption was fair at about 35mpg (15km/l, 6.6l/100km).

The bike has standard luxury features which I’m not at all used to on a motorcycle. For example it has a radio tape with decent speakers which were perfectly audible even at highway speeds. It also has cruise control, air suspension, an electrical plug point, running boards, which made total sense to me when cruising for hours on end over the vast distances in America. The fairing and screen provided total protection from the elements

My prior disdain for the brand had now turned to total respect, this was after all a 15 year old motorcycle with 45000 miles (72000km) on it, and yet it behaved perfectly and even felt new. Everything worked. Nothing felt outdated, it is as cool today as it was in 1995, that’s the thing about Harleys, they’re timeless. There’s nothing cool about a 1995 Suzuki Intruder, it may well have been cool back then, but it certainly is not anymore.  I can only imagine what a current model Ultra must be like with a 96ci or 103ci engine. It’s certainly on my shopping list!

Over the course of 13 days we covered thousands of miles in all kinds of weather and a huge variety of riding conditions and the Ultra proved to be a versatile, reliable, fun and easy ride. From dead straight roads over wide open plains to mountain passes in Yellowstone National Park, to riding through the field to get to our showers in the camp ground every morning. Nothing phased it

Look out for speed law enforcement by aircraft in the state of Washington. We were pulled over doing 83mph (132km’h), luckily the friendly officer let us off with a warning!

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a timeless, versatile ,fun, extremely capable  motorcycle with tons of curb appeal the Ultra Classic definitely needs to be considered!