Honda

Introduced in 2010 in Japan and Australia and then to the rest of the world in 2014, the CB1100 modern classic has received few upgrades in its life and now it appears to be on its last legs in the face of ever more stringent emissions regulations.

Honda greeted the new decade with a buffed-up, base-model Gold Wing range that’s best described as a BNG-Plus treatment with a few extra goodies thrown in. Updated damping values tune up the suspension system along with improved electronics to complete the package. Of course, this is all accompanied by the performance and handling that has always held the Gold Wing in good stead and keep the line in an excellent competitive position within the U.S. Market.

Good news sports fans! Honda spruced up its dual-sport CRF300L base model and its Rally variant ahead of 2021 with a solid 15-percent increase in displacement, a concurrent 10-percent increase in power, reduced weight, and improved off-road performance. The Rally model brings even more off-road prowess to the table with its Ricky Brabec-inspired equipment package for riders looking to do some actual trailblazing/globetrotting work.

Honda America is doing its bit for charity by putting up for auction three Repsol Fireblades from its own collection. The money raised from the auction of a ’05, ’07, and ’09 race replica bikes will go to Riding For Kids Charity.

Honda carries its venerable XR650L line into 2021, but to be honest, it’s almost completely unchanged from the original version unleashed on the world back in 1993. Before you scoff, I would point out that sharks haven’t changed in millions of years, having evolved long ago into creatures perfectly suited to their environments, and apparently, so it is with the XR650L. The Red Riders got it right out of the gate with this one, and popular support keeps the bike on Honda’s showroom floors even after nearly a quarter-century.

The smart craftsman knows that you have to match the tool for the job. And there’s clearly a vehicle in your off-road toolbox that you’re going to come to depend on: the 2021 Honda FourTrax Recon. It’s not Honda’s biggest ATV, but it is one of Honda’s most versatile. Light and maneuverable, it won’t wear you out the way some larger ATVs can. And it won’t make a big dent in your wallet, either. It features a specially designed 250-class engine that delivers plenty of low-rpm torque and power. Available in two versions: one featuring Honda conventional foot-shift ATV transmission, or the Recon ES model offering Honda’s Electric Shift Program (ESP). Plus, this year’s Recon is better than ever—with a new grille, new fenders, a new headlight and great new colors.

This Honda TV advert from the mid 2000s got it absolutely spot-on. Rather than concentrating on one aspect of their business, they cleverly showcased lots of their products with a great soundtrack featuring Andy Williams singing The Impossible Dream.

Honda shows its commitment to continual improvement with its 2021 array of top-shelf, tour-tastic Gold Wing models. The Gold Wing range received a handful of improvements to include reworked heads and cylinders that reduce the weight of the drivetrain plus stock foglights and revised ergonomics to boost performance, safety, and comfort across the boards. Of course, this comes on top of the speed and handling for which the Gold Wings have long been famous to make it a serious competitor in the U.S. touring market.

Honda rolls out its showroom CBR1000RR-R SP in a head-to-head matchup with its very own closed-circuit Fireblade racebike, both piloted by none other than UK BSB rider Glenn Irwin on his very own superbike from Honda’s British Superbike team. The stage was set and players put into place on the Oulton Park track.

Honda believes it is responsible for the safety of all its drivers and riders and is introducing new tech that will prevent collisions between cars and bikes. The Japanese company wants it to be fitted to all its new models by 2050, which might be possible in developed countries but raises questions about emerging countries where a vast majority of its products are sold. As many of these are in the budget range, is it viable to fit expensive tech to them?

What does the man who has built a V12 Kawasaki, a V8 Kawasaki and a Dodge Viper-engined motorcycle choose for his next project? How about a replica of a six-cylinder Honda race bike from the 1960s? And when we say ’build’, we really mean that; he makes his own six cylinder engine out of two four-cylinder engines, including building up his own crankshaft and making his own clutch, along with everything else. It’s a remarkable feat of engineering, carried out in a shed in his garden. The man is Allen Millyard and you really need to watch his videos if you think you know about engineering!

The original Honda Monkey Bike of 1961 was an astonishing deviation from the company’s serious business of making giant-killing motorcycles of ever-increasing capacity, culminating with the CB750, the first Japanese superbike in 1969. Introduced into Europe in 1967, it remained in production up to 2017 in its original 50cc version. With the release of the Honda Grom, it wasn’t long before a Monkey bike version was released. Now 125cc, it has been further updated for 2022.

In what looks like an ingenious solution to a problem that never existed, Honda has filed a patent application for electronic actuation of the clutch, obviating the need for a clutch cable. Is it needed?

There are many motorcycles that could be called the most significant for a number of reasons. What if I told you, however, that the most significant is also one of the most humble?

Honda goes a bit beyond the cursory “Bold New Graphics” package that frequently heralds a new model-year with new bodywork and a blackout paint package on the Honda CB1000R that sets it well apart from the previous version to make it the “Black Edition.” Improved electronics join with the new looks for some under-the-hood improvements increasing its utility as a commuter, and a fun one at that. The punchy four-banger reprises its role as the beating heart with throttle-by-wire and riding modes on board to help with engine management.

The Honda Motorcycle Company’s history is one of huge success - including staggering single-model sales - impeccable engineering provenance and, dare it be said, a distinct lack of character. Which makes it all the more surprising when Honda engineers let their hair down and brought us something as wacky as the Monkey Bike. Into the second decade of the 2000s, they seemingly had another fit of giggles and resurrected the Monkey Bike, this time called the Grom. It’s still as mad as ever and, for that, we have to be thankful.

It’s a safety device that, so far, has only been available on the Honda Goldwing, but new patent applications indicate that Honda might be extending the technology to other models in the range.

Sometimes, manufacturers don’t realise how much ability they’ve built into the motorcycles they produce. This guy set out to prove that just because a bike is big and unwieldy, it can’t be fun!

For folks new to two wheels, one big consideration is what to buy. Do you want a cruiser? I’ve put together my pick of cruisers available for 2021 that offer new-rider friendly features.

Honda rolls into the new decade with the first overhaul to its newest-generation Rebel range. It has only been a few years since the classic Rebel line was replaced by the current iteration, and the added features are largely due to feedback from the new rider base. New suspension components improve the ride along with upgrades to the lighting and clutch pack to increase overall safety and expand its buyer base.

Honda’s latest generation of 600 cc, CBR supersports toes the family line with its race-winning blend of power and maneuverability all packed onto a MotoGP-inspired chassis. Much like the original CBR600RR that hit the streets back in ’03 and was built as a racebike replica, the current model features a strong engine along with a front suspension featuring Honda’s 41mm Big Piston Fork for superb handling and snappy action, plus MotoGP-inspired bodywork in a race-tested aerodynamic supersport design.

Honda went far beyond the cursory Bold New Graphics treatment for 2021 with a newly rebuilt and rebranded PCX for riders seeking an affordable urban-mobility solution. The ground-up redesign features a new frame with an equally-new-and-improved engine, all wrapped up under newly refined bodywork. You are given a choice between a base model and an anti-lock brake version that won’t break the bank and promises to be inexpensive to operate as well.

After a race to the upper displacement range and a subsequent search for the bottom usable cubeage, Honda revisited its midrange and spruced up its CB650R ahead of the 2019 model year. That’s right sports fans; the Neo Sport Café concept has gone to production under this new moniker, and it rolled into MY2019 with a handful of tweaks that brushed up the looks and carved off a little fat. The powerplant also took a beating from the buffhammer to turn out a 5-percent increase in power with changes to improve rideability and safety.