Chronicles of a Horneteer

Eating my words...

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:32:00 +0000

I know I originally ruled out the GSX650F as a bandit with a fairing, but the more I thought about it the more I found the package makes sense. So with that in mind, I figured I owe the humble GSX650F a chance and booked a test ride with my local suzuki dealer (Stamford Superbikes in Peterborough- great place by the way, very friendly staff).

The GSX650F is one of those bikes that looks alot better in the flesh than it does in pictures. It's no lean-mean gsxr and I was struck by how bulky it is, but the paint (especially in gixer blue & white) is classy and generally it looks very nicely put together and well thought out. This is especially true of the cockpit, with its tasty black bars and racey clocks that combine the cool of a white-faced rev counter with the utility of a gear-indicator, digital fuel guage and fun programmable shift light.

When you climb aboard, you do notice the bike's weight... its not excessive, but wheeling it out of the space I could tell there was more kg's there than on my hornet. The tank was close to empty for my ride as well, which the suspicious and cynical side of me thinks could of been intentional since 19 litres of fuel could make the bulk even more noticable...

Still, once you get moving, the weight melts away. This is a very, very easy motorcycle to ride. Definately one to consider if you've just done your DAS. The clutch is light, throttle satisfyingly responsive (apparently the bandit donor engine has been reworked for more top end) without being intimidating and the handling is nicely neutral (with better quality suspension than the bandit). Its almost embarassing to admit but I love bikes like this... why should motorcycling be difficult? With such an easy-to-use and unintimidating package you can get stuck in straight away, cracking the throttle wide open, dancing up and down the box and generally having a laugh. It's almost dangerous... the GSX is so soft & cuddly you feel like no harm can come to you.

The riding position is a near-perfect compromise with just a hint of weight-on-wrists, low pegs and fantastically effective screen (it helps that I'm only 5'9"). I'd be tempted to fit some slightly lower bars though for a more aggressive position- some wider ultra-low renthals would quicken the steering a bit and throw some more weight over the front.

Ride quality is plush, brakes are confidence-inspiring without being fierce (not as strong s the fazer's I felt, it probably helps that the fazer weighs a good 30kg less) and generally it made my hornet feel slightly dated in every respect.

I really loved the GSX650F. What a bargain- commuter, long distance tourer and weekend fun bike for under 5k. Still, its not a sportsbike. There was nothing wrong with the handling, but it just wasn't quite fast enough, you thrash it up to the redline and wait for that familiar inline 4 topend but it just doesn't arrive. When you compare it to a more sporty bike like the fazer, you can't help feeling a tiny bit unsatisfied. Loose 20kg, add 15bhp and you just might have my ideal bike.

FZ6 Fazer test ride

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:04:00 +0000

So, I managed to blag myself a test ride on a 2005 FZ6 Fazer... a tidy low mileage example in standard condition.

My initial impression was good, it looks sportier and better proportioned in the flesh than it does in pictures and the seat of a Fazer is generally a nice place to be- well positioned bars, nice cockpit with modern digital rev counter and speedo (even a digital fuel gauge) and a low, comfy seat. Note massive grab handles and ample pillion seat, bungee points on pillion pegs, discreet hugger and centrestand (why don't bikes like this all come with these anymore??). Blipping the throttle at a standstill, I was surprised to find that it doesn't spin up with the urgency you'd expect from its R6 engine. In fact getting off the line was a little more difficult than it should be and took some getting used to... my hornet will pull away with no revs if you do it smoothly, whereas the fazer seems to need a good twist of the throttle to get away cleanly. It reminded me of a 2 stroke, and not for the last time on my test ride....

Once I got moving though, the fazer started to make more sense. The handling and suspension quality is in a different league to my (albeit used-and-abused) hornet. It soaks up bumps nicely and felt much more agile tipping into corners. The brakes were great too, reassuringly strong but without too much initial bite, so they never felt intimidating. Still, I'd be interested to try the new fazer S2, which comes with monobloc brake calipers, to see how it compares.

I just can't make my mind up about the engine though. I thoroughly enjoyed the test ride and the engine was a big part of that, because it loves to be revved and needs the effort and skills (of a better rider than me) to get the best from it. It makes for a very involving ride and more of a sportsbike experience than your average middleweight budget bike delivers. But when manouvering out of the dealers or around town it was less than ideal, it really has next to no midrange so I can't help worrying that it might start to frustrate over time and cause head-nutting problems when carrying a pillion. I always felt like I was a gear too high, not high enough up the rev range, so buying an fz6 would have to be done on the understanding that I might need to change my riding style to suit the bike.

Overall though, I still think the fz6 fazer is a great package... I don't think there's another bike on the market that combines as much sportsbike character with as much commuterbike practicality (maybe the GSX650F, but lets face it, its a bandit with a fairing, hideously uncool and a little soul-less). My mistake was visiting a Yamaha dealership and spotting the new S2 model though. It's gorgeous blacked-out style, monobloc brakes and updated clocks have ruined the old model for me. I personally think Yamaha made the right decision. Rather than giving in to criticism stating that the Fazer is too sporty for its target market, they made it sportier still, clearly seperating it from the pack. The latest R6 was also criticised for its peaky power delivery and focus, yet I believe it out-sold the CBR600RR. Just goes to show, bikes are bought with the heart, not the head.

What Bike?

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:04:00 +0000

Lately I've been thinking more seriously about replacing the hornet. It's made me stop and think about just what it is that I need from a bike. Not only do I want something fun and involving (with outright performance taking second place to handling prowess and character), it also has to be good for distance riding (I like to squeeze in at least one big trip a year) and able to carry pillion (usually my girlfriend comes along) and luggage (she doesn't get the concept of 'travelling light'). It also has to do this without breaking the bank, so the fz1 fazer I'm lusting after is, regretably, not in the picture. With all that in mind I've narrowed it down to a few sensible middleweights: the Kawasaki z750, BMW F800s, Suzuki sv650s and Yamaha FZ6 Fazer.

The z750 looks fantastic and has the benefit of an (arguably perfect capacity) three-quarter litre power plant, but I almost overlooked it, since the suspension has been criticised by the bike press and scored very badly in the Ride survey this year. That was until I found one up for sale that's been professionally set up by Maxton. Still, pillion provision is sportsbike bad and wind protection is minimal. That rules out the Zed.

The BMW F800S is, unfortunately, the next to go. It has alot going for it: a stonking parallel-twin 800cc lump from rotrax, that cool & understated industrial style that only BMW seems to be able to pull off, great wind protection and pillion seat and last but not least- hassle-free belt drive. It is, as a matter of fact, practically my ideal bike. But the bmw badge comes at a steep premium. It probably holds its value well, making it a good investment, but that's not necessarily what you want when you're looking for a used bargain.

That leaves the cult sv650s, and Yamaha's FZ6 Fazer. Both look like bargains second hand these days. Both have a useful and stylish half-fairing and good pillion seats. Both have a reputation for good handling. On the surface they seem like similar bikes, but in reality I expect the riding experience differs greatly between them.

The FZ6 has an R6 power plant, detuned for better midrange yet still kicking out a healthy (claimed) 98bhp. The bike mags criticised it for holding on too tightly to its sportsbike roots- apparently its a demanding beast, only making decent power when it gets into 5 figure revs. Does this really make sense for a practical middlewight? such a peaky engine doesn't make for a friendly bike... but if you know what you're doing its (around the time of launch at least) class-leading chassis and suspension combined with meaty top end rush could be the recipe for a seriously involving ride. Isn't that what bikes are all about?

The sv650s on the other hand has a friendly little 650cc v-twin, making something like 75bhp on a good day. In theory the FZ6 has it licked then... but dyno charts show that the sv makes more torque than the fz6 all the way up to 9,000 rpm. Combine that with a weight of 169kg, a narrow 160 profile rear tyre and sporty clip-ons and what you have is a bike designed to make up ground on corner exits. Of course a good rider on the fz6 would probably have a serious edge, but for most of the riders most of the time on most of the roads, the sv could be the easiest to live with. Maybe the v-twin makes more sense? A low-revving torquey motor would certainly lead to a smoother ride for my girlfriend on the back. But do I really want to take a step backwards in the bhp stakes? would I not miss the banshee wail of an inline-4 screaming into that third gear pinned throttle high rev fist clenching power surge?

Obviously, I need to test ride the FZ6 and the sv650s for myself to see what suits me more. Coming from the inline-4 hornet, I have to admit an initial bias towards the fz6.
Now then, lets see who's daft enough to hand a scruffy-looking lad the keys to some shiny motorcycles...

'The grass is always greener'...

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:26:00 +0000

'We always want what we can't have', 'you don't know what you've got until its gone'.... I guess its not surprising really that there are so many expressions to point out one of the cruelest and weirdest human characteristics.

When I was living in France, I was constantly frustrated with my soul-crushingly boring job, tired of French bureaucracy, annoyed at the culture and unsatisfied by our noisy old-town apartment with its crumbling walls and tripped-the-switch-daily bad wiring. Now when I hazily look back, I remember riding along the beach to work every morning in the sun, glancing out to sea so close to the sand I could drag my foot and kick it up. I remember warm tyres, scrubbed to the edge from back-road rides in the hills behind Grasse... lazy 3am parties on the beach with cheap wine and sandals... hot 2 hour lunch breaks with cold iced coffee.... motorcycle tours of Corsica, Italy and Greece.... and going for a drink with friends and realising that out of 12-or-so people, no two were of the same nationality.

Given this trait of human nature, I guess its not surprising that now my bike is broken, I suddenly see what a great machine it was. No more grumbling about how I need better brakes or stiffer suspension, just an odd feeling of guilt for ever doubting its usefulness.
Still, there is a positive side to this. If we were easily satisifed with what we have, there would be no need to strive for more and try harder/faster/better. Its our incentive to progress and make the most of life. Who wants to be someone who just settles?

Do I have a point? In a roundabout way yes... I think it might be time to move on and get a new bike. Lets hope I can be rational about it... or maybe not.

For forks sake...

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:08:00 +0000

Disaster struck last week, barely 2 miles into my 4o mile commute to work. A lorry driver pulled out of a layby on a national speed limit road, the ABS-equipped car in front pulled to a halt sharpish and I.... didn't. It was wet and I lost the front, but before that I did manage to steer left enough so that when I went over the bars, I slid down the road rather than face-planting the car. I would of gone right, if it wasn't for the queue of cars in the oncoming lane stop-starting their way into Cambridge.

I blame the lorry driver, there's no excuse for pulling out into a 60 limit road without looking properly, especially when driving such a hefty vehicle. But with any accident it's important to accept responsibility if you wish to learn from it. People drive badly, you notice this even more on a bike. We're each responsible for our own personal safety and I should of been riding more defensively and left a bigger gap to compensate for the wet surface.

Luckily I escaped almost without injury, but my bike didn't fair so well. The forks bent back towards the down pipes and both front brake discs are bent. The gear change looks like it's trying to eat itself and I need 3 new indicators and a bar end, but at least the DHM crash mushrooms saved the radiator and engine. Having said that, the left hand side one shattered on impact and bent back towards the bike, so the engine did pick up a few scuffs. Maybe R&G's are worth the extra cost after all...

The bike will be hopefully be back on the road by the end of the week, complete with fresh battle scars and replacement used parts. If you want to see the damage, you can have a look at a few pictures here.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 16:31:00 +0000

One of the things that makes motorcycle maintenance so satisfying is the thing that makes it appear tedious and boring to some people (especially those with a romantic rather than classic view of beauty and the world in general- I'd recommend reading Pirsig's book for a much more detailed and eloquent explanation). It consumes your attention and requires the kind of concentration that lets you lose yourself in the task at hand.
Thats why when I jumped on the bike and set off for Hein Gericke on Saturday morning, I was looking forward to the task ahead. I had spontaneously decided that now would be a good time to clean my manky brown downpipes, so I invested in some Autoglym metal polish, polishing cloths and some Optiglanz stainless steel cleaner. Here's a pic of the pipes before my polishing efforts had begun- pretty shameful:

I really recommend the Optiglanz stuff. You simply spray it all over, leave it for 5 minutes and hose off. The difference is noticable immediately, its like magic. I wanted a nice finish though so after it had all dried off I set to work with the autoglym polish and cloths. For best results use one rag to rub in the polish, applying a decent amount of pressure and moving in small circles, then buff to a shine with another clean cloth. Here's the finished result:

Not bad if I say so myself (although possibly a pretty sad way to spend a Saturday afternoon!). I think it will take a few more applications of both products to get them perfect though- winter riding and living outside until recently (not to mention an annoying incident involving city-hot downpipes and a wayward carrier bag) meant they were in a sorry state.

10 ways to improve the Hornet

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:43:00 +0000

I was just browsing through Honda599.com and found a link to this article. It has a few interesting ideas, most of which are already widely implemented by Hornet owners (such as adding a bikini fairing, crash bungs or a hugger) but it's a good place to start if you're looking to modify your Hornet and need some initial inspiration. After reading it I started checking the net to see how much it costs for a 45 tooth rear sprocket.....

Goodridge update...

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 19:39:00 +0000

The braided hoses I ordered on ebay (see this post) arrived last week and I finally got them fitted to the bike.... definately an improvement. The sponginess is gone and they feel more progressive- before the front brake lever felt more like an on/off switch. Despite only doing a few miles with them, there's noticably less lever input needed to haul the bike up to a halt- they also look pretty trick which is an added bonus.
Of course it didn't transform the brakes completely, I still feel they need more bite. I also think that a big part of the improvement is probably just due to the fresh brake fluid and now bubble-free system.

Testing the brakes after work tonight highlighted another problem I've noticed with the bike- the forks are way too soft. The hornet's suspension was soft to begin with, but now its at the point where the forks are bottoming out under hard braking- maybe too many bumpy french backroads have taken their toll.
Some of the guys on the Hornet's Nest recommend heavier fork oil and progressive springs, so I think thats the next step in this little project. Hagon springs seem to be highly regarded and Jester's Trick Bits sell them with the recommended oil (viscosity 7.5) for £62....

Long Way Up

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:51:00 +0000

Taking a job back in the UK came with an added bonus- it meant I had to ride the Hornet back up through France. It had to be one of the worst planned trips ever, I basically threw on the panniers and set off north with a small map and the idea of making it up as I went along. Since this trip marked my last few days in France, I wanted it to be good, so I avoided highways once again and retraced some of the great roads I found on the way down.

It's funny... people spend months and thousands of pounds planning and organising touring trips, but at the end of the day I managed 3 days of amazing riding for about 120 quid worth of petrol and a couple of nights hotel costs (hotel formule1 is perfect, surprisingly clean given they're dirt cheap and most have secure parking). There's something really fantastic about riding all day without knowing where you're going to end up that night.

See a few pictures of the route down by clicking here.

Road Attack vs. Pilot Road 2

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:12:00 +0000

After a respectable 8000 miles, my continental road attack tyres finally gave up. As someone who uses their bike for daily commuting, touring and weekend riding, I'm obviously a fan of sports touring tyres. I can't afford to be squaring-off and replacing tyres every 3000 miles or so... and besides, the reality is that despite being harder-wearing, for most people sports-touring tyres offer more than enough grip for road riding anyway.

I was attracted to the conti's because I'd read reviews (like the one from canyonchasers here) stating that they "grip like Pilot Powers and last like Pilot Roads". They instantly inspired more confidence than the bridgestone's I had on before, despite the fact that I got them fitted just the day before an epic trip down to the south of France. By the time we arrived in Antibes 1200 miles and 5 days later the chicken strips were gone, despite riding 2-up with luggage, which for me shows just how good these tyres are.
I was all set to replace them with another pair, until my local Honda garage said they only do Michelin's and strongly recommended the new Pilot Road 2's (big surprise from a French bike shop!). I was sold- I was already intrigued by these tyres after reading articles in the bike press about their dual compound technology and independent reviews claiming class leading durability and wet-grip.

Despite liking the conti's alot, I have to say that for me the Michelin's feel better. The nice softer rubber on the edges of the tyre probably explains why they feel much more planted and stable when cranked over (I've already manged to get the right peg down!). If the harder rubber in the centre helps them to last as well as they grip, I may of just found my perfect tyres.

If you want to read more about tyre choices for the Hornet, the infamous Tyre Thread on the Nest is well worth a look.

Stainless steel stopping power...

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:53:00 +0000

The brakes on my Hornet have been feeling a bit off lately- probably they could do with bleeding- so I figured now would be a good time to take a proper look at increasing stopping power.

So, in a bid to improve my Hornet's somewhat lackluster brakes, I just ordered some goodridge braided hoses on ebay.... £44 delivered for a new 3 line kit (so front and back) seems pretty good value to me! It's the budget kit, meaning that they come with zinc plated fittings, rather than the stainless steel or even titanium fittings you get on higher end hoses. Still, some quick forum-based research showed that the zinc fittings are perfectly adequate and should last if cared for properly.
My standard rubber hoses aren't really that old, so it will be interesting to see if I can actually notice a difference. Goodridge claim up to 66% less expansion than stock hoses, less brake fade, reduced lever travel and more feel... let's see.

Hornet's Odyssey - May 2007

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:58:00 +0000

My girlfriend and I had been wanting to do an Italy/Greece trip for a while. We originally planned to make it all the way down to Athens and across to the other Greek islands but money/time constraints meant that Corfu was as far as we got. Still, we set off from Antibes in the south of France and took the coast road towards Genova, down to Pisa and all the way down past the bay of Naples. There we spent a day checking out the ruins at Pompeii (I used to study ancient history so I've wanted to go for years) before blasting eastward in one high speed afternoon just in time to catch the ferry from Bari across to Corfu. We had a week there on the beach and by the pool, riding the coast roads and visiting the places of beauty before catching a ferry back to Venice, taking a gondola ride in the morning then nailing it back to home in Antibes.

best bits: the amazing coastal scenery in Corfu and the twisty Amalfi coast roads. Seeing sights like the tower of Pisa and Pompeii. Just having 2 weeks with nothing to think about but where to ride to today. Trying to keep up with a ninja-riding lunatic on the coast highway between Monaco and Genova.

worst bits: the cheap (25 euros) tankbag I bought for the trip - one of the magnets was broken and jagged, so it wore through the material and scratched my tank up the chain also gave up halfway so we had a stressful morning in Sorrento waiting for a mechanic to get a new one and get it fitted, before we had to catch a ferry in Bari that afternoon.

Check out our favourite photos of the trip by clicking here.

Trip to the Cote D'Azur- July 2006

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:07:00 +0000

Back in July 2006, my girfriend and I made a road trip out of our move down to the south of France, so what follows is a brief write-up on the journey. You can also see a gallery of pics here.

Background
So, I graduated from uni in june 2006 and my first move was to get myself a cheap easyjet flight and visit the girlfriend. She's spanish but living and working down in the south of france (Nice). I worked there for a year on internship as part of my degree and thats how we met. A week or 2 of holidays ensued, me dossing around and her working, visiting her family in Barcelona and generally recovering from uni and deciding where to go from here.

The hope was to move closer together after my graduation, won't bore you with the details but in the end it seemed the best thing would be for me to move back down to france for a while, especially as it would be easy for me to get a job at my old (and her current) company. I didn't want to sell my bike... so thats how the road trip idea started. We flew back to the UK together, spent some time with friends in manchester (and saw the RHCP's), got ourselves organised at my parents house in Co. Durham then hit the road... knowing at the journeys end lay our new home.

The Plan
So, the basic Idea: set off from Bishop Auckland (near middlesbrough), nail it down the A1 to dover on the first day, make the ferry early that evening and stay at a formula 1 shithole in calais. The next day head for Paris bright and early, spend the afternoon and night there so we can have a decent meal in france's fair capital. After that.... well we had a map and no clue. The vague idea was to head across to Troyes, down to Dijon, past Lyon then ride the infamous route napoleon down to Antibes where our new flat was waiting.

A Bad Start?
When I was france on holiday, I called home and was informed by my old man that the tax on my bike (sitting comfortably in his garage) had just expired. Shit. With uni, exams and all other stuff, it had completely slipped my mind, and I'd had no renewal notice for some reason. I also had to get some new tyres fitted to the bike. Ok no problem, I'll sort it all when I get home, I have 2 days or so... cut to the morning after we arrive at my house. The only appointment I could get for tyre fitting was 9am. My little brother said he'd bring the tyres to the shop in his car and meet me there. I had no choice but to ride the bike there, get the tyres on then head straight to the post office, we leave tomorrow! But its ok, its literally 3 miles to the shop from our house. But I forgot about sods law. I go round a corner to find a copper stepping out into the road and waving me into a layby- what do we have? random DVLA checks, looking for pink diesel, no insurance and no tax. You have to be kidding. I own up, I'm polite and the coppers are sound, they even act like they believe me when I tell them I was on the way to the post office, as if they havent heard it 20 times that morning. Still, 200 quid fine. 120 quid is refundable if I go to the DVLA place in gateshead. There's my relaxed afternoon of planning and packing ruined.

The Trip
Still, the next morning when we sling the oxford 'first time' panniers over the bike in the drive, all the hassles are forgotten. My girlfriend looks cute in her new matt blue shark lid, featuring a butterflies paint scheme, and we're both excited about the days ahead. My dad, his fiance and my little brother and sister are there to wave us off.
The reality of whats ahead sets in. I head for the petrol station near my house and know that once we fill up, we're riding the A1 to the end. The nice old guy at the station asks "where you off to son" and looks a little taken aback when I smile and tell him "the south of france".
The A1 passes underneath us without incident. The Hornet is a surprisingly comfy tourer, although by the time we near dover I regret my financially-influenced decision not to get a fly screen for the trip. We make the ferry with time to spare, then after nearly getting on the wrong one, board and watch the cliffs of dover disappear. By the time we arrive in calais exhaustion has set in. We break for the formula 1 motel and get an early night in preperation for day 2.

Paris
We chose highways to get to paris, the idea being to have as much time there as possible. We made straight for the tour eiffel and had a little petrol-station-food picnic on the grass there. We've been before and sprung the tourist traps, so we just walked the seine and had a great yet over priced meal. Although it was beautiful, we decided that the place has more character in the autumn/winter. Its not a summer city, the gothic architecture suits a moody grey sky.

The road to Dijon
After all the highway riding, I was desperate to get on some more scenic routes. We took A roads towards Troyes, where we explored the nearby lakes before pushing on and checking into a cheap hotel on the edge of Dijon. After a day of riding in near 40 degree conditions, the hotel was like an oasis. We dumped the panniers and gear in the room, changed into swimming stuff and had beers by the pool & floated around as the sun was going down. It sounds silly but it was one of the nicest parts of the trip, there was a glow of satisfaction as the relaxation time was really earned.

The Twisty Stuff
After our oasis rest stop and well earned kip, the next day we were ready to press on. We headed south to Bourg-en-Bresse and took the road from there to Chambery. This was probably the nicest stretch of the trip, a scenic pass with nice sweeping curves and little traffic. It was obviously a biker favourite.... we rounded one bend to find 2 guys perched on a rocky outcrop over the road, they waved for me to slow down in a panic, which I did, just in time to see their mate come hurtling round the next corner over the white line with the pegs and sliders scraping.
After spending the night in Chambery, eating and relaxing by the lake, we started our final day- tackling the route napoleon. Probably the most amazing piece of tarmac I've ever seen. We nievely thought this would be the shortest riding day, given that it looks short on the map. We couldn't of been more wrong. Hairpin after hairpin, sheer drops everywhere and dawdling traffic mean't that it was early evening before we got home. Maria was exhausted, but I was hyperactive and buzzing from the concentration. The new tyres I got fitted before the trip
finally had the chicken strips scrubbed off.

So, to put an end to this...
Overall, it was a great way to make a holiday out of what could of been a painful motorway slog to get the bike down. Best of all.... my company had agreed to pay for my travel expenses down... so the petrol was free! The fact that it was a functional trip primarily and we were on a budget limited what we could see and how long we could stay places, but just riding the roads and passing through the country was a fantastic experience.

Renthalicious

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:43:00 +0000

Streetfighter, flat, ultra low, low, medium, high..... with so many seemingly similar options to choose from, its no wonder that bike forums across the net are filled with posts about which renthals are the best to go for.
Of course this depends what your requirements are. Common consensus is that for the Hornet, the renthal low's are probably the closest match to the original bars. Some owners complain that the OEM bars are too narrow and fit renthals because they're a little wider and give you more room, also giving you more leverage at the bars which is great for twisty roads and throwing the bike into turns. Some might fit higher bars to improve comfort slightly.

Personally, I wanted to create a more aggressive riding position and get a little more weight over the front end without sacrificing comfort too much. As such, I went for the ultra low's, as it seems do the majority of hornet owners. At the same time I also fitted some smaller matching mirrors, since the standard items now looked out of place. You can see the results in the pic below (click here for the 'before' shot).

Quite simply, this is the best mod I've done to my hornet so far (it's also almost the only mod so far, but lets not let that devalue the benefits of these bars). The extra width gives a nice dollop of extra leverage so turning into tight bends is easier, I instantly felt more plugged into the bike and it feels like I have more feedback from the front. In town I can feel the extra weight on my arms, but on the open road its actually more comfy, since some weight is taken off my lower back while the windblast takes the strain off my wrists.

Also, being shallow and image conscious, I really like the more aggressive looks of the renthals and the association that the brand has with the streetfighter scene. If you want to give your hornet a sportier edge, put some renthal ultra lows on it. They're cheap, easy to fit (see a free fitment guide here) and I think you'll notice the difference.

MCN Hornet rideout

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:58:00 +0000

On a sunny Saturday back in July, the roads around Peterborough were a-buzz with the delightful sound of a swarm of 599cc 16-valve inline-4 Hornet powerplants. Organised by MCN's Mr. Dan Thornton (who has an 07 Hornet on long-term test) and starting from the MCN office, the event gave me a chance to see some of the trick hornet's lovingly put together by some of the regular posters on the Hornet's Nest message board.

The first part of the event was a photo shoot, so here's a cringe-worthy shot of me with my hornet, trying my best to look natural and failing miserably.

Read the official story and see the full image gallery here on the MCN site.

Why the Hornet?

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:12:00 +0000

I think its fair to say that the hornet has successfully achieved Cult Bike status. It's well-known, generally highly-regarded and a sales success all across Europe (incidentally especially in italy- the Italians of course being famous for their good taste).

But why? how did a parts-bin special with basic styling that fundamentally does nothing new turn out to be such a winner for Honda? until the launch of the new 07 model, the bike had continued to be success for about 10 years with hardly any changes. To quote the review of the hornet found here on MCN, "The Honda CB600F Hornet uses simple ingredients, thoughtfully combined to create a motorcycle far better than you�??d guess". To put it another way, the Hornet is far more than the sum of its parts. A confidence-inspiring yet surprisingly quick-steering chassis, a real-world 85ish bhp (from the de-tuned CBR lump) and a practical riding position with good luggage & pillion space all combine to create a bike that is many things to many people. Daily commuting, touring and sunday scratching- my Hornet gets used for all three.

Still, it has its weaknesses. Such a jack-of-all-trades is unlikely to excel in any one area. Suspension is adequate yet budget and would benefit from some improvement. Brakes lack bite (apparently intentionally, to help novice riders avoid hitting tarmac) and the tank range is only good for about 100 miles between fill ups. Part of this blog will trace my efforts to gradually & respectfully improve the hornet with tasteful (and above all) performance-improving mods. I have plans...

want to read more on the hornet? try motorcycle daily for a review, find detailed specs on www.hondahornet.co.uk or read opinions from real owners here on ukbike.com.

Welcome...

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to my new blog- a place for me to chronical my experiences with Honda's cult bike, the Hornet 600.