I test drove the Honda NM4 today...

Honda Website for NM4

Video of walkaround:



Physically this bike was made for me personally.
On the Silverwing, even with a custom seat I was on my tip toes at a stop.
Even with thick soled shoes I couldn't flatfoot the wing.

Seat height is 25.6 inches.  Easy to put a leg over with the backrest down.
Vertical seating position backrest sits just right for support and you are feet-forward.

Those of you used to motorcycles may not appreciate this, but the automatic shifting sound was something I had to get used to.  My Silverwing was the first motor bike I've ever owned, so I've never really heard my transmission shift except on the bikes I used in the motorcycle safety course umpteen years ago.

Shifting was smooth, ride was smooth and acceleration was responsive.
Has ABS.  But has right side hand and foot brakes.  No left side brake control.

All in all what I like is that from the moment you sit down, the bike demands nothing of the rider. You sit down comfortably. Adjust the backrest, and go.

Stock windshield does nothing to help deflect wind when you are sitting in a normal position, but they do offer another one as an accessory.

Also the seat back requires the key to change position.  I would definitely change that.

Problem: STORAGE! Despite the impressive looking integrated hard side cases they didn't even have enough space for a half helmet.  There are two glove compartments in the front of the bike, one locking.  But you can't really look into them while sitting on the bike due to their position.  The locking one does have an accessory plug stock though.



Visually the bike is futuristic bad-a** in my opinion, but I guess that's an acquired taste.

The offer at retail was 1k down and $155 per month for 60 months.  So its technically affordable. Of course no one is going to pay retail.

If you want a luggage rack, it comes integrated with a passenger backrest, for $450, but you also have to buy a special cowl for $100. Even then its a rack for you to bolt or strap a box onto, not an actual storage compartment.

All in all, I think the aftermarket needs time to work. Givi needs time to build a good looking trunk and mount for it. Maybe a better windshield.

I did love riding the bike though.  Felt good to be in a comfortable saddle again.

Dan,

Thanks for the review. This bike uses the same drive train as the CTX700 I have. I also have the DCT and really like the CTX a lot. Have you have a chance to ride one before? The seat is only 28.5" and it feels much lower than the Silver Wing. Since I'm 6' tall I have no problem with any bike really but I know that some do.

But thanks for the review and I was in the Honda shop today getting some chain lube, and I asked about this same bike. They said that 1 person ordered it and picked it up the same day it came in. They haven't had a chance to get another one in yet. But I do know the CTX's are selling very fast at this shop. I get about 65mpg when I ride normally which I'm very happy with.

Jeff,

28.5 is too high for me. My custom corbin seat for the wing lowered the stock seat height a little and it still wasn't enough. Don't forget that width also plays a part.
We have one powerhouse dealer in the neighborhood and this is the last of the 3 they were allotted.
Fun bike to ride if you get a chance.

dspevack wrote:

the bike demands nothing of the rider.

Interesting comment. In fact, that's one of the major reasons I traded my Silverwing for an F6B. I was getting bored with the Silverwing.

I get bored with riding now and again, I also used to get bored with the motorcycles I owned and was constantly changing them for something I thought was better. Looking back now to those years the only thing that really changed was my bank balance.

These days I accept these little glitches, I've no current plans to get rid of the Silver Wing but riding isn't important to me now as it was 10 years ago. I've just bought a push bike for the first time in 40 years and I'm enjoying pedalling in and around York utilising the many cycle lanes and cycle paths. I've opted for a Dutch bike, a proper bike with an upright riding position, hub brakes, lighting, and gears, enclosed chain, comfortable seat, and front and rear carriers, main stand, mudguards, and a bell. I can swing my leg over it too!

The bike demands a lot of me, if I don't pedal, it doesn't move.

Meldrew wrote:

I've opted for a Dutch bike, a proper bike with an upright riding position, hub brakes, lighting, and gears, enclosed chain, comfortable seat, and front and rear carriers, main stand, mudguards, and a bell. I can swing my leg over it too!

A Linus perhaps? You can't beat that style of bike for commuting. Sounds a lot like my Kona Dew Deluxe, except mine has disc brakes and no enclosed chain. I watch the 20's crowd riding those single speed fixies with no brakes, straining to pull away from traffic signals, flying through red lights and stop signs because they're too lazy to even slow down, and I just cringe. Thank goodness when I was that age they only had 10 speed road bikes, otherwise I likely would have had a fixie too.
My F6B is rarely used in the city. I use my bicycle whenever possible, and if not, it's the 4 wheeled cage. For me, riding my motorcycle in the city is about survival riding. I will do it if I have to, but avoid it as much as possible. But taking it out on the highways and rural roads, that's about enjoyment.

I've bought a Workcycles GR8 (Great), it's the slightly smaller city version of the Workcycles FR8 (Freight) cargo bike. These bikes are hand-built in small numbers in Amsterdam, hand welded powder coated frames inside and out and all that stuff. It's probably all wasted on an old plodder like me, but it's the only Dutch bike I really liked the looks and spec of and it has a low instep frame. I think it nicely compliments the Gazelle Orange Pure that Mrs M rides.

www.workcycles.com

My wife is Dutch and one of the first things I noticed when I went there the first time is that they all ride bikes, and even the new bikes look like bikes from the WWII era.  But the Dutch sure are a 'hearty' breed and will ride in the rain and snow.  I grew up in the midwest doing that in the 60's and 70's but kids now a days would never do that.  I would like a bike like this since they are very comfortable but I have never seen one sold in the U.S. though.

Meldrew wrote:

I've bought a Workcycles GR8 (Great), it's the slightly smaller city version of the Workcycles FR8 (Freight) cargo bike. These bikes are hand-built in small numbers in Amsterdam, hand welded powder coated frames inside and out and all that stuff. It's probably all wasted on an old plodder like me, but it's the only Dutch bike I really liked the looks and spec of and it has a low instep frame. I think it nicely compliments the Gazelle Orange Pure that Mrs M rides.

www.workcycles.com

Nice.

Here's mine. I have added a rear rack and rear cargo basket, bike computer for speed, distance, and time, LED front and rear lights, platform pedals, ergo handgrips, and different (better) tires. I've got 2k km on it now since I bought it last October.

http://2k13.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=dew_dl

That's a nice looking bike bigbird, I really like bikes that have a front carrier and can be kitted out to carry stuff. I think I'd be "racking my balls" as I believe it's called if I tried to swing my leg over yours. I tried a similar sloping crossbar cycle from Gazelle when Mrs M was choosing hers a couple of months ago, and it was the same with a few others I tried. I had no luck finding a low instep bike unless it was an e-bike, and I was considering a ladies bike.  

Having my first push bike for 40 years means I'll be farkling, I've already bought an Abus Bordo cycle lock to supplement the Abus wheel lock on the bike, a track pump, and I'm off to buy a cycle helmet later today.

Reading JeffR_'s post about Dutch bikes and with his Dutch connections, I though he might be interested in what this US bike shop has to offer. It's not too far away from him either.  www.mydutchbike.com.  

I'm very envious; I have a very capable Raleigh 'ordinary' bicycle (Miss Marple) but drooled over the Dutch bikes when I was living near Bruges.

I could be tempted - I cycle into town almost every day and carry shopping on the bike.

Meldrew wrote:

That's a nice looking bike bigbird, I really like bikes that have a front carrier and can be kitted out to carry stuff.

Thank you, Meldrew.

I have had as many as four 5L jugs of motor oil in the front, and many kilos of groceries in the rear.

Meldrew,

Thanks for the link. I would get the Opafiets (Grandpa's bike) if I were to get a new bike. I like the way it sits upright and I don't have to bend over to grab the handlebars. It seems the bikes that are popular here are the mountain bikes where you are bent over pretty far to get to the handlebars.

Jeff, do you only have 600 miles on your new CTX700 like your sig says, or have you just not updated your sig?
I've got 3k km on my F6B after 7 weeks.

My pleasure gentlemen, when I was looking around online for a suitable push bike for myself a couple of months ago I found these bikes, www.dutchie.co.uk which are about as traditional Dutch as they come. I can already imagine MikeO pedalling through the streets of Salisbury on one.

bigbird wrote:

Jeff, do you only have 600 miles on your new CTX700 like your sig says, or have you just not updated your sig?
I've got 3k km on my F6B after 7 weeks.

Terry,

What are you talking about? I bought my bike with 3,800 miles and it still has 3,800 miles. I pushed it home from the shop.

JeffR_ wrote:

Terry,

What are you talking about?  I bought my bike with 3,800 miles and it still has 3,800 miles.  I pushed it home from the shop.

You had to push it home? Are you sure you didn't buy a Harley?

This sounds very like an old Silver Wing owners trick that's been used for years. They push a low mileage scooter home and store it unused for at 10 years and then advertise it for sale on eBay or similar.

Then some bloke who's getting a bit too decrepit to ride his Gold Wing spots the ad, joins this forum using the words "Silver" or "Wing" in his new forum name because he thinks that's original. Then he'll make his first post about this low mileage 10 year old Silver Wing he's thinking of buying or bought because it looks just like new, and asks all the same routine questions that have answered many times before.

Meldrew wrote:

This sounds very like an old Silver Wing owners trick that's been used for years. They push a low mileage scooter home and store it unused for at 10 years and then advertise it for sale on eBay or similar.

Then some bloke who's getting a bit too decrepit to ride his Gold Wing spots the ad, joins this forum using the words "Silver" or "Wing" in his new forum name because he thinks that's original. Then he'll make his first post about this low mileage 10 year old Silver Wing he's thinking of buying or bought because it looks just like new, and asks all the same routine questions that have answered many times before.

....and then posts stuff that has nothing to do with the original thread because it's about him :lol!:

Shouldn't you be hanging around in the Chatbox, ?

Anyway there seems to be more interest in push bikes than this Honda NM4 Vultus. Remember the last futuristic looking Honda a few years ago, the DN-O1? They couldn't give them away a few months after the launch.

Meldrew wrote:

Remember the last futuristic looking Honda a few years ago, the DN-O1? They couldn't give them away a few months after the launch.

Honda dealers said that the name DN-01 acronym stood for "Do Not Order One".

dspevack wrote:

Honda Website for NM4

Holie Batmobile! Can't wait to ride one. Thanks Dan for the links and the writeup.