Honda HAWK11 Test Ride Review | New Riding Sensation, but a bit Nostalgic

Road Sports with Africa Twin Ride Quality

HAWK 11 is an exclusive model for the Japanese market developed as an Architecture Series Project (ASP).
This is a method of creating a derivative model with a new positioning while utilizing an existing model. It is different from conventional models that are mass-produced by adopting global trends, as it is the embodiment of an idea that emerged from an in-house proposal. In this light, the unusual design makes sense.

The concept of this model is that it is an "uphill motorcycle" for veteran riders who have been riding motorcycles since they were young and want to enjoy winding roads with the Africa Twin engine. The model is specifically designed to look like an adult sports model that looks good in a leather jacket. The unique thing is that it is not fast, but it is a little fast, a catchphrase that could be considered self-deprecating (smile). 
The goal was not to create a great motorcycle, but a fun motorcycle for enjoying half a day of freedom. For Honda, the world's number one motorcycle manufacturer, it seems to me that they have created a motorcycle with a very relaxed attitude.

Dimension Optimized Based on NT1100

Based on the NT1100, the HAWK11 is a road sports model with optimized dimensions for more enjoyable winding roads. The engine and chassis are the same, but the front and rear suspension settings have been changed.
The caster angle is set at 1.5° 25°, slightly higher than that of the NT1100, and the riding position is more forward-leaning with the use of separate handlebars. However, the frame itself is originally an Africa Twin, so the stem position is higher and the forward lean is much looser than on a supersport motorcycle. The atmosphere of the motorcycle is similar to that of a sports naked motorcycle.

The engine is a liquid-cooled 4-stroke OHC Unicam 4-valve inline 2-cylinder, the same as the NT1100 and Africa Twin.
In the drivetrain, the transmission is the same, but the final secondary reduction ratio has been optimized to match the character, and the fuel tank and air cleaner have been newly designed.
The electronic control package is also the same, with four driving modes: SPORT, STANDARD, RAIN, and USER.
The same mechanism optimizes the control level of power (P), engine brake (EB), and HSTC/wheelie control (T) for each mode, but the HAWK11 does not offer a DCT version of the continuously-operated automatic transmission.

A swinging design that breaks away from the honors student

The name "Hawk" has a nostalgic ring for riders of the Showa era. It was the name given to Honda's parallel twin-cylinder sports model, and when I took my junior high school license at the age of 18, my training vehicle was the HAWK II Hawk Two. It was called a "kettle tank," and was a shady machine compared to the CB, which at the time was a byword for high performance, but I remember that it was very easy to ride. I met the HAWK11 for the first time this spring at a Honda preview, and it looked so mysteriously shaped that it didn't really strike me, but as soon as I saw the 11 logo as a II (two), nostalgia returned.

The styling is unique. According to the developer, the decision to use a retro-style rocket cowl was made from the beginning to symbolize a motorcycle for adults with a high level of taste, but it has been done in an avant-garde style that is different from a mere nostalgic café racer. The body line is mainly horizontal, but vertical lines can be seen dividing the front and rear of the body in the middle. In contrast to the voluminous, rounded front section, the rear section is narrowed and the tank edge is sharply pointed. However, I do not feel bad about it.
On the contrary, it stimulates our creative senses. I was very pleased to see Honda, which has always been called an "honors student" for good and bad reasons, do such a good job. This is what happens when you take the Africa Twin and customize it with a free conception of what it should be. It is rare for a Japanese motorcycle to have a designer work so hard on it.

It just feels good to flow and sport a sense of being in good hands.

The ride quality is straightforward, and from the moment you start driving, you feel right at home. The clutch is light and the connection is smooth, making it easy to start the motorcycle. When you twist your right hand, the engine responds softly and without time lag and accelerates with a coarse heartbeat. The feeling of bouncing torque kicking off the road surface is familiar from the Africa Twin. Reading the simple, round LCD meter, the tachometer reads 5000 rpm, right in the middle of the range. The rpm range of 4000 to 6000 rpm is exactly right, and the motorcycle is fast enough in that range, giving the driver the feeling that he or she is using the best part of the engine. Furthermore, it feels good to be riding in a higher gear at 2000 rpm. It is not frustrating to drive like a 4-cylinder high-performance engine that usually peaks at over 10,000 rpm, which is a range that is never used.

Handling is nimble and moist. It is not stubborn at low speeds like a supersport motorcycle, and it can turn with a snap even at low speeds, and even when driving at a moderate speed, it feels like it is in good hands. The suspension is supple in both the front and rear, making it easy to feel movement even when driving normally, and the brakes are not too aggressive, making the motorcycle easy to handle.
This is exactly what the concept of the motorcycle is all about: not too fast, not too terrible!

Rear steer feeling is similar to that famous motorcycle.

After riding for a while, I was bothered by the feeling that it looked like something.
As I went through my memories in my head, I suddenly remembered the VTR1000F. The other one is a V-twin and this one is a Para-twin, but the soft pulse feeling of the 270-degree crankshaft is similar. The riding position is also comfortable with the slim chassis and the high handlebars despite the cowl and separate handlebars. The long tank and slightly reclined posture, and the feeling of light rear-steer as the motorcycle turns with the rear wheel on its axis, are similar in the ease of handling in everyday situations and the fun of taking the initiative in handling the motorcycle.
Of course, the VTR at the time of its debut in 1996 was a specially designed V-twin supersport model, while the HAWK11 was based on an Africa Twin, so their origins are different. The fact that the VTR1000F is called the SUPER HAWK 996 in North America is more than a coincidence. I know I sound like an old man talking nonsense when I say this, but for me, the HAWK11 is a motorcycle that evokes a sense of nostalgia.

Main Specifications