The first show of the year in Osaka was full of playful concepts from Japan’s two biggest marques. Some of which just might see the light of day (we hope)
Honda CB1100RS – Customised Concept
When Honda revealed the new CB1100RS last year there was a collective groan of disappointment around the globe. Sure, the RS has better suspension, brakes and wheels than the stocker, but it’s a far cry from the coveted 2007 CB1100R concept bike.
At the Osaka show, Honda revealed another take on the CB1100RS theme, taking the stock machine’s café racer dreams a little further. The addition of a small nose cowl and single seat hump, both finished in a combination of red and polished aluminium (as is the tank and front mudguard), turn the subdued CB1100RS into a head-turner. A Moriwaki exhaust with blue-tinged titanium headers adds a bit of performance attitude, too.
Although purely a cosmetic exercise, and merely a concept, the bike shows that Honda is aware of the customising potential of the CB1100. Now if the firm could just take a leaf out of Ducati’s Scrambler book – or follow the example of Triumph’s Bonneville range for that matter – and start offering dealer-fit packages to convert the bland-looking stocker into something more like this, it could yet fulfil the CB1100’s sales potential.
Custom Rebel
Honda unveiled a very different BMX-inspired Rebel at the Osaka Motorcycle Show, finished in fluorescent yellow, with wire wheels and semi-knobby tyres. The single seat, lack of a rear mudguard and high handlebars, which even have a padded crossbar, clearly show the BMX influence, as do the motocross-style pegs. A tape-wrapped exhaust header leading to an under-engine silencer completes the bike’s transformation.
While a cruiser might not immediately seem the best basis for a BMX-style machine, the Rebel’s super-low seat does reflect the typical BMX set-up. Presumably you’re supposed to ride it standing up!
The show bike is based on the Japanese market Rebel 250, which is all but identical to the Rebel 300 sold elsewhere.
Honda NM4 – goes sci-fi
Honda’s NM4 Vultus already looks like it came straight off the set of a sci-fi movie, so it’s no surprise that the makers of the manga-derived Ghost in the Shell turned to it when they were looking for transport for heroine Scarlett Johansson.
The movie bike keeps the stock NM4’s overall proportions and shape, but the exterior panels are all new. The stock sloping tank, which merges straight into the seat, was replaced with a bulkier item, while the seat is a shorter, sportier shape. Wheel covers give a suitably futuristic look, perhaps hinting at imaginary hub-mounted electric motors or a hydraulic drive system, although the movie bike actually has more of its engine on show than a stock NM4.
The twin, belly-pan-mounted exhaust exits are definitely a step forward from the NM4’s disappointingly conventional end can, which has always been a jarring feature on an otherwise futuristic shape.
Although you’ll have to see the movie to witness the bike in action, it’s clear that the riding position is nothing like the NM4’s feet-forward, cruiser-style posture. Rearset footpegs and lower, forward-mounted ’bars mean it will require a racing crouch rather than a relaxed sprawl.
1. CBR250RR HRC Racer
Slap the letters HRC onto a Honda and the results are sure to be good, and HRC’s take on the firm’s latest entry-level sportsbike is no exception. Destined for the Japanese 250cc championship, this racer gets a new ECU with three power modes: normal, a rain mode, and one with reduced engine braking. It also loses the stock model’s ABS and gets a new exhaust and rearsets.
2. Yamaha MT-09 Authentic Sports
That red-and-white paint job alone is enough to make this MT-09 stand out from the crowd – surely it’s a no-brainer to make it a factory option? This bike is also fitted with the firm’s official ‘Y’s Gear’ kit including a screen, fog lights, a new seat and that stunning three-exit Prunus exhaust with carbon covering. While there’s no price, Japanese sources say a variation on this bike will reach production.
3. Yamaha MT-10 Y’s Gear
Yamaha’s ‘Y’s Gear’ boys have also been at work on the MT-10, with tourer-style screen but no panniers. Galespeed wheels and a four-pipe Prunus exhaust complete the transformation. Prunus is a brand of Sakura Kogyo, which also makes genuine Yamaha exhausts, so it’s virtually a factory part…
4. Yamaha SR400 Authentic Sports
It’s not much more than a paint job, but again the Yamaha red-and-white scheme with gold wheels looks just perfect on the SR400. Other tweaks include a shortened rear fender and a new seat. Production is a possibility.
5. Yamaha XSR900 Authentic Sports
Y’s Gear are at it again with the gold wheels, this time with a JPS-style black-and-gold XSR900. This bike’s parts are actually available in Japan. The bodywork comes in at the equivalent of about $1700, the Galespeed wheels another $3000, and the suede seat $330. The KYB forks are also upgraded ($2350), as is the matching rear shock ($1000). Again, the exhaust is Prunus, but there’s no price on the system yet.
By Ben Purvis