Another review i did after having a Honda DN 01 for a few hours up and around the Wicklow mountains

ill post pics of the bike when i have permissions

Bike Review,

Honda DN 01

17.07.16

Weather : Hot and Sunny, bit too hot and sunny ..was a 3 shower day

Boots Oxtar Matrix

The Honda DN01 launched in 2008 and finished production in 2010:

Not a Cruiser, not a Scooter and not a Sportsbike , it sits somewhere between all 3 as an amazing looking Japanese Manga-esque easy rider meets Akira bike.

The bike has the same engine as a Deauville , with only 51 bhp and 35lbs of tourque , the figures don’t blow your socks off but on the road those figures do not add up to the experience. This thing can haul its weight of 270kgs, which it hides bloody well, and can hustle through bends as good as a good sports tourer.

It has a continues variable transmission with 3 transmission modes, Drive, so essentially it’s a twist and go, Sport , which adds another 500rpm to the rev range and then you can have a tiptronic sport mode where you can select the gear on the left handlebar switch up and down the box, for the roads we took, up the N81 and around the mountains this mode was my preferred option, also with the tiptronic mode the added engine braking this gives you, slightly slowing you and setting you up to take the bend , turning in getting to the apex and then allowing you to punch out , giving the bike a more regular feel.

Momentum, momentum is everything, well thought out overtakes and lines through the twisties seen me despatch a few bikes and all of the cars in the way with no problem .

Norrie had new tyres fitted , Pilot 4’s I believe, no complaints whatsoever , though again the day was extremely hot and I see a lot of bikes using these tyres and have heard no complaints about them.

Brakes , ABS up front big disc on the back . Initial bite on the front was not what I normally like, I like BITE with controlled fade, pull on the front lever on this and it was the opposite, more braking as you pulled harder (obviously) I don’t know if this was reflective of the pads or the ABS, which I don’t think I needed to put to use at anytime , but it was just the opposite of what I like to feel. Back brake, loads of power, no problem in use or feel and lovely at steadying the bike into gravel covered pot holed corners or when you have just overcooked it slightly. ( why Wicklow Co Co, why ?) I also think it may have linked brakes but not entirely sure.

The bikes ergonomics fell to hand very easily after a few kms in. Feet in front but not too far on the boards , arms just landing perfectly, the ergonomics are very nice. Seat is not a massively plush affair, but far from uncomfortable. You could spend all day in it if needs be.

The Bike handling, perfect for N and M roads, city work or posing on the seafront , on the worst of our roads of which we have many, and especially on some I got lost on , a plusher rear shock would work wonders, but other than tramping on on pure crap roads it all works fine although if it was a long term machine a plusher shock would be on the shopping list just so you can completely iron out the road beneath you.

Forks were fine, they worked, you couldn’t complain about them but again they could probably do with upgrades if it was a long term thing but for 95% of riding the whole thing was lovely, plenty of feel , on the crap roads they didn’t feel out of their depth, it all just worked.

Although you should probably just sit back cruise and look cool, I, because I am a twat, ragged the arse off it. This in turn eats the juice , I found this with my Fathers Deauville on the motorway, Motorway speeds yeah fine, push it on and the fuel gauge nose dives quicker than Tony Montana into a plate of Bolivian marching powder. Getting a wriggle on, this thing also ate the juice. But I didn’t mind because I was really really enjoying. The relaxing riding position, the aftermarket screen Norrie had fit sending most of the windblast around me, I sat in the comfort of a speedy cacoon .

It handles really really well, as mentioned the weight is hidden instantly and it can really really move through the turns like a sportsbike, a comfy sportsbike. Holds a line beautifully through sweepers , and can be easily adjusted on or off line if needs be, just like for when an Audi was on the wrong side of the road through a bend coming toward me, El Twat-O. get on your own side

This thing ticks so many boxes, it probably is the perfect commuter, weekend cruiser and promenade poser. Hop on, handbrake off (yes a hand brake for hills) put in drive and twist and go. Get on the road with such ease.

Sadly I had to bring it back, long low comfy and great handling, it really is a cool machine.

I don’t know how many were brought into Ireland, or if they were a big seller , I think Norrie said only 120 were brought into the UK market so you’d be doing well to spot 2 in a year .

Which is cool, I like black sheep.

Wes.