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- Honda 996
- Overview
Picture courtesy of KenO.
| Build quality | 8/10  |
|---|---|
| Reliability | 10/10 |
| Value for Money | 10/10 |
| Reviewer Rating | 8/10 |
| Overall Rating | 9/10  |
Full review by
KenO
on 1st Jan 2005
User Rating : 8
Respect :
0
Good Points: Grunty engine, comfortable riding position, excellent view, good fuel economy (45 mpg), very noticeable because it's a BIG bike.
Bad Points: Quite tall so you need long legs. Only 5 gears (2002 model). Front end can be vague. Difficult to keep clean, because it loves country roads etc.
General comments: This Honda 996 Motorcycle will do just about anything, tour, commute or scratch, but runs out of puff above 120, so it's not a sports bike like 85% of the other bikes on UK roads, which is a very good reason for having it!
The engine is a detuned version of the VTR1000 twin so it packs plenty of low down grunt to either pull your arms out of your sockets or whisk you smoothly from A to B. It handles extremely well on the twisties and most sports bike riders would be hard pushed to beat it unless they wanted to be really reckless.
The ride is extremely comfortable so you can ride all day and not feel stiff. Within 3 days of acquiring it I had done 700 miles around Wales and the Midlands without any aches and pains, but with a huge grin on my face. I love it!
It's only when you come to a stop that it's weaknesses appear. It's very tall and putting a foot down can be difficult if the road camber is sharp. I am 5'9" and had to have the seat foam reduced to accomodate my "short" legs (I like to put the flat foot down rather than balance 240Kg on my toes). The bike is heavy, particularly as I have it set up for touring with a Nonfango hard luggage frame, Givi engine bars, and an OEM centre stand to add to the basic bike weight. Once moving though it is great, even fully laden with pillion and 3 large (48/52) litre boxes. Brakes are excellent, even though they are linked you can have excellent control.
The sound of the engine is superb (normal OEM cans), that burbling twin is music to my ears.
KenO's review and ratings | 329 words
