Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126995
- -- ~ ~ r- oo O"l ........ ~ O"l .~ 11) ,.0 s 11) u 11) Q • Honda is hoping to corner the entry-level sport bike market in 1988 with the all-new Hawk GT; it is is powered by a 647cc liquid-cooled V-twin. The 748cc V-4 Magna has been boosted from 700cc to 750cc for 1988.' Also, the' chin fairing paint now 'matches the paint on the frame. calipers are fitted to the bike front .and rear, as are ultra-wide, turbinestyle aluminum wheels. A wide, lowprofi Ie 150/70-17 tire provides rear traction and ·the bike is driven by a heavy-duty O-ring chain. Dry weight is a claimed 350 pounds; fuel tank. capacity is 3.1 gallons. The Hawk will be available l.n bl ue or silver. . The Gold Wing, available last year in two models (the Aspencade and Interstate) is offered in 1988 in one version only, but Honda's premier tduring machine has been completely reworked from the ground up. -It is powered by an all-new, OHC, liquid-cooled, hori~ontally-opposed six-cylinder engine with a low center of gravi·ty. The engine is fed by computer-monitored, dual downdr ft, 36mm, diaphragm-type CV carburetors, has a solid state digital ignition and a four-speed-plus-fifthoverdri ve transmission. The shaft-driven Gold Wing is suspended by huge 41mm front forks with torque reactive anti-dive con_ trol (TRAC) which reduces fork compression during braking. Rear suspension is air-adjustable. The bike has triple disc brakes, a 6.3gallon fuel tank and low-profile, touring tire,';. The Gold Wing also offers slowspeed reverse (which operates via the starter motor), a first for any touring motorcycle, electronic cruise control and an all-new audio system. The NX dual sport models NX650, NX250 and NXI25 - are new from fender to fender. They will be marketed as entry-Level street bikes and all NX models, even the NX125, will have electric start and aerodynamic mini-fairings. The Hurricane CBR1000, introduced last year, is unchanged for 1988. It is powere~ by a liquid-cooled, DOHC in-line four-cylinder engine. Why the switch? When Honda o££icials surveyed XL owners, they discovered that 80 percent of those riders used the primarily dirt-capable XLs mostly for street riding. So the XL line was eliminated and the new NX line - primarily street-oriented .motorcycles tha t can be ridden in the dirt - was created to fill the gap. The NX650 and NX125 will be powered by single-cylinder, aircooled, four-stroke engines; while the NX250 will sport a liquid-cooled, fouT-stro'ke single. The 25cc powerplant will have two valves, while 'the 250 and 650cc models will boast four valves. All three bikes will have solid-state, CD ignitions with electronic advance and all are chain driven. The 125 and 650cc models are five speeds; the NX250 will have a six-speed transmission. Each of the NX models will be fitted with a leading axle telescopic front fork and Pro-Link swingarm rear su~pension with adjustable preload. Wheel travel on each of the , three models is approximately eight inches in front and seven inches in the rear. The 250 and 650cc NX models are stopped by front disc brakes with twin-piston calipers and by rear drum brakes; the NXI25 has drum brakes, front and rear. The NX650 has a claimed dry weight of 335' pounds and fuel tank capacity of 3.4 gallons. The 250 reportedly weighs. 260 pounds and has a 2.3-gallon fuel tank, while the 125 weighs in at 247 pounds and holds 2.5 gallons {)f fuel. Each bike is available in metallic blue; the NX250 also will come in pearl white. Honda's latest conventional sport bike is the all;new Interceptor VTR 7