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/127247
By Brian Ca t terso n/P h o t o s by .Ken Faught ow can two bikes that loo k so simil ar be so different? . 1 At first glance, the H o nda Hawk GT and CB- l bear more than 'a passing fami ly resemblance. Not only are both small in stature, short in wheelbase and fairingless, but their seats , fuel tanks, bodywork, forks and radiators all look like they were spawned by the same par enting CAD /CAM com p u ter. That liken ess extends to their sticker prices, which at ,$4198 for the Hawk a nd $4298 for the CB-l fall within a C-note of one another. Upon closer inspection, however, th ere are a number of differences between th ese two siblings that prove they're far from identical twins. . First, the engines ar e con figured measuring 2.5 in ches wide up front and 4.5 inches a t rear; the CB-l has d iffere n tly: th e H awk em p loys a three-valve per- cylinder SOHC 647cc more traditional three-spoke wheels V-twin, the CB-l a four-valve permeasuring 3.0 in ches up front and cylinder DOHC 399cc in-line four. 3.5 inches at rear. And while the Hawk 's wheels are tricker- looking, Second are the chass is, both perimeter-st yle, yes, but which are we preferred th e metallic silver paint. made of different materials: the on th e CB-l 's. The tires a re a lso differently sized: Hawk's is box-section aluminum, Our test Hawk spo rted Bridgestone Exedras in 110/80H-17 front a nd The H o n d a £ 8 - 1 (above 150170H-17 rear sizes, while the CBleft) and Hawk GT (above , I came with an oddl y-matched 110/ right) look slmllar, bnt 70H-17 Bridgestone front and a 140/ are really qnite different. 70H-17 Dunlop rear. (A Honda (Left) Tlaemost dramatic spokesman said that the CB-l comes differeBees between the stock with either brand of tire, and two slbUngs lie In perforour well-used test vehicle had simply manee, thoagh h_dllng had one of its tires replaced with th e of each Is Impeccable. other brand - not something likel y to happen on production models. ) the CB-l's tubular steel. And the Both bikes are well -outfitted for Hawk's Elf France-designed P rothe street with helmet locks, bu ngee Arm single-sided aluminum swi ngcord hooks, passenger grab straps, arm with quick-change wheel and and tool kits locat ed beneath the seal. ecce n tr ic chain adj u stm ent is And both had a feature wh ich is obviously different than the CB-l 's becoming less and less common these trad itional double-sided box-sectio n days - a centerstand. (No te: O u r steel piece. CB-l was a 49-state model; California After that, the differences become models h a ve a charcoa l ca n ister less and less apparent. Up front, the res iding wh er e the ce ntersta nd single disc bra kes with Nissin singlewo uld be.) action, two -p iston ca lipers are the An d speaking of sta nds , the Hawk same, but are mo u nt ed on opposite has a rubber foot o n its sidestand sides of the two bi kes. The wheels, which causes it to fold up if you try . whi le l7 -inchers a ll around, differ to drive away with it in the down both in width and in construction: position; the CB- I uses a yellow The Hawk has three-pairs of curved warning lig h t on the speedo face to spokes per wheel, with its wheels a lert the operator of this occurrence. D [ID 20