VOLUME ISSUE AUGUST , P107
More power means the '27
can use taller gear ratios, which
do wonders. I could ride the en-
tire Spring Creek track in second
gear if I wanted to. Sure, there
were times I could've clicked up
a gear, but I rarely felt the need
to because it never felt like it
was going to run out of gear. I
could just concentrate on riding.
We had a 2026 model at Spring
Creek for comparison, and it
required more shifting. Even with
its smoother power, the '27 has
not lost that previously well-liked
Honda mid-to-top-end pull, which
is great for hills and on the faster
sections of the track. The 2027
bike's overall power delivery
should suit a wide range of rider
skill levels.
The Honda offers three maps:
the usual Standard, Smooth,
and Aggressive options, along
with three levels of traction
control. I preferred the Standard
map on the Spring Creek track.
The Smooth map was, well, too
smooth for the deep conditions,
and the Aggressive map ramped
up nicely but fell off sooner than I
liked. The Standard map felt just
right; it struck a good balance
between the two. Overall, fueling
is clean and responsive, further
enhancing the engine's easy-to-
manage and direct power.
