Honda Launches New CBR 150R Sports Bike at Rs 1.15 lakh in India

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is gearing up for the launch of a new Honda CBR 150R Sports Bike next month. The forthcoming product, the country's third largest two-wheeler producer said, would take on Bajaj Auto's freshly-introduced product under the KTM brand.

The CBR 150R of the Japanese subsidiary to be launch in March is priced at about Rs 1,15,000, pitting it directly against the KTM Duke 200 (Rs 117,000). Only last month had Bajaj Auto, India's second largest two-wheeler maker, launched the Austrian-brand street bike.

The New Honda CBR 150R Sports Bike, powered by engine of around 150cc, is a downsized clone of the popular CBR 250R that HMSI sells at little over Rs 145,000. The new bike will also compete against Yamaha's R15 sports bike, which recently received a face-lift and is priced at Rs 107,000.

Though Bajaj's KTM bike offers better power with a slightly bigger engine in straight comparison, HMSI chose to price its CBR 150R at a premium than Yamaha and fractionally lower than KTM Duke.

HMSI had showcased the CBR 150R at the Auto Expo early last month without disclosing price details. The bike, which will be fully built in India, had received strong response from the visitors, according to company officials.

The company hopes to sell more than 3,500 units of the CBR 150R every month after its launch. Currently, Yamaha's R15 version 2.0 clocks sales of around 3,000 units per month.

This will be the third new offering by HMSI this year after it launched a face-lifted Dio with a new engine this month.

The Delhi-based company, which recently overtook Chennai-based TVS Motors to claim the third spot, has lined up seven new products for launch this year.

The company has lined up a face-lifted CBR 250R model for launch by this month-end. The new 2012 edition, also show-cased at the Auto Expo, will be dearer by Rs 1,500 offering a new colour combination.

Naresh Rattan, vice-president, sales and marketing, HMSI said the company was due to launch the CBR 250R shortly in the market. "The new bike has gone under production by the middle of this month," he added.

The CBR 250R has seen some substantial slide in sales in the recent months. The company saw sales of under 140 units of the bike in January as against its usual tally of around 2,500-3,000 units every month.

"There is no dearth of demand for premium priced bikes in India despite a broader slowdown in demand for the commuter bikes witnessed by a few players," Rattan noted. "The market is growing rapidly even is such times."

HMSI is phasing out the current generation of the bike from the distribution channels before trying to launch a face-lifted version.

Further, the company has been facing problems regarding components supplies from Thailand.

"There have been issues relating to components shortage due to the recent floods in Thailand which has impacted local production," revealed Rattan. "This matter is being sorted out before we launch the new version."

Besides the commuter segment bikes, the company is lining up latest versions of imported models, such as the CB1000R and the CBR Fireblade for launch.

Honda Brio To Be Launched By The End Of 2011 - Technical Specifications, Features, Price

Honda motors late unveiled the image of their new hatchback Honda Brio which makes use of MAN Extremum - Tool MINIMUM Construct. Honda's "Man Extremum - Machine Extremum idea" is a elementary motion to Honda car organization which aims to increase the space visible for fill and to minimize the interval required for mechanised components. 

New Honda Brio is industrial as a metropolis car which is painless to use symmetric in urbanized areas. The comfortable to hold thickset body (Size:3610mm X Breadth:1680mm X Top:1475mm) of Brio justifies naming it a municipality car. At the corresponding example, the Brio ensures sufficiency cabin area for digit grouping which is achieved by highly efficient stuff. With Brio, Honda thoroughly continued the beginning of an innovative and at the same reading, asserts a alcoholic proximity.

New Honda Brio is unsurprising to uprise in 2 variants, viz. S and V, both of which are powered by a 4-cylinder, 1.2 liter, i-VTEC engine that produces 90PS of land. Brio comes with 5-speed drill transmission and a CVT gear, which is useable only in the V taxon. Honda gift be providing device technologies specified a SRS strawman airbags, saucer brakes, ABS and EBD as basic in all versions. The fuel saving of Brio is fictive to be around (100 km /5 liter).

Honda has already launched Brio in Siam. The begin of Honda Brio in India and remaining Eastern countries is foreseen to be by the end of this period. The toll of Honda Brio in India is supposed to be between 5 lakh and 7 lakh Asiatic rupee

Video: New Honda Civic Hatch to Race in BTCC in 2012

We may be waiting for Honda to fully reveal the European market 2012 Civic hatchback, but the Japanese automaker announced today that the five-door model will compete in the 2012 British Touring Car Championship.
Team Dynamics, which has been a long time Honda partner, will prepare two fully works cars based on the new Civic with which it hopes to repeat 2010’s success of winning both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles.
“We are delighted to enter the new Civic in next year’s BTCC and hope to build on the success we’ve had with the current model”, said managing director of Honda UK, Dave Hodgetts. “We’ve made significant improvements to the new road car, and we’re confident they will make for a competitive car too.”
Honda also released the first in a line of four videos called “What Drives a Racing Team”. The video, which you can watch after the jump, shows the way the racing team works during the season.

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Honda Accord Receives New Styling and Increased Fuel Economy for 2011

Honda Accord Receives New Styling and Increased Fuel Economy for 2011

concept cars, Honda, honda accord, honda accord new, new style accord, tuning cars

For 2011, the Accord evolves again with sharpened styling inside and out, fuel economy gains and a broader application of popular features,” said Erik Berkman, vice president of Corporate Planning and Logistics for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “The Accord is designed to deliver a consistently rewarding ownership experience in the areas that matter most to sedan and coupe drivers.

The 2011 Accord Sedan’s exterior expresses a more upscale and powerful presence with a new style for the front grille, front bumper and rear deck lid, along with a new wheel design.

2012 Honda CR-V Concept

Honda has released a picture of the concept version of its next-generation CR-V, and it looks, well, pretty much like we expected based on recent spy photos. The vehicle seen here is, as is typical with Honda’s concepts, a loosely disguised version of the production car.
That’s not to say that when the fourth-generation CR-V arrives at dealerships some time in late 2011, it will be festooned with some of the concept’s more colorful design elements. Items like the smoked-out headlights, prominent front skid plate, gargantuan wheels, and polished black lower trim likely will remain the domain of the show car. Otherwise, though, what you see here is what we’ll get.
Despite a relatively significant change in the CR-V’s design—it’s major by Honda’s conservative standards, at least—the new car will be mechanically similar to the one it replaces. Front-wheel drive definitely will again be standard, with optional all-wheel drive returning to the menu, too. It’s doubtful that Honda will make any major changes in the engine department from last year’s car, meaning that buyers will probably get a 2.4-liter inline four good for about 180 hp. Unlike the 2011 CR-V, which had a five-speed automatic transmission, the new model is likely to receive a six-speed unit. If Honda does go this route, you can expect a modest boost in fuel economy over the current CR-V’s 21 mpg city/28 highway for front-drive models and 21/27 for those with AWD.
While the CR-V has never fully roused the enthusiast’s soul, it has always been one of the more involving small crossovers to pilot. (Pun intended as an excuse to post a link to the face-lifted 2012 Pilot, which Honda also announced.) At the same time, the CR-V has been one of the more practical and easy-to-use small utes, too, a factor we’re sure is of higher importance to most of the people with one in their driveway. (There are a lot of those people: 227,760 CR-Vs were sold in the past 12 months alone.) We don’t expect those traits to change with this next-gen model, although we’ll have to wait until Honda decides to show us the production model to find out for sure.

 

Source : Caranddriver.com

Honda S2000, 2000-2009 - Used Vehicle Review

You might have called it Honda’s mid-life crisis, but unlike the 50 year-olds who go out and buy a sports car, Honda celebrated its 50th by building one.
A sporty Honda isn’t tough to wrap your head around, but for a company whose most overtly sporty car to that point was a Civic with 160 horsepower, the S2000 was Honda’s and-now-for something-completely-different moment, with a screaming 9,000-rpm four-cylinder good for 240 horses.
At the time, the S2000′s engine boasted the highest specific power per volume of any naturally-aspirated (that is, not turbo- or supercharged) production motor. That is to say, it produced more power per litre of displacement than any other naturally-aspirated engine in a car available in a showroom. The motor was mated to a standard six-speed manual transmission (the only one available) and a Torsen limited slip differential.
In 2004, Honda made some cosmetic and mechanical tweaks to the S2000. Most significantly, these included bumping the engine’s displacement to 2.2 litres by way of a longer piston stroke; horsepower remained the same, but torque increased to 162 lb-ft at 6,200 from the previous peak of 153 lb-ft at 7,500 rpm. The longer stroke resulted in a lower redline of 8,000 rpm.
In addition to the larger motor, the transmission got shorter ratios for gears one through four and taller ratios for fifth and sixth.
In 2006, Honda added a drive-by-wire throttle and Vehicle Stability Assist.
For 2008, the S2000 gained a tire pressure monitoring system, updated dash and gauges and a few new colours.
For a full list of differences between 2000-2003 and 2004-2009 cars, check this thread.
In typical Honda fashion, fuel consumption is decidedly palatable for a sports car, with EnerGuide ratings of 11.8 L/100 km (city) and 8.4 L/100 km (highway). Autos.ca contributors Paul Williams and Frank Rizzuti, both S2000 owners, report that those figures are quite realistic in real-world driving. Premium fuel is a requirement, though. Reliability has been solid, generally, but Consumer Reports (CR) data indicates a few things to watch for. One is what CR dubs the potential for “major” engine problems in 2003 through 2005 models. The publication doesn’t provide specifics, but possibilities include a stuttering engine caused by a bad manifold air pressure (MAP) sensor or an ignition system misfire, which can be caused by any number of things. Source : autos.ca

Automakers Forecasted to Lead the United States Market in 2011

 

General Motors wants to be the plug-in leader with the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid with 40 miles of electric range and 500 miles per gasoline fill-up range. Chevrolet will deliver over 10,000 in 2011. GM has a complete Voltec Propulsion System roadmap that envisions added offerings of pure battery-electric, E85, and diesel. The second plug-in offering from GM is likely to be a Chevrolet Crossover SUV. Look for a range versus cost battle with Toyota, as the Volt achieves more electric range by adding to vehicle cost with a 16kWh battery.
Nissan will be the first automaker to put over 10,000 pure battery-electric cars on U.S. highways. 20,000 have made deposits for Nissan Leaf and several cities are in major partnerships. The LEAF can be purchased starting at $32,780 or $349 per month. The Nissan LEAF is battery-electric with a 100-mile range per charge. LEAF Test drive. This 5-door, 5-seat, hatchback has the right size and range for many who drive under 100 miles daily, or for households with more than one car.

Ford will be selling at least two electric cars by the end of 2011 and five models by the end of 2012. The best seller will be the Ford Focus Electric, a battery-electric that we expect to aggressively compete with the Nissan Leaf. Ford will be taking orders for a 2012 C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, an exciting Crossover SUV that seats 5. In the future, the Ford Focus available any way the customer wants it: battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, or fuel-efficient sedan. Ford is already selling the Transit Connect Electric compact van.
 
Tesla is the first to sell 1,000 electric cars for the U.S. highways. Tesla owners are the first to put 10 million electric miles on the road. Like its Roadster, the company is going zero to sixty in less than four seconds. Tesla is also developing a roomy Model S hatchback that starts at $57,400, about half the price of the Roadster. The Roadster is battery-electric with a 240-mile range; the Model S will have remarkable electric range options of 130 to 300 miles per charge. Tesla is working with shareholder Toyota to bring back the Toyota RAV4 EV, an electric SUV. Tesla is working with shareholder Daimler to put Smart EDs on U.S. streets this year. In the future, the Tesla Model X will be a Crossover SUV for those that want more premium styling and interiors than alternatives from Chevrolet, Ford, and others.
 
Fisker Karma is a luxury sports plug-in hybrid with prices starting around $90,000. With 20kWh of lithium batteries, you could go 50 miles before the 2L turbo engine is engaged. The Karma invites you to accelerate, using two electric motors that deliver 403 horsepower, so your mileage may vary. In theory it’s a 4-seater; good luck fitting someone in the back seat. The Karma is about sex appeal, performance, and luxury. A more affordable family sedan is planned for 2012.

Toyota, world-leading seller of hybrids, will offer both plug-in hybrids and pure battery electric cars. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHV) looks like another Prius until you spot the J1772 plug for smart charging. Six hundred PHV are in fleet trails from cities to car sharing services. Next year, you can order the Prius PHV. Toyota will initially control costs by only using a 5kWh battery for a 14-mile electric range. In 2012, Toyota is likely to also offer the RAV4 EV SUV and a pure battery-electric FT-EV small city car.
Honda is preparing the Honda Fit EV and a plug-in hybrid for sale in the U.S. in 2012. The Fit EV is in demonstration program in fleets such as Google and Stanford University. We speculate that the new EV will use Blue Energy lithium-ion batteries and will price below $29,900.

Mitsubishi is currently the electric car market leader in Japan with the iMiEV.
In 2012, the U.S. version of the Mitsubishi I will price at less than $29,900. This fun-to-drive 5 door, 4 seat hatchback, will have a wheel base 5 inches wider for the U.S. market, but the micro-compact will still be able to get those precious city parking spaces that no other car can take except the Smart. The more powerful U.S. version will have an electric range of 50 to 80 miles with a 16kWh lithium battery.
 

 Daimler is bringing the Smart Fortwo ED to the United States. 250 Smart Fortwo ED will be put into U.S. test this year using Tesla battery packs, but smart is currently targeting the 2013 model year for the first commercial electric car. It will start taking consumer and fleet orders in 2012. Daimler also owns 5 percent of Tesla. Mercedes hybrids. BMW will accelerate electric plans in a couple of years. Mercedes is putting into fleet tests two 5-seat hatchback electric cars – the A-Class E-CELL battery-electric car with 120-mile range and the B-Class F-CELL, which adds a hydrogen fuel cell to double the range.
 
Think has been selling its smaller battery-electric City car in Europe for years. With new capital from EnerDel, Valmet, and Kleiner Perkins, Think hopes to have its financial struggles in the rear view mirror and be on U.S. roads within a year.

 

 

 

U.S. Electric Car Forecast

Accenture forecasts 1.5 million electric vehicles in the United States by 2015. Over 10 million electric vehicles are possible by 2020, especially if oil prices continue to rise as battery prices fall. Single electric utilities have scenarios for charging over one million electric vehicles in their own service area by 2020. With renewable energy investment required of utilities in 30 states, these utilities are most interested in night time charging of electric vehicles with wind, geothermal, and hydropower. Utilities are also implementing smart grids and incentives for off-peak charging.
By 2011 year-end, competition will be intense for electric car leadership. The above Top 10 describe our best guess about the market share leaders for delivered plug-in vehicles on the United States roads in 2011. Battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles with range extended by engines or fuel cells were all considered.
Over 100 competitors will be fighting for U.S. share by the end of 2012. Some may be struggle to get significant share due to the time and cost of safety and other regulatory approvals, delays in funding, unpleasant surprises from a battery, drive system, or component supplier. It’s a tough business. Even Tesla had to add 700 pounds and two years to get the first Roadsters in customers’ hands.

Asia Prepares for the U.S. Market

For three years, we have read about China’s plans to bring electric cars to the U.S. Although China’s U.S. ambitions have slipped badly, its automakers cannot be ignored. China has over 100 million light electric vehicles, e-bikes and e-scooters in daily use. It’s new 5-year plan calls for 100 million electric charging stations in China by 2020. BYD, with gold-plated investors such as Warren Buffett, has only put a few hundred electric vehicles on the road in China and continues to delay introduction to the United States. CODA’s $45,000 sedan continues to seek DOE loans and more investors and has delayed sales until Fall 2011, or later. Volvo, now owned by China’s Geely has the new C30 Drive E Electric. I was impressed with my test drive, but the Volvo electric car will be selling only in Europe in the short-term. SAIC, Chery, and hundreds of players are also preparing EVs for Chin
India might bring us a Maharinda Reva or Nano EV that under prices everyone, but not this year which is the basis for this Top 10 Report.

European Innovation

By 2020, Europe with higher fuel prices and fewer oil subsidies, is forecasted to have more electric cars by 2020 than the U.S. Better Place may deliver 100,000 of the Renault Fluence with its switchable battery to Israel, Denmark, and other countries. Volkswagen may teach everyone how to extend range by making vehicles light. The concept Up Light weighs just over 1,500 pounds, but it’s only a concept. I loved test-driving the Volkswagen Golf Blue E-Motion, but don’t plan on buying it in the U.S. before 2014. You will likely be able to buy the Audi E-Tron sooner. BMW’s first U.S. electric car commercial offering, the Megacity Vehicle, may be a hit in 2013. For fun in the city in 2013, the Fiat 500 EV may be what you want. In other words, there is a lot of European innovation that did not make this Top 10 List, which focuses on the U.S. market for the next 12 months.
Please bookmark this Top 10 List and check back as we update. Exciting new electric cars are being driven on the U.S. streets and freeways. Nissan is an early mover with battery-electric cars and General Motors with plug-in hybrids. Competition will start to heat-up with offerings from Ford, Toyota, Honda, and dozens of Asian, European and American innovators. The winner will be the customer.
Source : cleanfleetreport.com

2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe - Road Test

Now Playing: Upsized and downrevved for the enthusiast of tomorrow.

Highs, Lows, and Verdict

Highs: Sports-car handling, fluid shifter, perfect clutch, finally some torque at step-off.
Lows: Harsh cockpit surfaces, kids-only back seat, will need more power to hold off turbocharged competitors.

The Verdict: Don’t say no until you’ve undertaken a three-day, 800-mile road trip.

For the past six years, we’ve felt a little like Estragon and Vladimir in Waiting for Godot. So many hours have been lost debating whether the previous-gen Honda Civic Si produced enough power to hold its head above water in the pocket-rocket pond. Eventually, this existential controversy morphed into a kind of recreation, with Si devotees screeching fiery epithets from the bleachers. Well, finally, Generation Nine is upon us. “We’re saved!” shouted Beckett’s protagonists whenever they suspected Godot might momentarily appear.
Here’s a sad fact: Godot never showed. And whether the Si is “saved” likewise remains unclear. Let us review recent history.
Our first encounter with the previous Si came late in calendar year 2005, when we pitted it against a Volkswagen GTI. The Honda lost. In 2009, we inserted an Si into a seven-car comparo, where it finished fifth, gasping and sweating. We weren’t surprised. The Si’s engine—2.0 liters, 197 horsepower, 139 pound-feet of torque—relegated it to least-powerful status in the whole segment. It certainly didn’t possess the grits to fend off, say, a 263-hp Mazdaspeed 3 Grand Touring or a 265-hp Subaru Impreza WRX. What’s more, accessing the Si’s horses has always required the spinning of the crank and cams to a fine fare-thee-well. The VTEC didn’t swap cam profiles until 6000 rpm, and it was thereafter vital to rely on every single rev right up to the colossal eight-grand cutoff.
Of course, Si purists—and trust us, they are legion—smugly insisted that the little howler-monkey engine comprised much of the car’s charm. Yet in the same breath, they’d also confess the coppery taste of  humiliation whenever a WRX achieved 60 mph 2.0 seconds in front of them, fast becoming a gnat on the horizon.
Now comes Honda’s solution for the ninth-gen Si, a solution both simple and a little surprising, given the rumors of a turbo. Out goes the 2.0-liter engine, in comes the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter unit that sees simultaneous duty in the Acura TSX. The result is an unnoticeable 4-hp gain, but torque is up 22 percent—peaking at 4400 rpm instead of 6100 rpm—and that’s a difference you can feel. While they were at it, the engineers paired the engine to the TSX’s delightful six-speed transaxle. But is that enough?
Well, sort of. At the track, the Si nailed 60 mph in 6.3 seconds versus the previous 6.7, and it proved a half-second quicker in our 5-to-60-mph rolling start. Turn off  the traction control, and you can now shred rubber for 15 feet, followed by a Rottweiler bark as you bang into second. An improvement, for sure, but it’s still shy of the accelerative thrust of five turbocharged competitors, including the Speed 3, the WRX, and even the GTI, which has a similarly meager 200 horses but can nonetheless summon 60 mph in 6.1 seconds.
On the other hand, the larger engine ushers in welcome perks. The mechanical thrash of the previous powerplant, for instance, is now largely MIA, and gear noise is likewise reduced, with all three of our sound-level tests confirming the fact. (Still, road-borne noise and tread roar remain issues that Honda must address.) Equally important, the number of shifts required for ’round-town cruising seems subjectively halved. In traffic, the Si is perfectly content relying on first, third, and fifth. And by eschewing a turbo, the Si’s mileage—now up to an observed 26 mpg—is best described as a charming achievement.

Yes, the Si is smokin’ hot. Sixty mph now arrives in 6.3 seconds, 0.4 second quicker than the previous Si. At the drag strip, however, the car will continue to eat the exhaust of its turbocharged competitors.

Yes, yes, 900 top-end revs have been lost. But the car now pulls with at least vague enthusiasm just after step-off. In fact, our only serious beef with the new engine is its considerable overrun when the throttle is suddenly dropped. Among other things, that makes for very little initial engine braking, and the revs sometimes take a couple of seconds to return to idle. Most drivers won’t complain, but it’s a behavior that lends the drivetrain a titch of laziness that has historically been anathema to Honda-think.
As with the previous-gen Si, this is among the most-neutral-handling front-drivers on the planet. Around our 15-mile public-road loop in southern Ohio, we could provoke only the most minor of nibbling understeer—and that was at speeds approaching Fear Factor Nine—with the rear tires faithfully following whatever paths had been established by the fronts. No rotation, no drifts, no drama. Body motions were exquisitely controlled, with the ride revealing the stiff springs and dampers only over high-frequency imperfections, primarily expansion joints and broken pavement.
At around-town speeds, the Si’s steering tends to feel artificial, as if it were the outcome of some sort of electrical/mechanical calculus that never precisely balanced. At least it’s light. As speed rises, fortunately, it firms up nicely and also becomes livelier. There’s no bump steer, no nervousness, and interstate tracking is peerless. The brakes are fade-free, and the pedal is firm and informative.
Moreover, the light, fluid shifter—as good as any that Honda has ever produced—allows the driver to summon alternate rev ranges with the flick of two fingers, abetted by a new lightweight clutch with simply seamless takeup. Faced with slow hairpins, the limited-slip differential carefully apportions power so that the inside front wheel never scrabbles. The thinly cushioned seats hold you firmly in place, and the dead pedal is perfectly sited. With lateral grip rising from 0.87 g to 0.90 g, the Si just dances and sings in the hills. This 2864-pound coupe is perfectly balanced, agile, poised, ever willing, a car that is easy to drive. Real fast comes real quickly.
The only obvious failure here is the unimproved interior. There are crass plastic trim bits on the steering wheel and around the HVAC controls. The Civic’s trademark minivan-sized windshield leans over a mini­van-sized dash, a vast plain of cut-lines, textures, and colors. The bunk-bed layout for the IP is okay, but the garish LCD gauges are right out of a RadioShack in Akron. The mouse-fur headliner suffers from the mange, and there’s a lumpy, wrinkled collar of felt that surrounds the steering column, shouting to one and all, “Yessir, that’s right, I actually am the cheapest bit of flotsam in the universe!” Note to Honda: Check out the Ford Focus’s interior.
The new Si—manual six-speed only—comes in both sedan and coupe forms. The coupe starts at $22,955, the sedan opens at $23,155, and both top out at $24,655. The only options are navigation, XM radio, and (exclusive to the coupe) summer tires—17-inch Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2s, as fitted on our test car. (Fun driving tip: Demand that your spouse call you “Pilot Exalto.”) If you’ve got a calculator handy, you’ll perhaps already know that a starter Si coupe is more than $1500 cheaper than either a GTI or a Speed 3.
This latest Si is more sophisticated than its forebear, although it has been somewhat cruelly left to play David to the turbocharged Goliaths. As of now, it offers a better ride, produces less noise, and is faster in both a straight line and through the most diabolical off-camber, double-apex turns that Ohio’s deranged civil engineers could conjure. It is surely less raw than its predecessor, a trait that many Si purists—including our own revered Tony Quiroga and Dan Pund—lament. Until they commit to a three-day, 800-mile road trip, two-thirds of which skates over frost-heaved interstates. No longer is the Si a one-trick pony. At speed it’s a serial killer, yet during commutes and city errands it’s a near-soothing mental-health counselor with practicality and a price that make it easy to justify.
Source : Carsanddriver.com

2012 Honda Gold Wing Adventure Ride

 

The Honda Gold Wing has always been a popular motorcycle here in the USA offices. We’ve ridden them all over the country, but these big touring bikes had fallen off the radar for a few years. That all changed when Honda revealed a new and improved 2012 Gold Wing. We had our first taste of the bike during a brief day ride in Southern California a few months back but the folks from American Honda were keen to remind us just how great their luxury touring motorcycle is by dragging us to the east coast for a long, grueling ride through the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Climb on the 2012 Honda Goldwing for a two-up motorcycle ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Check out our Goldwing Adventure video for a look at all the fun we had along the way.

Their plan was simple: Send us on an epic three-day motorcycle tour with a few unique twists and turns that transformed a routine press event into the ultimate Honda Gold Wing adventure. We would fly to Orlando, take a train to Virginia then ride the Blue Ridge Parkway to Tennessee… two-up. Rather than randomly assigning us a Castrol Honda umbrella girl, we were allowed to bring our significant other’s along for this journey so my long-time girlfriend Laura was lucky enough to get the opportunity to join me. Our Goldwing Adventure would incorporate all forms of transportation including planes, trains, boats and of course, motorcycles so it was sure to be a memorable mission.

We arrived in Orlando on a Sunday evening for the start of our Gold Wing adventure. Our night consisted of libations at the Waldorf Astoria and getting familiarized with the host of high-tech accessories the Wing is now equipped with during a tech briefing: A state of the art electronics package that includes a new Satellite-Linked Navigation System (Navi) which is fully compatible with the recently-unveiled Honda Trip Planner (available on the official Honda website) an MP3/Satellite Radio/iPod compatible stereo and the requisite electronically-adjustable preload suspension topped the list. It could have easily slipped past anyone who wasn’t paying attention, but the Honda Trip Planner is a big part of the Gold Wing navigation system and destined to play a role in the social media aspects of the Gold Wing Riders Association and other Honda clubs. The HTP allows riders to transfer maps and route data from the Wing’s GPS via a USB storage device, making it easy to share their rides with other Wingers.

Our adventure started in Orlando (Left) but we soon made our way to the Amtrak station for the start of an overnight journey to Virginia. There was food, fun and plenty of bench racing on the tracks (Center). We unloaded our fleet of 2012 Honda Goldwings off the train next morning and made our way east for an afternoon of fun in the liquid sunshine to Ronoake.

Armed with a deeper understanding of the Gold Wing we proceeded to imbibe and soak in the splendor of the Waldorf. The next morning we embarked on an overnight Amtrak Auto Train from Florida to Virginia. Since this was the first overnight train-ride for many of us it was a novel way for the Gold Wing Adventure participants to get to know each other better and add a very cool element to the trip. We all enjoyed the fine dining and had some serious fun in the bar-car until the wee-hours of the morning. We awoke in Virginia after a restless night’s sleep in our motorhome-like cabins and that’s where the riding adventure would begin.

Over a dozen 2012 Gold Wings were unloaded from the storage cars and an assortment of editors, wives and significant others geared up for a long day in the saddle. Thunder clouds loomed on the horizon as throngs of oldsters did their best to freak us all out as the struggled to locate the parking lot exit through a labyrinth of bikes, riders and support crew. It was comical if not a bit scary.

We were lucky to get out of the parking lot alive on our fully-accessorized Candy Red and Silver Gold Wing. The Navi system also has an overview of the weather in the bottom left hand corner of the monitor – a Doppler-like map that shows green where the rain is and red where the bad weather is. We were riding through a red cloud, fitting since we were on a Honda, but bad news since things were about to get a little moist. Without a doubt we were on the most-

The 2012 Honda Goldwing is a motorcycle which provides a combination of two-up comfort and performance that has made it the bike of choice for thousands of riders everywhere.

accessorized flagship bike in our fleet but none of that would matter in a few minutes. The chrome crash bars, kick-stand and fender trim wouldn’t protect us from the precipitation but I wish it would have. The distant thunder we heard earlier was followed by lightning and torrential rains of biblical proportions that descended upon us within an hour’s ride from the station.

Virginia may be for lovers but there wasn’t much love from Mother Nature for us on the first day. While the Gold Wing offers-up great wind protection it simply could not shield us from the wall of water falling from the sky. And we couldn’t exactly turn tail and run either since we were committed to making it to our destination before dark, so we soldiered on. We were soaked, sitting in pools of warm water and riding by braille since you couldn’t see more than a few feet in front you. It’s nothing new in this line of work but I took a small bit of pleasure knowing that everyone with a passenger was getting the full press-intro experience on this day.

The rain only lasted for an hour or two so it gave everyone a chance to test the waterproof claims of their riding gear. By the time we trickled into the parking lot of the historic Hotel Roanoke around dusk everyone in the group were still a little wet and weary. It wasn’t anything that a long hot shower couldn’t cure. Had we been hard-core Wingers we would have been setting up a tent at the KOA.

We rolled out of bed early the next day and saw that weather was still going to be a factor. This time our rain gear was on from the get-go as we made the long highway drone to Asheville. Though we were riding on some long stretches of super slab the highways between Virginia and North Carolina are so curvy that it wasn’t a total bore. The scenery is amazing and the wet season had all the foliage vibrant and green. It’s beautiful out on the east coast in spring. As far as our Gold Wing was concerned, the seat and pillion perch are more comfortable than any other motorcycle on the road and it is sweet to have tunes at your disposal when you’re riding. There’s a good reason you see thousands of two-up Gold Wing riders touring the America’s back roads: Because these bikes rock.

(Left) Jamie was assigned Charlie as he personal umbrella boy. Times, they are a changing. As you can see the rain didn't dampen our spirits. (Middle) Laura never complained or whined about the rain. Good thing she didn't know I could barely see through the deluge! We arrived at the historic Hotel Roanoke just in time. I don't mind riding in the rain but the lightning was scary.

Let’s talk about the sound system and other gadgets some more. We had the tunes blaring and Navi on mute as we logged the miles on our second day. The highway afforded the opportunity to get acquainted with the myriad of gizmos and amenities the 2012 Gold Wing offers. You can sift through satellite radio, pull-up tunes from your iPod or chat on the communication system. Heck, there’s a CB too so we had a fun time staying in contact with the rest of the riders for a while. Eventually, I can’t help but shut down the extra noise though. There’s a tranquility that comes from riding that I think I enjoy more than the Steve Miller Band.

Unlike some OEM motorcycle navigation systems, riders cannot adjust the Goldwing’s Navi system on the fly. It must be turned on and a destination chosen prior to getting underway. The folks at Honda are staunch believer in rider safety, so you have to pay attention to the road instead of fiddling with the GPS. With our 3D Navi map scrolling along and a few select tunes to keep us company we made up for lost opportunities to soak in the surroundings from day one. The Smoky Mountains by motorcycle is the only way to go.

The Biltmore Mansion is even more extravagant than it looks. It's big, ostentatious and has a lot of rooms. The same can be said of Honda's Goldwing. I couldn't resist that one.

We arrived at the posh confines of the Biltmore Estate in Ashville in a procession of glistening chrome, shiny paint and the din of tunes emanating from our bikes. The second day of the Gold Wing Adventure ride revealed that the motorcycles are not only comfortable for the rider but very accommodating to a passenger over the long haul. The passenger seat on our bike included the optional arm-rests which Laura found to be a nice addition. There are cubby holes along the side so she could stash snacks, extra gloves, sunglasses or her cell-phone for easy access. It would be catastrophic if you dropped something while underway but she never did. The separate seat-heater is a nice touch too but it all came back to general passenger comfort. My girl liked it and the rest of the pillions seemed to have nothing but good things to say as well. Honda wanted to get feedback on two-up comfort so they had to be pleased.

That evening we celebrated our rain-free run with champagne on the viewing deck atop the 175,000 square foot Biltmore Mansion, overlooking the surrounding 150,000-acre spread. The Vanderbilt family has a significant influence on this part of the state as our guided history tour revealed and they are still luring in tourists who want to see what ostentatious looks like, first hand. I couldn’t help but think how much of a pain it would be to have 43 bathrooms to maintain, though you would be all but assured of some private time. Too bad we weren’t allowed to use any of them after the champagne tasting. Well, at least we got to check out the facilities in the stables, which were more lavish than most houses I’ve been in. There’s one thing for sure that Honda and the Vanderbilt’s have in common: They both like to go big.

The final leg of our Gold Wing Adventure ride would take us along the Blue Ridge Parkway and onto the infamous section of road known as Deals Gap. This winding tarmac is also known as The Tail of the Dragon because there are no less than 318 turns along an 11-mile stretch. At the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort we tried to blend in among the hundreds of other motorcycle enthusiasts who were out for a ride on a sunny afternoon. That meant the road was fairly clear and devoid of cages so we would have our run of the place.

The 2012 Goldwing symbolizes all that we like about Honda motorcycles. The bike is smooth and has amazing fit & finish. The layout is well thought out and there are not many compromises when it comes to rider comfort. Long distance travelling is its forte.

After stuffing our face with one of the best burgers ever grilled, we tackled the Tail of Dragon aboard our war horse-esque Gold Wing. The perfectly smooth tarmac twists, winds and undulates through miles of mountain pass. It was a surprise how well behaved the Wing is in these conditions. Fully loaded with two riders the Honda carved up the corners in a way that truly belies its actual size. There are descents and climbs along the way which showed how well the brakes performed under tight, heavy load conditions while the climbs revealed the smooth low-end power delivery of the Opposed Six engine. We made good time and had a lot of fun flopping the big ballerina from side to side. Sure, we scraped some floorboards and wouldn’t be able to hang with a CBR600RR rider for very long if it wanted to ditch us, but we had a lot of fun nonetheless. This truly is an epic ride and one that every motorcycle rider should make a pilgrimage to at least once. It was our first time at Deals Gap and when it was all said and done, we were both glad we came.

The 2012 Honda Goldwing is more than the sum of it's parts: Advanced electronics, stereo, better suspension and a lot of all around comfort for both the rider & passenger. Nuff said.

Our Gold Wing Adventure wrapped up at the Crowne Plaza in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was an impressive journey that ended with one of the most epic rides on the east coast. That’s one more-check off the old bucket list and one more reason to be thankful for motorcycle friendly places like Deals Gap and the amazing byways of Virginia, Carolina and Tennessee.

Honda wanted us to experience the Gold Wing way on this trip. They arranged for incredible stay-overs, mapped out amazing rides and even used the Honda weather-changing satellite to deluge us and keep us humble in the early going. As a rider and passenger tandem we came away from the experience believing that the Gold Wing is alive and well and better than ever. This motorcycle was created for people who love to travel on two wheels and it shows in every aspect from the huge luggage capacity, to rider-friendly ergonomics all the way down to the industry-exclusive reverse function. When it comes to logging long miles in the seat of the original luxury touring bike, the Gold Wing continues to be the gold standard.

Source : motorcycle-usa.com