Forza Life

How about 'Forza Life' as a 'What did you to your SW today' type topic for all owners of the Honda NSS Forza.

In my own case with my 2018 Forza 300, I changed the oil and filter earlier this year, took it for it's second MOT recently, and the rest of the time I've just ridden it.

No add on bits to mention either, as I'd sourced, bought, and fitted all the necessary Givi accessories for the Forza by June 2019. I've been tempted and so far resisted all the other unnecessary junk and dubious quality stuff advertised online.

I haven't been over to Europe on a maxi since September 2019, mainly due to lockdowns and Covid restrictions and partly due to my own lack of enthusiasm. Plus there were more important things going on at home. Although next year I am looking at returning on the Forza to a destination I last rode to 40 years ago on a MZ 250.

Taking advantage of a mild Autumn,  this months riding has been almost exclusively rides to either motorcycle clothing and accessories stores near and far.

Plus a couple of rides to pie and mash shops daan saaf in Essex and Hertfordshire. I should maybe call them my 'Getting Away From Gravy' rides.

Nice idea. So we’ve had the “Honda Forza” forum under the “Other Scooters and Motorcycles” banner for awhile now. I’ve retitled that to “Forza Life”. And given it top position under the banner as well. Thank you for your interest and suggestion Meldrew.

Thanks, Tim.

Thank you Timothy.

For me the past month Forza Life has been getting into my winter routine. The long sweaty summer rides are over, Autumn/Fall riding was great, now it's colder, wetter, there's more crud on minor roads, and of course the days are shorter.

As an incentive to get out on the Forza and not just aimlessly ride around, I have a list of traditional eateries I want to go to. There's no time limit involved, all I need is a decent day and I'll go check out one.

They're spread over a couple of counties and usually in cities and towns I've never been to. I order the same items in each place, and sometimes the same extra dish. Then compare them with the other places I've been. I've been to half a dozen places so far, and paid a couple of them a second visit.

Meldrew wrote:

(Snip) As an incentive to get out on the Forza and not just aimlessly ride around, I have a list of traditional eateries I want to go to. There's no time limit involved, all I need is a decent day and I'll go check out one.

They're spread over a couple of counties and usually in cities and towns I've never been to. I order the same items in each place, and sometimes the same extra dish. Then compare them with the other places I've been. I've been to half a dozen places so far, and paid a couple of them a second visit.

Hmm… A thinly veiled suggestion that a RTE food column be added to the forum. Uncle Meldrew’s Culinary Adventures wot?

No chance Timothy, there's an enthusiastic and critical following for this type of food elsewhere on the internet, where I'm merely an enthusiastic rookie.

The Forza is running fine, 200 miles plus from a tank and great wind and rain protection when you're moving. Not so good when you're stuck in traffic on a dual carriageway for the best part of two hours because of a serious road traffic accident up ahead and the Police have closed the road in front and behind you.

While dry warm and comfortable sitting there in the rain, I noticed after a hour of my riding suit begin to wet out. It's not a problem as textile suits will wet out over time. I often reproof textile suit and with this is one I haven't in four years of ownership. I really like this suit, it's far and away the best designed, comfortable, and feature two-piece textile suit I've ever owned.

In fact I was surprised to find another hidden gem when I was preparing the jacket for reproofing. Behind the collar is a hidden zipper that I've never noticed before, when opened there's a very practical pull out rain hood. Very similar to one I already have on a rain suit jacket. Wear it under your helmet,  fasten it up and it stops any raindrops from going down your collar front and back. Adds warmth in cold weather too.

Winter is all about kit choice and I'm very pleased with the black leather boots I chose to replace the leather Hi-Tec Magnums I've been wearing since my Helix years.  None of the main motorcycle clothing stores had anything that interested me, so after a lot of research and price comparing I chose elsewhere.

They're a great fit, tough and waterproof, and as I like clean boots, the only downside is the recent news that the manufacturer of Kiwi boot polish is to stop selling it in the UK. It seems that working from home, Covid, and the rise of casual shoes wearing that don't require polishing.

Personally I can't abide lazy folk that slob around in dirty dull leather footwear that hasn't been cleaned since new.  I like polishing boots  for some strange reason, and I still use the boot brushes I was issued in my squaddie days, Kiwi was the polish to use even way back then.

I guess the military does that and it's not a bad thing. Being ex-RAF I too like to keep my boots (and clothing) well cleaned and shiny; the principal being that it increases water resistance and a smart appearance as well as increasing their useful life.

I envy your opportunities, Meldrew, to cover many miles during winter. I quite enjoy riding in the rain and don't mind the cold too much. However, as my SW is already laden with mostly superficial corrosion, I don't want it to get wet more than necessary. Also, my role as full-time carer for my Partner limits my free time. Having said that, I am soon planning a solo trip away for a few days and intend to use the SW provided there is no ice or salt on the roads.

It's hard to find a pie and mash eatery down here and chips with mushy peas with gravy is completely alien. I spent my formative years in the North East and miss some of those delicacies, especially in winter.

Ride on.

As I get older the appeal of winter riding gets less and less. So far my perfect winter day hasn't materialised, a dry and sunny day ideally with dry and salt free roads. I don’t have any incentive, it's just an ingrained habit that I've always had.


As I may have mentioned I find E10 no different than 95 octane Unleaded in winter, especially since I stopped believing all the forum nonsense about it.

Of course no winter ride would be complete without the tedious routine of hosing down and cleaning the Forza of road crap. I've been using a hot air dryer afterwards for a number of years now, and it's fascinating to see the amount of water I can blast out various areas of the Forza.

Are you using an industrial type drier or just a hairdryer or heat gun? Cleaning is one thing but getting the bike dry is quite another.

I'm using a 2800w hot air pet dryer which is identical to the hot air motorcycle dryer they were selling for almost double the price. It's powerful blast of heated air takes only a few minutes to dry my Forza, and a just bit longer when I had the Silver Wing.

The air blast from a home hair dryer is weedy in comparison, and a heat gun with a glowing red element would be both damaging and dangerous. A garden leaf blower with it's cold air blast is useless too.

It was nice to be out riding today. It's March and that Beast of the East weather front the newspapers keep banging on about still hasn’t arrived. So it was nice to not be wearing full heavy duty winter gear. I'll give it another couple of weeks and I'll be breaking out the shorts for daily slobbing about.

As much as I like the Forza, I've been tempted by the offer of a demo ride on something I've been interested in for quite awhile. It's unusual, different, and a tad expensive for a maxi scooter. As it is currently I'm happy enough riding round doing like today another of my lunch rides.

3 wheeler.?

I was out yesterday on the Forza and it was very enjoyable be out riding and off the scooter not clumping about in full winter weight gear. 

Or that period in between where the heavier gear isn't necessary but you still need intermediate layers for warmth. 

Now the weather is improving and a little later than usual I'm wearing my open face Schuberth. After wearing a heavier peaked flip front for the colder weather and low winter sun, it's great to wear an open face again. I have to say I don't get the same pleasure wearing full face or flip front helmets.

The Schuberth is due for replacement soon and I more or less know what open face I'll be replacing it with. I'll have to allow for the added cost of the integral comm unit for it, unless I utilise one of the clamp on old Interphone 3 units last used when Mrs M was a regular pillion. 

So out on the road yesterday, open face helmet on, wind noise minimal due to earplugs and height adjustable screen and spoiler, I spent a couple of miles reflecting on the sad and sudden passing of Tim, Cosmic Jumper, or Timothy as I liked to address him on these pages or in occasional emails.

His presence will be sadly missed.

Sounds like you had 'one of those rides'. Your comments about Tim sum up why we ride?

Not much going on Forza wise, ride it, check tyre pressures and oil level, wash it now and again, and ride it.

Meldrew wrote:

Not much going on Forza wise, ride it, check tyre pressures and oil level, wash it now and again, and ride it.

Actually, best type of bike there is…always at the ready in the garage and never have to worry about it. Just ride it when you’re ready to do so.

Had a set of matching Michelin City Grip 2 tyres fitted today, nice grippy confidence giving tyres straight out of the workshop.

Rear cast wheel design prevented a new angled alloy racing valve being fitted, but that's no biggie because checking tyre pressures is already a doddle on the Forza compared with the Silver Wing.

Hope the Michelins work well for you Meldrew! I put Pirelli Diablo Rossos on my Forza a couple of years ago when the OEM Dunlops died. I am happy with the Pirellis but this was at the end of the C-19 deal and tires were in short supply hence the Pirelli units.