Silver Wing Rumor

I was on another site earlier and someone posted that they heard that the Silver Wing is going to be discontinued. I have heard rumors for a few years about a Honda Silver Wing 750 and also the Honda E4-01. It would be cool if they finally released a new scooter but it doesn't seem the right time, with the economy the way it is.

I'm just posting what I saw and I will only believe it when I see it. But it would be nice to see new scoots.

I understand that Honda have applied for a whole host of patents with regard to the E4-01. This is usually indicative that they will at some point be manufacturing something at least based on the E4-01. Another issue is the recent launch of the Honda DN-01 with its Human Friendly Transmission HFT which among other things was designed to be more efficient, and more responsive than a traditional CVT drivetrain.

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/10/04/honda-dn-01-human-friendly-transmission-hft/

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/uptospeed/2009/04/honda-dn01-automatic-motorcycle.html


Alas, overall the DN-01 has not had an especially good press with less than impressive performance and economy..... Plus it is one heavy machine! Thus I think the main purpose of the Honda DN-01 is as a test bed for the HFT and hopefully pavingthe way for another bike/scoot. So could it be that if the Silver Wing is going to be retired, it will be replaced by a bigger more E4-01 type machine with the HFT?

That said it seems strange that Honda would retire such a sucessful, reliable, well proven scoot as it will leave a big gap in their scooter line up. What about the 400cc S'Wing?

To my mind I would think that the S'wing is going to be here for quite a while yet before being laid up, and will remain here at least until Honda are producing a viable alternative or replacement.

This rumour was touted here too, looks like the UFO will be replacing it, if they can actually sell one that is!

They might discontinue the Honda Silver Wing? Say it ain't so! {Note: There is no Silver Wing 400 in the good old USA} True I only saw 2 Silver Wings at Daytona Bike Week and one of them was mine but I just don't see them discontinuing it. True Honda is selling less bikes in America right now-just recently two Honda dealers in Miami went bankrupt and closed as well as one in West Palm Beach. Here in America Honda took the Helix and Reflex and priced themselves out of the market. In 2006 the last year of the Helix Honda charged about $6500 for that bike which was entirely too much for a Honda 250 scooter as their are so many better alternatives for less money such as the Yamaha 400 Majesty. There's little point in Honda bringing back the $6000 Reflex 250 as the Roketa MC-54-250 is identical to it in every possible way and costs just $2000 and that includes shipping to your front door!

Nobody at this time is making a direct knock off or a clone of the Honda Silver Wing 600 and if the were it probably wouldn't cost just $2000. I don't see Honda halting production of their Silver Wing 600 at this time because Honda is making entirely too much money on parts for the Silver Wing 600.

I think it's just a rumor, Paragon put that on the other site and she had just heard that somewhere. I think the Silverwing sells so well it wouldn't make sense to do that. I know they are not going to make the Helix anymore, and that's from my dealer who sold a ton of those. I think the Reflex ended up selling better for them. I would love it if they would bring the 400 over here, I might have ended up with one of those...
But now after a few times out on the new Silverwing I am enjoying it more and more.

Just the fact that stopping production would result in the lack of a bike in a certain niche certainly would not stop Honda from the decision. Several years ago Honda stopped producing the 750 Nighthawk, a tried and true standard bike with a small but loyal following. Honda has nothing to fill that void, and neither does any other major manufacturer, but that did not stop Honda from this action. The DN-01 is just too expensive to be considered a SW replacement, plus it fails to meet the step-through requirement for a lot of riders. Personally I don't see this scoot disappearing anytime soon.

vito wrote:

I don't see this scoot disappearing anytime soon.

I'll drink to that :D :m/c:

Discontinue the Silver Wing = Resale Value on our scoots skyrocket!


...but who wants to sell their SW?

I don't see the SWing disappearing either, unless they come out with the SWing 750. I don't see the E4-01 as a replacement for the SWing since it is more of a sport bike. I just have heard rumors for years and have seem pics of bikes that have been made by Honda. I think it will be a couple of years when the economy gets better. I think the resale of our bikes will go up since the new ones, if they come out, will probably be over $12,000 new. IMHO

JeffR wrote:

I don't see the SWing disappearing either, unless they come out with the SWing 750. I don't see the E4-01 as a replacement for the SWing since it is more of a sport bike. I just have heard rumors for years and have seem pics of bikes that have been made by Honda. I think it will be a couple of years when the economy gets better. I think the resale of our bikes will go up since the new ones, if they come out, will probably be over $12,000 new. IMHO

Maybe in a few years when I'm ready to buy the E4-01, or the 750 Silver Wing, or perhaps a hybrid MP3, I'll need to ship over to the USA complete with Silver Wing for some touring before I sell it.....

Then again I might just keep it for longer as my ultimate laid back versatility, and fun machine. Besides mine is kinda well used with a few scuffs and scratches..... Full of character....

Full of charachter....

I like that.

skiwoods wrote:

Full of charachter....

I like that.

Good! :D

Talking of Character, and noting your penchant for aeroplanes...

Myself and a few colleagues took out a group of mental health patients to the RAF museum at Hendon in North London today... Wow! and Wow!! :bounce1: Among all the character and history I saw some fantastic planes...

a Mustang, Spitfire, Hurricane, Mosquito, Messerschmitts, (even an ME 262 WW2 jet fighter) Heinkels, a stuka dive bomber, Lancaster bomber, Wellington bomber, Mitchell bomber, a Super fortress, zero, a Eurofighter, a Hawker Harrier, a Sunderland flying boat (went inside that one, that was the highlight) and many more......

It was a great day..... If ever you get to London, be sure not to miss it!! :D

Wow! That sounds like a great day! (excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard)

Anyone see this news item re: a new sportier 400?

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2214308/

It may be to compete with the new Yamaha T-Max . . .

Anyone know anything?

Captain

If you liked the GT 400 check this news spot out. An actual video of a new Silver Wing GT 600.

http://www.diginfo.tv/2009/04/02/09-0120-r-en.php

No specs yet though.

That's quite interesting.. . . wonder what the specs will be? Can't wait to find out!!

Unfortunately, it will likely be a few months to get those changes but it sounds like a JDM model or European model so far. A slightly more steamlined model with a host of improvements would be nice - a 750cc version would've been great but Honda has a real 'right size' for the application attitude . . .

Captain

Hmmmm.... But are the looks just skin deep?

The Silver Wing GT 600 looks like one of our older Wings, but restyled, to look more like a........ Burgman! Eh?!

I wouldn't be overly surprised to learn it's the same as an older wing, but with additional Honda accoutrements such as many of us have done with J costa, power commander, malossi, hyperpro etc.... The exhaust looks the same...... As does the size of the wheels.... Is it going to be any better than an older Wing with mods? I wonder how much its gonna cost?

So much for a 750 version .......

From what I remember last night, there may have been a little T-Max thrown in too!!

When will Honda realize the selling potential of more power less weight as it applies to everything!! Just look at their new CBR's (Fireblades over way Bernardo?) that's the way to go . . . to a certain degree, that is.

Captain

I think this new (or maybe new) SWing looks nice. I do think they need to "freshen" it up a bit and it does look nice. I wonder if they did this because they don't plan to offer anything new anytime soon. Even if they came out with a 750 or the E4-01 I will still keep my SWing for a few more years. But I would like to see new bikes come out even if they are Honda. I just like to go and sit on different bikes at the dealers.

It would be nice to see what the specs are for the GT version. At the very least, larger wheels, a stiffer suspension, and a bit more grunt would be nice.

Captain wrote:

From what I remember last night, there may have been a little T-Max thrown in too!!

When will Honda realize the selling potential of more power less weight as it applies to everything!! Just look at their new CBR's (Fireblades over way Bernardo?) that's the way to go . . . to a certain degree, that is.

Captain

As fun as it must be, the Fireblade is really not my cup of tea....

Way way way too tempting to just let rip, and I'd be too afraid that my licence would be gone in a flash....

Plus I couldn't go any distance without sufferring back pain from old injuries due to that lean forward, feet under your armpits riding position.... That said, I understand that cruising at 130mph balences you just right against the wind pressure!!!

If I lived in Germany and commuted regular in the summer on the autobahn.... (no speed limit) then maybe.......

Bernardo wrote:

If I lived in Germany and commuted regular in the summer on the autobahn.... (no speed limit) then maybe.......

No speed limit ... would be a different problem :m/c:

Scheesh! All this discussion about "Speed Limits"

From many of the posts I have seen (from virtually everyone on here) nobody really seems all that concerned about adhering to the posted speed limit...

Speed limits, Hmmmm within 2 klm we can go 90,50,60,70,50, school limit40,50. km/h speed limits.
by adding confusion like this, the plods can nail you anytime they want.

It seems like that is a major part of their agenda. We get the same thing here in the US. The speed limit suddenly and inexplicable goes from 50 mph to 35 mph and there just happens to one of "the boys in blue" sitting there with his radar gun trained at the oncoming traffic. It is just one of their ways to generate a little extra revenue so they can afford to buy donuts.