Silver Wing vs Helix

I've been kicking around the idea of getting a helix. My wife prefers to ride the vstrom 2up so the wing sits a lot. My thoughts are it gets better gas mileage and I really don't need a 600cc engine if it's just me. I've heard the helix is a good tourer as long as you don't plan on spending a lot of time on the slab. This would work fine as my trips are on backroads. I know there is some past and present helix owners here and I'm hoping you'll chime in with your thoughts. Why shouldn't I get a helix...or why should I get one?

Dom

Helix is the most fun scoot/bike I've ever had the pleasure of riding.

Unless your local slab speed limit is 55 mph forget about riding any slab. Even though the Helix speed supposedly reaches 70 mph, it's stressed at that speed and the other traffic will run you over.

Enjoy the Blue Highways & back roads though.

Problem with Helix----they don't make them anymore----I had 4 new, most miles on one 50,000, the other three ar least 36.000 at trade time.

Simple to work on, easy valve adjust, belt change with only taking case off. Weakness---guts shake out or loose in muffler at around 30,000 miles (warranty took care of all of mine) J rated tires on bike that will go 70 pls mph downhill-tailwind (J 62 mph), intake rubber manifold cracks, air box sometimes breaks---- plus can take all day, day after day wide open running---likes WallMart oil, changed often, reg gas.Zero engine trouble in total of around 175,000 miles---can carry a lot solo--trunk, luggage rack,"tank bag" and passenger seat-----handlebar too high and buffeting, neg ---and works ok in snow and starts at 10F and lower----and maybe best feature right foot brake.....great balancing aide in slow stuff

Still available new---I get another.

I thoroughly enjoyed my years riding a Helix and found the optimum cruising speed to be 60-65mph which would regularly return 85mpg, that's our larger Imperial gallons. It would cruise faster but there was a rough vibration patch you'd have to accelerate through and the fuel consumption would drop considerably.

It struggled in headwinds and on steep hills, could be downright scary in crosswinds, and on motorways and autobahns the inside lane was the best place to be. Ideally somewhere you could sit at 65mph, relax, and only overtake when necessary.

The Helix makes a great solo tourer, I took mine loaded up with camping gear to the 1998 FIM Rally in Falun Sweden, and on my regular trips to Germany.

I'd have another but as Mr Grinsel says they stopped making them years ago, and there was only a limited number sold or imported into the UK.

One of my mates used to have a SPAZIO CN250 (the Euro version of the Helix). On longer trips we used to swap bikes from time to time, so I had the pleasure to experience the comfy ride. Not a race bike :110kph / 68MPH max with some effort, slows down for every molehill. I remember my mate moaning about (rear ?) tyre life that was 'very' short.

For Meldrew----3 of my Helix were US models....maybe some vibration? However the first, 1990, was Japanese model, Fusion---parts book the same but it ran as smooth as electric motor and was faster----got 120kph police/radar stop----downhil/tailwind coming out of tunnel....Japan MC Police......but they let me go, surprised I could go so fast. Mine was the first year they had Mag wheels, I think.

Whole thing about scooters---they are putt putts---and not racing with anybody should be the fun part---want to go fast, get Japanese Zip Bike

rodenbach wrote:

One of my mates used to have a SPAZIO CN250 (the Euro version of the Helix). On longer trips we used to swap bikes from time to time, so I had the pleasure to experience the comfy ride. Not a race bike :110kph / 68MPH max with some effort, slows down for every molehill. I remember my mate moaning about (rear ?) tyre life that was 'very' short.

When I mentioned the Helix struggled on hills, I meant on gradients you may be familiar with like the steep motorway sections of the A3 (E40) after crossing the River Meuse at Liège in Belgium. The higher and windier parts of the Pennines in Cumbria and County Durham in the UK were another. I've also rode the Helix in the Harz in Germany and the hills and autobahn there were no problem, so you saying it slows down for every molehill is quite an exaggeration.

Rear tyre life was on average 8500 with mine and the Bridgestone tyres were inexpensive to replace. I used the Helix for touring from 1996 to 2004.

When I took my CBT, (UK basic riding test), one of the instructors had a Helix. I liked the feet forward style and thought one day I'd like a machine like that.

Never rode one myself but they looked sooooo comfortable it prompted me to look for a similar style ride.

Now I have a Silver Wing.

Quote :

I've also rode the Helix in the Harz in Germany and the hills and autobahn there were no problem, so you saying it slows down for every molehill is quite an exaggeration.

Agree that I did slightly exaggerate with 'molehill', but my (in those days) weight of 134kg (=295lbs or over 21 Stone) + gear did considerably slow the Spazio down on Ardennes and Eifel hills.

When you 're big ànd fat -like I was- it's like riding two up. I guess my 'solo' weight was close to the rated maximum load capacity of the poor CN250...

You must have been a big lad back then at 134kg, the dry weight of the Helix is 157kg.

Today I'm still as tall, but not as big

Lost 40kg / 88lbs over an 18 months span, just counting calories.
Bad knees + dodgy ticker (2 heart attacks & 3 stents) were in desperate need of some serious weightloss.
Nowadays 93 kg / 205 lbs / 14st 9lbs, what is considered 'normal' for my frame size 6ft5 / 1m95.

A while ago this Spazio was for sale.
I kept the photo because of the 'special feature' on the bike.
Do you spot it???

The 'special feature' being a lever on the left handlebar for the rear brake instead of the floor mounted pedal on the right side. You'd also need to pull this to start the Helix instead of pressing the brake pedal.

I've had two helix and three sw's and I agree with what has been said. The helix is a fantastic, easy, comfortable ride except for most highways, where you are always a bit lacking. Although here in NY you can stay in the slow lane and be ok. One difference to me was the seat height. The helix is very low, which always made me feel like I wanted to be higher up for a better view. But you can't go wrong. I wish they still made them...dan

Another option may be a Reflex. My wife has a Reflex that looks a little more like the traditional scooter than the Helix. They both have a 250cc engine which is a great size scooter for commuting and around town trips. They are light, have a low center of gravity and you can toss them around very easily. They have decent acceleration as long as you don't spend a lot of time on freeways with speed limits above 65 mph. Top speed of the Reflex is about 80 mph but from 65 to 80 the acceleration is pretty flat.

We have toured all over Ohio with ours with few complaints. I have driven the Reflex on a 200 mile round trip and it was the most comfortable of the three bikes that we had at the time (Shadow, Majesty and Reflex) for a trip of that distance. It always gets about 65 mpg. You sit higher on the Reflex than on a Helix. The Helix has a 3" longer wheelbase than the Reflex so it may be a bit less twitchy at speed but they are both reliable Honda steeds.

They were both sold here in the US until 2007. You can find them from time to time on Craigslist. I would test drive both to see which one fits you best.

Having had both ReFlex and 4 Helix-----like point out big difference from rider/maintainer stand point-----ReFlex requires removal of front pulley for belt change and valve adjustment (same system) requires more fiddle time find TDC. Point: Helix easier to work on, and in case of belt break---can be done at roadside.

I enjoyed my ReFlex but it was distroyed at 22,500 miles by lady on cell phone who ran over it and me.

ReFlex better performer than Helix.....but no built in trunk