Honda unveiled the world premiere of the Hawk 11 (Eleven) at the Osaka Motorcycle Show, and it was also displayed at the Tokyo and Nagoya motorcycle shows. Development members gathered in Tokyo, so Webike decided to conduct an emergency interview. We asked them some questions of interest.
Many veteran riders remember the 1977 Hawk II when they think of Honda's Hawk, but the new Hawk 11 is the first model since then in Japan. The new Hawk 11, however, is the first model since the 1977 Hawk II in Japan, and its different appearance from that of that time is causing controversy.
A two-cylinder on-road sport model is the definition of a "Hawk."
Webike: First of all, what is the aim of Hawk 11?
Yoshida: We want veteran riders to experience the pure joy of riding, not just numbers or power output. We also developed the Hawk 11 so that riders can experience the joy of not only riding, but also looking at and polishing their bikes.
From right to left, Kentaro Taji, Hawk 11 Design PL, Masahiro Yoshida, acting head of development, and Tomoharu Tsunematsu, in charge of the domestic planning and sales area, were interviewed.
Webike: What is the origin of the naming?
Yoshida: It may be a long time ago, but Honda's two-cylinder road bike was the highly acclaimed Hawk II. By reviving that name, we wanted to emphasize that it is a two-cylinder road bike again.
Webike: So the two-cylinder is a big part of it.
Tsunematsu: In Japan, Hawk has a history as a naked bike, but overseas, the name is used for twin-cylinder road sports. In the U.S., it is the Super Hawk 996, and in Japan it is the Firestorm. Because of this history, the shape of the bike is not a requirement for the Hawk, but rather "a two-cylinder on-road sports model" is what Honda calls the Hawk.
Although the history has not been continuous, we have decided to launch this product brand in Japan at this time as a product brand that we want to cherish.
The Japanese name "Firestorm" was the model released in 1997 under the name "Super Hawk" in North America. The engine was a V-twin cylinder 995 cc (995.7 cc). The Hawk 11 could be said to be similar to this.
The Hawk 11 is powered by a parallel two-cylinder engine that appears to be an Africa Twin 1082cc from its appearance. The motorcycle has a maximum output of 102 PS, which is close to the Firestorm's 93 PS. It is enough for fun-riding.
Isn't Hawk "11" closer to Hawk "II"?
Webike: The image of Hawk II is big among Japanese veterans. So, I think you might be drawing closer to "II" by labeling it as Hawk "11".
Yoshida: That's the designer's sense of fun! That was also the aim of the designer in charge of the logo. The typeface of "11" is shaped like the beak of a hawk. There was an idea to add an eye, but we decided against it.
Tsunematsu: The "11" (eleven) itself is an indication of the displacement, but there was a lot of excitement on the site about how it looked like a "II"!
It turns out that the logo on the side cover of the Hawk 11 was designed this way, aiming to make the 11 look like a II as well. Furthermore, I didn't realize it had a beak shape.
Rocket cowl to appeal to experienced riders
Webike: Why did you choose the rocket cowl?
Taji: We wanted to create a style that would appeal to veteran riders, so we decided to bring the rocket cowl, a style of bike that has been around for a long time.
Webike: I don't mean to be very rude, but it's like an old folks' play...?
Tsunematsu: I don't deny that.... The industry as a whole is implementing various measures and there are many products aimed at young people, but it is the generation in their 50s and 60s who are supporting the Japanese motorcycle industry today. Hawk 11 is a proposal for those veterans.
It is not just about being fast, nor about having a large displacement, but it still needs to be fun to ride. The style of the rocket cowl gives the impression that this is the kind of person who rides this bike.
Webike: Is there a motif in the shape of the rocket cowl?
Taji: There is no particular motif. The styling of the rocket cowl is reminiscent of old-fashioned motorcycles, but the horizontal base was a very important point. If we simply made a bike that looked old-fashioned, people would think it was retro, so we arranged it in a modern way by giving it a modern surface quality.
The rocket cowl is the round-eyed headlight. The silver painted area is the horizontal base of the headlight. The mirrors are fixed to the cowl stays instead of being bar-end mounted.
The modern aspect is also given to the tank: the fuel cap is the tank itself, but the edgy sides are the tank cover.
What is the DCT lineup, price, and release date?
Webike: Do you offer a DCT version?
Yoshida: First of all, we want veteran riders to return to their starting point. We want them to experience the pleasure of operating the clutch.
Webike: Manual (MT) only machine?
Yoshida: Now, yes.
Tsunematsu: We also wanted to make it lighter. The price would also go up.
Webike: It looks promising in terms of price. When will it be available?
Tsunematsu: Please look forward to the price. We will not make you wait too long for the release of the product.
The rider is 170 cm tall, and the riding position is forward-leaning, as the clip-on handlebar is mounted under the top bridge. It is not as tight as supersports.
The rider weighs 65 kg. both toes are grounded, so there is no sense of insecurity.
Here is a photo of the same rider's footing on the NT1100; the NT1100's seat height is 820 mm, but the impression is about the same.
Hawk 11 Product Overview
The Hawk 11 is a large sportbike for Japan, a new offering for experienced riders.
The engine is a parallel twin-cylinder 1082cc unit with a 6-speed manual transmission. In addition to a wide range of usable torque from low speeds and smooth-revving characteristics up to high rpm, the engine is equipped with electronic controls such as throttle-by-wire that contribute to direct response and a riding mode that allows the driver to select output characteristics according to driving conditions and personal preferences.
The vehicle body is a semi-double cradle frame with front and rear 17-inch wheels, and a forward leaning riding position with separate handlebars to create a dimension that makes winding riding enjoyable.
The styling features a one-piece molded FRP rocket cowl. The design is based on the intersection of horizontal lines spanning the front and rear of the body and vertical lines separating the tank and seat, creating a style-oriented finish not seen on previous Honda models.
The front fork will be SHOWA's SFF-BP, but will have the same equipment as the NT1100.
The rear suspension preload adjustment is a dial type, which is also the same equipment as on the NT1100. Both the front and rear settings are likely to be tailored to the Hawk 11.
Front wheels are 17" and tires are 120/70ZR17 is installed, the same size as NT1100.
Rear wheels are also 17 inches and tires are 180/55ZR17 is installed. The swingarm also appears to be made of the same cast aluminum as the NT1100.
ETC 2.0 was set under the seat. It would be standard equipment.
The license plate is mounted on the tail cowl.
