Awesome Honda CB Twister- $900/165mpg

[StudEbiker]

Too bad if you live in the States though.

http://www.retrothing.com/2010/01/honda-cb-twister-110.html

That really pisses me off. That would be an awesome bike for $900.

 

[SamTexas]

That 165mpg is most likely rated at 25-30mph. Take it to 35-45mph and the mileage drops to 110mpg, which of course is still very good.

BTW, Honda is making the brand new CBR 250R available worldwide, including the USA. Should be at the dealer in April.

 

[neptronix]

WOW. 9 horsepower 4 stroke and 165mpg for $900.
That's enough power to get around town and do about 90% of the commuting most people do.

Would also be a sweet target for an electric conversion.. look at all that battery room when you take the engine out and replace it with a big ol' stinkin hub motor!

WANT!! is there a way to import these and legally ride them on public roads in the USA?

 

[vanilla ice]

Probably gets to 60mph quicker than most cars on the road do..

 

[neptronix]

Probably gets to 60mph quicker than most cars on the road do..

http://motorcycletopia.com/honda-cb-twister-vs-bajaj-discover-100cc/

But it’s Honda CB Twister which is clear winner in performance segment of 100cc bikes. It can do 0-60 stuff in just little bit over 7 seconds, three seconds faster than Discover. Top speed is another area where it has outperformed every other bike in 100cc segment it can easily do over 95 KMPH according to most of the leading automobile magazine. The performance figures of CB Twister are really outstanding considering the class in which it operates.

I think that 0-60 time is in km/h though, lol.

I don't think a 110cc is gonna be very fast. If it had a 250cc, maybe it would compete with a car.

 

[StudEbiker]

is there a way to import these and legally ride them on public roads in the USA?

Getting it licensed in the States should not be a problem, but with what it will cost to import it, it will no longer be priced so attractively.

 

[vanilla ice]

Sixty in 7 seconds, pretty darn respectable for anything. Let alone an econobike.

 

[grindz145]

Even if that was 2 grand by the time it got here it would be worth it. Have you seen the CBR250 they're bringing to the states? A little more expensive but damn what a nice economical, fun bike.

http://powersports.honda.com/2011/cbr250r.aspx

I would really love the 125R as well! 4 grand is quite a bit more though.

P.S. ES group buy maybe...

 

[vanilla ice]

Everybody SAYS they would buy one.. how come all these people don't already have a Ninja 250, DR200, CRF230, or derbi 50 or something?

 

[dogman dan]

Well, show me that ninja 250 used for $900 in my town and I'd be there with money in about oh, 30 min. 99% of used street bikes for sale here are harleys. I just don't want much more than a 350. I tried the 150, and found it too slow for the highway. Later I remembered why my old honda 125 was ok on the highway, 55 mph speed limit then.

We do have the biggest harley dealership in the USA about 40 miles away.

 

[vanilla ice]

I have to think twice when I hear.. "Damn marketing guys aren't bringing this super cool X in to the US market, I'd buy one in a heartbeat. They would sell like hotcakes!" There are plenty of used 100cc bikes in my local classifieds that would suit about as well as this Twister does for the same price or less. Nobody rides them. I NEVER see even one out on the road. Like you say, once in a while I'll see a medium bike, like 350cc or 750cc.. rest are all big cruisers or big sportbikes.

Hopefully I'm wrong. Or maybe buyer preference will change with gas prices. Would be nice to see lots of smaller bikes on the road. Anyway you KNOW the price would have to be higher if they brought that thing over.

 

[John in CR]

At 108kg (237lb) Honda still doesn't get it. They need to be making a bike more like this http://www.fxbikes.com/ this 125cc that weighs 57kg (125lbs). I bet that FX is fun as hell.

 

[x88x]

There are plenty of used 100cc bikes in my local classifieds that would suit about as well as this Twister does for the same price or less. Nobody rides them.

How many of them are road-legal, though? Most of the 100cc and smaller motorcycles I know of are either offroad dirtbikes or little 50cc scooters that top out at ~30-40mph...and take a long time to get there.

Like others have said though, for me 100cc is just a little too small. That frame could be interesting though, for a conversion. Strip off the motor, transmission, etc, and I bet the rolling frame doesn't weigh more than 150lb. It could be made lighter, yes, but it looks like the frame is probably also used for bikes with bigger engines...there's a lot of empty space in the engine area. Looks like the engine and transmission in it only takes up about half the space.

 

[AussieJester]

Would also be a sweet target for an electric conversion.. look at all that battery room when you take the engine out and replace it with a big ol' stinkin hub motor!

Yes good idea...lets cripple the range and thus usability of an already highly economical and usable bike.

KiM

 

[etard]

I completely agree with you John, I don't know how they got that thing to weigh that much! I doubt it goes 95 mph either, not if it does 0-60 in 7 seconds. My GF's 225cc is a hoot to ride, but you have to dog it everywhere and it will only go 80mph full tuck. Although for $900 that little Honda is begging for EV conversion.

 

[neptronix]

At 108kg (237lb) Honda still doesn't get it. They need to be making a bike more like this http://www.fxbikes.com/ this 125cc that weighs 57kg (125lbs). I bet that FX is fun as hell.

That is way cool, but it looks bicycle based?
It also looks like an off-road vehicle only.

I suppose i would prefer the heavy duty, motorcycle-based setup, and pay extra for it.
I would like to legally go high speeds very efficiently, that is what draws me to the CB Twister... also, that it looks like an ideal rig for an electric conversion.

 

[vanilla ice]

How many of them are road-legal, though? ..for me 100cc is just a little too small.

Maybe most are off-road, but plenty are street legal too, my old 70's 100cc CB is. They are out there if one really wants one. Which btw nobody does.. Like you say its too small. They weren't a sales success which is why they stopped offering them. I'm glad the US is finally warming up to the idea of 250's but enough enlightenment to want to ride 100's is a ways off IMO.

 

[StudEbiker]

How many of them are road-legal, though? ..for me 100cc is just a little too small.

Maybe most are off-road, but plenty are street legal too, my old 70's 100cc CB is. They are out there if one really wants one. Which btw nobody does.. Like you say its too small. They weren't a sales success which is why they stopped offering them. I'm glad the US is finally warming up to the idea of 250's but enough enlightenment to want to ride 100's is a ways off IMO.

Have you tried sourcing parts for those 70's era motorcycles?? With a NEW Honda and good parts support it would be a very different experience. If I new I could buy one of those 70's Honda's and have a warranty and an expectation that the parts will be available when I need them, yeah, they'd be a great deal. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

 

[x88x]

I suppose i would prefer the heavy duty, motorcycle-based setup, and pay extra for it.

Ditto. Though, you wouldn't actually be paying more. That FXbike is asking $4k...if you can get on their waiting list. And yeah, it looks like it's bicycle based. Kinda the ICE version of some of the more elaborate ebikes around here.

Have you tried sourcing parts for those 70's era motorcycles??

I use this site for my 1980 Honda. So far they've had everything that I've needed at reasonable prices. IDK if there's a big difference in availability going back a few more years though.
http://www.hondapartshouse.com/

 

[vanilla ice]

You would be surprised. You can get a lot of brand new parts for the some of the smaller vintage bikes from Asia. They sold some models there for decades after they stopped offering them in the US. I can get pretty much any part I want brand new. And even with shipping they are not expensive.

 

[fizzit]

I dunno, I think the last thing we (and the environment) need is millions of people in developing nations picking up efficient and cheap hydrocarbon-powered vehicles with terrible emissions... I'm not against anyone having vehicles but I don't think this is the right way to go if we want to sustain life on this planet for much longer

 

[John in CR]

At 108kg (237lb) Honda still doesn't get it. They need to be making a bike more like this http://www.fxbikes.com/ this 125cc that weighs 57kg (125lbs). I bet that FX is fun as hell.

That is way cool, but it looks bicycle based?
It also looks like an off-road vehicle only.

I suppose i would prefer the heavy duty, motorcycle-based setup, and pay extra for it.
I would like to legally go high speeds very efficiently, that is what draws me to the CB Twister... also, that it looks like an ideal rig for an electric conversion.

The extra 110lb for no gain is what kills it as an e-conversion for me. DIY E-moto is the route I started with and I will never go to a pig of an EV of any kind ever again.

 

[vanilla ice]

So you want the poor folk in developing countries to fork out for EVs?

Anyway who said these are dirty? They are modern four stroke engines.

 

[neptronix]

The extra 110lb for no gain is what kills it as an e-conversion for me. DIY E-moto is the route I started with and I will never go to a pig of an EV of any kind ever again.

Completely understandable. I like the idea of having large/wide motorcycle tires, fairing, ETC. enough to go that route. I bet the weight could actually be *reduced* if lipos were used.

I called around today to try to get information on importing one of these and it seems to be a complete pain in the ass to do.

But on the other hand it looks like i can title an electric bicycle as a motorcycle here in Oregon.
It is looking to be possible, and i do not mind paying yearly registration for the privledge of going ~40mph.

I may join the ranks of you high power junkies soon.

 

[x88x]

efficient and cheap hydrocarbon-powered vehicles with terrible emissions...

???
Also, like vanilla ice said, they're 4-stroke engines. Do you have additional information about the emissions numbers for this particular vehicle?