2005 Honda Rune Photo Gallery

The big Honda proved to be very stable at speed. Its top end is limited by a speed governor.

A beautiful seamless fuel tank arches gracefully over the chrome six-cylinder motor.

The Rune's radiator looks like it was plucked from a '32 Deuce coupe.

It has neither the most horsepower or the most torque, but the Rune's 1832cc flat-Six motor has a delicious soul that intoxicates its rider.

Honda went to great lengths to engineer every aspect of the Rune, including a nifty remote steering lock.

A single-sided Unit Pro-Link swingarm shows off the 5-spoke rear wheel that mimics the look of a '60s Halibrand magnesium car wheel.

Honda's Rune is a visual feast from front to back.

The Rune's riding position has the riders arms resting comfortably low with a slight forward lean and footpegs that are placed under your knees.

The Rune loses its hefty feeling once above a walking pace, responding like a smaller machine despite having the longest wheelbase of any Honda.

The Rune's wrap-around rear fender also borrows cues from the'50s lead-sled movement.

With its radical appearance and affinity for spinning up its rear tire, the Rune can make even schlubs like Ken look like a superhero!

The Rune is fitted with the largest set of front and rear brakes Honda has ever fitted to a motorcycle.

Fired up, the exhaust tone out of those radical dual-outlet exhaust pipes is deep and burbly.

The Rune draws supermodel levels of attention; too bad its price is also in the supermodel caliber.

With its single-sided swingarm, mag-style wheels, trailing-link fork and color-shifting paint, Honda's Rune looks like it jumped off the pages of a sci-fi comic book.

2005 Bruiser Cruiser Comparo 2005 Honda Valkyrie Rune, 2005 Triumph Rocket III, 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000

Honda's Rune proved to be capable in the twisty stuff, but too little ground clearance hindered its cornering prowess.

2005 Bruiser Cruiser Shootout - Performance Data

The Rune would be nearly impossible for a custom bike builder to duplicate, and much time can be spent taking in its many facets of beauty.

As a side note, the Rune's trailing link front end provides some measure of anti-dive effect during hard braking.

"The completion of this model run doesn't herald an end to this fabulous motorcycle, nor to Honda's determined pursuit of bringing concepts to production reality." - Ray Blank, Honda Motorcycle Division Vice President