A new Honda crossover model will make its debut at the Milan Bike show along with a V4 1200 concept.
didn’t even show up at last year’s EICMA bike show in Milan. So Big Red is making up for it this time around, with the Japanese manufacturing giant rumored to be debuting a slew of new rides at the 2010 show. Honda already spilled the beans regarding the worldwide launch of its
new 2011 CBR250R, and has recently confirmed the rumors of a new “crossover” model which will break cover at Milan.
“It will have the flexibility and exciting attitude of a Naked performance machine, with the upright riding position and rugged appearance of an adventure bike,” says a release for the new “crossover” on the EICMA website, continuing: “This crossover is a midrange capacity motorcycle - and although it looks like a regular adventure bike, it has a much lower seat height so it can be used comfortably by different sized people. With the low center of gravity of a performance bike it is great fun to ride, and because of its wide handlebars and upright riding position it is both easy to maneuver and comfortable “
A second design sketch of the Honda crossover. The new bike is billed as a mid-size adventure-touring motorcycle.
The accompanying design sketches are “an early impression of the motorcycle developed by Honda designers at the Honda Design Centre in Rome.” But a full production motorcycle is promised for the EICMA show on November 2nd.
What the final size and displacement of the new adventure/naked will be is under speculation. If it turns out to be a true mid-sized AT bike, it could steal some of the thunder of the much-hyped Tiger 800, which has been continuously teased by Triumph throughout the summer. Whatever the case, this new bike should generate more interest than Honda’s last bike show whoop-de-do promoted as a “crossover” - the much-maligned DN-01.
Honda also promises to reveal a “concept motorcycle using the 1200cc V4 engine first seen in the VFR1200F.” The aforementioned VFR1200 was first debuted as a “concept” back in the 2008 INTERMOT bike show in Cologne. Whether this latest 1200 V4 will be more than the glorified sculpture that was the 2008 VFR concept remains to be seen.
Stay tuned for EICMA motorcycle coverage next week.
