Honda’s Motorcycle Division unveiled 10 new and updated models in the second wave of a three year strategy designed to maintain market leadership and leave the competition wondering how Honda does it.

Nearly 1200 Honda dealers, gathered in Las Vegas for Honda’s annual dealer meeting, roared their approval as Honda flexed its significant R&D muscle. Leading the way is Honda’s much anticipated, all-new Gold Wing® touring motorcycle.

Gold Wing

Honda’s all-new 2001 Gold Wing shatters traditional touring standards with world-class power, athletic handling and supreme comfort. A powerful new 1832cc six-cylinder engine produces 118 bhp with 125 lbs/ft of torque. The new, lighter weight Gold Wing also boasts sport-like handling, thanks to an aluminum dual-spar frame, Pro-Arm® single sided swingarm, Linked Braking SystemTM (LBS) and optional Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS). The Gold Wing features a host of high-tech features including electronic cruise control, adjustable hydraulic rear suspension, and optional 6-CD disc changer. Available at Route 15 Honda-Yamaha in November, the new Gold Wing redefines what long distance motorcycle travel is all about.

CBR600F4i

Honda has improved one of the best street-going sport motorcycles ever made and given it a new name, the 2001 CBR600F4i. The 1999 AMA Pro Honda Oils 600 Supersport Champion gets the performance treatment for 2001: more power, programmed fuel injection, a retuned Pro FrameTM, and aggressive new styling. Competition in the 600 sport bike class is intense, but with the new CBR600F4i, Honda has raised the performance level of the class again, while maintaining the real-world competence for which the CBR600F series is known.

Shadow Spirit 750TM

Honda’s new 2001 Shadow Spirit 750 is sure to excite fans of mid-sized cruisers. The Shadow 750 is a comfortable low rider with street rod styling that boasts Honda’s famous fit, finish and durability. With its dragster style looks, 745cc of V-twin power, and two-into-two exhaust with bullet-style mufflers, the Shadow 750 will move riders down the boulevard like never before.

Shadow Aero

The stylish 2001 Shadow Aero begins the new century with something old and something new: classic, nostalgic style and a more powerful dual-crankpin engine that together provide the best of both worlds. Aero riders will cruise in style, and with the peace-of-mind that added performance provides.

XR70R, XR80R, XR100R

Honda’s 2001 off road motorcycles, the XR70R, XR80R, and XR100R now sport Team Honda-inspired bodywork that draws its styling from Honda’s bigger motocross CRs. In addition to their beautiful design, these bikes also feature redesigned seats and handlebars that provide comfort and maneuverability for a broad range of riders. The XR80R and XR100R frames have thicker steel tubing for added durability, while the XR100R now boasts more wheel travel: 5.9 inches in front and 5.5 inches in the rear 3/4 for even greater versatility on challenging trails.

SportraxTM 250EX

On the ATV front, Honda’s new 2001 Sportrax 250EX is a sporty, fun-to-ride ATV that’s ideal for sport and recreational riding. Great performance stems from a 229cc engine that’s been borrowed from the popular FourTrax Recon, then breathed on with a redesigned cylinder head and a higher compression ratio. Long travel suspension, shaft drive and a nimble light weight add up to a new leader in the mid-displacement sport ATV category.

Reflex®

Scooters are IN, and so is Honda’s exciting new Reflex, a scooter with sporting style and break-through performance. Powered by an advanced 249cc liquid cooled four-stroke engine, the Reflex is equipped with standard Combined Brake System® (CBS) and is also available with an optional Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS with the CBS system). The Reflex not only features avant garde styling, it is also extremely functional, with a cavernous underseat storage compartment that holds a full face helmet - or a large sack of groceries.

2002 VTX (production prototype)

Honda delighted dealers with the introduction of the all-new 2002 VTX, a cruiser that features the biggest, most powerful mass-produced V-twin engine available anywhere. A huge 1795cc liquid-cooled 52-degree V-twin design with four-inch bores, the VTX powerplant is the first of a new engine family Honda calls VanguardTM. The Vanguard engine dwarfs other production V-twin engines and hammers out immense power - 103 bhp at 5000 rpm and 117 lb./ft. of torque at 3000 rpm. Advanced programmed fuel injection, high performance suspension and show stopping street rod styling make the VTX the cruiser to ride for 2001. Release of this early 2002 model will be in March 2001. J