2008 Honda DN-01: MD First Ride

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The chassis is a conventional double-cradle made of steel tubing, but it is solid and does not flex as much as one might think given the long overall length (the wheelbase is enormous). When we sit in the wide saddle with our feet forward (on a cruiser-like footrest), and with our hands held high and apart, we might think the bike is a boulevard motorcycle and nothing else. Nothing could be further from the truth.

All it takes is a slight hint of a turn (as if it was a car). The incredibly low center of gravity does the rest, and the DN-01 takes the corner without complaint. Only a few lightweight cruisers have these moves, but they can't match the DN-01's stability at speed. We have to consider that the suspension and brakes are those of an ordinary motorcycle, and that the wheels are more like those of a sportbike than a bike adorned in chrome.

Speaking of braking, the DN-01 incorporates a powerful and unflappable system combined with the latest generation of ABS. We don't like the bulky rear brake pedal, and the footrests rub as soon as we lean the bike over, but they do fold easily. There isn't much to say concerning the engine, and with the exception of the transmission there's nothing here that we haven't previously seen. The engine has an adequate amount of power to move the 270-kilogram (594 lbs.) bike with two persons aboard to legal speeds with smoothness, low fuel consumption and low maintenance.

What is it for and for whom?
These are questions that require some thought before we can reply. Well, Honda asked us not to immediately compare their new product to a scooter, a cruiser, or a sportbike, but to do so only after thoroughly familiarizing ourselves with what it is, how it works, and above all, its target audience. We were asked to try not to judge the new bike based on the parameters used for scooters, cruisers, or sportbikes.

Let's break this down. A megascooter is not a direct competitor. Megascooters have always placed a priority on a much larger load capacity, and they've always had many more practical details (like storage boxes or power outlets). Next to the DN-01, maintaining a scooter requires more work; the DN-01 never requires one to change belts or clutches.

If we compare the DN-01 to a cruiser, which with few exceptions are equipped with a dazzling design and are highly customizable, the DN-01 looks the way it is going to look -- take it or leave it -- color choice notwithstanding. But, in one sense, the DN-01's transmission makes a mockery of any custom motorcycle, be it American, Japanese, or European.

Sportsbikes are more agile and powerful, as are the majority of motorcycles with medium or high displacements, but they are not as unique as the DN-01, nor as easy to ride. Should you seasoned riders think you're not going to like the relaxed nature of the HFT, suspend judgment until you've ridden it for a few kilometers.

So what is it? It's a new product for a new audience. It may end up being bought by the same people who first bought an iPod, or a refrigerator with a crushed ice dispenser, or a plasma screen HD 1080 for the dining room of their home, of course linked to a Blu-Ray player. This early-adopter might not have even thought about motorcycles until they saw pictures of the DN-01 in design and technology magazines, or on the internet.

It is to this audience that we state the DN-01 works very well, and it doesn't require a degree to operate (you can get started without the aid of your instruction manual). It doesn't have any space for a MacBook Air (you'll have to bring your trendy laptop case), nor will it recharge your iPhone. Perhaps a second generation (a hypothetical DN-02, or DN-01 version 2.0), might have these features, but we have no doubt that the HFT will eventually find its way into a wide range of models . . . and deservedly so.

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