This has been my first riding season, and my bike is a 1993 Honda Nighthawk 750. Rest assured, if I had done my Internet homework before buying, I might have reconsidered. As it is, there is a Nighthawk in my garage, and I couldn't be more pleased. It should also be made clear that since I...
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This has been my first riding season, and my bike is a 1993 Honda Nighthawk 750. Rest assured, if I had done my Internet homework before buying, I might have reconsidered. As it is, there is a Nighthawk in my garage, and I couldn't be more pleased. It should also be made clear that since I don't have a long motorcycling history, the Nighthawk represents my baseline in comparing motorcycles. It was the bike I cut my teeth on, and it is has been my primary ride (on nicer days) for the last couple of months. I should also note, I'm 6 feet tall, weigh 250 pounds, and have a 32 inch inseam. When I first was bitten by the motorcycle bug, I asked a lot of questions about things like brands, displacements and styles of motorcycles. My strongest influence recommended Honda, 600cc, and sport respectively. Aesthetically and ergonomically, I wasn't attracted to sportbikes. I don't do much long-distance riding, but even on the showroom floor sportbikes felt awkward and uncomfortable. Cruisers were more comfortable, but they still didn't feel quite right. I tried some dual-sports, but my stumpy legs left me grasping for the floor with my feet (if that's possible for non-simian primates who wear shoes). When I sat down on the Nighthawk, it was more like I found THE bike. The first few days of riding taught me a thing or two: first, it takes every muscle in your body to lift a 470 pound bike off of its side; and second, the handlebar doesn't like 700 pounds of bike and rider falling on it. I had to replace the starboard bracket, and the bar is still slightly more swept back on that side than the other. In practical riding, I have had no problems. The bike either pounces on green lights or accelerates so smoothly that my mother could almost stand to approve of me riding (she can't, but you get the idea). The curvy "Lake" roads of Oakland County offer no challenge to the Nighthawk. I can zip around the twisty Pontiac Lake, Williams Lake, Elizabeth Lake, and Cooley Lake Roads at speeds I don't feel comfortable with in my car. I don't drive as aggressively as some, so I can't comment on the bike's ability to pass between semis at 100mph with two feet of clearance on either side and the front wheel in the air. I will say the bike is a more-than-competent commuter for suburban areas. The bike I purchased was used and came with an aftermarket windshield. Why the windshield was added I'll never know. The person who owned it before me must have been a few inches shorter than me, because the shield dumped all the displaced air squarely in my face. I wear a full-face helmet, so there was no discomfort issue, but the noise was incredible. After I removed the windshield, the wind noise was still there, but greatly reduced in volume and ferocity. Too much power has never been an issue for me. My two or three incidents of malicious gravitation were of the same type: stop-shift-stall-fall. The 750cc engine does, however, bring my immense bulk up to speed effectively and quickly. I sometimes wonder if most of the power goes into getting my mass moving or keeping my less-than-aerodynamics carapace from dragging the bike to a halt. To make a long and rambling review short: I like the Nighthawk 750 more than any bike I've ever ridden... which isn't saying much since it's the only bike I've ever ridden. It's a classy rig that can move a big guy like me and still have enough 'oompf' to shake a tail feather or two. However, if power and weight scare you, inquire elsewhere. Just as a side note. One of the common complaints about this bike is the soft fork suspension. For a person of greater heft, this is an even more visible issue. I'm looking into new fork springs, as that was a recommended upgrade for riders who, like myself, weigh twice as much as Honda's ideal, average rider.
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