Tag Archives: Superhawk

Superhawk Update.

Unplanned, I sold my bike. An offer was made on my Superhawk. So I sold it. I was surprised, as the thought totally had not occured to me.
Oh well. It’s done. So I shall be getting a new bike. Something that is not a Honda. In fact, its very un-Honda. The Anti-Honda. Something I’ve never had before. It’s also very large and heavy, and that makes me nervous. It’s also ridiculously fast… But not something that will have me riding like I have been. This will be a good upgrade for me. One I can cross the country on… and will.

IT LIVES!!! And So Do I, again.


The Superhawk is now operational again. Headlights, tail and brake, and all the instrumentation is working again. I took it for a test ride, and it seems fine. Took the Hawk into town and picked up some new Fuses and I think I’m good.
I need new turn signals and a new Shifter. The shifter right now is folded back on its self and hard to shift with. This is a part that will have to be replaced. Attempting to bend it back will break it. I look at this as a time to upgrade. Racing parts, and I’ll get some LED Turn Signals, I think.

V-Twin Sports Riding

There is something about this Honda Superhawk… It’s very different from other bikes I’ve ever ridden.  I guess its because I’ve never had a V-twin sport bike before. The bike is very deceptive… It feels like a 600, its light and narrow, and is very agile… More like a 600 or 750 than a 996.  But the torque… It come on like a force of nature and the speed builds so effortlessly.  It’s amazing.
I’ve had other sportbikes, I’ve had cruisers… I’ve never had a machine that I enjoyed riding so much as I enjoy this one.  This bike is my favorite out of everything that came before it.  I don’t know what could top it in terms of pure unadulterated pleasure. 
EDIT:

Thanks to Horde Member M… Had a brisk ride home after he helped me tighten my chain. He’s rolling on a sports bike too. Hooliganism makes one feel young again for a moment. And that’s a good thing when taken in small doses. My Chain, once to a proper tension, is at the maximum length of stretch. I’m going to replace it. The Sprockets are in better shape than the chain… the chain is in ugly shape. With my Chain Break History, I’m just going to remove that nagging doubt.

Not everyone of my friends understands the Motorcycle thing, and even fewer understand the “Rice Burner Crotch Rocket” thing. What’s funny is that the guys giving me the most crap about also own Japanese bikes and one even drives a Honda car. So “Rice Burner” isn’t exactly holding water… but it is certainly a rocket.

Guys, no, as much as many have said or are thinking… I don’t want to die. Yes, I understand I hold my mortality in my hands, but I don’t want to die. I’m just not afraid of dying. There is a difference, an important difference. I’ve done performance driving courses… I think I would really like to take a Performance Riding course. I’m still green on a Sport Bike, and still learning this bike… I think a course would really be a good idea.

My Honda Superhawk 996

Well… I did it again.  After looking at Kawasaki’s, Suzuki’s, Yamaha’s, and a couple Hardly’s… I came home with another Honda… another Red Honda.  This is the Superhawk 996, a V-Twin.  Yes, I sold a Honda with 4 cylinders, 4 Carbs, 4 Pipes… and bring home a Honda with 2 Carbs, 2 cylinders, and 2 pipes… and it’s Twice the Bike.  I am not nearly as fatigued from the ride from Orem, and admittedly I got home a lot quicker.

This bike really and truly is a Torque Monster.  In Orem, on State Street… about 5 blocks from where I bought it, I was nearing an intersection that had turned Yellow.  So I just goosed the throttle like I always did on my Magna… expecting a quick burst of speed, nothing big, just enough to get through the yellow light.  That’s not what happened.  What happened was this hairy beast of a monster let out a roar and I wheelied through the intersection like a madman.    Thankfully there was no Law Enforcement around to witness this because I don’t think they would buy my excuse.

Carving up the canyons on the way home was pure enjoyment.

What’s funny though… the motorcycle “Wave”.  I saw a lot of motorcycles out today… passed by tons of them going the opposite direction.  I used to always get “The Wave” from other bikers.  Not One.  Not that I cared or expected it.  But there it is.

The Superhawk is a strange bike, I’ll admit that.  Very light and narrow for a 996cc machine.  The bike wants to cruise at 80 MPH at 4K RPM’s.  Just really sedate compared to the Magna at the same speed.  It just burbles along… singing it’s song… and then I downshift and open the throttle… and the Superhawk gets straight up PISSED.  The whole tone of the engine changes and the power comes on in a huge way.  110 horses and 80 pounds of torque come to bear… this is a great deal more power than the Magna had… and the Magna is considered a “Muscle Bike”.  Huh.   The Speedo on the Superhawk goes up to 180 MPH.  I didn’t test that… but I believe it can get up there.  I did inadvertantly hit a triple digit speed making a pass on a long straight.  The speed rolled on effortlessly and the bike felt solid as a rock.  I was shocked when I looked down and saw how fast I was going.  I instantly pulled that in…. One doesn’t want a ticket on the first day of ownership… that’s bad luck.

Overall, I am full of Happy Happy, Joy Joy feelings with this motorcycle…. and it looks so good… I don’t think I could ever get tired of looking at it.  In fact, I sat on the porch of Ogre Range just looking at it for the longest time.  Gorgeous bike.