The Honda Bros appreciation thread

[KungFooBob]

I had G reg 400, it only had 500km on the clocks. Lovely little thing. The inside of the tank was rusty as fuck and used to block the fuel filter if you used full throttle for too long. Petseal sorted it.

I junked the airbox lid and held the filter down with tape (it was a snug fit in the bottom of the airbox). Fitted a Renegade (remember them?) exhaust and the smaller jets from the Honda Hawk 650 Dynojet kit.

It was proper fast and very loud.

I keep toying with buying another an reliving my youth, but... 1. I think the 400 is actually a bit underpowered compared to modern stuff and I'd be underwhelmed. 2. They're all shitters now.

I bet there's more than a handful of ex-Bros/Hawk owners here?

[Yorick]

*plonk*

[Mr. Dazzle]

3. You'll lose it up your arse crack.

Do it though! I really wanted a Bros when I was on my 33bhp restriction but couldn't find one. I ended up with a CB-1 but loved that instead.

[Yorick]

[DefTrap]

I've had a few of course. The name is still hilarious (for Yorick ), probably if it had ever been an official import for HondaUK they would have held out for the Hawk moniker. My J-reg one has some light mods - wider mk2 fromt wheel, vfr800 rear, tweaked airbox, various aftermarket exhausts etc. It's currently mothballed - I had planned to re-reg it over here under the "vehicles du collection" scheme (as you have eff all chance of grey import regging using the normal route) but sadly Brexit beat me to it - I'm probably not paying 10% import tax on the Douane supposed value + VAT for something I've owned for 20 years.

Taipan had one (or more?) back in the day, although he came at it from an NTV I think. I've gone the other way ....

[Taipan]

I had a MK2 650 and loved it!

[DefTrap]

A whole gaggle of them, early 2ks, Birmingham. Mine and TiePins are amongst that lot.

[DefTrap]

One of the numerous runs to FinchingField

[KungFooBob]

I was on a Bros/Hawk forum run by some Septic who lived in the UK, he had the most blinged up Hawk ever... but my mates 650 Bros made more power than his (and he didn't like it).

That must have been around 1997-98.

Every time I look there's always 400's on t'bay, but the 650's are like rocking horse poop.

[DefTrap]

I was on a Bros/Hawk forum run by some Septic who lived in the UK, he had the most blinged up Hawk ever... but my mates 650 Bros made more power than his (and he didn't like it).

That must have been around 1997-98.

Every time I look there's always 400's on t'bay, but the 650's are like rocking horse poop.

Steve probably, he was in the US military I think. That was a couple of years before I got involved. Me and another guy up in Norfolk ran the club after Steve went back to the US. Was your mate Kev? - I still see him around on FB, his fancy Bros is still in his barn ....

[KungFooBob]

The Bros predates the Deauville. It's more of an NTV with an alloy frame instead of pressed steel (and chain drive).

It's got the good old 52 degree v-twin with three valve heads that Honda used in the Trans Alp and Shadow.

The Bros was JDM only and the Hawk was a slightly lower spec version sold to the Septics (the Firestorm was called the Super Hawk over there).

The Bros, even the 400 were 'premium' bikes, with NSR250 stylee frames and a single sided swinger.

[KungFooBob]

I was on a Bros/Hawk forum run by some Septic who lived in the UK, he had the most blinged up Hawk ever... but my mates 650 Bros made more power than his (and he didn't like it).

That must have been around 1997-98.

Every time I look there's always 400's on t'bay, but the 650's are like rocking horse poop.

Steve probably, he was in the US military I think. That was a couple of years before I got involved. Was your mate Kev? - I still see him around on FB, his fancy Bros is still in his barn ....

Yeah Steve.

My mate's dad built a very high spec Bros 650, with a TRX endurance fairing, CBR600 front end and LOTS of engine work. My mate got it when his dad got bored.

[DefTrap]

Isn't it just a naked Deuville? Why is there so much love for the Bros but contempt for the Dulville?

Arguably yes the Bros is a Deauville with all the fugly bits ripped off. To ride (stay with me here!) the Bros is closer to the rc30 than the Deauville. It was waaay more popular in the U.S.
That it's a Honda, that it was given a stoopid model name, that 50% of London DRs rode them in the 90, that the derivatives are the terribly dull looking NTVs and Deauviles - didn't really do them any favours when it comes to being cool.

[Yorick]

The Bros predates the Deauville. It's more of an NTV with an alloy frame instead of pressed steel (and chain drive).

It's got the good old 52 degree v-twin with three valve heads that Honda used in the Trans Alp and Shadow.

The Bros was JDM only and the Hawk was a slightly lower spec version sold to the Septics (the Firestorm was called the Super Hawk over there).

The Bros, even the 400 were 'premium' bikes, with NSR250 stylee frames and a single sided swinger.

[DefTrap]

Yeah Steve.

My mate's dad built a very high spec Bros 650, with a TRX endurance fairing, CBR600 front end and LOTS of engine work. My mate got it when his dad got bored.

Dale's dad? I almost bought that but his dad massively fibbed about it's history and it just put me off (it's a long time ago so I'm probably a bit vague and wrong about it). It turned up later in Norfolk when I went round to a club member's house to borrow something.

[KungFooBob]

You dodged a bullet, you didn't needed to change the oil in it, it burnt so much you just kept topping it up.

[asmethurst99]

I was going to try and import one when visiting the wifes family (i had no idea of the cost and quickly realised it was a pipe dream)instead I bought a 650 with 16000 on the clocks from Riverbank Motorcycles in Bow
Kept it for 5 years and did 25000 kms on it.
Went to Denmark touring and loads of commuting and aimless riding.
Came with a noisy Carbon fibre exhaust which I changed for a Fuel Can.
Fannied about with tyres and settled on Conti Road attack.
Had Fire blade RRN shock and 2 brothers jack up plates with changed rear master cylinder so jack up plates would fit.
KN filter with drilled airbox.

[v8-powered]

You dodged a bullet, you didn't needed to change the oil in it, it burnt so much you just kept topping it up.

I had an NTV650 like that, used as much oil as fuel!

[Whysub]

My brother rebuilt his sons' Bros after he crashed it on diesel. Few rattle cans, a seat unit and a bit of welding later:

20200422_184334.jpg (313.02 KiB) Viewed 718 times

[KungFooBob]

My brother rebuilt his sons' Bros after he crashed it on diesel. Few rattle cans, a seat unit and a bit of welding later:

20200422_184334.jpg

Are you sure that's a Bros and not an NTV?

Looks like a pressed steel frame?