Cosworth Co-founder in his Voyager

The late, great Keith Duckworth, co-founder of Cosworth (with Mike Costin) and legendary designer of the DFV engine which won more Formula 1 races than any engine before or since. Keith bought his Voyager, No.03, at the Stafford Classic Bike Show Auction in April 1994 and sold it to Ian Kew in 2003. (More pix in the 'Royce Creasey's Creations' folder). I took this photo in July 1996 on the same day that Keith and I compared both the Voyager and his trusty Honda Helix CN 250 with the Yamaha Majesty 250 scooter which had just come out and was about to take Europe by storm, outselling everything else with an engine and two wheels in the late nineties and provoking the superscooter escalation in both power and capacity of the noughties which culminated in the 75bhp Gilera GP800 (now reborn as the Aprilia SRV850). PNB
Photo: © Paul Blezard

Cosworth Co-founder in his Voyager

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Majesty outsells Cub?

Brimey! I thought Honads 50 and 90cc 'Cubs'* were the highest selling PTWs of all time - who'd have thought the Majesty sold more, in such a short time. What are the actual figures?

*"If you want to get ahead get a Honda" Remember? 'Course, if you've already got a head you could buy a motorcycle - or more probably a small car...

I was referring to sales of

I was referring to sales of the Majesty 250 in Western Europe, from 1996-1999, not throughout the world since the dawn of motorcycling! Don't have the precise figures to hand but it was, erm, a lot! Definitely out-sold everything else over 125cc.

Majesty to blame then....

So, it would be reasonable to point out the Majesty as the PTW that demonstrated to the world's manufacturers that they could get away with increasing their profits by abandoning 'stepper' gearboxes for much cheaper CVT drive.

Thus the Cmax is hobbled, unable to provide the improvements in top speed and fuel consumption that otherwise would be possible - as demonstrated by any number of older, cruder FFs. Pity really, if the Cmax had come with a six speed sequential transmission it would have be a far better vehicle, worth putting on a proper front suspension even.

That's where 'motorcycling' has got to;- plenty of work on increasing profitability, none on improving comfort, handling, safety or efficiency. Just when the world really needs a real alternative to expensive Electric Cars. Motorcycle manufacturer? Shame on you!

From CVT to DCT, courtesy of Honda

I think you'll find that Honda's DCT system has all the advantages of CVT with none of the drawbacks, apart from, perhaps, a little bit of bulk and weight. (as used on the VFR and Crosstourer 1200s and on the NC700/750 & Integras and above all on the lower-than-the-Helix Vultus nearly-FF!). Thus, the Vultus is crying out to be 'ComforTmaxed', especially since it starts with an engine which is both 10bhp more powerful than the Mk3 Tmax *and* famously fuel-sipping! If the NC750 motor can return 70-80mpgUK in a motorised bicycle (and by all accounts it can) then it should be able to do 100mpg in a half-way aerodynamic FF-alike!

Courtesy, Honad? Military, Intelligence?

Yep. Complicate. Add weight. Dual Clutch, a crucial feature. We've all been waiting for that! It's the feature that'll save motorcycling for sure!

Maybe the Vulva can be turned into an FF (Minus 20" seat base, no excuses) but no-one's bothered to put up a picture of it without that ridiculous bodywork, so I haven't a clue. Even if it's possible, who's going to do it (Anyone?). Certainly not Honda! Here's a tenner that says no-one will turn a Vulva into an FF in the next year - I'll be delighted to pay out.

70-80Mpg eh? So it's about as good as my wife's Skoda Fabia Greenline... (five seat estate car, heater, bidet, radio, et al)

Really, Honad! Is this the best you can do? Shame on you! Can't even do a proper job of copying other people (unlike BMW...).

And frankly, I'm offended that Honad, and all it's works, are being mentioned under a picture of a Voyager.