Honda's ‘Janimation' NM4 Vultus

Honda’s taken the wraps of yet another machine which utilises its 745cc, low-revving parallel twin – the ‘NM4 Vultus’ concept.

The bike was unveiled at the start of the 30th Osaka Motorcycle Show, in two guises: the “simply configured” NM4-01 with its ultra low profile, and the NM4-02 which “features a prominent rear design” – or integrated panniers for you and me.

The creative embers for the NM4 Vultus (Vultus meaning Latin for “expression) came from bikes in anime (ie animation) and manga (drawings, sketches) television, with the designers given carte blanche to come up with every chiselled angle and curve.

“Honda is a big company. We make every kind of motorcycle. It’s great that sometimes we make a certain machine simply because we can and because we want to, not because we “should”,” said Keita Mikura, project leader for the NM4 Vultus.

“The bike exists because of a passion from deep within our company. We wanted to create something special, not just in the two-wheeled world, but truly unique in the whole world -- a machine that engages a human soul like no other.

“Our intention was to make something that makes every moment feel cinematic, and we want riding it to be an event - guaranteed – every single time.”

Lighting is full LED with front indicators and mirrors integrated into the bodywork, while the shaped headlight is framed with a blue LED definition line.
Everything is blacked-out – “with carefully placed glimpses of stainless steel here and there”. Only one paint option will be available: matt black.

The reactive dashboard has colours that change depending on driving mode and "mood" -- from neutral (white) through D (blue) to S (pink), ultimately to MT (red). Alternatively, the rider can choose one colour from five other tonal ranges of colour – 25 individual colours altogether.

The flip-up pillion seat also acts as a rider backrest, where the angle can be adjusted through three positions as well as sliding backwards and forwards back/forward 25mm.

The lockable left compartment opens with the ignition key and features one-litre of storage space plus a 12V DC adaptor. The right compartment has three litres of storage.

The engine’s the same fare as found in the NC series of commuters, the Integra scooter and CTX range, with a focus on strong low and mid-range power. It has peak power of 40.3kW at 6250rpm, and 68Nm of torque at 4750rpm. It is equipped as standard with a dual clutch transmission giving the rider options between automatic twist-and-go D and S mode – plus a trigger-operated computer game-style manual MT mode.

Rake is set at 33 degrees with trail of 110mm, wheelbase of 1645mm and front/rear weight bias of 49/51 per cent. Kerb weight is 245kg.

There are 43mm telescopic forks and a Pro-Link rear.  Two-channel anti-lock braking is standard, and there are 10-spoke cast aluminium front and rear wheels – 18 x 3.50-inch and 17 x 6.25 inch – and finished in black. The tyre sizes are 120/70-18 and 200/50-17.

Accessories available for the NM4 Vultus will include high screen, heated grips, panniers and alarm.

The machine will also be exhibited at the 41st Tokyo Motorcycle Show from March 28-30.