Honda Silver Wing 400

NOT SO MUCH
-- It's no lightweight
-- It misses the extra 184cc of its big brother on the open road

The Silver Wing 400 joined Honda's scooter line-up in April of 2009, bringing Big Red's scooter fleet up to a total of eight models. According to Honda, "The Silver Wing 400 offers remarkable performance and comfort similar to its bigger cousin, the Silver Wing 600, whilst also providing a remarkable cargo capacity, thanks to a 55lt underseat storage space." Now that statement strikes me as a little odd, as info I've dug up on the pair indicates the 600 weighs at least 5kg less than the 400, has a fair chunk more power and torque, and also has a 55lt underseat storage space. Hmm… strange things are afoot at the Circle K…

In essence, the two siblings are very similar in many ways, although the 400 has fresher styling and benefits from Honda's Combined-ABS brake system as standard, while - in Australia at least - the 600 only has Honda's Combined Brake System (i.e. no ABS). Also, the 400 attracts a retail price of $10,990 plus ORC, while big brother goes for $2000 more. Both are Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme (LAMS) eligible.

However, comparisons between the two will shortly be a moot point, as the Silver Wing 600 is no longer being brought to Australia, and after remaining stocks of the maxi scoot are gone, that's it - the mantle of 'Honda's largest scooter' will then be passed to the Silver Wing 400.

Perhaps it will only be then, when the 600 is a distant memory, that we can truly judge the 400 purely on its own merits - and appreciate what is, at heart, a very well made, beautifully finished and flexible scooter, just as at home on the open road as it is within the confines of the city.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Powering the Silver Wing 400 is a 398cc, liquid-cooled, eight-valve parallel-twin engine, mounted in the scoot's tubular steel frame instead of on the swingarm, as is the case with most small-capacity scooters. It's fed by PGM-FI electronic fuel injection and comes with a catalytic converter to ensure full EURO-3 compliance. The power is fed to the back wheel via Honda's V-Matic automatic transmission and a belt final drive, ensuring silky smooth, twist-and-go operation.

Suspension comprises a non-adjustable 41mm fork up front and a twin rear shocks, adjustable for preload. Braking is handled by a single 276mm disc with three-piston Nissin caliper, mated to a 240mm disc and twin-piston Nissin caliper at the rear. As previously mentioned, a Combined-ABS system comes as standard on the Australian-spec model.

That 55lt underseat storage area is complemented by two glove compartments, one of which is lockable. BikePoint's test machine also came fitted with Honda's factory option 40lt topbox, which retails for $995.95 plus fitting.

A plush, stepped 'king and queen'-style seat provides plenty of comfort, and the pillion pegs swivel back into the 'Wing's bodywork when they're not required. Instrumentation comprises analogue fuel, speed, tacho and engine temperature gauges, complemented by an LCD display showing a clock, trip/odometer and average fuel consumption, plus all the usual warning lights. As is the case with most Honda models these days, the Silver Wing 400 also comes with Honda's Ignition Security System (HISS) as standard - the ignition will only work with the correctly chipped key.

Priced at $10,990, the Silver Wing 400 comes with a 24-month, unlimited kilometre warranty, and is available in either silver or black.

ON THE ROAD
When I first collected the Silver Wing 400 from Honda headquarters, I found it difficult to shake the spectre of its bigger brother, the 600, off my back. I've spent many a happy mile on the latter, and - on the open road in particular - I was missing the extra oomph. However, with more miles and familiarity, I came to appreciate the 400 for what it is. What is it? Read on…

One thing it most definitely is, is comfy. At 188cm (6ft 2in) I'd say I'm at the very upper end of rider heights it can accommodate well, but I had no complaints - certainly anyone 6ft or under will find it both sumptuous and spacious. The rider's seat is broad, plush and has a lumbar support - the pillion seat is also a cracker, and comes equipped with a generous grabrail either side and, in this testbike's case, a backrest courtesy of the factory option topbox.

There's good legroom and you've got a choice of where you can put your feet - either flat on the deck, or feet forward. Taller types will opt for the feet forward stance every time. The ride position is pretty much bolt upright, and the 'bars are an easy stretch away. With ergonomics like this, all-day touring certainly isn't out of the question.

Stab the starter the 'Wing fires up with all the fury of a vacuum cleaner in need of a bag change - which is to say it's exceptionally quiet and virtually devoid of any vibration. The take up from a standing start is incredibly refined, allowing minute incremental shuffles forward with absolute precision.

Of course the 398cc donk means there are usually only two throttle positions - fully closed and fully open. However, a statement like that does tend to mask the flexible nature of this engine. From a red light there's an initial gob of grunt that sees it leap forward with decent haste - impressive haste even, given its not inconsiderable claimed 250kg wet weight. After this first surge you're hit with another from around 30km/h, as the revs climb into the sweet spot. From here the acceleration is brisk up to 80km/h, at which point it tails off a little, but you'll be into three-digit speeds soon enough. In fact the little 'Wing can even crack the old ton, given a long enough stretch of road and a tailwind, or so I hear…

These days my 140km daily commute involves mainly highways, so I had ample opportunity to appreciate its application on the open road. It'll happily sit on 100km/h for hours on end - the engine's pulling 5500rpm at this point - and while it could just as easily sit on 120km/h, then we'd be talking 6500rpm, which, for me, is getting a little too close to its 9500rpm indicated redline for comfort. At these highway speeds, needless to say, overtakes require a bit of space and forethought - it's only really here where it loses out to the 600.

The suspension is basic but it does an entirely adequate job; it's really plush, like you're wafting over the road on a magic beanbag, but you'll get a rude awakening if you encounter any decent pothole at any decent speed. It's stable enough through the bends, where it also shows it's got plenty of ground clearance should a sporting mood descend.

The brakes, too, do an entirely competent job. They're a tad wooden, but there's plenty of power, and in any case the Combined-ABS system provides an excellent safety net in any emergency situation.

The Silver Wing 400 really shines when it comes to practicality. The 55lt underseat storage space can swallow a lot of gear - like a couple of helmets, or a helmet and your jacket - although there are bigger in the maxi scoot class. The two glove compartments are handy additions, and the sidestand and centrestand both work well.

The screen provides excellent weather protection, but I found that if I ducked my head down 5cm or so I lost all the wind noise too. Again, if you're 6ft or under, it'll be perfect. The instrumentation is classy and easy to read, and the fuel economy is good, at around 23km/lt - with a 16lt tank, that's enough for over 300km between fill-ups.

At $10,990 plus ORC the Silver Wing isn't a cheap scoot, but then despite its 398cc engine capacity, it really should be included in the maxi scoot class - and then the price certainly becomes competitive. Throw in Combined-ABS as standard - which in Honda land is often a $1000 option - and it's starting to look pretty darn attractive. Think of it as a midi maxi scoot, and it ticks all the boxes.

TRANSMISSION
Type: V-matic auto
Final drive: Belt

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Wet weight: 252kg
Seat height: 740mm
Wheelbase: 1600mm
Fuel capacity: 16lt

PERFORMANCE
Max. power: 38hp (28kW) at 7500rpm
Max. torque: 39Nm at 6000rpm