Bike features
Here are the main features of the Honda X4:
- high reliability and motor power;
- comfortable fit;
- Somewhat insufficient brake power.
However, as for the latter, tuning can help here. Otherwise, the model is excellent and may appeal to many connoisseurs of traveling on country roads where the wind blows. The X4 is also quite suitable for the city, since the size of the car is far from the largest. This is probably why the bike has remained popular until the present day.
Engine
The model is equipped with a four-stroke engine with four cylinders. The engine is in-line by type, and its volume is 1284 cm³, which largely explains its power. It is clearly better not for a person with little driving experience to ride such a motorcycle. The maximum speed here is 180 km/h, and it is quite enough. The engine power at peak is 100 hp and torque is 121 Nm.
Honda x4 technical specifications: advantages and disadvantages
The engine of the motorcycle was based on the engine from the flagship model Honda CB 1300. Its drive mechanism has similar technical characteristics to the Honda X4 engine. It is clear that the engine was slightly modified to suit the needs of the Honda X4. If you type “Honda X4 engine photo” into a search engine, you can see that they are similar. The basis remains the same - a 100 hp engine, thanks to which the X4 has an explosive temperament and powerful starting acceleration. Therefore, in this aspect, few motorcycles managed to compete with the Honda X4.
The release of the model was focused exclusively on the Japanese domestic market. Despite this, motorcycles were often exported from the land of the rising sun (sometimes not entirely legally), which allowed them to gain popularity in Europe and America.
In Russia, the model is known under the name Honda X4 rus. Due to the focus on domestic sales, the maximum speed of the motorcycle was limited to 180 km/h. But there was an opportunity to remove the restriction, which the craftsmen took advantage of, using a makeshift method to increase the maximum speed to 250 km/h. Owners of a Honda X4 probably have a photo of a speedometer that has reached a seemingly prohibited speed. On the other hand, removing the restriction is not so advisable: after passing the 150 km/h bar, driving the Honda X4 becomes much more difficult.
Honda X4 technical specifications
Honda motorcycles have always been reliable. In general, the Honda X 4 model was no exception. The transmission works without failures, and the same can be said about the engine. The braking system let us down: like the CB 1300 model, there are disc brakes (one and two discs on the rear and front, respectively), but for greater braking reliability it wouldn’t hurt to add at least one more.
For the Honda X4, tuning will also be required for the suspension, since on bumpy roads it behaves too softly, which is not befitting the status of an aggressive bike, which should have a stiffer suspension.
honda x4 tuning
Dimensions and weight
The motorcycle may seem impressive, but within its class it can only be called average. The length of this cruiser reaches 2330 mm, its height is 1140 mm, and its width is 745 mm. The X4's seat height is 730mm and its wheelbase is 1650mm. The model weighs 249 kg with an empty gas tank, and 270 kg with a full one. The volume of the fuel tank is 15 liters, which is quite acceptable with gasoline consumption from 8 liters to 10 liters on city streets, and half as much on the highway.
As you know, some people need nothing to find a worthy answer, while others need many years. But during this time, rivals may forget the essence of the problem... For almost a decade, Honda designers have been nurturing the idea of building the ultimate dragster, capable of pushing the iconic Yamaha V-max. And only by 1997 they managed to turn their dream into hardware - a 1300 cc motorcycle with a long wheelbase, powerful brakes and energy-intensive suspension appeared in front of fans of “annealing” in a straight line. They didn’t copy the V-max (the device gravitates more towards the style of neoclassics redesigned for racing), but they corrected virtually all of its shortcomings. The model is distinguished by its impressive weight, but at the same time refined handling and unsurpassed smooth engine performance. The in-line “four” is unified with the power unit of the well-known SV1300 and is famous for its colossal resource.
It would seem that Honda managed to outdo its competitor, but the expected sensation did not happen. No one was buying up the X4, like V-max once was, and no one was trying to tune it into an asphalt “rocket”. It’s just that the time of motorcycle rebels has already passed, and the new generation of motorcyclists saw the X4 as an exceptionally solid, fashionable neoclassic. After all, the price of the model, even in used condition, was and remains not at all small.
In 1999, Honda tried to improve the situation somewhat. The firstborn was replaced by an equally perfect beauty - X 4 Type LD. Small improvements. The model received a front fork that was more rigid in compression, rear shock absorbers with compensation reservoirs, and a base shortened by five millimeters. The already low driver's seat has dropped to 720mm. At the same time, the steering wheel rose slightly due to new brackets. In general, we did everything for a straight (read: proud) and comfortable landing. And although in Japan the model was awarded the title of “motorcycle of 1999,” this did not affect the speed of promotion of this dragster in the foreign market. First of all, American. After all, this is exactly what LD was aimed at.
They wanted sensations, but they simply built a device that was good in all respects, which still occupies a special place in the world table of ranks. That is why there has been a strong interest in X 4 LD in our country for a long time. Beautiful, powerful and reliable cars are always in favor, and attitudes towards them do not depend on the currents of fickle fashion. And if so, then let's explore all the delights of the “second series” V - max.
Vladimir Zdorov, Motor Review expert Height – 193 cm, driving experience – 12 years, rides a Suzuki TL 1000 R sportbike As you know, someone else’s wife is always more beautiful, and the apples in the neighboring garden will always be bigger... I don’t know if there is a similar proverb in Japanese, but it is simply impossible not to notice such discouraging plagiarism in V - max. What’s even more interesting is how deep are the similarities between both devices? After all, it is not appropriate for a giant corporation to blindly copy someone’s, albeit very successful, device.
I'll start with external perception. I would say that the motorcycle is built around the motor. Its size evokes well-deserved respect. I sit down on the steel monster with caution. I've never had such fun on a motorcycle before. On the one hand, the steering wheel located quite far away and straight provides a fairly noticeable forward tilt. But at the same time, the footrests, contrary to expectations, are strictly where they should be. However, you forget about all these nuances as soon as you start moving. Although in this case such a landing has a completely logical “load”.
Literally from 1000 rpm, an engine with an immodest automobile displacement is trying to snatch the hands from the shoulders of an expert who has clearly “lost his sense of smell,” mercilessly twisting the throttle “inside out.” Thermonuclear thrust practically from idle speed! Das ist gut! Combined with the Dregster riding position and the infinitely stretched base, the result is a very plausible take on the Red Arrow Express. Well, perhaps a little shorter... On the other hand, given the mass of the test subject (and we are talking about a quarter of a ton!), the motorcycle “fits” very well into turns, in which the rider’s self-esteem tends to infinity, since the grinding of the footpegs on the asphalt flatteringly hints at incredible angles of inclination. Don’t delude yourself - the footpegs are simply very low, and it won’t be difficult for a more or less experienced pilot to rub them into the trash.
This specimen was then “perfumed” for such things as are common for the Japanese market and as a maximum speed limiter. In practice, it looks like this: the Honda quite easily accelerates to the last mark on the speedometer (180 km/h), and up to 150 km/h the acceleration dynamics are quite comparable to a good 600 cc sports bike, and continues to accelerate further.
As a result, we manage to place the speedometer needle on the odometer. If you mentally draw the scale, it turns out to be somewhere around 220-230 km/h. Moreover, I probably won’t complain about the wind blower that is usual in such cases. Yes, of course it blows, and how! But it’s quite possible to withstand two or three minutes. In the city it is very rare to maintain such a speed for a long time. A short glance at the tank again evoked thoughts of plagiarism. The engine temperature and fuel level indicators are located in the same way as in V-max, right on the tank - inconvenient. Firstly, I have to take my eyes off the road, and secondly, the instrument scales are so narrow that one short glance is clearly not enough to read the readings. In general, when it comes to fuel efficiency, things are not going well for the model. With active driving around the city, fuel consumption easily reaches 13 l/100 km! And this despite the fact that the volume of the gas tank is still the same 13 liters!
Very reminiscent of V - max. Not from the best side, of course. The very first serious braking discouraged me from accelerating to high speeds. The bike clearly lacks original brakes! Here, instead of puny four-piston calipers, there would be six-piston ones. The only thing that somehow improves the situation is the rear brake, which copes with its duties quite well. Those who have previously ridden sportbikes need to readjust here. The rear brake works 100% and slows the car down very significantly. As for the operation of the suspensions, there were no discoveries for me. As long as the road is good and smooth, everything is “full chocolate”. But as soon as it becomes the way it, in fact, should be in its native land, namely with holes, potholes and transverse cracks, everything returns to its place. Breakdowns in the front forks and rear shock absorbers are common. Moreover, if you “walk” on an inclination, the rear wheel begins to break off. At least take a look at these very wheels. How much unsprung mass is there!
What's the end result? It turned out to be a very interesting device. The Dregster landing in combination with the Dregster dynamics, plus a huge base, results in super stability in a straight line. At the same time, handling is still a little better than you would expect from a motorcycle of this size and weight. Moreover, if you wish and have the skill, you can even behave like a hooligan. In first gear, a huge torque with appropriate manipulation of the clutch lever pulls the “four X’s” onto the rear wheel. You are guaranteed 30-40 meters of thrills. The subsequent breakdown of the front fork upon landing is something that goes without saying. The motorcycle was clearly made for something else. For what? It is just as suitable for long-distance driving as the Oka is for hauling a trailer from the Kam AZ a. His element is the wide avenues of city highways and parking lots near nightclubs. After all, the model is damn beautiful. Interested glances from passers-by are guaranteed. What is there to hide? Many people buy a motorcycle just for this reason. I have completely different priorities in the scale of motorcycle values.
Denis Panferov (DEAN), independent expert Height - 176 cm, driving experience - 15 years, drives a Honda CBR 1100 XX Super Blackbird X4 - this is a redesigned and corrected Yamaha V - max - the appearance is between a classic and a custom one and incredible acceleration. Sometimes both of these motorcycles are classified as dragsteros, but this is not entirely true, because they can not only shoot a quarter of a mile, leaving black streaks of burnt rubber on the asphalt, but also simply be universal motorcycles for every day, capable and move the pilot's carcass around the city and deliver it to the warm sea.
If you place an ad like “I’m exchanging the full edition of Ukropovich or Yozh-i-Mura from the razor-929 for its standard edition,” then the queue of people willing will stretch for half a block and will be approximately equal to the number of happy owners of the razor 929 with the standard exhaust. With the X4 it’s a different story: many “lucky” owners of motorcycles with direct flow are even willing to pay extra just to exchange for a standard exhaust. A pair of chrome-plated “puffy cigars” fit very well into the strange image of the motorcycle, along with a solid rear wheel disc and gasoline and temperature indicators located on the tank. In general, the design of the motorcycle is interesting, and even by today’s standards it is quite fresh and, best of all, universal. On such a motorcycle, you can join the column of chopper riders, or you can, without falling behind, tag along with the sportbikers - and in both cases the driver will not look like “a black sheep out of place.”
Non-standard tire sizes (190/60-17 at the rear and 120/70-18 at the front) greatly limit the range of wheels suitable for the X4. Kits can only be found from Bridgestone (VT57, factory tire choice) and Dunlop (D 220). Dunlop is preferable, as the newer one grips wet asphalt better and lasts longer. In addition, Dunlop has a steel cord in the tire, which, given the considerable weight of the motorcycle and the ability to ride on the rear wheel, cannot be called “superfluous”. But I wouldn’t recommend putting a 200/50 or 190/50 cylinder on a motorcycle - by reducing the profile height, you greatly reduce the meager “turning clearance”, and besides, lower tires will more often penetrate to the disc on uneven roads.
The general concept of a low, large-volume motorcycle is fraught with a powerful pitfall - the wide engine is very low to the ground. Even beginners, who have little idea what forces act on a motorcycle when tilted, and why tilt it at all, can reach the ground with iron in a turn. The driver's footrests "land" first. Despite the fact that they fold, the touch is quite hard and dangerous - the folding plane of the footrest does not coincide with the plane of the earth's surface, and often, instead of folding softly, the footrest rests rigidly with a steel horn (hero blob) on the asphalt and begins to hang the rear wheel . In left turns, in addition to the footrests, you can reach the ground with a side stand - even less soft and pleasant.
Enough theory though – let’s go. It is very difficult to find an exact definition for a motor. Because the epithets “good” or “great” do not reflect the whole essence of this smooth, powerful and reliable heart of the motorcycle. The motor is AWESOME.
Firstly, even when deboosted to 98 horsepower, it produces so many small ponies and powerful torques that the only thing that will hint you about deboosting is the speedometer needle resting on the 180 km/h mark, beyond which the speedometer is not marked. But this can be easily done - wire cutters, a soldering iron and 15 minutes of fiddling will help you remove this “limiter” and set the needle to the second circle on the scale.
Secondly, the thrust of this motor has no peaks, valleys or dips. Smooth, predictable and powerful traction throughout the entire rev range. In addition to the fact that this in itself is pleasant, it also adds safety - there is less chance of getting on the rear wheel or causing it to skid if you are careless with the throttle - just smooth, but crazy acceleration. In any gear, at any speed. You can crank up a 600 cc sportbike engine to greater power measured by instruments, but nothing can replace the torque developed by large-volume bikes. Where on the X4 it is enough to simply open the gas harder in top gear, on the 600 you will have to click two gears down and unscrew the knob until your wrist is dislocated in order to achieve similar acceleration.
Thirdly, this motor cannot be killed. More than half of X4 owners are sure that they have hydraulic compensators in their engines. And there's just a couple of screws and nuts. But this archaic pair, which came directly from the engine from the CBR 1000 F, does not require adjustment even after 60,000 km. Just don't skimp on oil. 100% synthetic and replaced at least once every 10,000 km. This is not as financially burdensome as it seems, especially considering that this engine does not consume oil at all, unlike the “vymax” mentioned at the beginning of the article.
We accelerated well, but all straight lines come to an end and turns begin. Let's go in. Oops... I have a habit of keeping the toe of the left shoe UNDER the gear lever when turning, so as not to waste time placing it there when shifting during acceleration after exiting the turn. This number doesn’t work on the X4 – in left turns you start scraping the bot’s slider against the asphalt, even in the city. Here, either move the lever higher, or give up the habit. Otherwise, the motorcycle handles decently. Not a purebred sportbike, of course, but it will tear apart many “classics” and most “customs” like Tuzik’s hat. It’s only difficult at low speeds (in parking lots, when making turns) - the X4 tends to turn the steering wheel to the inside of the turn and reduce the turning radius to zero. But behind these aspirations, all motorcycles weighing more than 20 kg are noticed. So there are two alternatives: either buy CB1, or pump up your biceps.
The only downside I would consider is the tank volume. Long-distance driving in a sparsely populated area with gas stations every 100 km will allow you to get to know all the gas stations along the entire route. After all, this is a motorcycle for the city. There is a way out of this situation - boil the tank to 20-25 liters. This is done without compromising the appearance and greatly adds to the practicality of the motorcycle. Think about such tuning - the money invested will be repaid by the time gained.
The X4 is not a model officially available in Europe. But, despite this, it is not difficult to find spare parts for it - there are many fans of this motorcycle in Germany, and if you find out the part number of the part you need, then this part will reach you from the European warehouse in a week or two. The same Germans also have different mullions on the X4, such as roof racks, arches, sliders and other attachments. It is a rare case when, when buying a domestic Japanese model, you do not feel abandoned and deceived at the first breakdown.
Three years ago I almost bought myself an X4. And this is exactly what I dreamed about when I was pushing my SV750 at 20 0 km/h maximum speed. But then a fresh blackbird turned up for ridiculous money. Maybe it’s for the better, of course, but sometimes a little worm of doubt eats away at the brain.
Alexey Karklinsky, Motor Review expert Height – 182 cm, driving experience – 23 years, drives a BMW R 1200 CL Acquaintance with the Honda X4 LD cannot be called a discovery, it’s been four years since this model appeared on our market. And yet there are no unnecessary impressions and assessments...
Let me make a reservation right away, my acquaintance with this motorcycle was limited to only a few thousand kilometers, without serious “long-range”, but in different weather and road conditions. But some brave “peppers” managed to get to Lake Baikal on it! I bow down!
First of all, I would note that I have never seen a more unsuitable motorcycle for traveling. Actually, in my opinion, this is its main characteristic, and this is due not only to the scanty fuel reserve, high fuel consumption, strict suspension, but also to the general concept of the motorcycle.
A kind of “macho” prospect. His whole appearance is brutally straightforward, fundamentally imposing. Like a pit bull on a walk, he is restrained and calm, but if necessary, he will tear any “offender” to pieces.
Its differences from the base model X4 are small, and we won’t discuss them here, just a few touches to the portrait, for my taste.
In praise: few “classics” allow themselves to be controlled so obediently, this time. Amazing bottomless motor, that's two. Fantastic stability under the most extreme overclocking, that's three. Amazing stability at high speeds, that's four.
Control, sensitivity, responsiveness - like all Honda motorcycles, these are five, six, and seven. You can kick me, but no other brand of motorcycle has such stable ergonomic characteristics.
Well, it seems that there is enough to praise, there is something to scold for. Who came up with the idea of a cast rear wheel? This inventor raise his samples about the shaft? Stylish, of course, you can’t say anything about, but this ingot strives for free flight at the slightest bump! Even if you tighten up the shock absorbers, even if you install springs of variable stiffness, it’s all the same: the backside “sausages like a child.” Pay tribute for appearance; those who don’t want to are free and move on on foot. Okay, this is tolerable, what else is annoying? Oh yes, it’s time to look for a gas station again. This is, indeed, a cafe racer; before the coffee has time to cool down, the tank is dry. As soon as you whistle a new tune, this one under you is asking for porridge again! Some kind of swallow, it's annoying!
But it (the motorcycle) doesn’t care whether you’re alone, with a passenger, or loaded with a market bale. Turn the handle - hold the coin, and check the “second number” at the next traffic light to see if it’s lost.
Major, should I make it up? From tavern to tavern. Everything really doesn’t work out, you just sit down, have countryside fantasies in your head, dream like that for about forty minutes, and he brings you back to the ground, that is, to the gas station. In general, everyone understood that this X4 is not a walker.
Emotions overwhelmed me, I confess, but this is also wonderful, the motorcycle is bad for being colorless in our perception. You can’t say the same about the X4 LD, it has character and individuality shines through. I’ll just note that in addition to emotions, the practicality of use is also important to me, so I wouldn’t buy it for myself, but I enjoyed the ride, and the passenger liked it too.
Mikhail Lapshin, deputy editor-in-chief of Motorreview Height - 192 cm, driving experience - 11 years, drives a Honda CBR 600 F On the day when it was my turn to ride an Eldeshka, I just had to go to the dacha - under Dubna, along Dmitrovka. It turned out to be normal mileage for the test, and the highway seemed to be better there. I poured ten liters of gasoline into the tank and “flew.” Before this, I had already driven a regular X4, so I didn’t make any discoveries in terms of appearance and ergonomics. A pumped-up, large-volume neoclassic, the landing is straight, comfortable, good stability due to the considerable base... The weather, as they say, was whispering, there were few cars on the track, and I spurred the horse harder and harder. 150 km/h - the flight is normal, even the wind blower is not so annoying for a naked motorcycle. The device listens perfectly to the steering wheel and shifts between cars in slalom. In general, I didn’t even need any special “acclimatization”; within ten minutes I felt like family.
While driving, the pilot best sees the tachometer readings, and then the speedometer. That's probably why I missed the moment of running out of gasoline. At a speed of about 140 km/h, the motorcycle suddenly began to jerk, the speed began to drop, and I had to glide to the side of the road. What nonsense? Tried to start it - no luck. Then, as in a joke, I walked around, kicked the tires and thought sadly: it’s about a hundred kilometers to Moscow, even more to the dacha. I got it. For some reason I didn’t immediately think that I had run out of gas. After all, the route was targeted, and usually we stopped much further for refueling. Damn it, the tap is in the reserve position! Appetite, though! In general, the mood had deteriorated, and there was a lot of time to be killed by “voting.” Half an hour later, the thrifty jeep driver filled me with some fuel. I had to entertain him with stories from the series “the gallop comes and the gallop stops.”
Of course, I made it to the dacha, but I was infected with a nervous tic - looking at the gas meter every five minutes. By the way, it’s very inconvenient - it’s on the tank, and besides, it’s tiny. At speed you have to “disconnect” from the road for a few seconds. At an average speed on the highway (130-150 km/h), the Eldeshka “eats” all 12-13 liters per “hundred”, i.e. the entire tank. And what Japanese came up with this?
I also listed the weak front brakes as a disadvantage (no, they work, of course, but it feels like they’re on the edge). A few dynamic slowdowns and they overheat. Pendants... A good C grade. There are breakdowns on uneven surfaces, and in turns the rear wheel shifts slightly. But with handling and acceleration there is complete order. A real speed racer.
To be honest, I still don’t understand why there is so much fuss around the X’s. In my opinion, there is nothing to discuss here. Yes, a good and powerful neoclassic, the handling is almost standard. Overclocking capabilities? More is possible, if you don’t forget about the engine capacity. Although it’s probably better this way (traction throughout the entire range) than the sportbike jerkiness. And further. Very heavy. At the dacha, he pushed through a board with his step and almost fell over. Thank God, I was nearby and had enough strength... So he didn’t excite me. I'm probably not a fan of valdoletov.
Alexander Dmitriev, editor-in-chief of "Motoreview" Height - 183 cm, driving experience - 15 years, rides a Suzuki SV 400, Suzuki DR - Z 400 Perhaps this is one of the best pretentious motorcycles. But, unlike choppers, which are difficult to drive, the X 4 has excellent driving characteristics. Excellent acceleration dynamics, handling, what more could you want? For me, the motorcycle lacks individuality and character - it does everything painfully correctly. At heart I am a fan of the V-max, it really is a motorcycle with a strong personality. And here... This test did not bring new impressions. I just got behind the wheel and drove off. True, quickly, quickly.
After the SV 400, a 100-horsepower engine of quite automobile volume seemed almost like a rocket. Moreover, it was a rocket that did not require habit: after ten kilometers he began to open the throttle to full. Alas, the very first tram tracks cooled my ardor - the motorcycle throws on bumps, and how. I specially went out of town, onto broken asphalt, and found out an interesting thing - LD doesn’t like sharp bumps, but it doesn’t care about smooth bumps. The next day I got caught in the rain and was again surprised by the excellent qualities of the Honda. Some classics are simply scary on wet roads with unauthorized slips and slips. Here you can’t leave the feeling of complete control both when accelerating and when braking on a wet road.
What really amazed me was that I noticed that I didn’t perceive the weight of a quarter-ton motorcycle as something serious. Neither in the parking lot, nor when maneuvering between cars, the terrible kilograms made themselves felt. The same cannot be said about V - max, every movement of which must be calculated in advance. Still, a low center of gravity is a big plus for such a motorcycle.
At the end of the test, I compared the X 4 LD with the Honda VTX 1800. And I surprised myself: for the first time, I liked the cruiser more. Because of individuality. And the 1800 cc V2 accelerates no worse.
Chassis and brakes
The steel frame of this motorcycle is made at the highest level: its graceful shape immediately conveys the luxury and shine characteristic of a cruiser. The wheels are alloy, and the steering wheel has a classic shape for this category. Large rectangular mirrors also meet class standards.
A pendulum suspension with a pair of shock absorbers located at the rear of the motorcycle is combined with a 43 mm telescopic fork at the front. The rear brake is represented by a 276 mm disc complete with a two-piston caliper. At the front there are a pair of discs, each 310 mm, along with four-piston calipers.
