2009 Honda DN-01 Review

If the variety of motorcycles at Daytona’s Bike Week could be distilled into one machine, one could make a case that the Honda DN-01 would be the result.
V-Twin engine? Check Feet-forward riding position? Check. Attention-grabbing appearance? Check. A dab of sportbike? Check.
The DN-01 is a peculiar concoction: two parts scooter; one part cruiser; and one part sportbike. And if you have to ride a scooterish motorcycle during Bike Week, this new Honda fits right in by standing apart, as we found out by cruising A1A and Main Street around Daytona last week.
Say what you will about purity, historical relevance, aesthetics or bling, riding during Bike Week is all about getting attention from fellow riders and bystanders. Trundling along down Main at a sub-walking pace on a Chevy V8-powered motorcycle makes no other sense. And in this respect, the DN holds its own in Daytona.

First seen in prototype form in late 2005 at the Tokyo Motor Show, the DN-01 (Dream New Concept 1) was described as a “comfortable sports cruiser.” Now having reached production, Honda calls the DN a “crossover.”
Whatever you call it, the DN-01 (could we please have a name with some personality…?) makes a splash wherever it’s ridden. Its arresting design hurt some necks in Daytona, as it caused hundreds of neck-snapping double-takes.
The DN defies immediate classification. Its shark-like nose brings to mind a futuristic sportbike and is its strongest styling asset, but its considerable length gives it a laid-back cruiser profile. It looks like a mega-scooter, too, but it’s lower than your typical touring scooter. A single-sided swingarm makes room for the stainless-steel exhaust and provides for easier access to the semi-adjustable rear shock
Riding the DN couldn’t be easier. It’s powered by a 680cc, 52-degree V-Twin borrowed from the European-market Transalp. Although it has roots to the late-1980s Hawk GT, the SOHC, 4-valve motor is thoroughly modernized with a sophisticated fuel-injection system using dual 40mm throttle bodies and high-tech 12-hole injectors.
In terms of Bike Week qualities, the DN’s deficiency is revealed after thumbing the starter button – this has got to be the most docile V-Twin exhaust note in history. The EFI’s auto-enrichment system ensures quick rideability. Then things get weird.
A rider subconsciously reaches for a clutch lever that isn’t there. This “crossover” is meant to appeal to less-experienced riders, so it is fitted with an automatic transmission. Called HFT (Human Friendly Transmission), this is a continuously variable, hydro-mechanical design that is a big leap in technology above the simple belt-drive CVTs (continuously variable transmission) in scooters. Honda says its HFT provides comparable performance and efficiency to a manual gearbox.
The HFT combines a hydraulic pump and motor that transmits power to the rear wheel by a conventional shaft drive, and the system seamlessly changes drive ratios in response to rider inputs. There are two fully automatic modes: D (Drive) is for maximum economy and for those in no hurry, while S (Sport) offers more immediate and snappy response. Maximum enjoyment is found by using the thumb-activated push-button manual mode that simulates a six-speed gearbox.