Honda SWT 600 SilverWing scooter test

Menus

• Small wings
• Utility, a priori
• Ultra-comfortable saddle
• Nested driver
• Catapult start
• Dockers strike
• Consumption: 5 or 6 liters, as desired
• The attack in town
• It brakes well but not too hard
• Conclusion

Small wings

10 years after launching its vision of the big scooter, Honda is upgrading its SilverWing (silver wings). With, in particular, an aesthetic redesign of the front face which swaps the superimposed headlights for a horizontal double optic. Just to cast a wider net.

By dint of seeing the price of motorcycles go up, we end up not finding acceptable, in the long run, the posted price of large scooters. A little more than 8,000 € for the last SWT 600 Silverwing (8,090), i.e. 600 € more than the SWT 400 of the same name appeared in 2009, of which it uses the single beam frame in steel tubes and the entire plastic. Only the engine is bigger, advancing the weight by three small kilos. Nothing serious. Obviously, no one will admit having passed the motorcycle license to put his buttocks on a scooter, even if it cube 840 cm3 like the Gilera 800 GP. At the start of the 400 Burgman in 1999, the biggest doubts were about the relevance of such a crew, so far removed from the motorcycle world bathed in passion..

Utility, a priori

It is therefore on a utility that we are invited to ask for a few moments. Like leaving your assumptions under the saddle which can easily accommodate two full face helmets of prejudices and a few other odds and ends such as a rain suit, spare gloves, etc. The fittings of the big scoot are indeed generous. And its protrusions reveal more space once the hydraulic cylinder ” crutched ” to hold the gaping saddle. With the trunk light off on reluctance to get on a scooter, we immediately discover a comfortable space to carve out the road, both at the front and at the rear. And why not.

Ultra-comfortable saddle

The position is obvious and very accessible to small stature. The older ones will also be comfortable there. We lock ourselves mechanically as far away from the double saddle, on the driver’s side. And we take advantage of the bead which wedges the lumbar region. It is frankly well studied and it considerably reduces the fatigue experienced on a saddle in an upright position, even slightly tilted back. In the long run, for example, it is more comfortable than a K 1200 LT, which is nevertheless very welcoming for its pilot, even with optional comfort seats. And the tilted position does not suffer from the really effective protection of the feet at the top of the helmet. Apart from the image that this sends back, we are starting to consider the long stages rather in scooters than in motorbikes. Yes, we age like everyone else, and the weight of a GT ends up putting off.

Nested driver

As protected as on this type of flagship (at a much lower price than a GT), the pilot can become one with the machine in a different way than with ordinary motorcycles. No tank to squeeze between the thighs, one could believe oneself landed on the missile and lost at the slightest turn, ready to take down. It is not so. Thanks to a floor worked on either side of the box which covers the single beam frame, the feet positioned in a softail way are wedged at the heel, legs semi bent. Very ergonomic, this additional detail contributes to the overlap of the pilot in the famous safety triangle of the test of the driving license plate. And if the trip turns into an attack, all you have to do is tighten your calves on the technical column that cuts the floor into two parts to form one body with the machine..

Catapult start

The attack precisely, is far from anecdotal with this rather placid machine of general appearance. We start cool without worrying about the reports to pass. And we realize that the SWT is pulling hard. Never the last to fire, it instantly catapults the whole to around 80 km / h while maintaining its tachometer at 5,000 rpm, or even 5,500 rpm, the maximum torque of 55 Nm peaking at 6,000 rpm . Then, the vertical twin continues to tow without failing. At 120 km / h, the stabilized speed is 5,000 rpm. We then consume around 5l / 100 km. Above all, we take advantage of the complex transmission system which ensures that the machine is always in the right gear: efficient.

Dockers strike

It is also at this speed that during braking, you can feel a certain throbbing in the front axle. Nerd on the 14 inch wheel, imperfect balancing? Sebastien Pernel, the brand’s marketing manager, does not hide this pitfall. "This can happen on the first machines that made a longer trip than expected by boat." Clearly, since the 600 Silverwings are made in Kumamoto, Japan, and they arrived in the midst of a dockers strike, the long-distance scooters stayed a little longer than expected in the crates. Which probably caused a flat on the front tire. It’s too bad.

Consumption: 5 or 6 liters, as desired

This detail on the machine is quickly erased as the pace picks up. And it is possible without disuniting the whole. Barely running in, the machine in our test easily reached 170 km / h. 800 km later, it is almost 180 km / h that the Silverwing crosses, its mill now allowing to turn at 8,500 rpm, maximum speed before the red zone.

Obviously, teasing from time to time the maximum speed on a motorway trip led to a good 130 km / h, consumption rose to 6.2 l / 100 km. It is at this rate that the GT and its autonomy still make the difference. The SilverWing only allowing a little more than 220 km before the reserve (3.5 out of 16 liters) at this rate. And at the pump, in addition to the need to fill the tank with retention for fear of splashing around the hatch, the tank cap, without hinge, is a bit tedious to open..

The attack in town

On the daily commute, we appreciate the lightness of the machine. Admittedly, it weighs all the same 250 kg, but the distribution of the masses (98 kg at the front for 152 kg at the rear) makes this reality less. The center of gravity, above all, makes us forget the reluctance that we usually have on a motorcycle to dare to take an angle very early. With this type of scooter, you lean without asking a question, and it goes. Better, it does not rub, even the lugs of the center stand have been placed high to allow the use of all the tread. Might as well use it, then. Especially since we are not afraid of stalling on the go-around, the modesty of the cavalry, 51.2 hp, allows to be passed on the ground almost all the time. The only downside is nocturnal. Full angle, the high beam halo does not allow to see the inside of the bends to prefer to light the daisies. So as not to go pick them at night, we will give up our hand a little.

It brakes well but not too hard

On the other hand, we regret a little power under braking. Not that it does not make it possible to stop the whole, thanks in particular to the proven dual-CABS, coupled braking coupled with an ABS, but it could be more powerful, even if it means weighing down the front axle a little and maneuverability. On a daily basis, of course, the coupled system does its job very well. It puts the machine online before approaching a curve or before an emergency stop. But it is beyond the basic use of this scooter that we would like to have more. It must be said that the neutrality of the chassis and the excellent ground clearance invite many more jokes than the general plastic invites. The paradox of this peri-urban machine.

Conclusion

Upgraded after ten years of existence, after having welcomed the ABS in 2003, the Silverwing undergoes an aesthetic makeover and improvements on the mechanical side and part-cycle. Basically, this big scooter, doubled by a 400 cm3, does not upset the sector by a race for displacement or performance. It just makes it very relevant to position this machine as a credible alternative to the protective but very expensive GTs. He offers the ease of everyday life coupled with the unexpected weekend departure made possible by the general quality of the machine and its very roomy trunk. It remains now to what mentalities follow to assume that you only ride "a scooter". Waiting bigger.

Strong points

• saddle comfort
• ground clearance
• motor

Weak points

• no warning
• one brake disc at the front
• fuel trap not obvious

Competitors: Aprilia SRV 850, Gilera GP 800, Piaggio X9 500, Suzuki Burgman 650, Yamaha T-Max 500

Datasheet

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