My Honda Silverwing 600 ABS 2006 Scooter Review

by Adam
(Monrovia, Maryland, USA)

I am 5'10" with a 30 inch inseam and 230 lbs. I thought I would post a review of my Honda Silverwing scooter to share my experiences with it.

I bought my Silverwing used with 10,250 miles on it in Nov. 2010 right after I got my motorcycle license. Rode it home and winterized it. $3,800 but the guy threw in a rear seat pack (briefcase size with special bungees), rain gear, pair of shoes (really great comfy just over the ankle shoes), one shorty helmet and HTC IS-33 (3/4 with sunshade) I actually wear, bike weather cover, fancy bungee cords (yes, that is important...), GPS mount, original windshield along with a Givi 214DT, and new front tire and rear tire.

The state inspection failed it due to the rear tire being dry rotted so I handed them the new tire and paid $100 for them to mount it. You have to plan on the inspection station getting their cut.

Like:

- Plenty of power get up and go. I love that I can just twist and the bike jumps up and goes, without doing a wheelie but plenty of acceleration for getting on the highway, etc.
I have run on the highway at 85 on the speedometer (it lies by 5 mph) and was still not red lined. I routinely run 5-10 miles on I-270 at 65-70 real mph.

- Weight: The center of gravity is low so even though it is a 500 lb bike, I could pick it up the time I dropped it at a stop light (pay attention and don't stop while leaned over in a turn...) When I stop in a turn I can muscle the bike to stay up... And I can wiggle it back and forth easily.

- Rear and side stands: I find it reasonable to put up on the rear stand though some people complain - it just takes a little technique - stand on the rear stand arm and lift by the passenger handle. The side stand is fine when I am lazy and is used most of the time.

- Maneuverable and very responsive. Once I learned not to steer with my ass but to use the handle bars the bike became really easy to steer into turns. Before that I had a tough time getting it to lean by shifting my weight but a tiny push forward on the handlebars turns me towards that side. A bit counter intuitive but works great. It is so responsive and the Pirelli tires seem to hold really well so I feel like I am riding a sports bike. Lately I am finding myself running 10-20 mph over the speed limit on the local back country roads. (I really have to stop that....)

Also, when I leaned the bike over too far at slow speed in a parking lot turning the steering into the turn bounced it back to vertical.

- Pretty comfortable. I've done 125 miles in one trip and was not hurting at the end. Actually less stiff than 2.5 hrs in the car. I can put my feet forward, at right angles like I was in a chair or almost right under me. I can even stand a little going over rough roads though it feels small for that. Seat is well padded and soft.

- Roomy: I love the underseat storage. I got a pair of saddle bags at Wal-Mart for $40 which is a steal - have not seen them there since... Just those and the underseat storage let me go on an overnight trip with stuff to spare and buy 2 large lidded beer steins. I did not bother taking the rear seat brief case pack.

- Seems reliable. I did an oil change and have no leaks etc. It has been run on back roads and highway for 2500 miles now.

- Great Support site: www.Silverwing600.com. Lots of owners with excellent input and advice on maintenance, gizmos, riding. It's great to have someone to talk to and ask questions.

- Maintainable by owner (I think). You can get a manual and the Silverwing600 forums have lots of advice. What I have done so far seemed simple.

- Rear shocks are adjustable. I reset mine to 3 which seems OK for my weight.

- ABS Brakes: Tried them on gravel and they worked great. Gives me confidence when riding fast.

- 51-53 mpg: Despite my running 70 mph for half my commute.

Don't like:

- Rattle: The bike has a lot of tupperware and when I rev it from a stop it often rattles a little. I plan to put foam tape along cracks when I take tupperware off for maintenance and mods.

- A little too maneuverable/responsive: Now that I know how to make it turn just a little push on the handlebars makes it turn almost too much. I sometimes start to over steer, taking a turn too sharp and need to come up a little.

It's a rider skill but I find it a little bit disconcerting how easy it is to turn. When I rode motorcycles with larger wheels, I had to push harder to turn and that felt more stable and comfortable. On the other hand it is fun to zig and zag.

- Buffeting at high speed: This is really not a Swing thing but an issue with the windshield. The after market Givi creates a suction that causes wind to come in from behind and rattle my brain.

I added Vetter vents that help move the wind wrap back a little giving a slightly bigger calm spot. I also find that I reduce buffeting by moving forward on the seat or leaning forward but that is less comfortable.

Oh, and closing the face shield all the way really helps the helmet aerodynamics. I am looking at upgrading to a Scorpion modular helmet. I tried removing the windshield totally but that put too much air on my chest.

I need to find the original windshield (misplaced it!) and am thinking of trying a Givi Airflow windshield or airfoil. So... not a Swing issue but a bike in general issue. Other bikes have the same issue and the windshield aftermarket business is going strong...

- Seat a little too narrow. I have a fat butt... I've been sitting on a lot of motorcycles and find most are uncomfortable. My favorites have big wide padded seats - but are big bikes. The Burgman scooter has a bigger seat... strangely the KLR 650, Versys and V-Storm all seemed comfortable. I can contemplating adding a gel pad.

- Lack of adjustable front shocks. When I sit on the bike the front shocks compress quite a bit. Happens on all other bikes so losing a few lbs would help... or adjustable shocks... There are aftermarket progressive shocks people are recommending for a couple hundred $.

- Clearance: The bike has low ground clearance. I have bottomed out on a speed bump (lightly).

- No off road capability: The tires practically have no tread and a slight goose to the gas makes the bike want to slide out from under me in grass.

I do ride it through my lawn when turning around but have to be very careful. I want an off road capability - like a crossover motorcycle. i.e. ride the highway 2 hrs then off road on fire roads and horse trails.

I am considering a KLR 650 or V Storm or Versys as a second bike for this. On the other hand the Swing is so nice since it has no gears I am likely to want to keep it for the work commute.

- Highway confidence: OK, I am a new rider as of this spring with 2500 miles. I am now riding the bike on I-270 at high speed and feeling pretty confident... but not as confident as I would like to feel.

I am not sure if it is the small scooter wheels or high maneuverability or light weight thought the bike tracks well and feels quite stable. Someone told me a KLR 650 has issues on the highway when trucks pass due to it's light weight so I wonder if that is part of it.

I only feel a little buffeting when passing trucks or getting passed but a stiff (20 mph) cross wind seems to catch the windshield a bit and I have to compensate - I think that is pretty normal.

So... I am not sure why but I feel a little uncomfortable on the highway at 75 mph and would like a more "large car like" feel. I suspect that a Goldwing... well, OK a Burgman might also be better for highway cruising since it is a little heavier.
I am doing the almost 10 miles trip on the highway a couple times a week and I feel like I want just a little more... BTW, I hit 60-65 on the back roads without trouble and it feels fine - like I said earlier - sporty. The bike loves 30-60 mph. My highway issues are an undefined gut feeling.

Overall:

It was a really good choice for a starter bike but might be a tiny bit too small for my fat frame. I rode a Burgman and it was a bit more luxurious - wider and softer seat, slightly more leg room going forward.

On the other hand it felt heavier and not as sporty and if I stop in a lean it would likely go over. I am not sure which I prefer. The Burgman for long distance highway cruising and the Swing for my commute to work?

My ideal bike would be a Swing with a fat seat and 17 or even 21 inch wheels, 6+ inches of ground clearance and lots of skid plates ....

Good chance I will be looking at adding a gel seat or Corbin seat and Givi Airflow windshield and hanging on to the bike for many miles / years. It may not be my only bike but likely to be a favorite ride when I am not in a hurry on the highway.