Tuesday, July 9, 2013

New Honda Mid Concept in Action

Via: Spy Shot: Honda New Mid Concept in Action. The scooter-ish prototype was photographed road testing along with the forthcoming Crosstourer adventure-touring mount and another mystery model which appears to be a CBF entry level mount making use of Honda’s dual-clutch transmission.

Spy shot specialists Brenda Priddy & Company acquired the photos after the three rides were seen testing in Europe this past week. The spy photo doesn’t exactly clarify the nebulous market segment targeted by the NMC, as it was seen testing with a two-up pillion, as well as saddlebags and a topcase. Shall we all hail a new sport-scooter-touring class anyone?

The New Mid Concept was one of three prototypes introduced by Honda at the 2010 EICMA Milan Bike Show. Difficult to classify, Honda PR described Mid Concept as a model that “reinvents the way we look at two-wheeled travel.” The grandiose statement was applied to a what looked to us like a giant near step-thru maxiscoot – something along the lines of the Yamaha T-MAX. (Stay tuned, by the way, for MotoUSA’s first-ever maxiscoot comparison review, which is currently in the works.)

Honda-Mid-Concept-in-Action

The camouflaged prototype shares the same silhouette as the NMC revealed at Milan. The prototype reveals feet-forward maxi-scoot ergos and rolls on what appear to be motorcycle-spec wheel sizes. The initial Milan concept touted conventional 17-inch wheels, though the prototype’s spoke pattern differs from the concept and looks identical to the hoops adorning the reputed dual-clutch equipped CBF also snapped by BP&C