What do we want to say to Toshiaki Kishi?

[dagus]

I want to write an email to Toshiaki Kishi on behalf of the Forum and the Listserv. What do we want to say?

[Blade_Zero]

How did you get his e-mail Doug?
Why not invite him onto the board for a discussion about his design and what he would change if the RC31 was revived?
It would be important not to be reverential, he strikes me as a humble man, who would be uncomfortable with excessive praise.

Blade.

[Makenzie71]

Toshiaki is rather proud of the Hawk and he's made several online appearances already (or someone claiming to be him). I think an invite here would do nicely.

I can't really think of anything I'd like to go over with him that would require several hours, some paper and ink and a couple pots of coffee.

[dagus]

His email was posted on another thread. Yeah, I agree that a simple invite is best...

[motorpsycho]

Doug,

Did you ever mail him?

Just curious as to what he had to say if you got through to him.

[Dash]

dunno, ask him if he likes karaoke or anime. I do

[KDNYC]

Ask him the same question everyone else has asked: When will Honda make another Hawk????

[Doc]

Something to go against the SV and the Kawi 650.

I mean come on!

[JR]

I'm sure a few years ago on another forum. a lister was invited to go and see him when he was visiting London. I dont think they actually met but I think the question of the New Hawk was mentioned and I think his answer was they didn't have a New engine being designed to power it. Its only what I thought I'd heard so maybe someone can email him and find out.

[DefTrap]

It was Stu Ballard on the UK HawkList who was going to meet up with the chap.

Here's an extract from how Stu reported their conversation :-

Here is a bit more trivia about how Mr. Kishi wanted to improve the
little fella:

"I remember he said the swing arm pivot looks concaved because he
made it flat and would have prefered that it tucked in a little from front
to rear inline with the frame spar or just looked flat- opposite to a Rolls
Royce radiator shell where the surfaces are actually a bit concaved so
that they look flat. I think he also regrets that the overall styling just
looks a bit characterless . . ."
>SB. I love the way it looks! He doesn't mention plug removal.

"Check some Hawk websites (there are plenty of them) and see what
all the loonies in America etc do to these things."
>SB. Seems like the men at Honda keep an eye on what we do!

>SB. I asked that given the success of the Suzuki SV should Honda
release an updated Hawk/Bros. The designer dude said:

"We should definitely make a new Hawk but we don't have a suitable
engine at the moment ( the Firestorm is called Super Hawk in
America, but the VTR lump is really a lump compared to the Hawk
engine). There was a test a year or so ago in MO magazine of a bored
and tuned Hawk against the SV and the Hawk won!"
>SB. 15 years old and still kicking butt! Anyone know what magazine
the article was in?

[arkansawyer]

I'd tell him thanks for designing something I have enjoyed for so long. A bike that has taught me so much. A bike that's reasonably easy to work on. A bike that still makes me happy every single time I ride it.

A naked 800-1000 modern twin sure would be nice. I'm thinking a totally modern version of the Norton 850 Interstate. A one piece seat two adults could sit on, 100 honest rwhp with a broad spread of torque, radial mounted brakes, suspension off the latest CBR, 6 speeds, and a center crank bearing so it could be tuned beyond his original expectations. 450 pounds wet minus gas. Sell it for under 11 grand and I'm there.
The superhawk was a gas guzzler. The 1050 speed triple has no rear seat to speak of. Buells also have no real rear seat. The 1050 tiger rear seat doesn't look friendly to my wife, and the muffler is right there. The BMW 800 twins are almost there and I like the counterbalance idea.

[JR]

So DefTrap where is Stuart now does he still have his bike?

[motorcycleman]

Ummm.... why not ask him if they can just make us a more powerful engine that would bolt right up?

Personally, I wouldn't mind if it was aircooled either. The fins would look great and the radiator could be ditched. (I know what your thinkin- f'in harley guy! )

[JR]

Well just had an email from Stuart Ballard who I hope is going to pass on the contact details for another Honda designer in Frankfurt ..watch this space

[squirrelman]

Tell him we'd all like to give him a Kish.

he's a cult leader.........and we're helpless devotees........this may or may not be a good thing..........



(attention antiquarians: power=heat; heat=radiators, so get used to it.)

Ask Kishisan what he has in his garage??