The Vultus: Hated by some, applauded by others, and still unseen by the majority of the public. Yeah, the more we talk about it, this machine sounds like a comic book anti-hero, but here are some hard numbers, released by Honda.
It seems the Vultus, a.k.a. the NM4, will be powered by Honda’s SOHC 670 cc parallel twin motor, as found in the NC700, not the larger motor that Honda used to power this year’s NC750 series (with five more horsepower, thanks to a 75 cc bump in displacement). At least, that’s what their spec sheet says.
With that motor, you get EFI and a three-mode DCT, as we reported before. Yes, this machine is Honda’s latest bike to sport their automatic transmission (you can opt for manual control). For that reason alone, we’re guessing this bike won’t show up here anytime soon, at least not in this configuration, since none of Honda’s other 700s were equipped with DCT when they came to Canada.
The Vultus has a 120/70-18 tire up front and a 200/50-17 tire in rear. Same as Honda’s other 700s, the front brake is a two-piston 320 mm unit, and the rear stopper is a 240 mm disc with single-piston caliper; ABS is standard.
Curb weight is 255 kg. By comparison, the NC700 we tested a while back had a 218-kg curb weight; there’s a lot of bodywork on the Vultus that likely adds up the poundage quickly.
Overall, despite the bike’s oddball appearance, it seems Honda has raided the parts bin yet again to put this machine together. That ought to keep the price down, if they ever arrive here.
Want to see more photos? Check out our initial release on the Vultus here. Some of the specs in that story don’t match up with the ones below, but both sets came from Honda.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Bike | 2015 Honda NM4 Vultus |
| MSRP | N/A |
| Displacement | 670 cc |
| Engine type | Liquid-cooled parallel twin, SOHC, four valves per cylinder |
| Power (crank)* | N/A |
| Torque* | N/A |
| Tank Capacity | 11.4 litres |
| Carburetion | EFI |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Tires, front | 120/70-18 |
| Tires, rear | 200/50-17 |
| Brakes, front | Single 320mm disc with two-piston caliper, ABS |
| Brakes, rear | Single 240mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS |
| Seat height | 650 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1643 mm |
| Wet weight* | 255 kg |
| Colours | Black |
| Warranty | N/A |
| * claimed |
I thought the DN-01 was the most bizarre it could get. I was wrong.
I can only assume that Honda’s other bizzarro bikes (AKA: CTX, NC, F6B, DN-01 etc.) have sold well enough to justify continuous movement in that direction. Maybe they’re just ahead of their time, like the Pacific Coast.
Quick Robin………..to the Bat Cave!!!
What—-only three coffee cup holders?