Honda Bulldog concept: Big Red goes tubular

The new Honda Bulldog concept is totally tubular. And not in a 1980s way, either.

No, as you can see by the photos, Honda’s Bulldog concept takes styling cues from the Ruckus scooters (particularly the Big Ruckus), with their exposed tubular frames, and adds a 400 cc vertical twin to create a camping machine from another planet. Seriously, it looks like a moon exploration vehicle (although the moon technically isn’t another planet …).

Honda says this bike’s purpose is to be a “Lovable Touring Partner,” for people who want to escape the city and go camping and frolicking around the woods and tip-toeing through the tulips in June, etc., etc.

Here's the view from the rear.
Here’s the view from the rear.

How well that idea will work in practice is another question; the bike has that great get-out-of-town adventure styling, and has a very accessible 28.7-inch seat height, but those wheels are only 15-inchers, and they’re cast, not spoked, so any aggressive off-roading is out of the question.

But maybe that’s beside the point. Ducati’s Scrambler models have sold extremely well since introduction, because there are plenty of people out there who just want a fun, easy-to-ride bike that can take them down a gravel road with no fuss. Although the styling on the Scrambler and Bulldog couldn’t be any farther apart, they may end up attracting the same kind of owner, if the Bulldog ever makes it to production.

7 COMMENTS

  1. This is my bike. I have my mind set on a CTX 700, but this Bulldog would do much more for me, from fishing and hunting in the backwoods to city streets. I will wait before I pull the trigger on the CTX. Any idea when it will hit Canada?

  2. Yes it’s ugly and I like it that way. Just need some colour matching hard panniers and a camping I will go.
    I think this the best bike Honda has done in a while.

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