Up coming Forza Review

[FarangMoto]

Hello folks!

I found this site while looking for Forza information as we are doing a test review of the Forza in Thailand. I won't mention the site as I'm not here to promote it. What brought me here as we have the 2014 Forza to test, was the claims about being able to fit full-size helmets under the seat, which up to now we have been unsuccessful with. Honda did leave a helmet under the seat but it was a cheap and nasty open face barely large enough the fit a child.

But anyway, I have found the information I was looking for and posted a few helmets we have found that will not fit in the relevent thread.

One thing I need to ask before we do the write-up about the Forza is with regards to a couple of niggles that we are not sure about.

When starting up with stand folded away and both brake levers pressed, on occasion the bike will not start, it takes a rock back and forth of the bike to start it. Is this normal?

The bike we have was brand new with zero miles, but it seemed to go through fuel like lighting when it reached the half way point. On the first trip I thought "This is pretty economical" after doing 170km with half a tank left, and then from the half left to the empty spanned over 30km?

It is now on it's second refill so we will judge it again. I wondered if anyone can offer any pointers before we mention these points in the review.

We've found forums to be the best rather than the company that supplies as their answers can be pre programed.

Any tips welcomed, and of course we will mention this forum in the write up.

[BRed]

My Forza, like yours, is new and just reached the 600 mile service mark, so I can only comment from my limited experience with the scoot....

On the starting issue, I've seen it happen but every time it has happened to me, it just required more grip on the left lever.
Both the Reflex and Big Ruckus had this issue when they were new.....it required a very firm grip to make the inhibitor switch.
I would say this is a known common issue attributable to operator error but it tends to work itself out with time....
or perhaps owners just learn to squeeze harder?

On the fuel gauge, it appears to me that it doesn't move at all for most of the first gallon, moves from Full to Empty as it burns the second gallon and has about a gallon left when it reaches Empty....I'm on my third refueling now and that's how it seems to work on my Forza.

On the helmets, two of my full face helmets (Nolan and HJC) fit in either position, front chin bar down or rear on its side.....
the O'Neil Bluetooth helmet will NOT fit but it has an "aerodynamic spoiler" molded in and I wouldn't expect it to fit.
any full or modular helmet with an unusual or unique shape will have problems fitting in the box.

Anyway, that's my experience based on a week with the Forza
Good luck with your test....

[FarangMoto]

^Thanks for your input, and I'll try a harder squeeze as you suggested.

[gn2]

Only the left lever activates the starting safety switch, the right one you can leave alone.
The lever has to be pulled back a lot more than to just engage the brakes, on mine it has to be almost half way to the bars.
The recent thread about helmets not fitting is perhaps about them not fitting in a PCX rather than a Forza?
Look at the Forza owners manual for how to fit helmets in.
Helmet in the rear section should face to the exhaust side with the chin in the cutout, helmet in the front section should face forward and go in facing slightly down with the visor resting on the rubber pad.
Most full face helmets should fit, both of my XL sized ones do.
(HJC IS-17 & Arashi Daytona)
Economy, mine has done 10,000 miles (16000 km) at an average of 77.9mpg (64.9 USmpg, 3.6l/100km, 27.6km/l)
http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/honda/ ... gn2/234829
The economy meter is accurate so the fuel gauge is pretty much redundant, fill the tank to the top, zero trip A ride till the miles are double the mpg then you have half the mpg figure remaining
e.g. meter shows 80mpg with 160 miles ridden, fuel remaining is 40 miles worth.
Rear Dunlop scootsmart lasted till 7000 miles.

[dergav]

Like BRed my Forza is only at 600mls so experience is limited.
Starting..not noticed any problem. .Left brake lever does need pulled a bit .....more than was the case on my Honda SWing 125cc but thats just something to get used to.
Helmet...I only have a half face so dont have a problem...Even with the half face you have to place the helmet rather than just put it in as with the SWing.
Fuel gauge...from reading on this forum everyone seems to have the same experience...The gauge is odd in the sense that it drops quickly after staying at full for a long time. However what matters is the fuel consumption which up to 600 mls I have found meets the Honda claims...getting around the 85/87 mls per gallon ( UK g.) Just fitted a high screen and I think the consumption has dropped a couple of mls per gall.). .. and of course I am riding carefully until first service....and I just fill up when the gauge approaches/is in the red
I think the seat fixing seems weak and does not stay open easily and might have been better to have been side fixed as in the SWing as that allows easier access and stronger hinging...but a small point I can live with as the bikes performance and comfort are great for me.
The views / experience of longer term owners like gn2 will be more valuable.
Good luck with your survey and will be interested in the results.

[gn2]

The views / experience of longer term owners like gn2 will be more valuable.

Maybe not, everyone's view is worth listening to.
Your point about the superior side hinging of the S-wing is a very good one, the Forza seat doesn't open far enough so it can be tricky getting things in and out of the front section.

The way I do it is to stand at the rear on the cvt side, hold the seat as far up as it will go with my left hand, look into the storage area along the centreline of the scooter and put items in the front section with my right hand.

[Vulcandanny]

I am living in Thailand and I bougt a Forza about 7 weeks ago. Before I was owning a Honda Phantom 200, then a Kawasaki Vulcan 900, after that it was a Kawasaki Versys with all the travelling equippement, then a Honda PCX 150 and now its the Forza 300.
So far I did about 5000km with it. The day i bought the bike, I went to a local upholsterer. Because im 6'2 tall, I needed a higher saddle and also needed to sit further back. He did a great job, I sit perfectly on the bike now and it looks even better than the original. I also changed the horn (the original was not loud enough and the dogs did laugh when i pushed the horn....), i put other foodrests for the driver and passenger on it and i also fitted wheelstripes. Just a week ago I fitted a higher windshield from Honda (here they sell the Ermax windshield). The ride with the new windshield is much better, the bike has a higher topspeed (145km/h) and the fuel consumption increased from 27km/l up to 30km/l.
Yes, u have to pull he left break hard to make te bike start, but u don't have to pull the right break. 2 full size xl helmets fit perfectly (hybrid helmets from Real) and in the Givi 45lt. topbox, I could even put 2 more helmets in...
Yes, the fuel indicator is a bit a joke...... for about 100km it shows absolutely full, then it falls down like a rock from the sky. when its on the top of the red section, there is still 4 liters in the tank, so you could easily do another 100km but its a bad feeling...... when the indicator is on the bottom of the red section, its still 2 liters in the tank..........
Next week I will go down to Pattaya, there u can get a lot of parts for the Forza. I wish to have a better acceleration and a better torque from 80-120 km/h. Some say, just changing the sliders to 18 or 17 gramms will do the job. I will find it out but if I have to change the variator, the clutch and the belt as well, then it would be to expencive.... I will report after my trip...

[waybar]

I've got just shy of 2000 miles on mine now. When I bought the Forza, the dealer told me I needed to use a pretty firm grip on the left lever when starting it. A couple of times I forgot and didn't squeeze the lever very firmly and it wouldn't start, then remembered to pull a little more on the left lever and it started.

The helmets you need to place in a certain position, most full faced helmets will fit. Another forum I frequent has some images of how to place them:
http://myforza300.wordpress.com/2013/09 ... a-storage/

I average in the mid 60's for mpg's. Some people post mpg's in the 80's and at first I didn't believe it. But then I found out that location makes a lot of difference. I am from Illinois, USA. People that are posting higher mpg's usually live in higher elevations, where they will get higher mpg's but lesser engine performance. In some states with higher elevation like Colorado they even sell 85 octane gasoline because of the lower octane requirement, the lowest here is 87.

It states in the owners manual on page 18 that when the needle is in the red mark on the fuel gauge, that there is approximately .95 gallons (3.6 liters) of fuel left. I had taken a MSR fuel bottle with me once and planned on riding until I completely ran out of gas to see how many miles I would get on a full tank, but got up to 180 miles and got tired of riding and filled it up. It's kind of scary riding the first time with the guage on empty, but there are still a lot of miles left.

[fish]

[quote="Vulcandanny"]I am living in Thailand and I bougt a Forza about 7 weeks ago.
So far I did about 5000km with it. The day i bought the bike, I went to a local upholsterer. Because im 6'2 tall, I needed a higher saddle and also needed to sit further back. He did a great job, I sit perfectly on the bike now and it looks even better than the original. I also changed the horn (the original was not loud enough and the dogs did laugh when i pushed the horn....), i put other foodrests for the driver and passenger on it and i also fitted wheelstripes. quote]
Hello,
Can I see pictures of your rebuilt seat?
I would like to have mine raised ansd the hump/seat-back removed this winter.
Seat is too low, back rest is horrible idea on all scoots!
Thanks & ride safe.
Fish
USA

[FarangMoto]

Thanks for the tips people!

Indeed, pressing the left lever only a little harder worked. Not sure why AP Honda told me both.

Additionally, after a bit of juggling, the Nexx XR1R helmet just fitted. I'll re edit my previous post.

[forzanator]

[alan]

gn2 is right about helmet fitting my x-large bell revolver helmet fits.as for the gas gauge movement its do to the weird shape of the tank nothing to do with gas milage

[DaveNSS]

My size L Shoei Neotec fits in both positions with no problems at all. In the forward position, it'll go visor-down or visor-up. It fits either way. In the rear position, it's got to be visor to the right.

helmet1.JPG (126.04 KiB) Viewed 4292 times

helmet2.JPG (117.89 KiB) Viewed 4292 times