Not one of the performance statistics often quoted by Honda, but today I found myself in the awkward position of needing to test it. Set off from London at 10.30am, roads drying nicely. Get up to Essex, discover the roads are still absolutely soaked. Not ideal. Come round a corner and see this lake across the road. Park up, watch a couple of SUVs go through it. The bow wake spraying all the way over their roofs. Any other route is going to add 20 minutes and I don't have the time. I decide the water looks like it's not deeper than my exhaust so fuck it. Go through at a steady 12mph and the water sprays all the way over my head. But the bike gets through no problem. As a result I can safely state that the wading depth for a 2019 SP is at least 9 inches (it was just below the pegs). Anyone else is welcome to try deeper if they please and we can update the stat. Pics are from the way home in the afternoon - in the intervening 5 hours the level had dropped somewhat but it still gives you an idea!
Kudos to ride such a lovely bike in that weather, mines is tucked up in bed, i ride my Crosstourer every day and think i am an all weather biker but your sir are an all weather blader
Nah, give him nothing but a slap!! The way I read it, he was actually caught out. How often we face similar situations. I've seen dark clouds looming; I've turned around to head back home - 10 miles into my 30-mile loop - only to get whacked by a surprise downpour that's snuck in from the side. Got 'em stuffed now. Have 3 weather apps to monitor on ride days!
I agree with Nige. every ride should be backed with at least 3 weather apps not just at home, It must include full route, Mine will only be out April/may
Yes - I debated very carefully before setting off whether to take the bike or not. I figured there was no further rain forecast, the roads were drying where I was and by the time I got anywhere else the sunshine should have dried those roads even further. I could look forward to a nice dry ride with perhaps the odd damp patch to be aware of. That was the logic anyway... this was one larger 'damp patch' than I was expecting!! Had I known it was going to be this wet the whole way I probably would have left the bike tucked up.
You've got it so badly wrong there mate. 12mph is not the optimum speed for fording a water hazard like that one. You need to add an extra zero to your approach speed. 120mph will see you aquaplane nicely across the top maintaining no water contact to the bike.
Good effort mate, not sure i'd have risked it on an SP blade I did go through some pretty deep water on an old 900 Divvy it was well above the pegs i just kept the revs up it was also only about 20 yards
I'd feel very uneasy to have the cylinders and spark plugs underwater, let alone, brakes wheel bearings and seals. And I don't like wet feet particularly.
As long as the air intake is above water and you have positive pressure at the exhaust you would be fine. Well that it until you hit the great big pothole that the council have ignored for the past 20 years
