Slightly ahead of its time, the NT650 Hawk was an interesting mix of solid powerplant, sportbike architecture, perimeter frame, and lack of a fairing or for that matter much pizazz. But its features were appreciated by some racers and congnoscenti, and though their run ended in 1991, the bikes maintain a fan base to this day. The Hawk presented here has been lightly customized and nicely updated, and looks ready for a second tour.
1989 Honda NT650 Hawk for sale on eBay
Honda’s V-twin was warmed by a high-tech application of overhead cams and three valves per cylinder, and spoke for 56 hp and 43 ft.-lbs. torque. Suspension was designed with sport in mind, with 41mm forks and single-sided swingarm, but economically built. Braking was appropriate to the intended around-town use, with single disks front and rear. Mid-rise bars and moderate seat height make the Hawk comfortable for short and long rides.
Offered by a Wisconsin powersports shop, this NT has been comprehensively updated with twin front discs, titanium exhaust, and wider tires, and red accents aren’t overdone. The eBay auction offers these highlights:
- Full Titanium M4 exhaust system with proper jetting
- F3 front end with gold valve fork emulators
- New rotors with radial master cylinder
- Front and rear braided brake lines
- VFR rear wheel
- New Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa tires
- Fox rear shock
- Woodcraft riser clip-ons
- SV650 headlight
- ProTek rearsets
- Koso LED turn signals
- Corbin seat and much more!
The upgrades have the potential to transform the bike into a much better performer, addressing many of the usual squawks, and it’s certainly cleaned up nicely. The model caught other manufacturers’ attention and the Monster and SV650 jumped onto the drawing boards shortly afterward. While this NT650 has mid-life miles, the transformation has taken many years off its looks. Might be just the Hawk for a past fan…
-donn
Just checking…this will still get dropped by an SV650, right?
Yeah, a stock SV is faster than a Hawk with a bunch of money thrown at it, even though the Hawk is a bit lighter. I’ve kept my NT650 for it’s uniqueness, and had a lot of fun sorting into the bike Honda should have made.
Yes. But at least it has no family ties to something called a GLADIUS… hahahahahaha
Best. Girls. Bike. Ever… Except for the SV 650…