Honda unveils custom project bikes based on tiny Navi miniMOTO scooter

Honda has unveiled the 2022 Navi scooter to join its range of miniMOTO small bikes at the IMS Outdoors motorcycle show in California.

Small bikes, such as the Grom, Monkey, and Super Cub, are amongst the top-sellers in Honda’s motorcycle range – with the Navi joining the line-up as the least expensive model in recent years.

Priced from just US$1807 (AU$2500), the Navi is a scooter with the styling of a motorbike. It includes an 110cc single-piston four-stroke engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) mounted near the rear, as well as a lockable storage compartment where a motorcycle engine is typically found.

13

The engine produces 6kW of power and is capable of reaching a top speed of approximately 80km/h, meaning this scooter is aimed at beginners and designed more for city driving rather than a highway cruise. According to Honda, the Navi requires just 4.1-litres of fuel with an economy rating of 2.1L/100km.

Alongside the stock Navi scooter unveiled at the motorcycle show, a pair of project bikes from MNNTHBX and Steady Garage were on hand to demonstrate what is possible in the aftermarket community.

13

The first build was completed by MNNTHBX, which specialises in designing aftermarket goods for miniMOTO bikes. The team immediately began transforming the Navi into a racetrack pit bike with a sporty design, consisting of red, white and blue graphics.

“We were really inspired by the bike’s utility, and how we could take that and make it cool,” said Kevin Estep, co-owner of MNNTHBX.

13

An Öhlins shock is fitted to the billet-aluminium mount, with the shop also including a low-positioned Renthal MX-style handlebar and a Yoshimura carbon-fibre exhaust. A pair of large tyres – 12-inch front and 10-inch back – and two 6.5-inch Kicker speakers, with an amplifier and controller integrated into the seat, also add to the custom bike.

“The Navi already comes with a storage compartment, so we thought about how we could repurpose that,” added Estep.

“We figured if you’re in the paddock, you always want some tunes, so we built a billet enclosure to go in that same space and integrated a Kicker sound system. It sounds really good!”

13

Meanwhile, the folks at Steady Garage took a different approach in customising the Navi scooter, giving it a low stance and wide front wheel.

According to partner Kevin Dunn, the build required “a lot of research and trial and error,” with the company having never built a miniMOTO before.

A custom Vance & Hines stainless steel exhaust with twin outlets has been fitted to the rear of the bike, as well as a larger and wider rear wheel with a lower profile tyre.

13

Additionally, a custom-built shock from Gears Racing and LED pin-striping were added to complement its custom paint job and carbon-fibre seat.

“We gave it what we call a diamond tail, which is also common with the Ruckus, and that really cleaned up the rear end,” said Dunn. “Then we custom-built a carbon-fiber [sic] seat off of the stock seat pan, following the lines of the diamond tail.”

The two companies say most of the components used in the custom project bikes will be offered to Navi buyers, with Vance & Hines also developing a tapered stainless steel exhaust system, and Honda Signature Accessories adding to the range of aftermarket options available for the tiny scooter.