Honda Forza 750 (2021) | First impressions review after 100 miles

Scootercycle. That’s what I want to call this Honda Forza 750. Big bike dynamics, scooter comfort, and a genuinely outrageous machine on the twisty back roads. The Forza really packs a punch - and gives you the best of both worlds. 

Like a loaf of 50/50 bread, this big & roomy maxi-scooter is a 50 town & city scooter / 50 backroad-loving motorcycle cobb.

Forza means 'power' in Italian, and this stylish scooter certainly delivers just that. Fitted with a 745cc parallel-twin motor controlled through throttle-by-wire, you can select your ride from 4 rider modes (1 is custom to user) with Honda Selectable Torque Control & Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) for ease of riding but plenty of poke. 

Power totals of 57 bhp & 69Nm of torque may lead you to think that on paper it’s nothing special, but with a 7k redline and smooth DCT working away, on the road you’re presented with a perfectly sporty, agile and responsive ride, with a lovely growl from the exhaust. In fact, ride this around for long enough and you can fool yourself into thinking it’s not a 235kg maxi-scooter beneath you. 

Honda Forza 750 - a motorcycle-scooter cross?

Jumping in the saddle for the first time, I instantly noticed the 790mm seat is quite comfy in the sense that it’s contoured and shaped to fit two cheeks really snuggly - with a grippy material keeping you in place, and the ergonomic nature of the scooter coming out with indents for your boots and somewhere to brace your knees in the middle but plenty of legroom for a lanky bike journo. Good comfy pillion space, too, and my other half was happily sat on for a 20-mile two-up ride.

Responsible for this scoots’ big-bike feel is the mix of DCT, suspension, brakes, and grippy Pirelli Diablo Rosso tyres, all providing a riding dynamic that wouldn’t be out of place on a sportsbike. 

The gold ‘motorcycle-style’ Showa USD forks instantly catch the eye from a visual standpoint, combined with rear adjustable monoshock performing in tandem in a ‘firm but fair’ manner on the road.

What I mean by that, they are certainly on the harder side and I’ve been bounced up and out of the saddle on some particularly uneven B-roads, but they’re poised perfectly for more ‘spirited riding’ on good surfaces, plus being spot-on in town.

Stopping power comes in the form of twin 310mm Nissin discs at the front, and a 240mm disc at the rear. These are some of the best brakes I have come across to date. Brushing off speed superbly, they really inspire confidence when pushing the Forza on twisty country roads, of which I’m blessed with plenty local to me, with no sign of any ABS kicking in when really pushing them. 

Fitted with a full colour, customisable & clear TFT dash, keyless ignition, a massive 22-litre under-seat storage space (enough for my AGV K6, easily), first impressions are that this Forza maxi really carves out a place in the market as a powerful touring option for a commuter, who may also want a bit of power for jaunts on the B roads (or motorway mileage). 

For me, the Forza also raises the question of what a maxi-scooter can do - past being instantly put in the commuting box. We’ve tried the X-ADV at Visordown, and that is like the off-road cousin to this Forza, so with a sports scooter and adventure scooter in their arsenal, I’d say the envelope is being pushed by Honda. This is a company who regularly top sales charts with their scooter offerings, so aren't in any desperate need to diversify for increased sales. 

Perhaps the Forza could find a home with a rider whose sportsbike days are over (begrudgingly), but they still want a bit of Fireblade-esque ride in their life. I’m not saying the Forza 750 is a Fireblade wearing a suit & tie, but it’s certainly a fun sporty scooter!

I’ve got some long days planned in the saddle coming up, and judging by the weather recently it’ll be mixed in with a bit of rain, too… Stay tuned to Visordown for the full in-depth review, coming soon!

The 2021 Honda Forza 750 is £9,999 - find out more on the Honda website.