Motorcycle 'zines toss more praise at return of VFR800

"doodon2whls" (doodon2whls) 07/16/2014 at 14:13 • Filed to: two wheels good, vfr800, cycleworld

1

4

The latest ride review, this one by CycleWorld, finds that the VFR formula is alive and well.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , the author is glad to see the return of the VFR800 since Honda abandoned it in 2010 for the larger VFR1200. With a luke warm (at best) reception for the VFR1200, Honda Motorcycle Executives knew (thankfully) what had to be done... They realized that VFR enthusiasts, in large part, behave differently than other consumers - they own multiple generations of the same product because the formula simply works. Deemed the best 'all-rounder' by many magazines over the years, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! has been a barn burner in Europe, and successful in the U.S. with middle aged riders that have graduated from the crotch rockets they owned in their 20's. With more disposable income and used VFR's holding their value reasonably well, many owners leapfrogged from generation to generation of VFR as the platform improved.

In search of new buyers and market space, marketing departments will demand disruptive product design departures to reach out to new consumers (at the risk of alienating the current fan-base) assuming that the outgoing product has saturated demand amongst enthusiasts. The VFR1200 venture ended up like ' !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ', and ' !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ' - monumental duds in their own right. Not only did Honda veer away from a successful formula for a middle-weight sport-tourer with a reasonable price tag, but they had veered into an already crowded and lower volume (IMHO) market of heavier sport tourers with heavier price tags. Very few enthusiasts came knocking.

Kudos to Honda for resurrecting the VFR800 formula. It looks dashing in Pearl White !

[Images via !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ]

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > doodon2whls 07/16/2014 at 14:34

0

Sport Touring!!! a superior road bike that isn't a torture rack, still out-handles and out-accelerates most sports cars, and isn't completely impractical or un-rideable after a short time or distance, and doesn't look like a giant trail bike. Imagine that!

This is the kind of bike I want to see more of... and I do like VFR's predecessors.

I like cafe bikes and custom built bikes as much as any fan of motorcycles... but they are everywhere now... and not really built for varying road conditions or longer distances.

As a former Honda Hawk GT owner, I am sorry to have to say this... Honda can't style a bike anymore. Technically, it's styling isn't atrociously wrong with the new VFR800 in any huge way (although the headlights may be the worst bit)

But it looks like uninspired tupperware. It looks far too bland to spend likely more than 10 grand on. Unless I absolutely need a brand new sport tourer this instant, the above bike isn't good looking enough to make me want to find the nearest Honda motorsports dealer and have a look.

Honda USED to design bikes, including the VFR, the best one, imho, is the VFR750 that is based on the NR750 oval-piston race bike's styling. (think of a VFR V-four engine, with no cylinder wall between adjacent pistons... A V-twin with 16 valves, oval pistons, and two connecting rods per piston.)

Most new Hondas, as well as many other new plastic-fantastic bikes from many manufacturers, are busy looking, and over-styled, but without actually capturing the eye of the viewer with an emotional response. Not that plastic fairings are a bad thing... but just because something is covered in interlocking plastic pieces thrown together, doesn't make it automatically a good design, either.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > doodon2whls 07/16/2014 at 14:36

1

Looks extra sharp in white

10/10 would dragon

doodon2whls > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 07/16/2014 at 15:57

0

I have my favorite VFR's from years past...

First street-bike I rode was a 1983 VF750:

Then I lusted after a 1992-4 VFR750 in Pearl White: [never did land one :-( ]

( Full Res is gorgeous )

And I have owned this 2000 VFR800 since new. 14 years old and still running strong, 30K+ miles later.

I am not a fan of the new VFR800's face either, but it's an improvement over the VFR1200's face - yeesh. The 'beak' in the break between the headlights is a little over styled, the rest I can deal with.

uofime > doodon2whls 07/16/2014 at 17:24

0

I think I'd still rather have a monster