New 2014 VFR800

Next to my '09 on a showroom floor, I'd still go with the '09. It's mundane.

 

I know at least 1000 potential buyers who will not buy this bike because of that tank badge. 994 of them are harleydoods.

 

Just quoting so I can read it. :wink:

 

Just noticed the centerstand... awesome! That cuts the cost of my plate in half in good 'ol Quebec.

I'd love to see USD forks as well, I mean geez, even their wee 125 Grom has them!

 

Honda has listened kind of. I like the looks and the added innovations. But they need more power, at least 20hp more and dump the VTec. That's why I went for a SBB instead of the 5th gen I really like. Make it at least 800cc's, more like 830-850cc's is all it needs. The V12 is to ugly looking for me. But it does have the motor and other great qualities.

To bad Honda is still missing the whole boat.

 

I agree with Reg and Tink.
I think I like it.... General, incremental improvements over the 6th gen's basics.
Thinking they could have done something better with the exhaust, but the only bikes without (or with very, very few) compromises are true race bikes.
Too bad it won't be offered in the US.
But even so, it is unlikely to get me off of my '07.

 

It's called the VFR1200 and everybody bitched about the price... which is the same pricepoint for what BMW, Ducati, Aprilia, and KTM are pumping out. I don't see a mid-sized bike from any of those companies with that level of componentry and technology being put at a VFR800 price point. The Multistrada, Diavel, 1190 Adventure are in a totally different league. The Mana 850 GT and Hyperstrada dont even compare well and are more than 12k out the door. The F800GT sort of compares.... 12.5k and yawwwwn. Supernakeds from those companies shouldn't even be mentioned. Realistically the only company that hit the nail on the head is Kawasaki with the Ninja 1000. Now just drop a lusty V4 with character in there and it seems like the bike that most people "want" around here....

The Tuono customer is not a VFR customer. The Tuono is balls to the wall and absolute shit around town. Stuff Redbull down 2 cats throats, throw them in a bag, and shake it. That's what the Tuono feels like at sane traffic speeds. As a track bike or Sunday backroad blaster, the bike is freaking sublime. But that's not the VFR's target demographic either. And a 1000cc motor would now encroach on VFR1200 territory which Honda is smart enough not to do.

Fucking BINGO. You nailed this on the head. VFR owners want their bike to be so many things because their vision of what a VFR is so drastically different from the next owner. It's not a true sport bike and it's not a true touring bike and I think that's the beauty of the bike. But when people want it to have the power of a pure sport bike, or bitch because the 1200 is not comfortable enough like a true touring bike, you are now wanting the VFR to be something that it isn't. And you have two sides pulling it in completely different directions. That is why VFR owners will NEVER be happy.

 

Maybe Yamaha will sport tour the FZ09 next year. That bike is very well priced and the triple has character like our V4's.
John

 

One vroom is worth a thousand words.

 

Interesting. The nose is almost an evolution of the 5th gen or a cross between the 5th and 6th gen. A little different than the 1200. I like it.
The badging looks like the VFR1200... but the fairing lacks the gills. It looks kinda plain without any large logos but I don't miss the gills.
I like the low exhaust.
The old style wheels are sharp looking.
Turn signals in the mirrors... a very popular mod.
The coolant plumbing should be simpler and lower the center of gravity slightly.
Any suspension and break improvements are certainly welcome.
The anodized trpples look sharp.
The new instrument panel looks nice.
Using black leading into the rear signals makes the rear end look narrower. I like it.
The polished swing arm looks nice.
Grip heaters standard... I like.
Traction control and ABS would be nice in the rain.

If this had been the 6th gen I wouldn't have my 5th gen.
If it had been out last year I wouldn't have bought an NC700X as my other bike either. (maybe)

 

I bought an NC700X as a commuter bike, I didn't expect performance like a sport bike.
It doesn't pass as effortless as my VFR but anywhere short of interstate speeds passing seems quicker than a car.
I adapted to the low red line pretty quickly.

Frankly, for around town and in commuter traffic it's more comfortable to ride than my VFR. Especially if things are stop and go.
And I don't need bags hanging off the bike to carry a few things. The frunk is the handiest thing ever!
Between my Givi trunk and the frunk I don't use a car for most grocery/store runs, trips to the post office or anything else short of large heavy items.

Would I have passed on it for the new VFR? I bought my NC700X used with 550 miles for $5500. That's less than I paid for my used 5th gen with over 7000 miles in '99.
My love of VFRs would certainly make me want the new VFR but at twice the price I'd seriously have to think about it.
A decade or so ago I would have traded VFRs.

BTW, did I mention the NCX is pretty decent on dirt roads?
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=903353

 

At 1:02 you can see the horn and turn signal button are reversed from the old layout.
That drove me nuts on the NC700X at first.
They swapped them so you don't mix up the horn and downshift button on DCT bikes.
As long as they are consistent and make all new bikes like that, I'm ok with it.
Going back and forth between the different layouts is a pain.

 

I've still come to the conclusion that it's a scooter dressed up as a motorcycle, and there's scooters with better storage. The powerplant was originally put in the Integra and is perfectly suited in that application. For the power band the nc700x has, you're better off with a CB500X

 

Have you even ridden a CB500X? Your comments sound a lot like a couple youtube magazine "shootouts".

The power plant was NOT from the Integra. That was a joke started by one of the engineers and people keep repeating it. It is based on a collaboration between Honda motorcycle and car engineers and it does borrow heavily from the Ingera design but it isn't an Integra motor cut in half as the joke says.

Just for comparison...

My "scooter" as you call it can go over 100mph and according to Cycle World, the NC700X DCT version goes from 0-60 in 5.3 seconds and the manual (what I have) does it in 4.7 seconds. I've seen some people clock slower times but it would depend on your weight.
The Honda Shadow 750 Aero goes from 0-60 in around 7.24 seconds.
A Suzuki VS 800 GL Intruder does it in 5.8 seconds.
A 2000 Z28 Camero SS does it in 5.2 seconds.
The reason it may seem slow to you is a VF800 can do it in around 3.37 seconds.
The Versys does it in around 3.84 seconds but it is also more of a sport bike.
The CB500X you are touting supposedly does it in around 5 seconds flat... which is SLOWER than my bike and barely faster than the DCT NCX.
The NC700X isn't a sport bike but it's certainly not a "scooter".

I owned an '83 Shadow and the NCX power feels a lot like a cruiser (why I adapted so quick) but the weight is much lower and the NCX is a lot more nimble and stable at higher speeds.

BTW, new NC750X is rated at 68 mpg and supposedly accelerates faster than the 700 but like the new VFR800, it probably won't make it to the states anytime soon.

 

First of all, I wasn't talking about the Integra automobile. I was talking about the NC700D, which is a scooter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_NC700D_Integra

Yes, the NC700X has a decent 0 - 60. Awesome, but there is no top end. So unless you are accelerating from a dead stop all the time, who cares. Above 65, you might as well be driving a mini van. I logged over 3K on my NC700X and came to the conclusion that it is a dog. My point on getting the 500 is you are getting a bike with a little more HP (yes less torque), and less weight than the 700. Sure you might have to rev the engine a bit more, but in the end you are saving cash on the bike and on insurance premiums.

And you are correct with the cruiser analogy, which is why Honda has dropped the same plant into the CTX

My disappointment with the NC700X is the sole reason I started looking at VFR's

 

I confused the cars because of the Acura Integra... Du-Oh!

Chevy put a 350ci motor in cars and pickups. Because the 350 was in a car does that make the pickups really cars or because the 350 was in pickups does than make their cars really pickups? I mean, if the NC700X is a scooter then you should use the same rules for other vehicles right? :tongue-new:

If you want to gun the motor and zip around cars at 100mph in an instant, the NCX isn't the bike to own.
But passing a car that is going 72 when the speed limit is 75 hasn't exactly been a problem for me.
As I said, I still have my VFR. If I feel the need for speed, I just switch bikes.


I've seen a lot of unsold VFR1200s and NC700Xs on showroom floors and it would certainly explain why neither of the new models have been announced for the US.

I just hope they don't wait too long to bring them here.