1st impressions in-person / MSRP = $16k

Greetings all. My first post on the forum, I joined a couple weeks back and have been reading up since I'm considering the VFR1200F as a contender for my next bike.

Thought I'd share with y'all my impressions after seeing one live and in-person today at the San Mateo (CA) International Moto show. It was up on a revolving podium no sitting allowed, but I can say I thought the bike looked pretty good. For me it's always hard to tell from photos of any bike, so now I've at least laid eyes (if not hands) on one. I've listed below some of the things I noticed, in no particular order...

-- First things first: the tag hanging from the right hand grip said "MSRP $15,999" (base model, manual transmission, no luggage); so now we know.

-- From the edge of the podium, say 4 feet away from the bike, the fit & finish/build quality looks absolutely top-notch (the other bike in my consideration set is the BMW K1300S and I'd say the Honda loses nothing on this point)

-- Options and gizmos: brake lines are rubber/plastic (not stainless steel as standard on the Beemer); heated grips not available as an option; luggage will cost "around $1k" according to the Honda rep

-- The red paint is highly metallic/sparkly in person; not crazy about it but others might like it? In Europe they're getting silver and white as color options, but in the US it's red only :/

-- The guy working the display said dealers will likely begin receiving bikes in March/April 2010; supply will be limited "due to economic conditions" and most shops will only get one VFR.

Overall, the bike made a good impression on me in person. The design of the nose is bugging me less over time. Not so with the muffler, that would have to go I think, hopefully some aftermarket options will be fast followers into the market once the bike is selling. Bottom line, I'll hold off buying the K1300S for a few months and grab a test ride on the VFR (was told some dealers will be offering test rides), then see what I think from there. Ultimately the ride will probably be the deciding factor...

 

Welcome to VFR World Lucky, that's one heck of a first post :thumbsup:

$15,999 base... Add 1k for bags, plus another grand for auto xmsn + another grand buffer... = $18,999 hummmm

 

Ok, an MSRP of $16,000 will put it at about $14,500 at best, if the average holds. Honesty demands I hold off Final Judgment until I lay hands on one but the price is going to be a negative...

 

Again with only the one color option. I noticed that at least they've gone to a two tone paint job regardless of what country you're in. So that's good. But after seeing the silver/black scheme for Europe, I've decided the red/black paint job just won't do. So that alone will be pushing me off one untill at least 2011, or when I can get the color I want. 2015 for all I know.

Honda offers a variety of colors for every bike they sell in the U.S., except VFR's. I have been scratching my head over this for at least a decade.

 

That makes the Beemer better looking, in my search for a "we-bike".

Mac

 

with the msrp at $15,190, 6.6 gal tank, 39 mpg and removible bags as standard equipment, the FJR1300 is looking good to me as a tourer. Played around with it some at the dealership and I kinda like it. I'm not in the market but if I was...

 

Have you heard about the horrible reliability of those?

 

That price makes the Ducati Multistrada 1200 look even more attractive.

 

Hate to say it, but the FJR1300 looks more like a next gen VFR than the 12...

 

I put 90K on a 93 ST1100, sold it and bought a new 05 FJR1300. I put 75K on it and decided to sell while it had resale value. Took the $$ from the FJR and bought an 02 VFR with 8K miles. The FJR was far more fun to ride than the ST, had tons more power and handled far better. The VFR is far more fun to ride than the FJR, but not nearly as comfortable. The VFR is no lightweight, but feels much lighter than the FJR and is easier to throw around. This is not a knock on the FJR, it is a great ride, just way different than the VFR. As long as you know what to expect, the FJR is a good choice.

 

Ditto Knife! That is once my longer legs arrive. Seat height on the MS1200 is a reported 33.5 inches. I had to lower my VFR to get flat footed. Before that on my VFR I was on my toes at a stop! On a MS1200 I would need to be wearing 3" platform shoes and there is no way I am going back to the Disco years. They were bad enough the first time around. :biggrin:

 

Welcome aboard, and thanks for the info.

 

man i can get any work done with hit and runs avatar playing...

 

Good going. welcome thanks for the info nice first post too.

-- First things first: the tag hanging from the right hand grip said "MSRP $15,999" (base model, manual transmission, no luggage); so now we know.

Yea okay now the head scratching begains
for me it's a wait and see as well for a test ride, then if it makes sense I'll look into the Canadian market color, no way I'm I getting one with that color. Ukkkk!!! if not, looks to be no loss, yet I'm still wanting to like it.. go figure.

 

Yeah, I must admit I was hoping there would be more of price differential between the VFR and the K1300S.

I'm looking at a relatively stripped down version of that bike based on my preferences (no ESA, no BMW luggage as I have my own from my current bike, etc). I test rode the K13S last weeeknd and without even trying to negotiate, the dealer was offering it to me for $15,400 -- down from a sticker price of $16,600. It was an '09 model which helps a bit. I have to believe I can knock off at least another $1k when I'm ready to buy with my cash on the barrelhead. So let's say "my" K13S costs $15,500.

Then I wonder if the limited initial availability of the VFR will lead dealers to charge mark-ups if the demand is there. So I really don't know what the VFR will sell for yet...more or less than MSRP...? But it seems certain it will not represent a significant $$$ savings (if any at all) over the BMW.

If there's no significant price difference, I guess it just nets out to being a toss-up based upon which bike rides better for me. May the best bike win!

 

Thanks for the informative post. Good luck.

 

Your dealers discount them? I haven't seen a new bike discounted unless it's discontinued like the Suzuki B-king at least in South Florida anyway.

 

Welcome to the `world.

I've been anticipating the release of this bike for a couple of years, even after i got my `06. Maybe it's just me, but I've been praying that the displacement would stay the same as the last gen, that they would add the new CBR ABS, and that they could keep the weight down.

So, weight up, displacement up, cost up, not new abs.

BUT....

I love the way they look <flamesuit on> I think they are slick and sexy. I love that multi-layered look, and the tail subframe being strong enough to attach bags without funky racks is a dream. I think the dual clutch gearbox is an answer to a question no one asked, but still very clever fitting it size wise into a bike's packaging. I've driven the VW DSG, and it's a fantastic addition to the optioning of a GTI. I've seriously considered getting one fitted up with the DSG, it shifts wonderfully (with one exception, letting it auto downshift to a light is slightly jerky, i know why they programed the trans to hold the gear longer, so that you are ready to take off again) and it's more stop-and-go traffic friendly. I agree with the conclusion in James Parker's column in this month's Motorcyclist:

"Harder to quantify are the benefits. An automobile's manual gearbox is a slow-shifting beast, and the dual clutch box offers a big benefit in speed. conventional motorcycle gearboxes are pretty quick already... ... so a dual clutch transmission offers a smaller improvement. Motorcycles don't need this change as much as cars did.
...If the dual clutch transmission is an answer to a question that few have asked, its nonetheless a worthy technical exercise and on that once again highlights Honda's technological ambitions and abilities."

That being said, in an open letter to Honda, please please give me a bike that looks like that, keep the rear subframe, drop the displacement to 750-800cc's, add the CBR ABS, and figure out a way to drop 50-80lbs (i'd really like 100, but lets be realistic) off the bike. Manual trans, to save on cost, and a white paint job (NO pearls or metallics,) something like CW1, championship white, the only color a sport/racing Honda should be. (or at least the automotive side of things. I know, the whole ride red thing, but i really prefer white. They shine like no other.)

This would fit in much the same way the 848 has done to Ducati's 1098 (and later 1198). I would buy this bike, even though i love my 06. Hell, i bet a lot of younger people, in the under 40 set, would like this bike better.

of course, while i'm asking for things, a hot passenger with legs that go all the way to the floor, one who wont make me get rid of the bikes, cars, computers, model airplanes, .........

nm. pipe dreams, both of them. I dont see Honda making that kind of business decision, especally when they will play the wait and see how they sell game.

And dealers only receiving one at a time? Its always been that way, as far back as i can remember talking with the sales guys at the local dealers. No dealer ever gets more than one vfr, or a rune, or a fury, or a .....

Lots of cruisers and aquatracs though.

 

How many of these VF1200 threads are there?

 

I don't know but I'm forwarding Fred's post to bb...