Its almost time for the '08 release.....

Please Honda no more Vturd, gives us 16 valves all the time and Gear driven cams..Screw the noise compliance bull crap as Harleys are 40 times louder than any modded V4.

 

08 VFR wish list

Dream wish list: V5 990cc engine, USD forks. Basically a roadgoing RC211V with hard bags '

Reality that would get my check book out:

Junk the VTEC and all the other tech crap that just makes it heavier and more expensive. Bump it up to the same peak power as a new 600, with the V4 flexibility. Why not a liter?

Under 450# wet.

Make the fuel injection work right out of the box without needing a PC3/Teka etc.

Give us a nice adjustable shock and fork. Doesn't even need to be USD, just needs to allow adjustment for compression, rebound and preload without a lot of fuss.

Monoblock calipers. Sliding pin calipers are for Honda Civics. Come on, Honda... It's not like this is a budget bike.

And how about something that has nice lines and doesn't look like an alien love child with buck teeth?? Pearl White, please.

Price it smack between a CBR600RR and a CBR1000RR.

Oh, and keep the hard bag option. And the centerstand. And (flame resistant suit on) keep the Linked Brakes.

 

I think the noise concern is for the worldwide market of the bike, not in Milwakee.

 

Plus very few Hardlys have their stock pipes on, even less probly than sportbikes. When Harleys were selling like hotcakes, some dealers were automatically junking the stock pipe. You could only buy with an aftermarket to up their profit, sort of like the paint protection crap at the car dealer they try to push. I know two people who were told they couldn't buy their Harley stock. Dealer didn't care if they lost the sale.

 

it sells just fine around here
and around the world
while it may not be the hottest seller, it also doesn't take as much R&D or advertising $$ as the CBRs do, they pretty much leave it alone for years at a time. The CBRs are redone every year, and a major redo every two or three to remain competative.
so I just can't see them dropping it
heck the new BMW 800, may make them improve it more just for competativeness
I have also been to dealers in the more densly populated San Fran Bay area that carry dirt bikes, they can't sell them for crap as the availible riding area for them is tiny, but Honda makes them carry them. Certainly other dealers, in other locations, can't get them in fast enough.
The new VFR customer tends to be a little older than the CBR customer, and has, I would guess strongly, a higher than average income. An area like San Fran is flush with people who make more than the national average. And we have a longer riding season than most of the country, and we are surrounded by great roads. Some of the best in the country. All of that makes buying a bike like the VFR a more reasonable proposition, and spending more for one, a little easier.

 

Just quit making the 1000RR and focus on the VFR .. Simple.. I dont care for a bike that sounds like a bumblebee in heat when its going down the highway.

If Honda does kill the VFR there will be many pi$$ed off loyal customers and I will be 1 of them..Honda has the 800cc motogp V4 powered machines and it would not take much to build a street version..

 

Noone ever said the masses had good taste (in anything). They want the CBR1000 - peak power sells.
Honda has absolutely no problem discontinuing an unprofitable model despite a loyal following.

 

It's a funny thing, for a long time the VFR was Honda's Flagship bike which was mooted to cost Honda more in development and build costs than what they were able to recover in sales.

Guess the VFR is no longer considered a Flagship by Honda so they are concentrating development of their much cheaper to manufacture IL4's.

Still the VFR is still in my opinion Hondas best balanced Sports to Touring motorcycle and SuperSport bike sales are starting to drop off in European markets so hopefully Honda will make a nice new VFR next year ready for my next new bike purchase planned for 2009.

 

Sorry VFR gone CBR's rule

 

In the Honda Red Rider magazine page 26 Honda has an article on a CBR1000RR setup as a long distance ride. A clear message.

No more VFR

CBR 1000RR best performance steet bike ever made.

 

Great, the troll's back

 

Sorry VFR's still Rule in my eye's. :tongue:

The CBR1000RR has one of those dull IL4 thingy's, the pegs are too high the bars are too low, it has a plank for a seat, the fairing dosn't provide enough element coverage and they go far too quick too easily, yes have tried one and well thrashed it on the track hitting a consistantly wooshy 160+mph many times during the Fireblade launch day :biggrin: but was happy to ride my honest and comfortable VFR back home at the end of it. :smile:

 

The general idea for Honda is to apply the right marketing technique to the right audience. The VFR series in its many generations and innovations, while not the king of performance or the absolute epitome of a rolling LazyBoy, has however in
my opinion fit into a very niche crowd. The VFR is targeted at 30-50 year old males who a) want enough power and performanceto hang with the crotchrocket club for a Saturday morning scurry through the twisties. While having the stying and appearance of "race bred machine". b) we're old enough to know when doing a day long road trip with your knees in your throat and heels chaffing your nuts is not a pleasurable experience and just don't give a damn about how cool you look when you have to spend the remainder of said trip wrapped in ice packs and smelling of Ben Gay.

For what the VFR is... it is the best. You will not find another bike that combines power, comfort and modern reliability/conveniece that this bike brings to its owners.

Just think back to when the VFR was a 750... now its a 783 or whatever.
SOMEONE made them up the ante a bit... maybe the numbers will go up again? or maybe the development team will sprinkle some magic dust on the power plant and manage a 40% increase in power??? smelling salts please... i think i'm on a dreaming tangent!

 

PROBLEM #1 (in the US) The head of Honda's marketing department,
with its headquarters in southern California, is totally CLUELESS!
He has been clueless for years.

SOLUTION #1 - Replace the US marketing department with riders.

SOLUTION #2 - Create 2 new VFRs. That's right, I said TWO.

One bike will be a sporty copy of the 800cc MotoGP bike. :first:

The second bike should be a 1000cc "TOURING/sport" bike, with
real world (adjustable) bars and pegs, hard bags, electric windscreen,
12v outlet for GPS and other accessories. No Vturd, no under-the-seat
exhaust pipes, and with a more rounded front end (that doesn't copy
Yamaha) like the 5th generation bikes (had to get that in).
And.....it better have the gear-driven cams back! :tongue:

If you want to send feedback to Honda I suggest that you
send letters directly to Japan and bypass the US marketing department.

ARE YOU LISTENING HONDA???

 

That is 100% right on the money. In terms of sales, the VFR is a low volume bike and given that it has little in common with any other Honda bike, they can't justify the cost of keeping it.

The way they're probably looking at it is: Want a sport tourer? Get an ST1300. Want a sport bike? Get a CBR1000RR. Want a do-it-all bike? Get a 919.

Strictly speaking for myself, I, like you, want a bike that looks like a true sport bike yet has comfortable ergos and reasonable insurance rates. I have a VFR don't I?! My only gripe about the VFR is the lack of low-end and mid-range power.

I doubt I'll be doing this mod, but wouldn't it be nice to have a VFR with 140-150 hp at the rear wheel?! Just about everyone at vfrdiscussion.com is watching this thread closely:

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31492&st=0

Edit: Both the Sabre and Spirit 1100 are history. '07 is the last model year for the Spirit while '08 will be the last model year for the Sabre. Why? Because they're too close in size to the VTX1300 and Honda can't justify the cost of keeping them around. People who want either of these bikes want a mid-size Honda cruiser. If they can't get either of these, you guessed it, they'll be looking at the (three variations of the) VTX1300, and in all likelihood, buying one.

 

I understand that the ergo's are not easy for some, and the VFR is a good choice, but Honda's R&D is focused on the CBR1000RR, and being competitive
at the AMA level. Win on Sunday sell on Monday, VFR is a small side show about to end. In the Honda red rider mag, Honda is just trying to say the CBR1000RR is a very good all round road bike, and the comfort, and ergos can be improved. Clearly from the marketing dept at Honda.

 

I went online looking at the new hondas and i did not see any 2008 VFR's ? however i think i might buy a 2007 CBR1000RR , i have seven VFR's now so im not sure if i want a new payment ? buy it would be cool to have a new bike

 

VFR should stay in the same sporttouring style as it is. There are plenty of tourers to choose from(FJR-ST1300-GTR1400-K1200GT), and sport bikes(Fireblade-R1-GSXR750/1000-ZX10R-1098-RSV1000R). As I`ve said before, keep the V4, give it more power, add some goodies.....
Let it still be the only bike I need.

 

Will be interesting to see how Honda responds to the new 2008 Hayabusa.

http://www.mcnews.com.au/2008_Bikes/Suzuki/Hayabusa/Intro_1.htm