New VFR on 2008/2009?

$ALES!

That's one reason why Honda is discontinuing the VFR. Same thing happened to the Valkyrie and the 90's Magna.

A race replica of the MotoGP would be expensive for Honda to manufacture.

Per MotoGP regs, “A four stroke prototype motorcycle must have an engine of original design and must not use castings of the crankcase, cylinder or cylinder head from the industrial production. The moving parts (crankshaft, pistons, connecting rods, gearbox, etc) are not taken into consideration."

So basically, a new engine must be designed.

Sadly, the only V-4 left in Honda's lineup is the ST1300. I can't see them offering another mid size V-4. It would cut into the inline-4 sportbikes already in production ($ALES again).

 

reference to 08 Interceptor?

I went through the Honda site and found this as the *only* thing pointing to a 2008 VFR-Interceptor so far. Pricing for some 2008 models are published. The VFR's fate is still official tbd...

2008 Honda Powersports Technology
...cut...
"Twin-Spar Aluminum Frame
Borrowing from the dominant GP bike of its era, the NSR500, Honda introduced a race-inspired, twin-spar aluminum frame on the 1986 VFR750F. For confidence-inspiring handling, it is crucial that the frame's major load path--steering head to swingarm pivot--be as direct as possible. No other frame does this as effectively as Honda's twin-spar design. In this setup, two large-section aluminum beams run directly from the steering head to the swingarm pivot plates--or in the case of the Interceptor, the engine case. Honda brought twin-spar aluminum frame technology to motocross racing with the radical 1997 CR250R. With each subsequent design generation Honda has fine-tuned its aluminum-frames, varying wall thickness of the frame spars, castings and corresponding swingarms to optimize torsional and lateral rigidity, achieve light weight, durability and precise handling performance."

so is this a reference to *historical* Interceptor or *2008* Interceptor?

original post:
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/3/releases/3989

 

Possibly a reference to the VF750F being a technology leader. Then again here's hoping Honda will unveil something special in 2008 for the VFR...There has been a totally unsubstantiated rumor doing the rounds from a distant relative of someone working for a companies cleaner suppling parts to a Honda subsidiary.

There will be 2 VFR's launched next year, one a VFR1000F Sports Tourer that will come standard with ABS and a track focused VFR1000RR that will blow the current Fireblade away. :biggrin:

 

Honda has 3 options for me to stay with them, & that would be to put into production 1of 3 three below Or better yet put all 3 into production of the 3 rumored bikes.

1. rsv211 V-5 DOT legal

2. VFR 1000 R

3. RC61/62 1200

If not, I'm moving over to the Duc's 1098 or the Buells 1125R

well I have taken the 1098 for a spin on the track, & buell day (track day) is coming up in September & the 1125R is to be available for riding.

So honda has until 02/09/08 to come up with something or I'm getting the Duc oR the Buell.

The Ball is in your court now HONDA, please don't let me down !

 

Greetings - my first message to this forum
I am getting my VFR800 tomorrow, and I'm told it's a 2008.
I am also told that it's identical to a 2007 oh well.

 

Good to see you on the Forum.

August sounds a little early for a next years model, do you have a photo of its colour scheme ?

 

Honda released a bunch of press images on 31 July. They include the attached photo-associated with programmed fuel injections, the single sided pro-arm swing-arm and others that suggest to me a 2008 VFR/Interceptor.

Why release new photos if you aren't going to sell? There are 07 photos on the site already.

Someone can use their secret spy zoom software to read the VIN tag

 

Nozzle,
You happen to have a link to the original article?

 

Yeah, it's a little early for some of th e08 models to be out. And if you are taking delivery tomorrow, I'd venture to say it's an 07. But be sure to let us know.

No, It just appears to be an information page about the technology Honda has introduced over the years, tho I could be wrong.

 

O.K.... here's the rest of the story.

I thought it would be fun to poke around the honda site and some business sites just to see how far I could get up the pipeline. On the Honda Press site I subscribed to their RSS feed.

http://www.hondanews.com/rss/combined/3

on 31 July I got the previously posted image with a bunch of other images from 2008 models - the bike images include only those models that are included in the Honda 2008 model price list release at the end of June (no sport models are on the list, Goldwing, cruisers, and some ATVs). Since the images all came in the same RSS feed, I'm asking a question whether these VFR looking images suggest a 2008 model? Why would the marketing department mix historical technology with new models in the same release? Does anyone have good enough eyes to see if the images look different than past models?

Here are some other images from the RSS feed. (that is the 2008 'wing)

 

The 2 VFR photos look suspiciously like a Gen 5, it would be interesting if Honda started making Klingons again. :fish2:

 

hmmm....those pics are identical to my 00 out in the garage..same peg holders, same swingarm, , same shiny half of the frame... I do hope they change the 08 from my 00...

 

Except the chain guard is missing.

The current GP bike uses a 76 (+/-) degree V4 with a balancing shaft. Other then having 4 cylinders in a V configuration the GP bike engine has nothing in common with the VFR. Make the VFR lighter and improved the suspension, that would be enough to make me trade up to a new one. And if they did the above and actually increased HP to match a GSXR 750 I would be sprinting down to the local Honda shop! :rockon:

 

Let's not forget the 600f4i that was dropped for '07. Now the VFR? What the hell is Honda thinking?

 

Interesting

Found this article this morning. The article itself doesn't say much, but it does reference a 2008 VFR. Hope it's not just a typo.

http://autos.canada.com/news/story.html?id=c7dc5e26-c0ed-4498-a57c-cece473d79bf

 

the CBR600Fi, didn't sell very well
ditto the RC51

 

Looks like a typo to me....sounds like an 07 model he tested.

 

More grist for the rumour mill

Ok,

went for a ride today with bunch of friends. One of them - Gary - races and knows the staff who run a racing school at Eastern Creek, Sydney. According to Gary, a number of staff from the racing school recently returned from Japan.

Their word on the rumour of a Honda V Four 1000cc sports bike is that its for real and that we may see it as early as Sept/Oct 07 - possibly at the Australian MotoGP. If not late this year then March 08 for Australia.

No clarification as to whether it will be badged a VFR or Fireblade.

I know how many of you guys have been hanging out for a 1000 - hope I can come back from the Aus GP with pics proving that the thing really does exist!

 

That would so sweet if it were true. As much as I would like to see this, I just can't hold me breath for that long. If it is true, I'm going to have to convince the wife to let me get a new bike after I keep upgrading my 4th gen.

 

2008 VFR likely sportier, not tourier

So on the Honda site, there is no Interceptor listed under Touring/Sport Touring anymore, only under Sport... take a look...

http://powersports.honda.com/motorcycles/

a few months ago Interceptor was listed in both spots on the US site.