Is VFR Interceptor a "crotch rocket"?

I'm no spring chicken either physically!And I have never pulled one of these off either!;-) well once on accident.

 

Any bike that tries to pull your arms off the bars at max acceleration or one that finished 3rd at the 1986 Daytona 200 and won its class in AMA racing is a rocket .......like the VFR.

 

Sorry what was the question ? I got stuck at crotch

 

Mine certainly doesn't look like a crotch rocket, but when the case and rack are off the bike, and the touring windshield is down, it sure does look like one.
However, the VFR is too wide and has a long wheelbase to be considered a crotch rocket.
If you take a look at a K1200S, is it a crotch rocket, or is it a touring bike? No one will ever know

 

Squirrel that was the 80's........... lol Definitions have evolved a lot since then.

 

I wonder where that old term came from.

 

they were labeled as such by the manufacturer because of insurance.

 

My VFR is much less to insure than my CBR.

 

I say it's more like a groin missile that is more mature and refined than a crotch rocket. It's like a linebacker that is fast enough to beat a wide receiver and planted like a freight train on a track. It's like a fighter jet had a baby with a locomotive.

 

It's more like a groin missile. More refined than a crotch rocket. It's fast like a fighter jet and planted like a locomotive on a rail but more refined than a pure sport bike meant for the track.

 

I have been riding for more than 50 years and the term "crotch rocket" has been around almost as long and used to refer to any motorcycle. I think nowadays people use crotch rocket when referring to sport bikes. I consider my VFR a sport-touring bike. (I think my insurance bill reflects that! )

 

The only part I can agree on is "more refined than a pure sport bike for the track". Have you rode any modern day "crotch rockets"? They are very well sorted and refined. Jet fighter? Not so much. As to planted like a locomotive on a rail, I'd say its well planted but the stock suspension really sucks and wallows with any real speed is turns.

 

I must admit that I haven't slung a leg over a modern "crotch rocket". The last time I rode one of those it was a CBR 954. So there I must concede. Yes, the stock suspension is a bit soft but I don't ride mine on a track nor act like I'm on a track when riding on the street. I love how planted it feels and how the power is delivered so smooth but forceful. The power of other bikes seems twitchy and hyper compared to my VFR. I'm not saying it's faster or handles better but I appreciate my big VFR much more than my old CBR when cruising down the interstate next to a semi truck. Now, I would never dare to push my VFR into a corner like the old CBR. The VFR can hold its own but honestly, it's not a race track bike with turn signals.

 

I sometimes see older well sorted VFR's at the track and a few guys can hustle them around at decent speeds but most are A group riders with many bikes. I think the sound at the track is very pleasing compared the mostly inline 4's. The Yamaha R1's with their cross plane tech sound really cool to. But to hear an Aprillia RSV4 with a full exhaust system screaming that V4 is for me the best sound. And man can they haul the mail with a good pilot.

 

The pragmatic answer is YES, a VFR is a crotch rocket. Why? Because 99.9% of the drivers on the road and the people that know nothing about motorcycles will label them as a CROTCH ROCKET due to the looks alone. A VFR could have a lawn mower engine in it and it would still be a crotch rocket.

Separately, agree 100% with Gator's post above. I'm not into loud sounding street machines but on a race track with an engine at high rpm's, it says to me that somebody is moving fast on pavement. That is exhilarating and done for FUN!!

 

Are Ducati's part of the crotch rocket community? After powder coating my wheels gold, people always think I'm riding an Italian bike. The color is Italian Red after all Beyond that many drivers and riders alike might not know or even appreciate the 'sport touring' category. It looks fast and looks sexy so of course it's a crotch rocket!

 

Pretty much its a matter of perception. A serious bike guy would not consider a Ninja 300 to be a crotch rocket but with the race farings and aggressive lean angle a typical cager would think its a 200mph wheelie machine.

 

Old thread, but a good one. A well sorted V-twin sounds great at the track also. One of the best sounding twins is an RC51, like the one in my avatar. There are a lot of bikes that the general public would call a crotch rocket, that we might think otherwise. They see a full faired bike, forward leaning rider, looks fast, that's all they know. From a distance, and from someone that doesn't know about weight, power, lean angle, a VFR does resemble a crotch rocket, and that's fine with me.