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

Honda really needs a replacement for the 10 year old Super Blackbird.

 

I am lost as to why someone would come to this site dedicated to the model and then be negative about it, each to his own...too much time on his hands I suppose. "A small sideshow about to end." :smash:

That is rediculous, how many bike models even reach 20 years, the list is very small. The model has been hugely successful in terms of racing heritage and retail following. One thing you have to realize is the sheer numbers of model choices today and the fact that Honda is attempting to fold riders of the VFR onto the bigger tourers like the ST1300, will it work, I don't know.

Comparing an inline 4, supersport race bike with VFR's shows a lack of logic and motorcycle knowledge. Yes, you could compare some other sport tourers such as a Triumph Sprint ST, several BMW's, older CBR1000's and even bikes like the VStrom, but comparing the VFR to the CBR1000 is like comparing it to an R1, GSXR1000 or the Ninja, it defies logic. It is not trying to be a race replica at all. It's a porky, comfortable sport-tourer with only 100 BHP, I mean come on really. I've had 7 sportbikes & 2 standards, including 4 liter bikes and the VFR has plenty to keep up ridden properly.

If you want a racebike, go buy one. If you want a sporting machine that can be ridden all day the VFR is a great choice, perhaps even the best offered for the money today. Is the market small, yes. From having run a Yamaha/Triumph shop would I consider discontinuing it for slow sales if I were Honda, yes I would. They are in the business of making money, not making us happy. However that does not take away from the inherent wonderful riding characteristics of this machine and I would argue that many of my esteemed colleagues on this site and perhaps myself would smoke MRCBR1000 regardless of displacement or power at the rear wheel. Its all the rider, period.

My best friend has an 86' VFR 700 and many very competent riders on liter bikes are hard pressed to keep up with him unless on the straits, myself included. When we stop, the guys are bug eyed that they can't smoke him on a bike manufactured when Reagan was President.:usa2:

 

Well said VaRollOn!:high5:

 

So by 4644's logic...if Red Rider magazine features a Goldwing at a track day event, the CBR1000RRRRRRRRRgh is dead meat, to be replaced by the crushing power & weight of the 'wang?

Wanna talk to Honda? Actions speak louder than words.
If you are reading this :director: I instruct you to have your 30-50-year-old-mid-life-crisis stricken friends get a new VFR instead of
a) dating their secretaries or reggers:
b) getting a corvette. :car:

Since you are wise enough to read my post, you are likely well endowed and do not need to compensate with a corvette purchase, (hence your VFR interest/purchase). Tell your buddies that the vette is *way* to obvious a way to compensate for their mini-manhood, so they need a bike - a VFR - a new one in fact.

The secretary route is not nearly as much fun as a VFR. Seriously. Anyone with two VFRs ever had two secretaries? at the same time? ... no, thought not...The VFR is has been around the block 25 years and knows what its doing.

Your buddy can go riding with you and some buds, never nags or asks for more than regular gas. (see eddie's thread on gas if you care about the octane rating)

Form a biker gang with your buddies...jewish :kev: ? - call it S.O.B. -semites on bikes (my buddies father-in-law has a skull with a skull cap on the back of his leathers, besides I got to use the : kev: thingy in context :biggrin: ).

Bug them to go to the dealer with you and drop coin :high5: on a bike. You'll have more fun, they'll save their marriage, and you're the hero. :cheer2: You've saved your buddy a ton of alimony bills avoiding the divorce. He can use the $$ he saved for farkles. :rockon:

Go to the motorcycle shows and tell the Honda folks what you'd *buy*.

Money talks, squids learn to walk again after the hospital stay.

... I'm done for awhile ... gotta prep the projector for MotoGP tomorrow afternoon :first:

 

I find it fascinating the number of people commenting on wanting more power. Personally I went for the VFR because it didn't have too much power. I am not some boy racer but I do like a good handling comfortable package. Sure there are little things that could be improved but to me adding 40 hp just isn't one of them.

The VFR still sells well worldwide so the cost of selling them in the US is minimal, no extra development costs. The ST1300 does not sell a lot of units either but I can't see that being dropped. There are more VFR's sold in my area than ST's. In summary if it aint broke don't fix it. I still think it is the best overall bike out there and if most people don't realise that well its their loss.

 

No Blackbirds in the US since 03(I think). If the Blackbird was here in the US I would have one. Import the Super Blackbird Honda NA WTF??

 

wish list

I want a rocket launcher that seeks out cell phones and blasts a clear path through trafic.:evil:

 

Anybody check out the Hayabusa upgrades? Carryover chassis and engine with some internal and suspension upgrades to keep it competetive with the ZX-14. I think the competition in the catagory keeps bikes viable. With BMW entering the new 800 I'm sure the magazines will start comparos with the Sprint, ST4, and VFR up against the new BMW. There are a lot of people in the market for this type of bike and the addition of the BMW may cause more focus and make Honda look a little more closely at this market. There are already more articles this year on VFR long term tests and the RWB brought out the special article on the VFR a couple of months ago so I wouldn't say its over yet. This bike is not in a market that demands a redesign every two years like the CBR line so Honda can milk a model to the point of being on cruise control, just manufacturing with very little in the way of costly line changes. If it goes away it will be a shame.... If the VFR didn't exist I wouldn't have purchased another Honda.

 

I hope the VFR isn't dropped next year. For the last three years I've had my checkbook poised and ready for a new and improved model, and let me tell you its been a hard wait. If the '08 isn't a redesign, I'll have to break down and buy one of those 5G's. Pricing on those sure is getting reasonable.

 

Chances are, IMO, pretty good that there will be no huge redesign for 08. As for how the VFR sells, while it may not be a huge seller, there is also not much advertising. Take a minute to think about it, How many ads have you seen on TV or in cycle mags where a sport tourer (any sport tourer) gets a lot of plugging. You may see one once in a while, or when themags to some testing and copmaring. But I rarely see ads for them. The big 4 are conentrating on sport bikes because that is what sells. You don't see the VFR or it's sport/tourer brethren racing on sunday in motogp or world superbike.

So, will there be on 08 VFR? it remains to be seen. It does not diminish the love we have for it. The fact that it has been around for so long is a testament to its durability in the market. Honda apparently sells enough world wide to justify the continuation of the model.

And yes, comparing the VFR to a CBR1000RR, even one set up for long distance riding is comparing apples to oranges. One can take any sport bike and set it up for long distance rides, it is still not and never will be a sport/tourer.

These discussions do serve a purpose. You never know if a Honda exec is reading the board to see what the consumer wants. I have not been over to VFRD lately, so I don't know what is being said over there abotu the 08 model. Going to sites that are showing the 08 models, you will find an incomplete listing at this point. Typically, you find the off-road and mx bikes are shown first. There are some road bikes out there too, but mx'ers are already prepping for next year even though it is only mid season. They want the jump on the competition if they can get it. All the mfg's are different in how they plan their releases and what they are ready to show. For instance, Yamaha is already showing the 08 R6s. While mostly unchanged for 08, it now will come in blue/white like 06 and 07, and in black (a Raven model). But I have yet to see much from the Honda camp, or Suzuki or Kawi, on any of their 08 sport bikes.

Bottom line, it's a waiting game.

Enjoy the speculation. :smile:

 

Here's what I want:
- A completely new front end: USD forks, 330mm rotors, 6-pot radial calipers and master cylinder
- Fully adjustable rear shock with remote adjuster/reservoir
- Keep a similar exhaust to the 6G but make them non-ugly; in other words, make the cans round, and how about a stock exhaust that isn't made out of stamped parts welded together
- No VTEC; all valves, all the time. If there has to be some sort of low-speed power/ noise control, use a system similar to what Kawasaki uses.
- Linked brakes gone
- Adjustable clip-ons and rear sets
- More power. I think 125HP at the rear wheel isn't unrealistic

 

Now there's a funny thing.

As a UK bike mag addict while I've never seen a Honda Ad for a VFR have seen plenty of advertisement pictures featuring the Gen 6 for Insurance, Tyres, riders gear and accessories. They obviously think the VFR popular and the quintessential representative of the Sports Touring market. :smile:

 

You just spent 5 minutes of your life responding to troll-trash. That's just sad.

 

Honda has been known to drop some GREAT bikes. These weren't barn burners but were great bikes. The Ascot, NX 250 and 650, XR250L, Nighthawk 750, the legendary 450 Rebel and one of my favorites, the TransAlp. Honda basically GAVE the dual-sport market away! The little 450 Rebel was a small, but bulletproof, little cruiser that has as big of following as any bike has ever had! Yet, Honda dropped it. And, as for standards, Honda just doesn't have one. They call the 919 a standard? I don't think so. More like a Sport bike in sheeps clothing. I know most of the members of the site lean to the sport side of riding, but I have never met a bike I didn't like. I have a standard, a dual-sport, a cruiser, a VF 750 and a RWB VFR. I like to have a bike for any occasion, and the new VFR seems to be able to fit into any type of riding I want to do on any given day(except ,of course, the dual-sport). Yamaha fans have foretold of the death of the V-Max for 15 years now, but like Freddie Cruger, it refuses to die. I'd rather see the same VFR next year, than not to have one at all.

 

Having recently moved from the UK up to sunny Sweden, this is all news to me the VFR is dying. While an update is overdue, my shiny new '07 model is actually an '06 spec, and sells well in the UK. The week i bought mine in Sweden, another was sold from the same shop. Plus as already mentioned, there's a V4 engined Moto GP bike out and while that's going, can't see the VFR being killed off somehow.

 

Chesthing--after I responded, that was EXACTLY the way I felt. I won't fall into that trap again.

 

You know, the fact that Honda even had VFRs at Laguna Seca is good. At least it isn't completely overshadowed by the other models. I just looked back at the previous launches and it looks like late August or September will be the time. Honda released the pics of the CBR and VFR right around then last year and the updated 06 1000 was done about the same time in 2005. We'll know soon enough. Aprilia and Triumph just had some press for their new standards in Motorcyclist. This is a great time of year..... New stuff coming out and good weather for riding.

 

Oh but I had, had happily :smile: forgotten it. I liked that I could not remember the scooter on steroids. The bike with more plastic bulges than Pamela.... well, you get the idea. I was/am not a loyal follower of the PC (not that there's anything wrong with it, just not my thing - did it come in mauve or aquamarine?). :tongue: Now, if they came out with an Atlantic Coast naked bike, then there might be some interest.

I salute my East of the Mississippi brethern, EVT, for not mentioning it. :first:

 

A stripped down PC or ST for that matter looks similar to a Moto guzzi; kinda cool in its own way. The PC was an 800, is it possible it was the predacessor to the current 800 v4