VFR1200 Early Adopter Yes/No

Discussion in '7th Generation 2010-Present' started by jasonsmith, Oct 25, 2009.

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Early Adopter Yes/No

  1. I'll get it now.

    37 vote(s)
    38.9%
  2. I'll wait for the bugs to be exposed first.

    58 vote(s)
    61.1%
  1. Richard Thompson

    Richard Thompson New Member

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    the VFR 1200 was released here in NZ on Friday along with the new Fury, and was on sale as of yesterday (saturday). our pricing is in line with aussie and given the exchange rate variable works out about the same at NZ$28,000.
    i will probably cruise in mid week and see about a test ride. but it is unlikely to sway me from my 7th gen based on price alone.
     
  2. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    At least in NZ they have demos to try. Here in the states according to some, that may not be the case. Then again, it may be yet another rumor started by Gwendolyn and Sally who, somewhere in cyberspace, are doing battle over who gets first dibs on the driveshaft.
     
  3. carlgustav

    carlgustav New Member

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    Early adopter, no. Will I ever buy one, no. It's a butt-ugly bike, the ugliest of the Interceptor series to come out IMO. The price is too high, super-tech or not. For that kind of money I'd get the new BMW sport bike, or the new Aprilia RSV4.

    ACE
     
  4. eelspike

    eelspike New Member

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    I am replacing my crashed rwb 2007 with the new vfr1200f the one with the clutch, ordered it a few months ago. I got to look at it at the NY motorcycle show last months. I loved the 07 and was torn between getting another or this.

    I don't think the aprila is a great comparison, the Aprilla being much more of and all out sport machine sexy italian and probably high maitinence. Honda has a top dog (if not the top dog) in the liter bike field in the RR.

    I know many hoped for a much sportier machine. For me the bike hits the mark except for the tiny tank and the color, i really loved the rwb, or even white.

    I hope the platform works and results in several iterations sportier, and more touring oriented.

    I still can't get pricing on the options and honda's communication is a bit mistifying no news update on a new flagship since october?

    Bob
     
  5. FRE

    FRE New Member

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    If I had to replace my 2006 VFR, I don't know what I'd get, but it would not be the new "VFR;" I do not like it.

    My VFR has plenty of power, and I can travel more than 200 miles on a tank. The new "VFR" has a smaller tank and a bigger engine; not good.

    Also, the new "VFR" is heavier; not good.

    The new "VFR" is much more expensive; not good.

    What about drop protection? It looks as though that Victory-inspired front fairing would be VERY expensive to replace, and no doubt insurance companies would quickly figure that out.

    Honda will be, or is, importing another sport touring bike, the NT700V, which was tested by the 3 March "Motorcycle Consumer News." It's a V-twin sport touring bike with shaft drive. Although nothing was seriously wrong with it, its power is lacking and the suspension is mediocre.

    It looks as though there is no longer a good middle-weight sport touring bike available on the American market; Honda has left a hole in the market.
     
  6. Wabbit1961

    Wabbit1961 New Member

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    Said it before, and I'll say it again. I like my 2006 VFR. All I ever wanted was one with shaft drive and I would have been happy. If I want to go bigger I can get deals on 'factory new' (year or two old models) ST1300's. Better yet, I'd hunt down a loaded Moto Guzzi Norge. for the price of a a stripped-down VFR 1200

    Honda's fucking themselves as far as I am concerned.
     
  7. FRE

    FRE New Member

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    I just read a report on another site. It seems that the expected range per tank is only 160 miles. I would find that totally, completely, and entirely unacceptable!!

    When I took my 5,500 mile trip in September 2009, I once rode 218 miles on a tank with my 2006 VFR and I'm sure that it would have gone farther. Although it's true that I usually didn't ride more than 160 miles on a tank, I wouldn't have dared ride even that far if the maximum was only 160 miles. Honda made a VERY serious mistake there!!

    It's true that I never rode as much as 160 miles without stopping for something, but who wants to have to bother with filling the tank at every single stop?

    Let's hope that the "VFR" 1200 won't replace the VFR 800, but that the "VFR" 1200 will be an additional model. If the "VFR" 1200 doesn't sell well, perhaps they will resurrect the REAL VFR.
     
  8. eelspike

    eelspike New Member

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    The Norge really??? about 98 HP air-cooled push-rod motor. I think moto-guzzis are very cool but honda's cx500 cx 650 was a better interpretation of the transverse v twin than the guzzi. Ironically it was the v-4 that really replaced the cx. Honda should have followed through with perfecting say an overhead cam 1000 cc water cooled transverse v-twin on the cx pattern.

    As for the VFR1200 the fuel tank is a big draw back, but the rest of the package seems very solid. Just not what everone thought or thinks it could be.

    Introducing and expensive new model into a world financial storm is kind of a tough sell for the bean counters.

    Bob



    Bob
     
  9. FRE

    FRE New Member

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  10. Wabbit1961

    Wabbit1961 New Member

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    Cause they're 'cool', of course! *lol*

    I have a friend that has one and I had the chance to ride it for the day. It was an awesome machine, and it sounded awesome. I chugged it down to 2krpm plenty of times and it just pulled strong from the get-go. I LOVE low-end torque! The Guzzi engines are bulletproof. The maintenance intervals and costs are low to reasonable. So yeah, I'd consider one in a heartbeat over the VFR1200, where you have to even buy the friggin' bags! What kinda bullshit is THAT for that kinda money?!

    If horsepower's all you care about then yeah, it's not the hottest rod in it's class, but you should check out some comparison rides between people that rode the Norge, the FJR, the Kaw Concours, and the ST1300. It was deemed the most fun to ride and most flickable in it's class by the test riders. I believe I read that in a Cycle World Sport Touring shootout article online. They really didn't want to clump it in the same review as the outher sport tourers, mostly due to it's lack of ponies compared to the rest of the clan (They tested an older Norge with only 2 valves per cylinder).

    Having stock heated grips and standard ABS isn't a bad touch either for a price of about $15,000 USD. Besides the fact that, like the ST1300, the heads are easily accessable for maintenance. That translates to LESS cost for maintenance, should you bring it into the shop, or less PITA if you want to do it yourself.
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2010
  11. Wabbit1961

    Wabbit1961 New Member

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    By the way.... Norge is Italian for Norway. The bike commemorates a 1928 bike that made the 4,000 mile ride from Italy to Lapland. Pretty impressive for 1928.
     
  12. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    LOL, figures it be over there. it will fit the want/need for some there's no doubting that, but.......?????????? this is like saying the Rune was a success by selling how many??. We will see where this is this time next year huh?
     
  13. FRE

    FRE New Member

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    Notice that the turn signals are LEDs built into the rear view mirrors. What do you suppose that feature will do the cost of replacing the mirrors in case of a tip over? I realize that tip overs and such are never supposed to happen, we all know that they do.

    So it has more power. The VFR 800 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds. How would I be better of by being able to do it in 2.9 seconds? The trivial amount of time saved would be more than offset by the additional fuel stops required by the tiny fuel tank.
     
  14. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    I put $1500.00 down as earnest money. I am 4th in line. This dealer is doing the SOS and not quoting prices. The game here is to do like the HD dealers and load up the customers with strap on shit, new duds ect, to jack up the price. When it comes time my new bike is ready to ride home, I will go in with a friend who is a sales manager for HD to help me and we will razzle dazzle this sales dude until he throws us out of the place, after he fills out the paperwork.

    Popping for things that cost $15,000.00 + unless one has more money than brains calls for playing hardball major league style.
     
  15. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Several new bikes have LED type turn signals, and other lights. Not a clue what a whole mirror assembly might cost. Probably depends on the individual dealers markup. I get my LEDs at Radio Shack.

    The answer on the speed is easy. By having a bike that will do 0 to 60 faster than another bike gets you ahead of the guy at the pump with the slower bike. That 0-60 time of 3.3 sec for a VFR800 might not be accurate with say a rider who comes in at 260. The guys that do those 0-60 times are usually about the size of Prince.
     
  16. StuMayhem

    StuMayhem New Member

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    Hey Guys, I hadn't seen this until today. I lost track of how many times he said it was big and heavy. Also, 2 bikes ran out of fuel during the test ride, haha. YouTube - Honda VFR1200F launch diary I used to have an '86 for 15 years, now I have a '96 and love it. I was avoiding the VTEC and looking forward to the new VFR. I'm disappointed in what Honda has provided. In my opinion, this new VFR is not inline with the bikes legacy.
     
  17. eelspike

    eelspike New Member

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    I have to agree with Phil West on the exhust, The stock exhust on the 6th generation was great looking and well intigrated, not quite enough noise but sexy.

    I used the get off the 07 RWB bike and shake my head at how sweet it looked. When are they going to make a RWB 1200?
     
  18. GreyVF750F

    GreyVF750F Member

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    Sounds like they kind of like the bike. All though as the journalist had mentioned several times about the weight. The big kicker was two of them ran out of fuel at 120 miles!! They ran out of fuel at 120 miles!! That is just ridiculous for any bike of that class. I think it might just match a Sporter with a peanut tank. The tank has those wings on each side. To bad they couldn't be used for fuel, or are they?

    Now here's a fix for the fuel may be. I saw a BMW K75 with dual exhaust. The triangle type they had some years back. Not many really took note that it was a dual exhaust instead of the factory single. In actuality it was a single exhaust. The other muffler which was on the left side of the bike was actually an extra fuel tank with electric fuel pump in it. I though that was ingenuous. Looked natural and really extended the mileage the owner said. So there is definitely a market for something like that for the new VFR. mmmmmmmm that big exhaust can has got to be able to hold a gallon and a half. Now just figure how to mount one on the left side so it doesn't look out of place.
     
  19. deepdish

    deepdish Banned

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    if i had the cash it would be ordered today................................................
     
  20. FRE

    FRE New Member

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    I also wonder about the slipper clutch. Why is it needed? It doesn't take a PhD to understand that a smooth downshift can be executed merely by properly matching the engine speed to the bike speed for the gear into which one is downshifting BEFORE engaging the clutch. That can even be done while braking. To downshift while braking, I blip the throttle with the palm of my hand while my fingers are pulling on the brake lever. With a bit of practice, it works very well; no slipper clutch needed. I realize that the MSF would not approve. When I took the MSF course, I asked about blipping the throttle while applying the brakes; that's similar to heal-toe downshifting on a car. The instructor told me that one should NEVER operate the brakes and the throttle at the same time. Of course, she was wrong. I quickly learned to do it with the Ninjette provided by the course.

    Last summer, a group of us were on a ride. When we stopped at a restaurant, one of the women forgot to turn off the ignition and by the time we were ready to resume the ride, her battery was dead (flat, for you Brits). No problem; a couple of us just pushed her to get it started. Could that be done with a slipper clutch, or would it slip too much to start the engine?
     
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