[TimC]

vfr_steve, on Sep 20 2009, 05:19 PM, said:

I'm undecided on the looks to be honest, 1st time I ever set eyes on a 6th gen it was love at 1st sight, not so much with this one. I'm sure it will grow on me.

+1 - esp. the 'love at first sight' feeling about the 6th gen. I like the new bikes' looks well enough, but the headlight looks funky to me. Of course, a bike's looks aren't the most important thing, but they do matter. I can't wait to see this bike in person.

I do think it looks a bit like the BMW K1200S, mostly because of the smooth non-vented side fairings. And I don't think the resemblence is necessarily a bad thing. The K bike would be on my short list of bikes to replace my VFR.

[Ryanme17]

Kestrel, on Sep 21 2009, 12:00 PM, said:

So what are we left with there? VTec is gone, replaced with a different system. In reality, the ECU is going to make the call as far as cutting cylinders. There isn't a whole lot of mechanical techno-wizardry there. That's not a big deal at all. ECU cuts fuel, bike has less power and uses less gas at cruise. Easy. Easy system to apply on almost any fuel injected vehicle. Now what? Shaft drive? Techno wizardry there? Yea right. Just about as much as a chain.

It really isn't a bike full of pointless technology. Though some of you may be calling it as such, I don't buy it. Nothing is overly complex. 1200 cc V4 with ECU to cut cylinders to reduce emissions and make the bike more efficient at cruise. That's about it. Manual tranny and shaft drive are no big deal. If you want the dual clutch, then you'll have to buy a bike with that tranny. Don't want it? Not a problem.

Let's wait for reviews this Fall, and then we can bitch some more over the winter. But honestly, considering where things could have gone.... It's looking pretty damned good for what it is.

I agree with you completely, but do need to point out that cutting cylinders isn't as easy as shutting off the fuel, you need to close the valves as well.

[Ryanme17]

Hard to tell in the pics, but can anyone with better eyes than me tell if the forks are inverted or not?

[Kestrel]

Ryanme17, on Sep 21 2009, 12:28 PM, said:

I agree with you completely, but do need to point out that cutting cylinders isn't as easy as shutting off the fuel, you need to close the valves as well.

That is true, but I don't see it as being anywhere as ugly as VTec.

As far as the inverted forks question... They sure are. 'Bout damned time.

This post has been edited by Kestrel: 21 September 2009 - 11:38 AM

[cbar]

Back before Cycle Canada stopped making re-prints of old issues available, I had them send me the two 1990 issues that featured the 1990 VFR (my bike!). One of them was a "preview" article, and the other was a comparo with...wait for it....

the GSX-R 750

They admit in the article that the comparison was probably a stretch, given the different intended end uses of each bike. But it shows you how "sporty" the sport-touring 1990 VFR was intended to be!

I suppose it also shows how narrowly focussed the later generations of pure sport bikes were destined to be too...

Kestrel, on Sep 21 2009, 12:00 PM, said:

The VFR, for most of its life, was a sportbike that allowed some pretty decent touring to be done.

[Kestrel]

I lied! Two more presents. Old VFR vs New VFR overlay. I'm no photoshop / layers expert, so please pardon the sloppy work.



And a side by side comparison...



Keep in mind, the height of the bars isn't going to be totally accurate. A tire is going to look the same no matter what angle you shoot it at.. It is round, of course. But the rest of the bike will change. If the cameras were not shooting from identical heights, and I doubt they were, one bike is going to appear higher or lower than the other. That said, I don't think it is *too* far off to say that the ergos will be similar to the last gen VFR.

This post has been edited by Kestrel: 21 September 2009 - 12:41 PM

[Kestrel]

And also, don't forget this gif... It gives a spot on size comparison to the CBR1000RR and supports the rest of the evidence above that the bike isn't THAT big.

[BaileyRock]

That CBR/VFR overlay is pretty cool! Other than wheel base the new bike doesn't look that big compared to the CBR.

[Rice]

I'm really liking where this is going. Keep talking

As far as the looks go, I've been witness to many bikes and cars over the years that looked butt ugly to me and to many others when I first seen. Now, looking back at them, they look totally fine. In other words, I really don't care what it looks like, as long as all the other criteria are satisfied. Worst comes to worst, I'll paint it flat black. And as we all know, anything looks cool in flat black. Right, Timmy?

[spyder]

I want those little round Honda badges for my 06. Very cool. Looks pretty lean and mean.

[UFO]

Nice work on the size comparison images.

[BonusVFR]

Should fit nicely between these two.

[RE-Agent]

Kestrel, on Sep 21 2009, 01:28 PM, said:

And if it was a 1991 Kawa you would have the color scheme perfect.

[elizilla]

TurdEngineer99, on Sep 21 2009, 12:11 PM, said:

I like it, it's innovative!
I bet it comes in at a lower price with oodles of options compared to stock BMW price tag.

I'll put down a deposit as long as it's available with the right color

I'll make do with an ugly color, or get it painted, if it's the right bike. And it looks very promising!

[TimC]

Nice work, Kestrel!

[skuuter trash]

So Far, I'm likin' it.......

[mechdziner714]

I thought for sure Skuuter aleady had a couple thousand miles on his, your slippin man

[Smitty]

Nobody's mentioned the clutch lever shown on these Spy photos.

Is Honda going to be offering a manual and an automatic?

[UFO]

Smitty, on Sep 21 2009, 02:08 PM, said:

Nobody's mentioned the clutch lever shown on these Spy photos.

Is Honda going to be offering a manual and an automatic?

My guess is: Yes.

Or, the "VFR" will be manual only, and the "ST" version will be auto/paddle.

[BonusVFR]

Can not wait for the Press Intro in San Diego this WINTER

[RED RUNNER]

BonusVFR, on Sep 21 2009, 11:30 AM, said:

Should fit nicely between these two.

Exactkly.

Unfortunately, I am in the "back to its roots" camp, and although the is admittedly a nice bike, its huevos appear to have been removed and placed in a well-engineered compartment somewhere.

I dread the day that members start asking Rivcyko to fabricate lightweight, carbon fiber covers for their cb radios.

[Kestrel]

Smitty, on Sep 21 2009, 05:08 PM, said:

Nobody's mentioned the clutch lever shown on these Spy photos.

Is Honda going to be offering a manual and an automatic?

Smitty, I have a thead dedicated to that... It is 2-3 posts below in the 7th gen forum.

In short, Yes. In the dual clutch demonstration video, there are two distinctly different VFR1200s. One has no clutch lever, has no shifter, but has paddles for the left hand to change gears. In the other half of the dual clutch demonstration video, they have a pure manual tranny VFR to compare it to. There is a clutch lever as well as a shifter. In all of the spy photos, the bikes we've seen have been of the manual transmission variety. Current estimation is that Honda is going to offer two separate models of the VFR1200, similar to how Yamaha offered the FJR1300 in Automatic. One model will have an automatic transmission with paddles and no shifter, and the other will offer a purely manual transmission with clutch, shifter etc. The transmissions are completely different. It is not possible to have the dual clutch operate as a manual tranny and vice versa. This has led us to conclude, again, that there will be two distinctly different bikes.

Smitty, are you by chance the Smitty from the sportbikes.net forums? I think I remember your posts from many years ago. You were in your 70s, retired, and rode pretty much every single day in Canada. Same Smitty by chance?

[Smitty]

Kestrel, on Sep 21 2009, 10:12 PM, said:

Smitty, on Sep 21 2009, 05:08 PM, said:

Nobody's mentioned the clutch lever shown on these Spy photos.

Is Honda going to be offering a manual and an automatic?

Smitty, I have a thead dedicated to that... It is 2-3 posts below in the 7th gen forum.

In short, Yes. In the dual clutch demonstration video, there are two distinctly different VFR1200s. One has no clutch lever, has no shifter, but has paddles for the left hand to change gears. In the other half of the dual clutch demonstration video, they have a pure manual tranny VFR to compare it to. There is a clutch lever as well as a shifter. In all of the spy photos, the bikes we've seen have been of the manual transmission variety. Current estimation is that Honda is going to offer two separate models of the VFR1200, similar to how Yamaha offered the FJR1300 in Automatic. One model will have an automatic transmission with paddles and no shifter, and the other will offer a purely manual transmission with clutch, shifter etc. The transmissions are completely different. It is not possible to have the dual clutch operate as a manual tranny and vice versa. This has led us to conclude, again, that there will be two distinctly different bikes.

Smitty, are you by chance the Smitty from the sportbikes.net forums? I think I remember your posts from many years ago. You were in your 70s, retired, and rode pretty much every single day in Canada. Same Smitty by chance?

Different Smitty, live in Canada, not that old, but wish I could ride everyday!

[skuuter trash]

mechdziner714, on Sep 21 2009, 03:29 PM, said:

I thought for sure Skuuter aleady had a couple thousand miles on his, your slippin man

HA...believe me Buddy, I've got my hat already in the ring for a Road Test............

[SEBSPEED]

Kestrel, on Sep 21 2009, 01:28 PM, said:

I sure hope the camera height is off as you mentioned, because those rider pegs are qutie a bit lower!

[Kestrel]

SEBSPEED, on Sep 21 2009, 07:35 PM, said:

I sure hope the camera height is off as you mentioned, because those rider pegs are qutie a bit lower!

I saw that. I don't think the camera angle would make enough of a difference to change that. I am positive that the pegs on the new VFR1200 as quite a margin lower than the older 800. They'll need risers for sure.

[bryan217]

I've been following the rumors, etc. for some time. As I don't yet own a VFR, I stayed on the sidelines. But now that I've seen more 'street' shots of what looks closer to the actual bike, I'll throw in my $.02. At first, I wasn't too fond of the idea of boosting it up to 1200cc. I'm not from the 'more is better' school of displacement/horsepower etc. I know I'll never be able to use the 800 to it's limit, so I don't feel the need for 50% more displacement. But again, I've yet to ride, let alone own, a VFR. (Though I'm getting much closer.) But my current ride, Yamaha R6, has more than enough power for me. I just want better ergos, more room for 2, and the option to carry stuff.

Anyway, back on topic. I don't like the looks of the headlight. The rest is fine. I do like how the fairing looks like it's one piece, it flows from one piece to another. It doesn't look piecemeal. I'll reserve final judgment until I actually see one, but it doesn't look half bad so far. Will I buy one? Probably not anytime soon. Once I get my VFR800, I plan on keeping it for some time.

[AB-Oz]

I heard the US is getting any color you like as long as its red
Everywhere else gets a choice of colours...

[vfrcapn]

Kestrel, on Sep 21 2009, 03:12 PM, said:

This has led us to conclude, again, that there will be two distinctly different bikes.

Was considering this and one thing they point out in the video is the smooth shifts with the dual clutch, which would be a benefit on the sport model. I wouldn't be surprised to see the DC as an option on all the models they come out with. Imagine if the ST model only had the dual clutch & how it might limit sales. What if someone wanted an option for a manual transmission, which brings us to....

AB-Oz, on Sep 21 2009, 07:43 PM, said:

I heard the US is getting any color you like as long as its red
Everywhere else gets a choice of colours...

Honda's reputation on options in the US at least hasn't been all that great so who knows.

[UFO]

bryan217, on Sep 21 2009, 05:54 PM, said:

I wasn't too fond of the idea of boosting it up to 1200cc. I'm not from the 'more is better' school of displacement/horsepower etc. I know I'll never be able to use the 800 to it's limit, so I don't feel the need for 50% more displacement. But again, I've yet to ride, let alone own, a VFR. (Though I'm getting much closer.) But my current ride, Yamaha R6, has more than enough power for me.

It's about torque, not necessarily power. Max power isn't very usable on the street. Torque is. Torque is a beautiful thing.