kyojitsu Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Quite out of the blue I got a loaner 8th gen this morning. My CRF was in for a service and I was supposed to get a Hornet but they couldn't find the keys blah blah so the demo 2014 VFR800 it was. I wasn't complaining. Before I go any further and anyone gets upset...This is a Very Good Bike Indeed. I was sceptical and given the fairly muted reception in the press, I wasn't expecting to be blown away. First thing you notice is that this bike really looks so much better in the metal. It oozes quality too - typical Honda. Deep paint (red on this one), nice choice of materials e.g. top yoke and engine casings and just looks very classy and understated. Photos all manage to undersell it. Riding position is very familiar but it's noticeably narrower than a 5th Gen and feels better in traffic when lane splitting (or filtering as we call it). My guess is my knees are a bit more bent but the bars feel a tad higher and further away. Seat really comfy for me. (I checked the dimensions on http://cycle-ergo.com/ and my hunch was right plus the seat is lower |). That's not great for me and I'm not sure how I'd get on with it on a longer trip. If you find the 5th Gen a bit too high or roomy then this may be perfect for you... Feels very stable on the move and the suspension is great - fully adjustable forks and rear damper has remote adjuster - but even out of the crate it felt good ad I didn't fiiddle with it. Very plush ride, compliant without being too soft. Tyres fitted were Dunlop Sportmax and they were very stable, grippy with neutral turn in. My 5th Gen with PR4s turns in quicker I think. The bike is fitted with traction control - I didn't have any chance to test that but it can be switched off via a very clumsy looking switch that looks like an afterthought, which is the only fly in the switchgear ointment. Like the dash and having a gear shift indicator is welcome. Also trip computer including mpg is handy - although numbers are a bit small. I think in bright sunlight it'd be hard to read too. Like the integrated heated grips - they get warm, they heat up your hands. Tick. Gearshift is superslick and the clutch pretty light. 5th gen feels a bit more workmanlike in comparison. Brakes are very strong and really inspire confidence. Headlights are amazing and I like the rear lamp cluster too. Auto cancel turn indicators are sort of useful but I'm not sure I trust them to stay on when I need them to be on...so I don't want them.. So what about the engine? I've never ridden a VTEC VFR before but it has plenty of grunt. The 'step' is there but it's more of a 'lip' than anything. You can notice it but it's fairly unobtrusive. Engine sounds good - even with standard can - it's still quite rorty and characterful. However, to my ears and my in-built dyno my 5th gen feels quicker and more exciting - no matter what the facts say on paper. One big area the new bike is improved though is low down torque - it's really tractable and that's handy in low speed corners and at traffic speeds. Where my 5th gen gets a bit boggy and grumbly below 4k in higher gears this new bike just grunts and gets on with it. 6th gear roll ons no problem. You'd be forgiven for thinking it was a de-tuned litre bike. It has a very curious idle - really high at 2k. I asked dealer and he said it was designed like that. Not sure why. So overall, it's still familiar, loveable, do-it-all brilliant VFR but refined and improved and much more modern and better in every way. Which is why I probably won't buy one. I think I like the 5th gen's old schoolness. I like the fact I can kid myself it's a close relative of an RC45 and it's a bit more rough and ready. This may sound bizarre but it feels almost handbuilt and more special to me. From a golden age of Honda. Lovely bike but it doesn't replace my 5th gen. Yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted September 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted September 12, 2014 Thank you for posting, have yet to ride one myself... My lottery ticket coughed up 20 euro, so that is not gonna get me one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Conedodger Posted September 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted September 12, 2014 Interesting about the idle speed. My 6th gen idles closer to 1200. Not sure why Honda would have changed that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misspent Youth Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Idle speed these days is a function of ECU settings that likely are not accessible to change in this bike. If the 2000 rpm speed is intended, it may be an effort to reduce complaints of lurchy on/off transition in models-past, make it seem smoother in traffic, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted September 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted September 12, 2014 2000rpm idle not right. Idle set wrong from factory . Great write up. It did not mention anything about it being much quiter . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyojitsu Posted September 12, 2014 Author Share Posted September 12, 2014 It did not mention anything about it being much quiter .It's really not quiet considering it's a standard exhaust. Expected something tinny or like a sewing machine but far from it.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rectaltronics Posted September 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted September 12, 2014 Funny, I'm just putting some finishing touches on an 8th Gen review from the perspective of a 4th Gen [ex-] owner. The idle speed seems to be set very high on a lot of VFRs out of the factory. Oversight perhaps? The manual sez it oughta' be 1200. I had it corrected when I brought it in for the 600 mile service, at which time the mechanic also showed me where the adjuster is. Yes, there is one and it's easy to reach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Same idle adjuster as on a Gen 6 but on opposite side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voided76 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Where is this idle adjust screw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Ashok Posted September 22, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted September 22, 2014 Nice write up. Interesting for me as a 5th gen rider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer dude Posted September 22, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted September 22, 2014 Thanks for the write up!!!! Love the closing statement however Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I got to see one this weekend. They are beautiful. I mean just a total stunner. The fit and finish on par with the 7th gens. Everything about it says that it is top quality. But I have no interest in ever owning one. The same frame and engine from 2002? While the frame may be good enough, the engine has always received a tepid response from reviewers. I came from a 5th gen and thought I could live with the 6th gen. I only ended up owning that bike 4 months. Everything else about the 6th gen is better than the 5th. Except for the motor. And that's kinda... well... important. So while everything about the 8th gen may be better than the 6th gen, I am betting that I would feel the same. The motor just doesn't do it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer leftcoast Posted July 28, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted July 28, 2015 Thanks for the write up. Well Done. not ready to move on from my Gen5 yet. I just came across [ahem] a very very lightly rashed front fairing. i'm thinking of sending it to the body & paint fixit guy i am all too familiar with to de-dumbo. The 4th Gen & 6th gen on....I'm envious. I can't help but wonder WHEN in the design process someone said...:oh Sh!t. Turn Signals! we forgot Turn Signals!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2kvfr800 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Nice write up, thanks. I felt the same, so I acquired her last Month Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.