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Say it isn't so!


Jmmymc750

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I can't find a single V4 on the Honda powersports website for USA!!! Its like a nightmare. Has anyone seen the soldiers parachuting in? Where is Jed?!

 

Wait. Even Swayze is gone too! What kind of world...? 

 

All of this silliness and "Red Dawn" references (the *really* good one from 84, when Ronald Reagan was president, and you could buy an interceptor, or a sabre, or a magna) aside, I am actually pained by this. Truly. My baby sleeps at Seb's right now...but alas there may be no more...

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You can buy mine.  Red, standard, 17K miles, good tires,  perfect condition, price to be determined.  

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Awesome.  The value of our vfr's just went from nothing to next to nothing.

Look, nobody is buying these.  You can get 6 year old vfr's that have zero miles on them, for less than half  original list price.  Why would Honda continue down this path?

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No surprise it's off their site given that the last one was imported 5 years ago.  When I used to go to the dealer to pick something up I would walk around to look at the new offerings, sometimes lusting after them.  No longer. I see no passion in new bikes.  They're more capable and sophisticated for sure,  but for me that's all they are.  To me most look like industrial machinery - they lack a soul and elegance of design.  I'm sure I've already purchased my last new bike -  my Viffers should last through my riding days - glad to have 'em.  

 

 

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5 hours ago, MaxSwell said:

The world, as we know it, is coming to a ignominious end. Shame on Honda. :sad:

Not really Honda's fault... if customers aren't buying V4's then Honda can't continue building... So, we, the customers are the ones to blame!

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5 hours ago, Grum said:

Tis So! Has been for a long while. Honda has no Sports Touring category at all. V4's are dead, yep, may as well go slash ya wrist:ohmy:

Not quite true, they're still available over here.

 

https://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/range/sport-touring.html

 

 

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Yes - sad... a chapter in history have been closed!

 

I think this is part of a larger problem... I think bikes are very different in 10 years - if we like it or not does not really matter... electric motors are on the horizon and soon we (and our gas guzzling VFR's) are relics of the past 😞

 


 

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Adventure style bikes are selling well or better than sport touring bikes in US. So I’m a little surprised that Honda did not bring the cross runner into US. Their 2 flagship bikes (Goldwing & AT) is where their focus seems to be. In other parts of the world, smaller bikes are probably selling like hot cakes. Leaving our small minority of V4 lovers in “not so important category”.

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1 hour ago, Sparkie said:

Awesome.  The value of our vfr's just went from nothing to next to nothing.

Look, nobody is buying these.  You can get 6 year old vfr's that have zero miles on them, for less than half  original list price.  Why would Honda continue down this path?

I can not see any new ones on Cycletrader these days. The new old new stock seems to be gone. It's a shame buyers could not see the value in such a great bike. Some day there will be my estate sale thats when mine will become someone else's. 

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Had a 2010 VFR 1200 DCT and traded in for 2020 Honda AT AS DCT after around 100,000 km of superb service. Loved the VFR but when no new model was on the horizon decided to give the forestry roads a run. Change is a true constant. We have kept the 2012 VFR 1200 DCT, for now.

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Just sad, living through the 80s, made the wrong choice initially: the Suzuki GS 700ESF. Spindly tires, and peaky power that dislodged me (my own mistakes, of course) so many times. Always wanted one of the second gen bikes. The third gen that Seb is refurbishing for me was bought new in 1990 (April 19), and went just over 100k miles before it needed an engine swap. That is one sweet bike! Can't wait to get it back on the road. But...second gen is why I bought the third gen. Which was heavier, but...just...so...gorgeous. I mean, Ducati now making the bar high...but then? The only thing nicer was the R. VFR750R. 

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Honda just doesn't make the bikes I want to buy anymore. I'll always love the 5th gen VFRs but the other manufacturers are making more inspiring motorcycles these days. Honda could out do Aprilia Factory V4 Tuono if they wanted to. They don't so I bought the Aprilia and it is wickedly sweet. Oh and so is my 99 Factory VFR800 after somebody poured thousands into it and I bought it for less than the upgrades cost. The other stinging truth is that often when Honda has built the bike we Americans had seemed to be begging them for we rewarded them with not buying them.  Hopefully they perfect the CBRs inline fours. My FZ1 made me a huge fan of that motor configuration without question as did Triumph turning me on with their street triple. 

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Big H has perfected the CBR but then made the new 1 quite pricey US$$$$$30K/AU$50K, then neutered it for the American market 214hp⬇180ish hp , then don't even bring out the base model  (RRRRR-R SP only) etc.

And that's if you can get 1, approx 50 for US market

 

SMH

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It seems the biggest problem with the VFR is Honda has essentially been selling a re-skinned version of the same bike for 20 years now. Yes, the minor tweaks and refinements have been nice, but it's specs just don't stand up against other bikes of the past 10 years - especially it's suspension and weight!
Until Honda commits to an all-new VFR (hopefully a 900cc version), that weighs around 430 lbs dry, 125 hp (minimum), and has fully adjustable suspension front and rear, they won't sell.
Hopefully Ducati's focus on the V4 will spark Honda to finally completely update the VFR.

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On 2/17/2020 at 1:42 PM, thepretender said:

I can not see any new ones on Cycletrader these days. The new old new stock seems to be gone. It's a shame buyers could not see the value in such a great bike. Some day there will be my estate sale thats when mine will become someone else's. 

They pulled the unsold  bikes off the showroom floors and have been selling them at vehicle auctions.  Nobody wants them.  It's a 20+ year old design and wasn't popular ever.   I ride one and like it, but I don't know anyone else who rides one, and I never see one on the street, even tho I ride 10,000+ miles every year.

The market for bikes in the USA is flat, well it's basically dead but I don't want to say that.  Fewer people are riding, and there are tons of bikes, both new and used that nobody will ever buy.  The used market especially is flooded with dirt cheap motorcycles but there are very few buyers.  There is no reason for Honda to develop a new model vfr.  It won't sell here.  

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For those of us who fell in love with motorcycles in the 80’s and 90’s, we’re living in a bizzaro world.

 

There’s much more variety in makes and models available today with more technology and reliability than ever before. 

 

But somehow, the bike that we think we want simply doesn’t exist. 
 

The 5th Gen VFR in 98-01 was considered the pinnacle of sport touring and MSRP’d for around $10k.

 

That’s equivalent to today’s $16k. That will buy you a lot of bike!

 

Ninja 1000, Ducati SSS, Honda AT AS, Super Tenere, Tiger 1200, etc. More power, ABS, TC, ride modes, better suspension, on and on...

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I do enjoy being a contrarian, and now I'll combine that with some optimism! so:

 

- Honda has not been selling the same re-skinned bike for 20 years. The 2010 VFR1200F was all new. I bought one sight-unseen, kept if for seven years and almost 50,000 miles, and loved it. Honda can do it again.

 

-Honda will spend over $30 million this year developing a V4 hypersport. And they'll spend even more on the project next year. RC213V.

 

-We (U.S.) are just not on the sharp end of motorcycling anymore. No WSBK round this year, unit sales down 5%, cruisers still big market share, MCN shutting down, CW a glossy quarterly--that can warp our opinion. We should not base our read on Honda's V4 future on what we see at the local dealer.

 

I think we'll see a special V4 that most of us will like. But it will take some patience.

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There is one for sale in the Southeast.  Mine.  No supply shortage!

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