Nice but no dice... this ain't the V4 I have in mind... I want you all to
experience a true race bred V4 along the lines of the RC30 RC45... send the
VFR1200 porker back to the engineers for redesign... because the way it is
right now it will only appeal to riders like Mikstr...
The thing's aimed squarely to BMW K1300S.
When the tourer version will come (most likely to replace the ST1300 Pan European) that will take on the K1300GT. Drawings were already shown to the press.
Looking at the Euro version spec sheets it would appear that both bikes are on par, except for the Honda's slightly shorter wheelbase and BMW's being lighter. My bet is that Honda could have launched it more than a year ago but waited for the K1300 series to hit the market to fine tune it. Which takes me to the next point.
The K1300S sold a little over 1000 units in all of Europe this year (the R and the GT performed slightly better). Does Honda really feel that is a market they need to exploit? Wouldn't taking on the lucrative road/trail bike market, at which Honda once excelled and that now is a BMW hunting ground, be a better idea? This is not going to be a cheap bike: it will be put on sale for anything between 14000 and 15000€ (the BMW's 16550€). And Braker's right in saying maintenance will be a nightmare.
Yet another "showroom anchor"?
While it's not my style of bike, just as a Busa or Blackbird or ZX14 or K1300 isn't, and I will likely never own one (or any other like this), I predict it will be the pick of the bunch. I like it.
Believe me,when Honda decide to pull back some R&D dollars and experience and technology from their car and car race division, they have the potential to be world beaters again. Their biggest problem, as always IMO, is for them to find the right balance between refinement/smoothness/user-friendliness vs blandness/character/feel-good aspects. You have Harley on the one side, and Honda on the other. All others in between. The perfect balance is difficult to achieve.
__________________ Old Baldy / WWBO #451
Ducati 996
Kawasaki KLR 650 '02
Kawasaki KLR650 '06 OB's Blog
ok, brilliance, one cam per head, (for less maintenence) just a wee bit shy of a perefct 13 (cubes), and throw in a shaft drive, so the old man don't have to worry about a chain...
Took me 5 mins. today to remove the rear wheel and half hour for valve adj.
BTW-Will be replicating the above pic this weekend.
You are tempting me to hop on mine and head for the mountains despite the weather... That's an absolutely brilliant bike, will be changing tyres on mine next week.
BTW which tyres are you running right now?
For about a year , the rumour mill had speculated that this thing would be a monster with 200 HP . I was sceptical b/c the Honda of today would not release a bike with approximately 170 rear-wheel HP . My guess was 150 HP . So the tech sheet says 172 HP ; this can't be at the rear wheel or I'll eat my HRC hat !
I kinda like it. The dealer down the street from me had one in the show room when I bought my cbr1000 last week. Nice bike in person. It wasn't for sale yet.
I kinda like it. The dealer down the street from me had one in the show room when I bought my cbr1000 last week. Nice bike in person. It wasn't for sale yet.
WOW, that's pretty incredible since the official first public unveiling isn't till Oct. 24th in Tokyo much less released yet.
Got a pic?
__________________
Doug
05 RC51 da' Black Beast
96 RCBVFR 750 Custom
02 VFR sold
98 VTR SuperBling sold
You are tempting me to hop on mine and head for the mountains despite the weather... That's an absolutely brilliant bike, will be changing tyres on mine next week.
BTW which tyres are you running right now?
I've got an R1100S (the faster version of what you guys are riding ) and I've had a set of Dunlop Roadsmarts on it this year. Apart from the really stupid name they are a very nice sport-touring tire. I was able to use all the tread to the edge and they were nice and stable all the way out. I've got about 8,000 km on them including a quick 5,000 km trip to LA and back and they are hardly worn. FWIW, I'm running air pressures at 32F and 36R.
I'll keep my '99 VFR800. The VFR 1200 is probably comfortable, practical and fast. But it seems kinda soulless to me. My Interceptor is fast enough, comfortable enough and has lots of V4 gear driven cam soul. Plus when I feel the need for sporting performance my Duc punched 748-872 does the trick. Nice try Honda.
You are tempting me to hop on mine and head for the mountains despite the weather... That's an absolutely brilliant bike, will be changing tyres on mine next week.
BTW which tyres are you running right now?
The more often I look at the Honda the more I think its going out-do the K1300.
It looks smaller overall. The wheelbase looks shorter. I think it weighs less. It makes comparable hp. It'll probably cost a whole lot less. Cockpit seems clean. The styling could be partially remedied by a different colour (black). Lots of interesting technology to boot.
) and I've had a set of Dunlop Roadsmarts on it this year. Apart from the really stupid name they are a very nice sport-touring tire. I was able to use all the tread to the edge and they were nice and stable all the way out. I've got about 8,000 km on them including a quick 5,000 km trip to LA and back and they are hardly worn. FWIW, I'm running air pressures at 32F and 36R.
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