VFR Discussion Group -> Have you Seen this "VFR1200"

Short article about the new VFR Click Here

I'm still having a hard time seeing Honda mass producing a 190hp motorcycle for the street. I would bet the price of that baby would be close to $20k and I don't think many people would pay that for a Honda. I could be wrong on both accounts however. :unsure:

I'm with Hurricane. I don't think Honda will put out a screamer with that hp but I do think the merger of the blackbird and VFR is plausable. You take the flagship and give it the sport touring platform and you have a winner. 190hp I don't think so, maybe 160hp to keep it within reach $$ of their target audience...US!! I've always believed if Honda released our beloved VFR as a 1000cc it would have blown there sales through the roof.

Bert

The engine will be based on the RCV211V so 190 isn't out of the question, it will be interesting to see what the production version will be like. Just like the 2006 Civic Si Coupe prototype, looks amazing, big wheels, big Hp and big brakes, will it come let's hope.
http://www.igoo.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb...c;f=16;t=000925

MCN? those guys are about as accurate as the Enquirer. It clearly says its a computer enhanced photo, this story came out August 17 2004 so its a bit dated, sombody posted it here a while back.

A 1000 VFR would be nice, but I doubt it, though I believe that the XX is gonna be gone so maybe somthing with a v tint in its place, it is all rumor at this point. Should know somthing more about it by June, usually they come out with new models around then. I am sure a new VFR is in the works as this comming model year falls into the traditional 4 year cycle for VFR's new model intro. My guess is still an 800 still VTEC, but updated

riprod, Mar 18 2005, 05:10 PMShort article about the new VFR Click Here

Holy Crap!!! "Anti Crash Electronics"??!! :blink: What the hell could that be! I guess we can start sleeping on the saddle on those long superslab hauls! :goofy:

Beck
95 VFR

Would a 190hp motorcycle *REALLY* be a good replacement for the current VFR? Ridiculous if not unobtainable insurance for many, rabid consumption of tires, etc.

1000cd, 120hp at the rear wheel with a nice spread of torque. That would be just fine, thanks.

GSP, Mar 19 2005, 12:21 PMWould a 190hp motorcycle *REALLY* be a good replacement for the current VFR?  Ridiculous if not unobtainable insurance for many, rabid consumption of  tires, etc.

1000cd, 120hp at the rear wheel with a nice spread of torque. That would be just fine, thanks.

Concur. I'll be waiting for 2006 to get here.

Having seen the VFR's Triumph competitor now with 1050cc my bet is Honda will HAVE to increase the veefer capacity to keep up.

800cc ain't much in today's world of capacity behemoths (1600cc to 2300cc Hondas, Triumphs, Harleys et al.).

Honda can no longer afford to have its flagship tourer model (specially sports tourer) being percieved as small cap. And yes, I know the VTEC flies, but John Average reads mags and does a quick cc v price calculation and sees he can buy at least 400 more cc's for similar money...

I last weekend rode over 1300k's (Adelaide to Canberra, with overnight stop) alongside a Yam FJR1300 and, quite frankly, fell in love. Deeply, unquestionably. Quite likely my next bike. Effortless, comfy, cruisy, it flew like a scalded cat and handled shit hot. Hugely impressive. Honda will wanna come up with something updated (read: bigger cap) to get my well-earned thou$and$ in the next 12 months.

So, for what my opinion's worth, I say we're in for a cc upgrade to at least 1000cc.

First, 190 hp at the crank with shaft drive would be something like 150 at the wheel, not the gnarliest beast on the road by any means, but close.

OTOH, I have an FJR which has about 140 rwhp I believe (girlfriend doesn't like the pillion accomodations on the viffer) and its just a great heavyweight ST bike. It makes my VFR ('00) feel like a flickable SS in comparison.

That said, turning the VFR into a 1200cc V5 ST to compete with the FJR would be the final evolution of what started life as the first real "racebike for the street" into something completely different. They should call it something else. It won't be a VFR any more. But that doesn't mean it wouldn't be a great bike. I'd love to see Honda's version of the FJR.

But I don't think it makes marketing sense to take the V5, a motor known worldwide for its MotoGP connection and put it in an ST. At least not in the US. I don't know though - its all sort of senseless at this point - other than an ST which can use the power to handle two up weight and luggage, there isn't much point to making more power than the current generation of literbike SS race replicas. I just don't think that there's any future in making more HP for a two wheeled street vehicle.

But, as D. Miller says, that's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

The VFR is all about balance.

It is not a hairy bike to ride, does not have any nasty habits, has good fuel consumption, great rider dynamics and one of the best riding packages around - in fact it has been the best package around since 1986!!!

I doubt that honda will want to play with that formula.

When Suzuki can get almost 150 horse power from a 750 you don't need 1000!!!!

Less weight would be nice, lose the vtec as it does nothing but add complications and a nice 120ish rear wheel horse power with that phat V4 torque curve...

Upside down forks maybe nice together with better radial brakes.

Don't forget guys that the SP2 is up for revamping soon as well as the CBR1100XX...

I'm with you guys....1000cc V4, 120 rear wheel HP, drop a little weight if possible and keep the handling as sharp if not sharper the the current 6th gen VFR.

Most of us VFR guys are not really interested in a hyper HP engine for the VFR.....doesn't need it nor make much sense in the VFR scheme of things.

Good power(namely torque), good ergos, and superb balance and handling are what the VFR's always been about.

Stick with the program mother Honda......we have spoken!!! :D

Das Bone, Mar 21 2005, 10:09 PM
Stick with the program mother Honda......we have spoken!!! :D

AMEN

Honda already builds the ST1300 which is more of a direct competitor with Yamaha's FJR. I doubt that they would encroach upon the sport-TOURER that is that bike and its competitors. Maybe we'll see a displacement increase to compete with Triumph and Ducati, but lets hope the VFR retains the balance and refinement that have made it a favorite of many for so long.

I'm on my 4th one, each a different generation. We'll have to see if I go ape over the next generation, I'm pretty happy with the one I have.

I don't know, it would be nice to have the V5 in a production bike.

I agree with most everyone that a "legitimate" 120-125 hp at the rear wheel would keep the VFR ridable and competitive. The Triumph ST is said to now be in that ball park and has high [Arrow-like] pipes, single swing arm and will probably eat away at VFR sales IMHO.

As we have seen cycle magazines and manufacturers initial claims of weight and hp are often grossly distorted. Estimates of hp at the crank or with ram air factors are misleading and rarely re-producable. I recall a Motorcyclist Magazine issue with a ZX-6R listed at 123hp and well under 380 pounds only later to learn that true hp figures are consistently dynoed in the 102-106 hp range.

Most of the time the VFR feels substantial, particularly on curvy roads. However, my bike has yet to leave me thinking it is scary fast. As such maybe 5% of the time I wring every last hp out of it and wish for more thrust. Am I alone?

I think the only thing that would have in common with the current VFR is the name. Too much power for the street, if they make that I'll stay on my 04 VFR and 05 F4i.

riprod, Mar 18 2005, 10:10 AM
Short article about the new VFR Click Here

A V5 that has no avenues for racing is not a V5 that you will like... it will go the way of the banned NR750... expensive... complex and heavy...

A V4 that is open for homologation will go the way of the successful 954... cheap... simple and light...

I can see Honda building a V-5 and even calling it a VFR. What I can't see is it making 190 hp. Even if it is in a bike that is the replacement for the XX. The VFR needs to be a 900-1100 cc bike to keep pace in the marketplace and needs to be around 125-135 hp at the crank (115-120 at the wheel) instead of the 108 (99 ish at the wheel) we now have. If Honda stays with the V-4 I can see a 900 just because Honda does things a bit differently and it would make the bike better with a smaller outlay of money. If they go with a V-5 then I can see a 1000-1100. I really can't see much bigger because that would not only steal sales away from the XX if they keep it around but from the CBR 1000 and the ST 1300 as well. The only fly in this jar of ointment is if Honda sees the ST 1300 as a BMW RT (not FJR) competitor and as such close displacement poses no threat to the sales of either model. Under this scenario Honda would be free to move the VFR more upmarket and take on the new BMW K 1200 S directly. (15-18K) Thereby leaping past the FJR and Sprint in one felled swoop into a more lucrative sales arena. They could even keep the current VFR 800 as a cheaper, middleweight, sport touring alternative.

Other manufactures, like Honda, think the Busa has gone unchallenged for too long. I think they will come out with this VFR/XX bike but I highly doubt they will completely wipe out the current VFR to make a Busa killer. Most likely they will make this 190hp bike based on the VFR and if they call it the VFR1200 they will change the name of the current VFR line and I think they will up displacement to 1000. So maybe you will have the 7th gen VFR called the Interceptor 1000 and the VFR1200 will be their new superbike.

If Honda mass-produces a V5, can they still use it in a GP bike ? I don't think the rules allow for that. Doubtful Honda will release a V-5 unless they shift to a V-3 for MotoGP next year. It was reported by a board member here that their local Honda dealer previewed the spec's for the '06 Interceptor and it was going to be 1000cc in a V-4.

A V-5 might also sound different, and we all know how important the VFR's trademark 180-degree crankshaft four-cylinder sound is. I think big H has learned their lesson with the VTEC - like Coca Cola, you don't mess around with the formula too much.

SAFE-T, Apr 7 2005, 03:17 PM It was reported by a board member here that their local Honda dealer previewed the spec's for the '06 Interceptor and it was going to be 1000cc in a V-4.

Do you think that they finally started paying attention to our posts? :goofy:

SAFE-T, Apr 7 2005, 08:17 AM 
If Honda mass-produces a V5, can they still use it in a GP bike ? 
 
 

Yes...
I gather that the main driving force behind MotoGp was to introduce new engine architects to racing world with a trickle down benefit to the buying public...

So mass producing a MotoGp engine prototype means the prototype is still eligible whereas the mass produce version is not... simple no???

For Honda to race a production V5 they would have to petition the WSB to open the door to 5 cylinder engines...

GM at a local Honda dealer said he'll have legit info at the July dealers show from Honda about specifics on the bike.


My guess........a 1200cc inline or V4 with VTEC name combo'd with the XX .......as in VFR Blackbird 1200.

Any takers on that?

Goose, Apr 8 2005, 02:42 AMMy guess........a 1200cc inline or V4 with VTEC name combo'd with the XX .......as in VFR Blackbird 1200.

Any takers on that?

Yeah that's one of the rumors floating around. I sure hope that it's inaccurate though...not what I would want