What if Honda stops at Gen 6.5? The sport touring lineup is getting crowded in the European show rooms (ST1300, CBF1000, Varedero, etc.) and there's a new XX due next year. The fact that Honda wrecked the RC45 dies to make the 6th gen cases hints that it doesn't make financial sense to spend the $1,000,000 to create new dies for this model doesn't bode well for the VFR financial ledger.
Do we stay with our trusty steeds until we've worn them out or do we queue up at the local Triumph dealer?
Kosh, May 5 2006, 09:45 PMWhat if Honda stops at Gen 6.5? The sport touring lineup is getting crowded in the European show rooms (ST1300, CBF1000, Varedero, etc.) and there's a new XX due next year. The fact that Honda wrecked the RC45 dies to make the 6th gen cases hints that it doesn't make financial sense to spend the $1,000,000 to create new dies for this model doesn't bode well for the VFR financial ledger.
Do we stay with our trusty steeds until we've worn them out or do we queue up at the local Triumph dealer?
Then I keep my 05 as an eventual collectors item and buy the new blackbird next year.
I doubt Honda will stop the interceptor anytime soon though.
Kosh, May 5 2006, 09:45 PMWhat if Honda stops at Gen 6.5? The sport touring lineup is getting crowded in the European show rooms (ST1300, CBF1000, Varedero, etc.) and there's a new XX due next year. The fact that Honda wrecked the RC45 dies to make the 6th gen cases hints that it doesn't make financial sense to spend the $1,000,000 to create new dies for this model doesn't bode well for the VFR financial ledger.
Do we stay with our trusty steeds until we've worn them out or do we queue up at the local Triumph dealer?
If it were sold to US only they would drop it; but the VFR sells very well in much of the rest of the world (so I hear). For that reason we should get a new VFR someday.
The RC45 was never meant as a production bike, they made it to make their racing legal, then when the RC45 was no longer viable they used it to create a new streetbike - sure beats throwing away the tooling.
sirimiri, Jun 4 2006, 11:04 PMCall me crazy, but the VFR has a certificate for the California Air Resources Board until 2008 (I believe).
They achieved this back in 2001, so perhaps they mean to continue with the 6.5 version for another year or two? I mean, it would also be really wierd to have only one model year with a different wiring harness, different instrumentation, different VTEC engagement point, different ECU.....
I predict another year of version 6.5 and a new VFR in 2008. My 2 cents.
I like my VFR a lot, but so what if they drop them. Choosing which bike to ride is like being a kid in a candy store. There's lots of great bikes out there. IMO. :)
Also they have only had 4 year runs with the models I am familiar with.
90-93
94-97
98-01
02-06 already a year late. HUM???