Well I went to the Toronto show on Friday night, and they had a new VFR there - a manual clutch version.
Unfortunately it was on a spinning dais, so I couldn't sit on it. The Honda guy manning the dais at the time (an 04 VFR owner!) was telling me that it was a hand-painted bike that didn't have the final clear coat, so Mother H told them no sitting allowed - the bike is on tour across Canada, and they didn't want it to look like shite at the end of the journey.
They had a big Mac screen showing vids and also headphones that you could listen to for the engine. Meh.
The Honda guy also told me that the "official" policy is that any Powerhouse dealership should let you take a demo ride at any time on one of their fleet bikes. How that translates to getting a tester on a bike that is in limited distribution remains to be seen.
Sorry, I didn't take any pics - we've all seen a million at this point anyway.
It does look big, but not massively so compared to the VTECHS (which look bigger than my 1990!). Fit and finish looks OK too. Front end looked good IMO, not as bulbous in person as others have noted.
[image: View Post]cbar, on 14 December 2009 - 09:49 AM, said:
The Honda guy also told me that the "official" policy is that any Powerhouse dealership should let you take a demo ride at any time on one of their fleet bikes. How that translates to getting a tester on a bike that is in limited distribution remains to be seen.
Cool, I'd like to ride one of them, I'll have to ask the dealer about demo rides.
I sat on the bike and kicked the tires this week in Seattle. I wasn't impressed. I was hoping seeing it in person would put my fears back in perspective. I won't go in to the sordid details but suffice to say I've been waiting for this bike for 10 years and seeing it in person and playing with it convinced me that Honda is lost, wandering in the weeds. :angry:
The bike isn't that big. I still can't figure out where they're hiding the lead bricks in the thing. :goofy:
I'm sure it's a fine bike, but it did nothing for me. I didn't even take any pictures of it.
[image: View Post]UFO, on 14 December 2009 - 12:17 PM, said:
I sat on the bike and kicked the tires this week in Seattle. I wasn't impressed. I was hoping seeing it in person would put my fears back in perspective. I won't go in to the sordid details but suffice to say I've been waiting for this bike for 10 years and seeing it in person and playing with it convinced me that Honda is lost, wandering in the weeds. :angry:
The bike isn't that big. I still can't figure out where they're hiding the lead bricks in the thing. :goofy:
I'm sure it's a fine bike, but it did nothing for me. I didn't even take any pictures of it.
It's been said before but it bears repeating:
How a person without having personally experienced the bike with a real ride can divine that the bike is unimpressive or off the mark, even further that Honda is lost and wandering is incredible! I wish I had such powers.
The solution is simple and I'm sure you have come to the same conclusion based on your extensive evaluation:
Time to move on.
Buy what you like.
Like what you buy.
[image: View Post]Solomoto, on 14 December 2009 - 01:05 PM, said:
The solution is simple and I'm sure you have come to the same conclusion based on your extensive evaluation:
Time to move on.
You are 100% correct, I am moving on. But I've owned 3 V4s and 2 VFRs, so that gives me the right to be bitter. :goofy:
I'm sure I would like many bikes I got the chance to ride, but other aspects of said bikes would certainly preclude me from making a decision to buy the bike before taking a ride. I don't need "powers" to understand what I like and don't like. And I don't need powers to be able to know when price/features/aesthetics trump a ride. :comp13:
YMMV, and in
my opinion, yes, Honda is wandering in the weeds and I'm certainly not the only one who thinks so.
[image: View Post]Solomoto, on 14 December 2009 - 01:05 PM, said:
[image: View Post]UFO, on 14 December 2009 - 12:17 PM, said:
I sat on the bike and kicked the tires this week in Seattle. I wasn't impressed. I was hoping seeing it in person would put my fears back in perspective. I won't go in to the sordid details but suffice to say I've been waiting for this bike for 10 years and seeing it in person and playing with it convinced me that Honda is lost, wandering in the weeds. :angry:
The bike isn't that big. I still can't figure out where they're hiding the lead bricks in the thing. :goofy:
I'm sure it's a fine bike, but it did nothing for me. I didn't even take any pictures of it.
It's been said before but it bears repeating:
How a person without having personally experienced the bike with a real ride can divine that the bike is unimpressive or off the mark, even further that Honda is lost and wandering is incredible! I wish I had such powers.
The solution is simple and I'm sure you have come to the same conclusion based on your extensive evaluation:
Time to move on.
Buy what you like.
Like what you buy.
Why not? I don't know how many people I have seen drooling over the Desmodici (sp?), but only a VERY limited few will ever ride one. Let's be realistic...looks mean ALOT. After looks come specs (realistically, my car is much more comfortable for touring in). After looks and specs are acceptable, then we entertain buying...so it needs to fit our bodies and be comfortable. Lots of bike are more comfortable than the VFR, but the performance specs don't let me get close to buying them, and in some cases they are ugly and I wouldn't own one.
I went to my local powerhouse dealer last week as they had an 08 vfr as a demo and asked about price etc. they would sell it to me for about $13,500 plus taxes and freight,pdi .tires on it were flat spotted and the salesman wanted to impress me with the great deal he had . I told him if they get real and want to sell it to call me . His comment went like this "this is a smokin deal and nobody could come close to it in price " I doubt that there will be any test rides from the London powersport dealer any time soon .
Only 200 VFR1200s in Canada... Most dealers will only receive what they already have deposits for. There will be no demo models, no test rides. Not in 2010 anyway.
If I end up having the only VFR1200 in Calgary, that adds to the appeal for me. If most people who see it hate it, that adds to the appeal even more. :)
Quote
Unfortunately it was on a spinning dais, so I couldn't sit on it. The Honda guy manning the dais at the time (an 04 VFR owner!) was telling me that it was a hand-painted bike that didn't have the final clear coat, so Mother H told them no sitting allowed - the bike is on tour across Canada, and they didn't want it to look like shite at the end of the journey.
That's a lame excuse. ;)
At the Long Beach CA show all sitters were welcome on the bike.
And there were plenty. :beer:
I'd love a test ride. You guys buying in advance w/o a test ride, good on ya!
Don't forget to post a report. :beer:
Yeah, when I said "look over there!!!" and tried to vault up on the bike, they tackled and tasered me. :goofy:
[image: View Post]VFR4Lee, on 14 December 2009 - 11:43 PM, said:
Quote
Unfortunately it was on a spinning dais, so I couldn't sit on it. The Honda guy manning the dais at the time (an 04 VFR owner!) was telling me that it was a hand-painted bike that didn't have the final clear coat, so Mother H told them no sitting allowed - the bike is on tour across Canada, and they didn't want it to look like shite at the end of the journey.
That's a lame excuse. ;)
At the Long Beach CA show all sitters were welcome on the bike.
And there were plenty. :beer:
I'd love a test ride. You guys buying in advance w/o a test ride, good on ya!
Don't forget to post a report. :beer:
I saw it at Seattle too. Was really disappointed. Ergos were fine, technology impressive. But, Man! It is uugggly. I was hoping it would look better in person. It's looks nice from the side but that headlight/upper-fairing is horrid. And what's the deal with Honda cheapin' out on the front suspension. Preload adjustment only? Really? In 2009, on your $16,000 up-market GT/supersport-tourer? I'll take a Concours14 instead, I guess.