@BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ with quadrozontal expierience: It's nice that they've got something lined up to replace the 1100 XX that bike is a ton of fun. Though, I'd think the majority of their riders would've aged (and acquired the cash) to pick up the upcoming BMW S1000RR, now I'm saving my nickels for that..
Wow, what an unremarkable looking bike. The 'busa and ZX14 may be ugly as all fuck, but at least they're distinctive. Nobody will ever mistake those two poo-bubbles from anything else. I couldn't pick this random-looking POS out of a lineup at the local Tuesday night bike night at the Mira Mesa Starbucks.
It's kind of like those cheesedicks that walk around wearing ratty t-shirts from some martial arts competition in 1987, act all tough, talk loudly, and threaten to kick your ass if you mess with them. The moment you call their bluff, it becomes apparent that it even if they have black belt, it's still all talk.
On the other hand, a real martial arts master is quiet, unassuming, spends more time listening than speaking, and does not throw out a bunch of trash talk. He simply kicks your ass, and quietly goes back to his seat at the back of the bar, because he is so damn awesome and has kicked so much ass, that he has nothing left to prove.
The Hayabusa may be fast, but it's also loud and brash, and frequently attracts attention that isn't necessarily good. This new Honda may be a bit boring looking, but if the shit hits the fan, it's got it where it counts, and when all is said and done, it can go back to blending in with the crowd and not draw unwanted attention.
@pauljones: That´s it, Honda is much more refined than the loud poobubbles. The Busa is faster in a straight line, but a Blackbird is easier to ride fast in all conditions, and so will be the new VFR 1200 (looks it has the size of a litre bike, I hope it´s weight is low as well)
Hot damn! I just got the news that my liver can't keep up with all this breakfast scotch. Luckily, this oughta ensure that there's a coupla spares out there for me.
@Tanshanomi: Yay! As the ex-owner of TWO of these 1986 VF500Fs, let me just say this: Coolest bike EVER. Well, pretty cool anyways. Honda had fixed all the problems with these bikes in '86, and with a Fox shock and sticky tires there wasn't much that could keep up on tight twisty roads.
@Tanshanomi: Got one in my back yard, come get it.. Needs, erm, forks, gas tank, seat, TLC. I can't stand to part with the motor or frame just..because You Never Know.
@Bad Juju: you should find a 16-year old kid in your neighborhood and offer to sell it to him for $500. You will make his summer if not his life, and you will have done a mitzvah for all motorcyclists everywhere.
Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was starred
Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was unstarred
Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was starred
Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was unstarred
Is this really where the VFR is going? I always thought of the VFR as a light sport touring bike - comfortable, good power but not excessive, good handling... this just seems like every other overpowered street drag bike out there.
I used to own a VFR (like 700cc one pictured below), and I've considered owning one again. But not if it's just going to be another sport bike.
@Ambiguously Unfunny Syrax: Hmm. Link seems to work for me. But the one you posted is the same, but for the color scheme. Mine was the blue and silver model. Oh how I miss it (it was stolen :(
@weatherman: It makes some sense. They've been out of the hyperbike race since the Blackbird, and seem to be using the VFR to run with the Busa and ZX-14 boys. And who knows, maybe it will still be light. With 200 hp...
@Rushkie: You make a good point. I guess the biggest sport they make now is the ST1300.
I'm sure it will still be light - that's not my point though. I just think these motorcycle mfrs have gone a little crazy with the HP and CC. There's really no need for it, but it happens every decade or so. The mfrs getting into a pissing contests, make these crazy bikes that don't end up making them any money, and then they fall back on the old staples. In the meantime sensible bikes, like 500cc starter bikes and 750-1000cc daily riders get ignored by buyers (even first time riders) who realize they can suddenly have the performance of an Enzo for less than the price of a Hyundai. Which is true. But then they don't have the right road to pilot it on, or the skills to pilot it, and then they die....
Meh. I'm starting to sound like an old man. I need to get another bike before I get old enough to realize how completely stupid they are.
@area_educator kids...: Obviously, yes. Where I was wrong (although I wasn't really going for accuracy there) was in forgetting they brought back the Interceptor name.
I'm hoping (really really hoping) that within a year or two the cycle makers take a hint from auto trends and make lighter, smaller, lower displacement bikes.
@Gearhead_42: The market's a little weak though, unless you want a cruiser or a dual-sport (I don't). There's what, the 250 and 500 Ninjas, the GS500, and the Buell Blast? I'd be content to ride something larger if it weren't for the killer insurance.
Now this is just me, but: I used to have a motorcycle that had a grand total of 20hp and just one cylinder, and it went fast enough to keep up with pretty much everything on the highway.
@Elhigh: I have a 16-1/2 hp CB160. It, too, can keep up with just about everything on the highway. If I'm drafting it, fully tucked. And we're headed downhill. And "everything" is keeping it under 70mph.
Can I swap that engine into my 3000 lb Saturn, which currently only makes about 110hp to the wheels?
It sounds like I will hate the owner of this bike as much as I hate my neighbor across the street, who came home two weeks ago with a brand new Triumph Rocket III. It weighs a little over 700lbs with all the accessories, but has a 2.4 liter engine (to my 1.8) and makes 30 more hp and 30 more lbs-feet of torque than my car. Even now, his smug little smile boils my blood.
@Wes Siler: Have you tried a Yamaha V-MAX or a Harley V-Rod?
The Rocket III is insane for the sheer amount of torque it produces, but it's so damn wide that for someone with short arms (like me), it can be difficult to straddle that huge bike and simultaneously reach both the handles and the peddles. The V-Rod is a much more comfortable bike for me.
I also like the Kawasaki Vulcan.
@snapoversteer: Yep. It supposed to put out a little shy of 130 at the crank, which sounds about right. I tell you, though, it sure as hell doesn't feel like it has that much power
@POLAЯ ИOWZ WITH MOAЯ ZOMBIEZ: I'll have to present that challenge to him next time his smug little ass decides to open up the bike right in front of my house at 7 am Saturday morning, like he has done for the past two weeks.
If I were a little taller with slightly longer reach, I'd love it. But as I'm only 5'11", it's just a little too much. If I had the money, I go with a V-Rod instead.
@pauljones: Mine is the 1.9l Saturn (2001 SC2) and I find it to be plenty fun-- or I did, before moving it somewhere with 25mph speed limits everywhere.
I'm considering a Volvo C30 to replace it-- which might just melt my mind, if I've been satisfied with the Saturn.
I have always had a love/hate relationship with the VFR. With a proper exhaust, that motor sounds just like a SBC. But the bike has always been ugly and heavy.
@Wes Siler: I've always been partial to the (95-97) VFR750 that borrowed heavily from the short-lived NR750 styling:
Sure, it was never as light as its true sport bike competition, but the VFR was never intended to be a sport bike in the same sense. While it handles well, and is plenty fast, it has a more comfortable riding position putting it closer to sport tourers in ergonomics.
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It's kind of like those cheesedicks that walk around wearing ratty t-shirts from some martial arts competition in 1987, act all tough, talk loudly, and threaten to kick your ass if you mess with them. The moment you call their bluff, it becomes apparent that it even if they have black belt, it's still all talk.
On the other hand, a real martial arts master is quiet, unassuming, spends more time listening than speaking, and does not throw out a bunch of trash talk. He simply kicks your ass, and quietly goes back to his seat at the back of the bar, because he is so damn awesome and has kicked so much ass, that he has nothing left to prove.
The Hayabusa may be fast, but it's also loud and brash, and frequently attracts attention that isn't necessarily good. This new Honda may be a bit boring looking, but if the shit hits the fan, it's got it where it counts, and when all is said and done, it can go back to blending in with the crowd and not draw unwanted attention.
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dun dun dun dun duuun duuuuuunnnnnnnn
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Love your super-long Spanish handle, btw.
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Seriously, can you not enjoy the true thump of a 500cc single, or the rocket smoothness of a straight 4, or *gasp* a flat 6?
Motorcycle engine diversity is at least as important as car engine diversity. There's much more involvement with the engine on a bike.
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I used to own a VFR (like 700cc one pictured below), and I've considered owning one again. But not if it's just going to be another sport bike.
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I don't know if it's the same model but it's Google's most popular.
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I'm sure it will still be light - that's not my point though. I just think these motorcycle mfrs have gone a little crazy with the HP and CC. There's really no need for it, but it happens every decade or so. The mfrs getting into a pissing contests, make these crazy bikes that don't end up making them any money, and then they fall back on the old staples. In the meantime sensible bikes, like 500cc starter bikes and 750-1000cc daily riders get ignored by buyers (even first time riders) who realize they can suddenly have the performance of an Enzo for less than the price of a Hyundai. Which is true. But then they don't have the right road to pilot it on, or the skills to pilot it, and then they die....
Meh. I'm starting to sound like an old man. I need to get another bike before I get old enough to realize how completely stupid they are.
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And I say that as a 955 Triumph owner!
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Photos like this make me lean toward just dumping it and starting fresh.
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Now this is just me, but: I used to have a motorcycle that had a grand total of 20hp and just one cylinder, and it went fast enough to keep up with pretty much everything on the highway.
Sounds like too many cylinders.
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Can I swap that engine into my 3000 lb Saturn, which currently only makes about 110hp to the wheels?
It sounds like I will hate the owner of this bike as much as I hate my neighbor across the street, who came home two weeks ago with a brand new Triumph Rocket III. It weighs a little over 700lbs with all the accessories, but has a 2.4 liter engine (to my 1.8) and makes 30 more hp and 30 more lbs-feet of torque than my car. Even now, his smug little smile boils my blood.
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The Rocket III is insane for the sheer amount of torque it produces, but it's so damn wide that for someone with short arms (like me), it can be difficult to straddle that huge bike and simultaneously reach both the handles and the peddles. The V-Rod is a much more comfortable bike for me.
I also like the Kawasaki Vulcan.
@snapoversteer: Yep. It supposed to put out a little shy of 130 at the crank, which sounds about right. I tell you, though, it sure as hell doesn't feel like it has that much power
@POLAЯ ИOWZ WITH MOAЯ ZOMBIEZ: I'll have to present that challenge to him next time his smug little ass decides to open up the bike right in front of my house at 7 am Saturday morning, like he has done for the past two weeks.
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If I were a little taller with slightly longer reach, I'd love it. But as I'm only 5'11", it's just a little too much. If I had the money, I go with a V-Rod instead.
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I'm considering a Volvo C30 to replace it-- which might just melt my mind, if I've been satisfied with the Saturn.
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It even has golf-club resistant plastic body panels!
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Sure, it was never as light as its true sport bike competition, but the VFR was never intended to be a sport bike in the same sense. While it handles well, and is plenty fast, it has a more comfortable riding position putting it closer to sport tourers in ergonomics.