VFR 1200

[dave]

I presently own a 1998 VFR800, along with my '14 CB1100 Dlx. I wanted so badly to upgrade my VFR800 to a newer, more powerful VFR because I simply love the V4 engine and nearly everything else about it. (BTY, valve adjustments on the VFR800 "pre- V-TEC engine" are way easier than most in-line 4-cylinder bikes. The gear driven cams come right out, allowing easy access to the shims.) I drooled over every press release Honda made public for months prior to the official release, and I intended to be one of the first in line to own one - I was waiting with my money in hand. I would check the internet daily for any new updates! When the first pictures were finally released I was so completely let down - I thought it was one of the ugliest motorcycles I had ever seen! But, I reasoned that if it had the performance that I expected, that if I purchased one the performance would make up for its bad looks, and just maybe the looks would grow on me - after all, you can always get an aftermarket pipe to replace that ugly monstrosity. So I held off my purchase until I could read the test results, and I purchased every single piece of literature I could get my hands on. In a nutshell, this bike was rated mediocre at best. It came in last place in a comparison test in Cycle World, and they were being nice. The European press were not as nice as the American press, and they gave it poor reviews. I know looks are a personal opinion, but I have not met one person who liked the looks of this bike. It's no wonder this bike never sold - ugly looks, below average performance and handling, over weight, over-priced (the center stand was a dealer "option"), and it had no real target audience. It was not sporty enough for the guys like me who lean more towards the sport side of sport touring, and it was not touring enough for the touring guys. It's no wonder I saw brand-new bikes that were 3 years old still on the dealer floor - good riddance!