Quick story on how I recently reacquired my old VFR…….I purchased a VFR700 new in ’88 as a non-current from a Honda dealership in the Twin Cities. In 1999 I traded it in at a different Twin Cities Honda dealer on a new VFR800. Fast forward to December of 2023 and I’m searching FB Marketplace for Rupp minibike parts (I restore them). I see a listing for an ’86 VFR and looking at the photos it seems to have the same minor mods that I had done to my old bike (HRC sticker placement, red lever covers, turn signal stalks removed). I reached out to the seller with the VIN and sure enough it's my old bike. He had bought it from the dealer where I traded it and had it ever since. It had actually been off the road for ten years and he recently had the tank etched and coated, carbs gone through, all fluids replaced and new tires and battery installed. It only had 17K miles on it…..5K more than when I traded it. We worked out a deal and it’s now back in my stable of bikes. It's a joy to ride and makes me feel like I'm 31 again!
Terrific story. How any of us can form an attachment to what is essentially bits of metal and plastic arranged in a certain way is beyond me to explain, let alone one example of thousands
I am also contemplating to buy back my 2001 red 800FI from a car collector. He has been an excellent next owner. Similar story, not much mileage added. Only economic concerns/constraints make me hesitant to pull the trigger.
In 45 years of riding, my VFR 750 was the best bike I ever owned. It wasn't the fastest, or the best handling, or the best for touring, but it was unquestionably the best balanced of all the bikes I've owned. The comment that it was "a bike that made me a better rider" really resonated.
I have a very similar story. Of all the different bikes i have owned, my ‘86 VFR750F was head and shoulders above anything else. Fabulous, capable bike which could easily live with much more modern, more powerful sport bikes on twisty mountain roads. I view it as the motorbike version of my current car. It is the Porsche 911 of bikes. On paper it should not be as quick as it is in real life. Both bike and car have that ability to make the rider/driver better!
Absolutely agree. Mine looked just like the one at 13:50 and I adored that bike. As you say, it was the best balanced bike I've ever ridden - everything about it complemented everything else. Although I've owned a fair number of other bikes in my life and done a lot of miles, the most memorable bike ride I've ever had was on that VFR because it was just suited the road and me perfectly.
Governments didn’t. They were too loud and made passing noise emissions difficult. Damn shame. My 1994 VFR750 had the best engine of any bike I’ve owned.
I have 2 ducatis, an RC51, an MV Agusta F1000, an Aprilia RS250 and a 2001 VFR800i. The VFR is the only one that gets ridden. It does everything with a grace and style the others cannot match. I'm teaching my 17 year old son to ride on the VFR800 and it will become his on his 18th birthday.
I owned a VF750 Interceptor when they came out in ‘83 but the issues with the camshaft wear got me down. But when the VFR750 came out I got interested in the V4 again! I’ve owned a VFR750FM since new, it’s a ‘91 model and still runs like a brand new motorcycle, even with 150,000kms on the clock. It never uses a drop of oil between services, starts first time, summer or winter and still looks and runs like a modern sports bike. I’ve also owned 5 FireBlades and a CBR1000F during this time and they’re all been moved on, but my VFR is still in my garage and it’s my favourite motorcycle of all time. Ride safe. 🏍️💪🇿🇦
Honda made the same mistake with the early to mid 80s Magnas, by the time they corrected the issue with (either the valves or the cams) sales were down for 87 and 88 models so Honda scrapped the model for about 5-6 years before coming back with Gen 2. 1987 700cc Magna and 1988 750cc Magna became iconic ergo the nick name "Super Magnas".
I have a 2009 Fiat diesel a good engine but it’s cam chain will fail after 100,000 miles. The chain drives the exhaust cam with substantial spur gears at opposite end of can driving the inlet. Later models have a split & spring loaded anti backlash gear on the exhaust cam side. These engines don’t fracture can chain side plates. I wonder if harmonic vibration was the cause of 1980s Honda cam chain failures. It was not only the V engines.
the VF has big reliability issues that were resolved in the VFR. Which was never a true competitor to the GSX-R, let's be real about it. There was the FZ and the GPX in the same sport-touring class, they were all pretty good.
Kawasaki did have a similar heat treatment issue with their cams and rocker arms going up to at least 2001, since I had to replace mine. I was shocked at the time to see a veritable cottage industry of aftermarket machinists who specialized in properly treated replacement components.
I now own 6 Honda V-4's, a VF750C bought new in 82, a VF750F from 1985, a red/white/blue VFR750 interceptor from 86, two RC30's and a vfr800 interceptor from 2006, so you can call me a fanatic. Ever since my first glance at the V-four engine in 1982 I've been hooked on the looks of the engine but even more by the way it runs. So smooth, power at all RPM's and the VTEC system on the VFR800 is far better than everyone thinks: you get two bikes in one, by having torque at lower RPM's and performance at high RPM's and it doesn't kick in as sudden as they say. You can predict it pretty well. It's a real shame Honda abandoned the V4 engine for street use, it was their finest hour!
The abandonment of the V4 may have something to do with riders of sportbikes being less mature in relatively recent times compared to say the 1990s. The younger crowd wants the most power for the money. The VFR750 wasn't as fast as the 750 repli-racers. The exploding popularity of HD in the 90s may be a cause as well (mature riders gravitating to HD).
I rode but didn't really like the VF750 interceptor. They were all heavy but coming from the MVX I felt I had to hang of the side and pull them down to get them leaned into corners .
If you think the V4 750s and 800s are good, then the 400s are little gems. They're like watch mechanisms. The Japanese domestic market kept the best bikes for themselves.
Ok here goes , I started biking in 1990 , I had Yamahas 3 Kawasakis and one Suzuki . My last Kwak ( which was a mongeral to work on ) suddenly died on me, in 2001, I had to find a cheep bike quickly, the only thing I could find was a 1990 VFR 750 with 80,000 miles on the clock , that looked like it had had an extremely hard life , I reluctantly bought it and……….. that’s when the second phase of my life as a biker began ! It was epic ! The engin was incredible ! It had torque it had high end power ! It sounds like a 60’s muscle car but returned 50 to the gallon! Way more than my perky 600’s did . It was comfy to ride and everything made sense ! It’s servicing was easy and the bike was easy to work on ! It even had ridiculous things I had never seen on a bike such as a centre stand ! A fuel gauge ! And even a clock ! I kept that bike for 2 years until the electrics went at 104,000 miles , I had no garage to take it apart and work on . This bike had to sit outside in English weather the entire time I owned it. So it went to a guy with a garage and a bit more mechanical savy than me . Two years later I had bought a house with a garage and started saving for my next bike . In 2006 I got myself a 97 VFR with 14000 miles on it , replaced the pipes to liberate that V4 sound and replaced the regulator rectifier . Aside from servicing , that’s all it needed. 18 years later what am I riding now ? THAT SAME VFR 750 ! It has never let me down ! It even had to sit in storage for 8 of those years while I worked over seas ! All I had to do was replace the battery and the old fuel and it started on the 3rd go and has ran without a hitch ever since! I can see why Honda don’t make these any more , they want to sell motorcycles, in a period of 11 years I had bought and owned 7 bikes then I bought this one and in a period of 18 years I haven’t needed to buy another one !
Right you are, mate. Honda were releasing very fancy engineering, high performance that was also reliable. I'm thinking mostly of the V4s here, the VFR/RVF 750s and 400s. Universally applauded they were (still are). Their hard lesson with the Castec frames of the Spada 250 is another that comes to mind. They are much coveted, bur it cost them money and was unsustainable. Their amazing i4 250 baby blades -- it went from one extreme to another with the CBR single! In such difficult market conditions Honda lost focus, took the conservative line and gave us forgettable tat.
oh gawd, working on kwakas... nah. i hate them as my main driving decision behind a bike is how easy is it to get to important parts? when it takes an hour just to wrangle the carbs out, let alone deal with actually getting to them and then reassembling everything just for a plug chop... nah. only kwaka i have is rotting in the driveway, not even worthy of a spot in the shed...
I have to say as someone who owns a VRF800 VTEC, it gets so much hate from people who have never ridden one. I've heard the earlier VTEC bikes had a more noticeable engagement, and maybe that's where it all stems from, but it's not any more jarring than the torque curve on most inline 4 sport bikes. I have put thousands of miles on it and it's a fantastic bike. It's a shame that Honda discontinued the VFR800, because it's honestly the best all-round bike I've ever owned. And I have a CB750, the OG all-rounder.
I agree regarding the powerband. I have a CBR954rr, but my wife hates riding it... Won't after just a few short rides. Our son worked at the local Honda dealership, & they had an 800VFR Tech. I was able to get it for a long test ride. Went & picked up my wife and she liked it a lot. It's was very familiar feel & handling to my 954, at least on the hiway & mild Mtn roads we rode, but with less power. The Tech engagement was less pronounced than when my 954 came into its powerband, which is not wild or aggressive. It's very "honda" smooth or predictable. It is just more than the 800 had. I did not get that bike (I was doing a lot of track days at the time with my 954).But I've always thought that 800 was a nice bike I coukd live with. Now I love in a rural location without any roads worth having a bike of tat type. I'm looking to sell my 954 and get a Vstrom. Anyway thought you'd appreciate the comparison to basically the bike that replaced the VFR800.
One of the changes made for the vfr800 was when the vtec opened and closed. The later models the vtec opened earlier going up the revs and closed later coming down the revs to provide a greater overlap and smoother transition. The effect was if you were going up and down the revs on a twisty road the vtec would engage and disengage less. The reason the engine was peaky originally was because that was what customers were asking for when they were asked what they would like for next gen vfr. When they got what they asked for they did not like it! What people really wanted was a vfr1000.
Generally agree. If Honda wanted to improve the VFR 800, it needed to lose the complicated and unnecessary CBS, and shed a bunch of weight. That massive rear subframe would be a good place to start!
I had a 1998 VRF800, and it was the best bike I've ever owned. I'd still have it to this day if it weren't for someone on a cell phone crashing into the bike at an intersection, sending the bike into oncoming traffic and sending me to the hospital. The bike was totaled. I loved everything about that bike - the ergonomics, the full fairing, the linked brakes, the hydraulic clutch line instead of a cable, the single-sided swingarm, the camshaft gears instead of a chain, etc.
I went to the later model 17 inch front wheel and competition front fork springs. and Kerker exhaust canisters and a rejetting.Indeed one of the best bikes I've owned. Riding a Buell XB12S now, When I die I'll have it buried with me.
I did some drywall work for a guy in 84, he couldn't pay me, and he had a garage full (2 complete,4 more boxes of CBX 1000 parts, 3 bare frames) I took them instead of money. FF to 86 and I had 3 complete (but not perfect) CBX 1000's and one that was bare bones for racing. I hated the way these bikes handled and ran. I traded all of them for 1 86-VFR1000r. I put over 100,000 miles on that V-4 in the 3 years I had it, and it was still smooth when I sold it. That was one of the best bikes I ever owned, only to be topped by my 98 R-1. I had a bunch of FZR's, Hurricanes, Speed triples, R-6. My fave was still that VFR.
I am the original owner of a 1986 VFR750. I put 2400 miles on it before getting hit in the fall of 1988. I stored it for decades before finally restoring it. She's getting very close and will be one of the quickest antiques on the road. It handled excellent and cruised its absolute best at 130 MPH. That was NOT a struggle by any means being you can easily be going 100 MPH in 3rd gear with three more to go. It truly was an amazing machine for its time.
From Germany: In '97 I bought a '89 RC24 with the RC36 motor. Since it came out in '86 it was my dream bike. Sitting and riding was just a dream, fit like a glove. I turned it into a real sports tourer and drove it for 8 years, for 120.000 km. The day I hit the 100.000 km in 2001 I let it run: top speed 236 km/h on external digital speedometer. The best bike I ever had, of course in pure pearl white.
My 1983 VF750F would do that same top speed. It was great fun to ride around Germany and Europe. I rode it in two super bike schools at Nurburgring, the handling was great. I did go through three sets of cam shafts and cam followers before selling it. High rpm's for any distance was hard on cams.
My father still owns his 84' VF500F that he bought brand new for $2400 back in the day. It was his first real vehicle to get around from home to work and going to college. He put well over 20,000 miles on the bike before doing a full teardown and rebuild in 93'. My mother ended up riding the VF500F and my father rode his new 91' CBR1000F on a coast to coast cross country trip with no issues whatsoever in the summer of that same year. Both bikes now sit in his garage as they have since the early 2000's waiting to be tuned up and ridden.
Got a red '14 VFR 800F as my first bike, put around 12000km on it and it's been amazing. Sure, I keep looking at new bikes, but I just can't find a good enough reason to get one. It has all the power I need, nice torque, VTEC gives it a unique character and it has a riding position very well balanced between a naked and sports bike, with a suspension setup to match. I use it for everything, from commutes to long trips to agressive runs on B roads and I never feel anything is missing. At low rpms, the engine (with an Arrow exhaust) sounds like a big cruiser and when you push it past 7k into VTEC, it just roars to life. You do feel the weight of the bike when pushing it around, but as soon as you start moving, it feels just right. It's such a unique and well refined bike, it makes me happy every time I take it out for a spin :D
I also got a '14 VFR800F as my first bike last year! I couldn't agree more with what you've said. I've loved every minute of it so far. The only thing I'd love to have on it is cruise control. Other than that, I couldn't be happier with my purchase.
I also have an '14 VFR800F! I have the SC-project slip-on exhaust. It's such a joy to ride! I had 16 testrides on new bikes last year, and none came close to the VFR in terms of all round balance.
@@XcelentTom. wow thats a lot of bikes to compare to! I've only gone on two testrides before buying the VFR. One being a Hornet 600 and the other one being a '15 VFR 800 Crossrunner. The looks of the Crossrunner weren't really my thing but its safe to say I fell in love with the engine. So just two weeks later I picked up my '14 VFR in Victory Red. It came with the optional Akrapovic Slip on which it is a bit too quiet for my taste both with and without the DB eater (awesome exhaust note though). Ever since I got the bike last October I've been eyeing up the SC Slip on. How nice does it sound and how loud is it? I've watched a couple of videos on it and it sounds amazing in them (assuming all without the DB eater).
I have a Red 2007 VFR0800 with VTEC. Once your used to it, the valves kicking in is a blast. I'll never sell it, it's absolutely timeless, and to this day people pull up next to me like, "Nice bike man" Just one sticker on each side the rest is metallic red. Actually metallic silver paint with a red clear. Looks amazing. The 1200 SUUUUUCKED. It had a centrifical transmission. They just screwed it up so bad. I hope this bike lasts forever. Personal record is 967 miles from FL to NJ straight thru. Bike is amazingly comfortable.
I love love love love the VTEC VFR and wish I still had mine. The engine is an absolute work of art that I would marvel at every time I rode her. The problem is I just could not ride her slow and knew I was going to end up in jail so in my mid 60s I ended up with a Wing bagger. I'll always miss the VFR.
I'm currently still using my first "real" motorcycle as a daily, my '98 VFR 800 and what a terrific machine it is, especially considering what you have pay for one. Having a 98hp (power was increased to 106 in '00) crotch rocket capable of 250kph with one of the best sounding engines of all times for under 3 grand is something that can't easily be found anywhere else. The only inconveniences imho are somewhat poor fuel consumption, the notoriously hot running engine and lack of ABS in some situations (and sometimes the CBS, too, as bleeding was a proper nightmare lol). Oh and did I mention it has a single sided swing arm? God I love that bike 😅
Can second the fuel consumption, I'm lucky to hit 40mpg. And gotta find a lower temp fan thermostat, coolant temp always gets anxiety inducingly hot before deciding to kick the fans on lol
@@CharredSteak lowest I got was 5.3l/100km or 44mpg on a long distance trip at 3k rpms, during winter on shorter trips to work she got up to almost 8.5 l/100km or 27mpg. And I also have to look into the cooling system, had the coolant temp flashing twice now (in case you're curious, that's happening at 127°C 😬)
Have you got a source for the power increase? I find that hard to believe given the engines (to my knowledge) were exactly the same, just with the high idle cold-start lever vs automatic wax unit and the 98/99s didn't have any cats, so less restriction in the exhaust. Not wanting to offend, just for my own knowledge as a fellow 5th gen owner (have a 99 myself). I'd be truly disappointed to know there was indeed that much power discrepancy given everyone says the years to have are ours!
I bought an '86 VFR750 in 1998 at the age of 61. I loved the look, feel and sound of it, but 10 years later my knees didn't like it for anything over a 300 mile day. To this day I still have seller's remorse. The motor was incredibly smooth.
Over the years I owned three generations of VF/VFR bikes and they were by far my favorite bikes. Sure, the gixer would murder them most years but the torque, smooth handling, and comfort to ride long distance was amazing! THANKS for this video. My heart skipped a beat every time a model I owned popped up on the screen. Bring it back Honda!
Dude, it's Mick Doohan not Mike. It realize you guys who get everything from the internet might not know him but he did win five 500cc World Championships in a row.
You brought up a fond memory when you called the GSXR-750 the UJM of the future. I remember seeing them at the dealership near my home and thought they looked like a spaceship on two wheels.
My old man had an 83 vf750f when I was a kid. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. He stopped riding it 20 years ago and put it in the back shed. I dragged it out last year and talked him into getting it back on the road. It didn't take much to get her going again and I still think it's the coolest thing ever, lol. I've ridden a lot of bikes (zx6r, MV Agusta Butale, Cagiva Raptor 1000, so on) but the VF is still my top favorite by far.
The biggest issue was the cost of producing a V4 with VTEC or with gear driven cams or with exotic frame designs was the cost of the manufacturing. The market had moved on and was chasing performance at such a level that in order to produce a VFR that was competitive it would’ve had a 20 to 50% price premium over the competition and no one wanted that.
that and their noise which was not to everyone's taste between the addition of VTEC and the valve adjustement that require a lot more that Honda just can't bill to the owners, I'm not sure the manufacturing cost is the only reason
Disagree! Now, Honda isn't in the business of making motorcycles, but in the business of making money! In 1985 Honda had 26 street bikes for sale, plus a large number of off road motorcycles. In 1986 all this changed. The V4 project was in ruins, due to poor hp numbers and poor utilization of their new machinery on the production line. Two teams competed, one with a new V4 and one with the Inline 4. The I4 engine won. In 1987 the 600 c.c. bike was faster, lap time wise, than the V4 750! Yes, they were also less costly to produce, but there were many other reasons. Too bad, as a 600 c.c. V4 making 120 hp would be fast, real fast!
@@gt7500 hence the CBR 600. I had a F3 and I miss it. It was sporty (and much lighter than the VFR) but also comfortable and wonderfully built. What a great bike !
I was fortunate enough to have had both an '83 Interceptor, then sold it to buy an '86 VFR750F. The '83 was a nice comfortable "sporty" bike, but by comparison the '86 felt like a real race bike. It was actually an homologation special - in order to use gear-driven cams and titanium rods they had to be on the production bike. The "Harly tariff" on any bike over 700cc meant that the VFR700F was $3,500 and the 50CC bigger VF750F was $4,500. As far as I know, Honda only made around 1,000 ~ 1,200 of the 750s, just enough to qualify for the Superbike class, which they won. I now ride a 2002 Interceptor and love the kick and sound when the VTEC opens the other two valves. I had a 2007 Interceptor which had a software update to make the crossover less noticeable, but I like the kick from the early models better.
I think the main reason Honda dropped the VFR is they could not get it passed Euro 5/6 Emissions or at least without not ruining the performance and making it pointless, I've had both VFR 800's (with and without VTec and love the VTec) also had VFR1200 CrossTourer all brilliant bikes and engines
I found a RVF400 at a 2nd hand Japanese car importers that they had brought back in the rear of a van they had bought there. They couldn't get it running so i made a stupid offer and they accepted. Once i got it home i found i had hit pay dirt, someone in Japan had spent a ton of Yen on it. HRC F3 kit ECU, jet kit, radiators, airbox and a beautiful TSR full exhaust with "under & over" mufflers. Gummed up carbs from sitting was the issue, and once i sorted the suspension for my weight it was a missile on the twisty Kiwi roads. A guy hounded me for years every time i saw him for me to sell it to him, and when the R1 came out in 98 i really wanted one, so i sold it to finance one. Still regret that one.
Had a Honda V65 (1100 cc). My only conplaint was that sitting at red lights it would heat up very quickly. She could break the rear tire loose with only the throttle, and would wear out the rear tire pretty quickly. Great bike!
Fantastic history, thanks bart. I was a die hard Honda fan my entire life until age 45. I've owned/ridden dozens of Honda motorcycles over my life; dirt and street. I had my first introduction to a 2018 Ducati Panigale V4 with an Akra exhaust in October of 2020, it changed me, as a rider; as an enthusiast. I've never felt such explosive power and performance in a motorcycle to this day. After that experience, Ducati is my brand and I'm happy to say - nearly 30K miles later on 2 Panigales, and a Pikes Peak V4, will continue to buy Ducati. In my life, rode a MT 125, V65, V45, 86 Goldwing, 750 Nighthawk, CBR600 F4, CL350, CR 125, CR 250, owned a 98 Goldwing for 115K miles, owned CRF 150, CRF 100, CRF 70/50s, 06 CRF 450, had the last 2008 CRF 450 carb model - loved that bike, and owned a 1997 V4 Magna for 80K miles. I'm probably 500K miles on various motorcycles over my lifetime. I listed as many as I can remember. Alas, Honda has lost their mojo for bringing the track to the street consumer. Ducati has been doing this the whole time and finally with the VW group money, have been able to deliver on the reliability AND performance. I would love...and I mean LOVE for Honda to resurrect that Soichiro Honda spirit of racing reliability for the street and bring a MotoGP V4 to the US customer. I would buy it. So Honda, I know you have the money - if you're listening...get on the ball and do this - 2027 850cc MotoGP V4 CBR Fireblade with 220 HP and 17K RPM to the US consumer! I won't stop buying Ducati, but I would definitely buy that :) - PS - GET RID OF THE KEYLESS IGNITION - PITA for track days and battery life sucks.
The VF750F is the fist of these bikes I remember. I was only 13 and I didn't have the dough to put down on one at the time. But jeez I coveted one. Even more when the VFR was introduced. They were beautiful. A really sweet machine.
As a proud owner of a 2010 1200f I love it more than any other bike I have ever ridden. It does everything you can do on any street well, from cruising the coast to racing through canyons it is a rock steady torque monster.
As an owner of a 98 vfr 800 I just want to say it’s definitely pushing over 500lbs. they definitely aren’t a power house but have a beautiful soundtrack
The VFR750F from '95 was my first bike in 2013. It was 18 years old and it ran so smooth. It was a joy to ride. I loved the sound, the look and the feel. I had to change the exhaust, because of rust and the spring/shock absorber (leakage). That's was a hassle, because they where hard to reach.
The craziest thing about V4s is that harley and porsche built one 10ish years before and then shelved it because it wasn't cool enough for the leather daddies. I love the v4 interceptors and sabers...
I have a 2003 VFR800, which was the first generation with VTEC. I’m also a Honda automotive service technician and I’m well versed in Hondas VTEC applications and the way it functions. The first time I experienced the VTEC on the VFR800 it was almost alarming. There’s no gradual buildup of power. It’s quite literally flipping a switch. My ears have since learned the sound of the rev range when VTEC kicks in to tell the rest of my body to prepare for liftoff. It seriously bucks like a horse. It’s definitely not for everyone, but I love it. My VFR will never see another owner.
I only rode a friend's VFR750J a little bit - it was definitely the most exciting motorcycle I'd ever ridden at that time. Handled like it was on rails, and the engine seemed to provide massive torque anywhere in the motor / box - what a monster.
Honda Motorcycles needs a visionary leader, similar to Akio Toyoda, with strong business acumen and a deep passion for the brand and innovation. Continue producing successful scooters and low-cc models, while also creating exceptional motorcycles that inspire and delight hardcore motorcycle enthusiasts.
It seems to me that all the Japanese factories have really dropped the ball lately, Yamaha is releasing to odd interesting bike, Suzuki seems to have just given up, they need to get their mojo back.
Start this story with the RC 166. Honda went to build cars after so much motorcycle winning. Riders like Freddie Spencer and Joey Dunlap crushed with the v 4s. Bought a 500cc '85 red white and blue bike and rode it for years. Flat out it could get into the 130s and could still handle two up. Bought the '87 VFR 700cc bike new in Candy Blue and rode that bike for many years with Corbin seat and many mods. The fit and finish on these bikes was immaculate compared to the other UJMs,. Those bikes had all kinds of grommets to tame vibration, the V bikes are so smooth. You should look into the ST 900 and ST100 and ST1300s. Great work, Thanks.
I am the proud owner of a 2010 VFR 1200f as one of my 4 Honda motorcycles. It is a showcase of Honda technology, having a 1,237cc V4 engine, shaft drive, fuel injection, the first bike with "fly by wire" technology, single sided swingarm, incredible 170HP. It is a little heavy, but the engine actually weighs less that the VFR800 and does not have or need a balance shaft. It gets around 37MPG. and must have premium fuel. The two inner cylinders are facing the rear so the engine is narrower where the riders legs are. It has unified front/rear braking easily handled by the front handbrake. I only wish it had a more upright seating position as my wrists get tired. The power delivery is far more frightening than my '94 V-Max was and may be the best kept secret from Honda
I have the Cycle World road test and those features are mentioned. Total rocket ship. 10.3 in the quarter. Perhaps still the quickest Honda ever. The testers as a whole liked it.
Cast another vote for the untested 2010-12, 1200F. I have had the pleasure of putting many miles on the Tri. ST 995 and Honda VFR 800. The RC51, the sporty Aprillas and Ducatis sounded wonderful, but unavailable. I am now in love with my 1200F daily ride. The Unique, safe, sporty steed ride is wonderful, and the very powerful motor, & slick trans, clutch, etc are all above the competition for a sport-touring. Yes, a bit for tight corners. Yes a bit short on touring features. But when I wanna fly, it is extremely powerful in every gear! V-4 Fever...
I bought a VFR800Fi couple of months ago. It´s the 1999 50year anniversary edition first owner. He put 107kkm on the odo and kept every record and receipt over the 25 years he owned it. Original second key never used. I purchased it to use it as a daily commuter and occasional weekend tourer. That thing runs like a swiss watch and is absolutely rock solid in every rpm range. That was one of my best purchases over the years. I aim it to be the first bike my daughter (10 months old) will be riding on the backseat as soon as she is 12yo.
I swapped in the lower 700s bars onto my V65Sabre, and lowered the forks 20mm (had to modify the air preload plumbing). For such a big bike with skinny tires, it handled quite well. Narrow engine allowed crazy lean angles.
Lightning fast? By what standard of today. Virtually every 1000 cc plus modern ADV bike would out perform those relics today in handling and straight line performance.😂
I've had the VF1000F VFR 750 800 and the 1200. All amazing machines. I now have the SP1 twin which is on another level and I'm never going to sell her.
I bought a used -87 VFR 750 F in 1990. I still have it and it is a wonderful bike! All I have done in terms of service is oil and filter service, new spark plugs and valve adjustment twice. New tyres a few more times of course. Reapairs? not much really, new fork seals + oil, new exhaust silencers and new friction plates and at the same time an overhaul of the carburetors. The bike runs exactly as good today as it did when I got it 34 years ago.... The engine sound is awesome and it is so smooth with good torque and a roar from 5500 rpm and up that puts a big smile on your face! I think they will have to bury me with this bike.
I have bought a 1999 5th gen about a month ago in pristine condition and I couldn’t be happier. It’s such an upgrade compared to my GSX 600f. The GSX made me feel somewhat uncomfortable riding the highways but the VRF is like riding on rails and very confidence inspiring. The 24 Bhp extra is very noticeable. 🙂
I'd sure like to have my '83 VF750F back today. Glad to see the author mention the soft cams which my dealer replacement botched under warranty; but Honda came through when I told them and replaced them again properly myself.
"Flat slide", not "flat side" carbs. Named due to them employing a flat, sliding throttle rather than a butterfly that's used in CVs. The idea is that the slide moves up, out of the way as it lets air in, meaning that there's nothing in the way of the airflow at WOT.
People regurgitate information without any understanding or thinking about any actual meaning. Results in gibberish being touted as factual information and people none the wiser lap it up
@@jimstartup2729I find that so much with bike channels on RUclips, its mainly young guys talking about topics with little knowledge or research, I mean "The VFR was literally the RFV (i presume he means the RVF750) race bike with headlights and licence plate" the RVF was a TT-F1 & Endurance prototype race bike, the VFR 750 had almost nothing in common with it, the VFR was a roadbike through and through, not a "race bike with lights".
I had a VFR-750 G from 92 until 98, when I traded it in for a VTR-1000. I added Maxton forks, Pro-something shock, a LEDAR jet kit, a Micron pipe, and full Rothmans paint, and it took me round Wales, France, Holland...and the Isle of Man. But you didn't mention the bike I had before that - the exquisite but rare VF500! That had none of the reliability issues of the 750, but got rather overshadowed by them, and various UJMs not least the CBR 600. It was lovely though. My Dad then bought one as well, and sold it earlier this year, at the age of 86...
I’ve owned four Interceptors (VFRs): ‘86 500, ‘95 750, ‘06 800, and ‘14 800. Sadly, creeping age and arthritis made the last one unrideble. As have said others here, the gear-driven cams were a treat to the ears.
@@rapid13 One of the best bikes ever made, period! I had one. It was so balanced; had great handling, torquey smooth engine, great riding position, could just do anything. Long rides, no problem, sprinting down the twisties, done, giving you that confidence while riding, covered. Imho, they should have just bumped it up to 600cc and they would have had a worthy competitor for the ninja and fxr of the period. I know it would have been cost prohibitive, but, I'm just saying. ;)
Try adding collagen to oatmeal every morning, giving up smoking, drinking, and caffeine. Worked for my kinked up joints and slipped disc and stress cracked bones.
@@rotorbob88 I had a 85 red/black/white VF500, always hoped they would bring out a 600 version, when the 86 NC21 VFR400 came out i really thought they would, but alas we got the CBR600 instead. The VF500 did quite well in production racing against the 550s and hordes of RZ350s here in NZ, mainly due to handling, as they were a bit down on power, and struggled on the faster tracks.
ALso, I LOVED the shape of the early VFR750s with their sharp angular looks, but of the later models, my favourite was the VFR750F RC36-2 (the red one that had looks that were similar (to a degree) of the famous and rare NR750) 👌 😎🇬🇧
Hello! I really enjoyed this video. Thank you! Some years ago I rode a friend's sixth-generation VFR800 (V-tec) for a two hour road trip and absolutely fell in love with it; I've wanted one ever since. I finally purchased one late last summer (2023), a 2005 edition, and I love it even more; I have absolutely no complaints. I don't know what all the griping is about re V-tec activation; when I reach the activation zone the transition is smooth as you please. It feels like a big gust of tail-wind when riding a ten-speed bike but starting from highway speeds. I guess they fixed whatever problems it might have had when this model first came out. I ride it almost every day for errands ans such, and I've taken it on a few 300-500 km road trips over the summer. The Thing has been pure Joy throughout whether in urban environments or on expressways. Hard to believe it's a twenty-year-old motorcycle. Cheers!
Vtec has never had a failure with the mechanism itself. Only issues they every have are the actuation solenoids leaking oil. It also doesn't add valves, it changes the lift on all the valves that are on the equipped camshaft.
I don't know about later Vtec VFRs, but the first one did add valves. At low revs they ran on only two valves, at high revs they engaged the other two valves, running on all four valves.
On the "Car engines", yeah... but on the VFR bike, I'm pretty sure it did "add valves". edit: I see someone commented already... oops.. but yeah, that's right. It opened one intake and one exhaust valve until 7k rpm and then all 4 would "come alive"
Rode early 750 VFR's coming from large capacity Kawasaki's and loved them , I saw Joey Dunblop racing an RC30 at the Island and was a fan for life. Nice video.
Why do you keep calling the racer "Mike" Doohan? I know his full first name is Michael, but no one called him Mike. He was always called "Mick". This is something like the third video I've watched in the last week where I've heard you make that mistake.
My second bike was a 1986 VFR750F (all white with the blue seat) and the bike that caused me to fall in love with motorcycling. I had it for several years, put a lot of trouble free miles on it but eventually got transferred and sold it, much to my regret. Fast forward to this year when I found a used 2006 VFR800 Interceptor for $3,500 which was in great shape. Although it has V-tech it is not very intrusive and I've learned to work around it. Anyway, while it doesn't have the same sound or soul of the 1986 version it is still great fun and I plan to keep it long term. It's a great bike. Thanks for a great video.
VFR was not the first Honda with ABS, nor was it the first bike with VTEC. It was the first motorcycle with DCT, though Honda had that on ATV’s a couple years earlier.
Fortunately, I'm able to have two friends with two Honda VFR's and all 4 are still with us and in pretty good shape after 40yrs... thanks for not giving up Honda 😊
I love your videos your research & presentation spot on, please make a video about the CBR1100XX The Super Blackbird, It's an incredible bike& worthy of attention ‼️
I used to commute to work in Oxford, England, on a Honda CB250. Then in the mid nineties I had the opportunity to buy a partly disassembled VFR750FK. The British version with a clock and adjustable screen. Having got it back on the road I realised what a truly awesome machine it was. Smooth, powerful, sweet handling and with some crazy horses at higher revs!! The best thing for me was it's stability at high speed. I clipped an unexpected pot hole in a very fast bend once and, before I could react, the bike shimmied then smoothed out and tracked perfectly around the corner. Amazing!! It's a shame that I had to let the bike go. The reason? Going to work at three figure speeds more than fifty percent of the time is not a particularly safe thing to do...
I just put 200 miles on my VFR 800 today, such an awesome bike. I can't get enough of how that engine sounds. I had a Sabre V65 a few years before I got the VFR and it made me fall in love with the V4.
I think it was 1985/6 when a UK motorcycle magazine did a feature to test the 'New' engine and to determine how much better it was than the outgoing VF750F, so they thrashed a standard, road legal VFR750F around MIRA (?) in the UK, for a full 24Hrs period It was ridden flat out (160mph) with the throttle pinned to the stop at 11,000rpm, on the banked track ALL THE TIME, only coming in for fuel, rider and tyre changes It NEVER missed a beat ! In 1985 that was ground-breaking . . . . . and still is today Great Motor !
Always great hearing from Honda enthusiasts. I started 1964, on what else; C102 (50). Had many model over the years. Two 90's and two 100's still in collection. 😊
That's a great idea, bringing back the 750/800. There's been some images online of what a new 800 could look like, styled on the RC30, it's fantastic. A version with high end suspension, brakes and tuning, would sure to be a huge success, do it Honda! I'm a VFR owner, thanks for the great vid..
I bought a brand new VFR700 in '87, i was a senior in high school. It was blue and silver, it was beautiful, stable, powerful, comfortable and reliable. I added slip on supertraps and lost about 15lbs, with the gear driven cam's I would go out in the morning start it up and stand behind it and listen, it sounded like a drag car, just pissed off! LOL! I loved that bike and it got me in a lot of trouble with the cops for sure. I'm always looking to buy another one and if I find one in great shape I will definently buy it again! Some of the best motorcycling experiences I've ever had were on that bike!
The reason Honda changed and went away from the VFR line was Soichiro Honda passed away and his son took over the company. His son is more about profits than about quality and brand respect. Honda lost it's single best engine design and has lost customers from it. If the VFR returns as has been hinted at, Honda would probably retake that title of single greatest manufacturer of motorcycles again. One can only hope for such a thing to happen.
Any company that doesn't make a suitable profit will eventually fail. It is always big talkers with empty pockets suggesting what such companies should do debased on their own fantasies. V4 engines cost more to produce and for street usage have zero net benefit as compared to inline 4 for 99% of all consumers and what they are willing to pay.
The RC46 (before V-tec) was the pinnacle of Honda’s VF platform. Like you said, it had all the good 90’s tech like fuel injection and combined braking system paired with things like the bulletproof gear driven cams. I went away from sportbikes for my own and other’s safety but i still aim to own one some day. Maybe when i got a little older and wiser.
I have had the 1980's honda interceptor, the 2000 VFR 800 and now the VFR1200F. By far, the 1200 is the best bike I have ever ridden. Unlimited power, smooth, amazing handling, and decent fuel economy when you are touring (about 350km on a tank). If you see one, buy it, you will love it!
These big VFR’s sat in showrooms for ages. I remember them being $2k or more off and still not selling. Then covid hit and raised all the prices. They will come back down I hope.
I had an NC30, those gear driven cams made it unburstable. I removed the speed limiter, just a small piece of alloy in the speedometer, and it was a 140mph rocket. With sticky tyres and no weight it handled like nothing else. I have never forgotten it.
Rode an ‘86 VFR700 in the UK for about a year. It got me speeding tickets. The faster you rode it the better the bike felt. To me, coming from an H1 Kawasaki, it was magical. RD400 to a tweaked H1 500 2-stroke, the VFR at 90mph felt at home going very very fast. The throttle was addicting and I had to sell the bike due to lack of self discipline. I never went back to that type of motorcycle. The bike had more capability than I had skill or discipline. I ride sportsters now but have fond memories of being young, stupid and riding a great bike.
Owned a 83' vf750c (Magna V45) and the engine is interesting and unbelievably smooth. Its sowing machine smooth while making a very unique engine sound. I didnt have any problems with cams but the carbs, more specifically how difficult it was to take out and put back in when it came to cleaning it made me sell it.
Although I was/am a Kawasaki fan, and, although I only got to once ride a VFR750s, I DID once own a VF750F, and for its time, I LOVED it... that throaty rumble of the V4, the torquey pull, it was a LOVELY motor! 😏👍 😎🇬🇧
I am a septuagenarian, double TKR with infection survivor. KAWASAKI Vulcan 650 is my bike. My Vulcan is built in Thailand. Did you know that also BMW, DUCATI, Harley-Davidson and Triumph also manufacture motorcycles here in sunny, tropical Thailand. Johnny Bike-SanooK! Residence Khlong Nam Lai village 380 km from Bangkok
@@uhtred7860 Ohhhhh the GPX750R.... A friend of mine (Steve) got one of those (as a change to his KLR650).... Had many a bike swaps, and yeah.... FULLY AGRRE with you fella.... A HIGHLY UNDERRATED bike the GPX! 👍
Great job! 👍 The 3rd gen VFR.... Still makes me jaw drop after all these years... Such a timeless, gorgeous bike especially red and white combo.... I do wish I bought one, but back in the early 90s I was always on Kawaski Ninjas.... Wow the 90s Hondas.... RC, NR, CBRs.... Really great bikes from the giant.
I have a 5th generation VFR800 and it's in pristine condition, made quite a few upgrades, the sound of that gear driven cam, that 4 into 1 flame spitting delkevic full exhaust turns heads where ever I go, will never sell that thing. That v4 is almost indestructible.
Had a 750 and a 400 - the VFR 400 is an overlooked jewel, so light and with amazing power delivery. The 750 was the better tourer, but as a town bike the 400 was just so damned good. That cam whine!
Still have my '98 VFR I bought off of the showroom floor. 100,000+ miles and still runs/looks like the day I brought it home. Now if I could just source some ape hangers for it to relieve a bit of the pressure on my wrists - they don't bend quite like they used to.
I love my Honda 89 VFR750. ❤ I bought it from a friend over 20 years ago and it’s been nothing but faultless. Like other people’s comments…it’s the Swiss watch of motorcycles. Love the engine noise it makes when you back off the throttle & going down a hill and the engine braking makes a rumbling noise like V8 Supercars. I don’t think I could ride anything else. Thanks for the video. 👍🏼
For a few years i raced an 85 500 interceptor...many got to hear that sweet v4 exhaust note through a pretty free flowing kerker exhaust at tracks including Daytona and it was often at the front of the pack 😊
Great video. I own a vintage metric motorcycle shop. I can tell you how many v45's and v65's I have worked on where the owner had no clue that the engine was only funning on 2 cylinders. The front carbs plug up sooner and the front 2 cylinders stop firing but they still run well on 2!! At this time I ha e 10 of them in the shop. I sure do alot of them! One customer brought in an interceptor with 500 miles on it. Yeah, I had to add it to my collection.
I owned a 98 VFR800 and what a bike it was! It sounded incredible. I dreamt of Honda brining out a modern sports orientated VFR 1000 that stayed true to the pedigree for years. Sadly it never happened.
For a video about the Honda V4. There was very little discussion of the Magna and what an impact it had in the early 80s. It pretty much started the genre of "power cruiser". There was also no mention of how Yamaha stepped up to create the legendary V-Max V4 that absolutely crushed that same genre.
I bought the VF750f when it was first introduced. For about a year it was clearly the best production motorcycle in its class with the best handling and most power. As for reliability, mine was stone reliable because Honda took quick action fixing the camshaft pitting problem via a factory recall. From a customer POV, the fix worked great because it was combined with an oil change service. Yes my bike probably would have failed without Honda’s quick action; the dealer showed me there were a few small pits on my original camshafts.
I was a mechanic at a Swedish dealership - one of the best in Sweden at the time - who sold Yamaha Kawasaki and Suzuki - from 80 - 84 when I left Sweden. There was a Honda shop down the road that we were always making fun of as all they seemed to do was replace cam chains and tensioners. Being only a young lad then (and in awe of the Japanese) I had a slightly over confident view of the bikes we worked on as there were very few chronic failures from a mechanics point of view, apart from the early Yamaha RD 125's when we had a whole store room full of pistons because they all blew holes, and the Yam TX 750 with the failed lube system where you got a spare engine with each bike. When we did have a Honda trade in the cam chains always needed replacing so I did quite a few and what I noticed was that compared to the other marque's all the (different designs!) tensioner did was constantly PUSH - there was no give in the reverse direction - as there was in all others to avoid over tension - and even in the singles where you had a lock bolt there was too much friction in the tensioner so you had to force it to move with a screwdriver or you did in fact not tension it but thought you did - so these wore out prematurely too. The only conclusion I could come to was that they were either incompetent at designing tensioners or they did it on purpose - which was unthinkable in those days. I did eventually even do the chains (double trouble) on a VF750 in my own workshop in NZ 25 odd years ago after another shop's failed attempt - and frankly I'm not surprised as there is double everything crammed into a narrow tunnel and the little nips were really inventive in the amount of things you could get wrong if you were a novice Honda sufferer. Being cured of this affliction I got it right, and for the fist time rode one of these bikes - and it was a revelation! - to quote Vivian Stanshaw - now I knew why that Honda shop was in business in spite of it all..that low down center of gravity making rails in the road and the extremely compliant engine doing whatever you wanted without complaint! I loved it and so did the customer who came back many times but took my advice and sold it before the chains needed doing again. So its the tensioners that are at fault not the cams as is stated a few times here and in the comments - as Honda's are no more prone to cam wear than any others; and were I now not well into my pension I would be looking out for a VFR 750 as that gear driven cam must have been what saved Honda and I want one!
I rode a pearl white 1987 VFR700F2 (13:50) and think it was the epitome of what motorcycles could ever be. The styling was PERFECT, with its 16" front wheel and 18" rear, classy paint with subtle graphics, gorgeous exhaust note and engine rumble (with cool gear-driven cam whine), and a ride-all-day seating position. I rode it from LA to SLC in one continuous 12-hour stretch. It was truly a masterpiece. I think VFR800 might have improved on the 700 in some ways, but I never rode one.
I have an 86 750 in those colours, the 88-89 (the U.S never imported those ones) version was even better as it looked almost the same, but had better suspension and a 17 inch front.
I didn't even see the thumnail, I just knew this video was about their V4 and it makes me immensely sad. Owned a 2006 VFR800 and it was the best engine I've ever had.
Quick story on how I recently reacquired my old VFR…….I purchased a VFR700 new in ’88 as a non-current from a Honda dealership in the Twin Cities. In 1999 I traded it in at a different Twin Cities Honda dealer on a new VFR800. Fast forward to December of 2023 and I’m searching FB Marketplace for Rupp minibike parts (I restore them). I see a listing for an ’86 VFR and looking at the photos it seems to have the same minor mods that I had done to my old bike (HRC sticker placement, red lever covers, turn signal stalks removed). I reached out to the seller with the VIN and sure enough it's my old bike. He had bought it from the dealer where I traded it and had it ever since. It had actually been off the road for ten years and he recently had the tank etched and coated, carbs gone through, all fluids replaced and new tires and battery installed. It only had 17K miles on it…..5K more than when I traded it. We worked out a deal and it’s now back in my stable of bikes. It's a joy to ride and makes me feel like I'm 31 again!
Nice.Hello from new Zealand
Terrific story. How any of us can form an attachment to what is essentially bits of metal and plastic arranged in a certain way is beyond me to explain, let alone one example of thousands
What an awesome story! 👍
excellent!
I am also contemplating to buy back my 2001 red 800FI from a car collector. He has been an excellent next owner. Similar story, not much mileage added. Only economic concerns/constraints make me hesitant to pull the trigger.
In 45 years of riding, my VFR 750 was the best bike I ever owned. It wasn't the fastest, or the best handling, or the best for touring, but it was unquestionably the best balanced of all the bikes I've owned. The comment that it was "a bike that made me a better rider" really resonated.
That's how I feel about my Suzuki DRZ400
I've still got my '96 750 and you're right - it's a bike for all seasons.
I have a very similar story. Of all the different bikes i have owned, my ‘86 VFR750F was head and shoulders above anything else. Fabulous, capable bike which could easily live with much more modern, more powerful sport bikes on twisty mountain roads. I view it as the motorbike version of my current car. It is the Porsche 911 of bikes. On paper it should not be as quick as it is in real life. Both bike and car have that ability to make the rider/driver better!
I'm not a biker, i'm a two stroke hooligan. But i really think the VFR is perfect between trail and race.
Absolutely agree. Mine looked just like the one at 13:50 and I adored that bike. As you say, it was the best balanced bike I've ever ridden - everything about it complemented everything else. Although I've owned a fair number of other bikes in my life and done a lot of miles, the most memorable bike ride I've ever had was on that VFR because it was just suited the road and me perfectly.
The gear driven cams sound so good to me, anyone else?
It's this reason that I want one with cam gears and not chain
Governments didn’t. They were too loud and made passing noise emissions difficult. Damn shame. My 1994 VFR750 had the best engine of any bike I’ve owned.
the gear whine is amazing especially when your getting on it under load
@@rcdrifts4942 totally agree. I have a 2006 RC51 and the sound is to die for.
As an MV Agusta. If you love engines the whir is music
I have 2 ducatis, an RC51, an MV Agusta F1000, an Aprilia RS250 and a 2001 VFR800i. The VFR is the only one that gets ridden. It does everything with a grace and style the others cannot match. I'm teaching my 17 year old son to ride on the VFR800 and it will become his on his 18th birthday.
There were many special bikes in their own right ....riding the Suzuki GS550 was a dream in neutrality of handling and good manners.
I owned a VF750 Interceptor when they came out in ‘83 but the issues with the camshaft wear got me down. But when the VFR750 came out I got interested in the V4 again! I’ve owned a VFR750FM since new, it’s a ‘91 model and still runs like a brand new motorcycle, even with 150,000kms on the clock. It never uses a drop of oil between services, starts first time, summer or winter and still looks and runs like a modern sports bike. I’ve also owned 5 FireBlades and a CBR1000F during this time and they’re all been moved on, but my VFR is still in my garage and it’s my favourite motorcycle of all time. Ride safe. 🏍️💪🇿🇦
Honda made the same mistake with the early to mid 80s Magnas, by the time they corrected the issue with (either the valves or the cams) sales were down for 87 and 88 models so Honda scrapped the model for about 5-6 years before coming back with Gen 2. 1987 700cc Magna and 1988 750cc Magna became iconic ergo the nick name "Super Magnas".
I have a 2009 Fiat diesel a good engine but it’s cam chain will fail after 100,000 miles. The chain drives the exhaust cam with substantial spur gears at opposite end of can driving the inlet. Later models have a split & spring loaded anti backlash gear on the exhaust cam side. These engines don’t fracture can chain side plates.
I wonder if harmonic vibration was the cause of 1980s Honda cam chain failures. It was not only the V engines.
@@Turco949Luckily I never had any issues with my 82 Magna. Good bike.
the VF has big reliability issues that were resolved in the VFR. Which was never a true competitor to the GSX-R, let's be real about it. There was the FZ and the GPX in the same sport-touring class, they were all pretty good.
Kawasaki did have a similar heat treatment issue with their cams and rocker arms going up to at least 2001, since I had to replace mine. I was shocked at the time to see a veritable cottage industry of aftermarket machinists who specialized in properly treated replacement components.
I now own 6 Honda V-4's, a VF750C bought new in 82, a VF750F from 1985, a red/white/blue VFR750 interceptor from 86, two RC30's and a vfr800 interceptor from 2006, so you can call me a fanatic. Ever since my first glance at the V-four engine in 1982 I've been hooked on the looks of the engine but even more by the way it runs. So smooth, power at all RPM's and the VTEC system on the VFR800 is far better than everyone thinks: you get two bikes in one, by having torque at lower RPM's and performance at high RPM's and it doesn't kick in as sudden as they say. You can predict it pretty well. It's a real shame Honda abandoned the V4 engine for street use, it was their finest hour!
The abandonment of the V4 may have something to do with riders of sportbikes being less mature in relatively recent times compared to say the 1990s. The younger crowd wants the most power for the money. The VFR750 wasn't as fast as the 750 repli-racers. The exploding popularity of HD in the 90s may be a cause as well (mature riders gravitating to HD).
Well done. My favorites were the MVX 250 V3 and the VF1000 Bol d'or
I rode but didn't really like the VF750 interceptor. They were all heavy but coming from the MVX I felt I had to hang of the side and pull them down to get them leaned into corners .
Two RC30s? Now that´s just greedy
Awesome collection! 👍
If you think the V4 750s and 800s are good, then the 400s are little gems. They're like watch mechanisms. The Japanese domestic market kept the best bikes for themselves.
YEP WITH YOU ON THAT ONE REV LIKE A 2 STROKE SO SO SO SMOOTH !!!!!!!!!!
I currently own a VFR800, it’s been an absolutely fantastic bike. I put over 9,000 miles on it in a year of ownership!
The Interceptor was my wall poster bike as a kid. I'm still trying to find one I can restore one day.
Trust me, at 10k that thing will have more problems than it's worth
@@davidcarpenter8741 How do you mean?
@@davidcarpenter8741 where do you live that a VFR 800 costs you 10k? 😱 (unless we're talking about different generarions of VFR of course)
🤔@@davidcarpenter8741
Ok here goes , I started biking in 1990 , I had Yamahas 3 Kawasakis and one Suzuki . My last Kwak ( which was a mongeral to work on ) suddenly died on me, in 2001, I had to find a cheep bike quickly, the only thing I could find was a 1990 VFR 750 with 80,000 miles on the clock , that looked like it had had an extremely hard life , I reluctantly bought it and……….. that’s when the second phase of my life as a biker began ! It was epic ! The engin was incredible ! It had torque it had high end power ! It sounds like a 60’s muscle car but returned 50 to the gallon! Way more than my perky 600’s did . It was comfy to ride and everything made sense ! It’s servicing was easy and the bike was easy to work on !
It even had ridiculous things I had never seen on a bike such as a centre stand ! A fuel gauge ! And even a clock ! I kept that bike for 2 years until the electrics went at 104,000 miles , I had no garage to take it apart and work on . This bike had to sit outside in English weather the entire time I owned it. So it went to a guy with a garage and a bit more mechanical savy than me .
Two years later I had bought a house with a garage and started saving for my next bike . In 2006 I got myself a 97 VFR with 14000 miles on it , replaced the pipes to liberate that V4 sound and replaced the regulator rectifier . Aside from servicing , that’s all it needed. 18 years later what am I riding now ?
THAT SAME VFR 750 ! It has never let me down !
It even had to sit in storage for 8 of those years while I worked over seas ! All I had to do was replace the battery and the old fuel and it started on the 3rd go and has ran without a hitch ever since! I can see why Honda don’t make these any more , they want to sell motorcycles, in a period of 11 years I had bought and owned 7 bikes then I bought this one and in a period of 18 years I haven’t needed to buy another one !
Right you are, mate. Honda were releasing very fancy engineering, high performance that was also reliable. I'm thinking mostly of the V4s here, the VFR/RVF 750s and 400s. Universally applauded they were (still are).
Their hard lesson with the Castec frames of the Spada 250 is another that comes to mind. They are much coveted, bur it cost them money and was unsustainable. Their amazing i4 250 baby blades -- it went from one extreme to another with the CBR single!
In such difficult market conditions Honda lost focus, took the conservative line and gave us forgettable tat.
Do you Brit throw away anything at all?😊
oh gawd, working on kwakas... nah. i hate them as my main driving decision behind a bike is how easy is it to get to important parts? when it takes an hour just to wrangle the carbs out, let alone deal with actually getting to them and then reassembling everything just for a plug chop... nah. only kwaka i have is rotting in the driveway, not even worthy of a spot in the shed...
Great Story and Info !!
I have to say as someone who owns a VRF800 VTEC, it gets so much hate from people who have never ridden one. I've heard the earlier VTEC bikes had a more noticeable engagement, and maybe that's where it all stems from, but it's not any more jarring than the torque curve on most inline 4 sport bikes. I have put thousands of miles on it and it's a fantastic bike. It's a shame that Honda discontinued the VFR800, because it's honestly the best all-round bike I've ever owned. And I have a CB750, the OG all-rounder.
I had a VFR 750. It was pretty cool. Good looking bike too.
I agree regarding the powerband.
I have a CBR954rr, but my wife hates riding it... Won't after just a few short rides. Our son worked at the local Honda dealership, & they had an 800VFR Tech. I was able to get it for a long test ride. Went & picked up my wife and she liked it a lot.
It's was very familiar feel & handling to my 954, at least on the hiway & mild Mtn roads we rode, but with less power. The Tech engagement was less pronounced than when my 954 came into its powerband, which is not wild or aggressive. It's very "honda" smooth or predictable. It is just more than the 800 had.
I did not get that bike (I was doing a lot of track days at the time with my 954).But I've always thought that 800 was a nice bike I coukd live with.
Now I love in a rural location without any roads worth having a bike of tat type. I'm looking to sell my 954 and get a Vstrom.
Anyway thought you'd appreciate the comparison to basically the bike that replaced the VFR800.
One of the changes made for the vfr800 was when the vtec opened and closed. The later models the vtec opened earlier going up the revs and closed later coming down the revs to provide a greater overlap and smoother transition. The effect was if you were going up and down the revs on a twisty road the vtec would engage and disengage less. The reason the engine was peaky originally was because that was what customers were asking for when they were asked what they would like for next gen vfr. When they got what they asked for they did not like it! What people really wanted was a vfr1000.
Generally agree. If Honda wanted to improve the VFR 800, it needed to lose the complicated and unnecessary CBS, and shed a bunch of weight. That massive rear subframe would be a good place to start!
Loved my VFR800 Vtec ...but the dreaded cam chain problem raised it's head so I sold it...bought a Triumph triple and LOVE it !
I had a 1998 VRF800, and it was the best bike I've ever owned. I'd still have it to this day if it weren't for someone on a cell phone crashing into the bike at an intersection, sending the bike into oncoming traffic and sending me to the hospital. The bike was totaled. I loved everything about that bike - the ergonomics, the full fairing, the linked brakes, the hydraulic clutch line instead of a cable, the single-sided swingarm, the camshaft gears instead of a chain, etc.
Hope you made him pay for his transgressions!
My 86 VFR750 is still one of my favorite bikes for distance riding. So comfortable and great handling. An all time classic.
I went to the later model 17 inch front wheel and competition front fork springs. and Kerker exhaust canisters and a rejetting.Indeed one of the best bikes I've owned. Riding a Buell XB12S now, When I die I'll have it buried with me.
I did some drywall work for a guy in 84, he couldn't pay me, and he had a garage full (2 complete,4 more boxes of CBX 1000 parts, 3 bare frames) I took them instead of money. FF to 86 and I had 3 complete (but not perfect) CBX 1000's and one that was bare bones for racing. I hated the way these bikes handled and ran. I traded all of them for 1 86-VFR1000r. I put over 100,000 miles on that V-4 in the 3 years I had it, and it was still smooth when I sold it. That was one of the best bikes I ever owned, only to be topped by my 98 R-1. I had a bunch of FZR's, Hurricanes, Speed triples, R-6. My fave was still that VFR.
I am the original owner of a 1986 VFR750. I put 2400 miles on it before getting hit in the fall of 1988. I stored it for decades before finally restoring it. She's getting very close and will be one of the quickest antiques on the road. It handled excellent and cruised its absolute best at 130 MPH. That was NOT a struggle by any means being you can easily be going 100 MPH in 3rd gear with three more to go. It truly was an amazing machine for its time.
Where do you cruise at 130 mph?
@@Redmenace96 Germany. Been there done that.
From Germany: In '97 I bought a '89 RC24 with the RC36 motor. Since it came out in '86 it was my dream bike. Sitting and riding was just a dream, fit like a glove.
I turned it into a real sports tourer and drove it for 8 years, for 120.000 km. The day I hit the 100.000 km in 2001 I let it run: top speed 236 km/h on external digital speedometer. The best bike I ever had, of course in pure pearl white.
My 1983 VF750F would do that same top speed. It was great fun to ride around Germany and Europe. I rode it in two super bike schools at Nurburgring, the handling was great. I did go through three sets of cam shafts and cam followers before selling it. High rpm's for any distance was hard on cams.
My father still owns his 84' VF500F that he bought brand new for $2400 back in the day. It was his first real vehicle to get around from home to work and going to college. He put well over 20,000 miles on the bike before doing a full teardown and rebuild in 93'. My mother ended up riding the VF500F and my father rode his new 91' CBR1000F on a coast to coast cross country trip with no issues whatsoever in the summer of that same year. Both bikes now sit in his garage as they have since the early 2000's waiting to be tuned up and ridden.
Got a red '14 VFR 800F as my first bike, put around 12000km on it and it's been amazing. Sure, I keep looking at new bikes, but I just can't find a good enough reason to get one.
It has all the power I need, nice torque, VTEC gives it a unique character and it has a riding position very well balanced between a naked and sports bike, with a suspension setup to match.
I use it for everything, from commutes to long trips to agressive runs on B roads and I never feel anything is missing.
At low rpms, the engine (with an Arrow exhaust) sounds like a big cruiser and when you push it past 7k into VTEC, it just roars to life.
You do feel the weight of the bike when pushing it around, but as soon as you start moving, it feels just right.
It's such a unique and well refined bike, it makes me happy every time I take it out for a spin :D
I also got a '14 VFR800F as my first bike last year! I couldn't agree more with what you've said. I've loved every minute of it so far. The only thing I'd love to have on it is cruise control. Other than that, I couldn't be happier with my purchase.
I also have an '14 VFR800F! I have the SC-project slip-on exhaust. It's such a joy to ride! I had 16 testrides on new bikes last year, and none came close to the VFR in terms of all round balance.
@@XcelentTom. wow thats a lot of bikes to compare to! I've only gone on two testrides before buying the VFR. One being a Hornet 600 and the other one being a '15 VFR 800 Crossrunner. The looks of the Crossrunner weren't really my thing but its safe to say I fell in love with the engine. So just two weeks later I picked up my '14 VFR in Victory Red. It came with the optional Akrapovic Slip on which it is a bit too quiet for my taste both with and without the DB eater (awesome exhaust note though). Ever since I got the bike last October I've been eyeing up the SC Slip on. How nice does it sound and how loud is it? I've watched a couple of videos on it and it sounds amazing in them (assuming all without the DB eater).
I have a Red 2007 VFR0800 with VTEC. Once your used to it, the valves kicking in is a blast. I'll never sell it, it's absolutely timeless, and to this day people pull up next to me like, "Nice bike man" Just one sticker on each side the rest is metallic red. Actually metallic silver paint with a red clear. Looks amazing. The 1200 SUUUUUCKED. It had a centrifical transmission. They just screwed it up so bad. I hope this bike lasts forever. Personal record is 967 miles from FL to NJ straight thru. Bike is amazingly comfortable.
I love love love love the VTEC VFR and wish I still had mine. The engine is an absolute work of art that I would marvel at every time I rode her. The problem is I just could not ride her slow and knew I was going to end up in jail so in my mid 60s I ended up with a Wing bagger. I'll always miss the VFR.
My dad has the vfr800 VTEC, the vfr1200, and a CBR 1100. He's a menace at 80 years young.
I'm currently still using my first "real" motorcycle as a daily, my '98 VFR 800 and what a terrific machine it is, especially considering what you have pay for one. Having a 98hp (power was increased to 106 in '00) crotch rocket capable of 250kph with one of the best sounding engines of all times for under 3 grand is something that can't easily be found anywhere else. The only inconveniences imho are somewhat poor fuel consumption, the notoriously hot running engine and lack of ABS in some situations (and sometimes the CBS, too, as bleeding was a proper nightmare lol). Oh and did I mention it has a single sided swing arm? God I love that bike 😅
Can second the fuel consumption, I'm lucky to hit 40mpg. And gotta find a lower temp fan thermostat, coolant temp always gets anxiety inducingly hot before deciding to kick the fans on lol
@@CharredSteak lowest I got was 5.3l/100km or 44mpg on a long distance trip at 3k rpms, during winter on shorter trips to work she got up to almost 8.5 l/100km or 27mpg. And I also have to look into the cooling system, had the coolant temp flashing twice now (in case you're curious, that's happening at 127°C 😬)
You forgot to mention the akward weight when pushing it around with the low clip ons.
99
98 VFR 800 owner here. Best bike I have never ever owned before 20+ bikes in 40+ years riding. Period.
Have you got a source for the power increase? I find that hard to believe given the engines (to my knowledge) were exactly the same, just with the high idle cold-start lever vs automatic wax unit and the 98/99s didn't have any cats, so less restriction in the exhaust.
Not wanting to offend, just for my own knowledge as a fellow 5th gen owner (have a 99 myself). I'd be truly disappointed to know there was indeed that much power discrepancy given everyone says the years to have are ours!
I bought an '86 VFR750 in 1998 at the age of 61. I loved the look, feel and sound of it, but 10 years later my knees didn't like it for anything over a 300 mile day. To this day I still have seller's remorse. The motor was incredibly smooth.
I am just turning 61 now and have an 86 VFR750 I haven’t ridden in more than 2 decades.
I have to know. Are you still riding at 85 years old? Please say yes.
@@dereksinclair9000 Now 87 and still riding a DL650 VStrom. Great anywhere (within reason) you want to ride bike.
@@skyak4493 Do you want to sell it?
@@PatriciaOhnstad Yeah, I probably should. Where is a good place to list?
Over the years I owned three generations of VF/VFR bikes and they were by far my favorite bikes. Sure, the gixer would murder them most years but the torque, smooth handling, and comfort to ride long distance was amazing! THANKS for this video. My heart skipped a beat every time a model I owned popped up on the screen. Bring it back Honda!
Dude, it's Mick Doohan not Mike. It realize you guys who get everything from the internet might not know him but he did win five 500cc World Championships in a row.
How was he supposed to get the information?
@@thouseinthehouse Google, wikipedia?
Mike (Mic) Doohan sounds like a Karaoke singer🤣
@@thouseinthehouseReally? Wow.
Mick is arguably the best MotoGP racer of the two stroke era.
Thank you for listening to our request
You brought up a fond memory when you called the GSXR-750 the UJM of the future. I remember seeing them at the dealership near my home and thought they looked like a spaceship on two wheels.
They sold SO many Katanas too.
Also, Kawasaki almost had "Ninja" become the genericism for sport bike like they did with the "Jet Ski".
My old man had an 83 vf750f when I was a kid. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. He stopped riding it 20 years ago and put it in the back shed. I dragged it out last year and talked him into getting it back on the road. It didn't take much to get her going again and I still think it's the coolest thing ever, lol. I've ridden a lot of bikes (zx6r, MV Agusta Butale, Cagiva Raptor 1000, so on) but the VF is still my top favorite by far.
The biggest issue was the cost of producing a V4 with VTEC or with gear driven cams or with exotic frame designs was the cost of the manufacturing. The market had moved on and was chasing performance at such a level that in order to produce a VFR that was competitive it would’ve had a 20 to 50% price premium over the competition and no one wanted that.
that and their noise which was not to everyone's taste
between the addition of VTEC and the valve adjustement that require a lot more that Honda just can't bill to the owners, I'm not sure the manufacturing cost is the only reason
Disagree! Now, Honda isn't in the business of making motorcycles, but in the business of making money! In 1985 Honda had 26 street bikes for sale, plus a large number of off road motorcycles. In 1986 all this changed. The V4 project was in ruins, due to poor hp numbers and poor utilization of their new machinery on the production line. Two teams competed, one with a new V4 and one with the Inline 4. The I4 engine won. In 1987 the 600 c.c. bike was faster, lap time wise, than the V4 750! Yes, they were also less costly to produce, but there were many other reasons. Too bad, as a 600 c.c. V4 making 120 hp would be fast, real fast!
@@gt7500 hence the CBR 600. I had a F3 and I miss it. It was sporty (and much lighter than the VFR) but also comfortable and wonderfully built. What a great bike !
I was fortunate enough to have had both an '83 Interceptor, then sold it to buy an '86 VFR750F. The '83 was a nice comfortable "sporty" bike, but by comparison the '86 felt like a real race bike. It was actually an homologation special - in order to use gear-driven cams and titanium rods they had to be on the production bike. The "Harly tariff" on any bike over 700cc meant that the VFR700F was $3,500 and the 50CC bigger VF750F was $4,500. As far as I know, Honda only made around 1,000 ~ 1,200 of the 750s, just enough to qualify for the Superbike class, which they won. I now ride a 2002 Interceptor and love the kick and sound when the VTEC opens the other two valves. I had a 2007 Interceptor which had a software update to make the crossover less noticeable, but I like the kick from the early models better.
I think the main reason Honda dropped the VFR is they could not get it passed Euro 5/6 Emissions or at least without not ruining the performance and making it pointless, I've had both VFR 800's (with and without VTec and love the VTec) also had VFR1200 CrossTourer all brilliant bikes and engines
Love my NC30 VFR400 import to Australia. Thirty years on and still able to mix it with modern 600’s on the track.
I found a RVF400 at a 2nd hand Japanese car importers that they had brought back in the rear of a van they had bought there. They couldn't get it running so i made a stupid offer and they accepted. Once i got it home i found i had hit pay dirt, someone in Japan had spent a ton of Yen on it. HRC F3 kit ECU, jet kit, radiators, airbox and a beautiful TSR full exhaust with "under & over" mufflers. Gummed up carbs from sitting was the issue, and once i sorted the suspension for my weight it was a missile on the twisty Kiwi roads. A guy hounded me for years every time i saw him for me to sell it to him, and when the R1 came out in 98 i really wanted one, so i sold it to finance one. Still regret that one.
Had a Honda V65 (1100 cc). My only conplaint was that sitting at red lights it would heat up very quickly. She could break the rear tire loose with only the throttle, and would wear out the rear tire pretty quickly. Great bike!
Fantastic history, thanks bart. I was a die hard Honda fan my entire life until age 45. I've owned/ridden dozens of Honda motorcycles over my life; dirt and street. I had my first introduction to a 2018 Ducati Panigale V4 with an Akra exhaust in October of 2020, it changed me, as a rider; as an enthusiast. I've never felt such explosive power and performance in a motorcycle to this day. After that experience, Ducati is my brand and I'm happy to say - nearly 30K miles later on 2 Panigales, and a Pikes Peak V4, will continue to buy Ducati. In my life, rode a MT 125, V65, V45, 86 Goldwing, 750 Nighthawk, CBR600 F4, CL350, CR 125, CR 250, owned a 98 Goldwing for 115K miles, owned CRF 150, CRF 100, CRF 70/50s, 06 CRF 450, had the last 2008 CRF 450 carb model - loved that bike, and owned a 1997 V4 Magna for 80K miles. I'm probably 500K miles on various motorcycles over my lifetime. I listed as many as I can remember. Alas, Honda has lost their mojo for bringing the track to the street consumer. Ducati has been doing this the whole time and finally with the VW group money, have been able to deliver on the reliability AND performance. I would love...and I mean LOVE for Honda to resurrect that Soichiro Honda spirit of racing reliability for the street and bring a MotoGP V4 to the US customer. I would buy it. So Honda, I know you have the money - if you're listening...get on the ball and do this - 2027 850cc MotoGP V4 CBR Fireblade with 220 HP and 17K RPM to the US consumer! I won't stop buying Ducati, but I would definitely buy that :) - PS - GET RID OF THE KEYLESS IGNITION - PITA for track days and battery life sucks.
The VF750F is the fist of these bikes I remember. I was only 13 and I didn't have the dough to put down on one at the time. But jeez I coveted one. Even more when the VFR was introduced. They were beautiful. A really sweet machine.
As a proud owner of a 2010 1200f I love it more than any other bike I have ever ridden. It does everything you can do on any street well, from cruising the coast to racing through canyons it is a rock steady torque monster.
That's a fantastic achievement, George. I was stoked to watch this flight in person and it was amazing!
Cheers,
Tim
As an owner of a 98 vfr 800 I just want to say it’s definitely pushing over 500lbs. they definitely aren’t a power house but have a beautiful soundtrack
The VFR750F from '95 was my first bike in 2013. It was 18 years old and it ran so smooth. It was a joy to ride. I loved the sound, the look and the feel. I had to change the exhaust, because of rust and the spring/shock absorber (leakage). That's was a hassle, because they where hard to reach.
The craziest thing about V4s is that harley and porsche built one 10ish years before and then shelved it because it wasn't cool enough for the leather daddies.
I love the v4 interceptors and sabers...
I have a 2003 VFR800, which was the first generation with VTEC. I’m also a Honda automotive service technician and I’m well versed in Hondas VTEC applications and the way it functions.
The first time I experienced the VTEC on the VFR800 it was almost alarming. There’s no gradual buildup of power. It’s quite literally flipping a switch. My ears have since learned the sound of the rev range when VTEC kicks in to tell the rest of my body to prepare for liftoff. It seriously bucks like a horse. It’s definitely not for everyone, but I love it. My VFR will never see another owner.
I still ride a 2017 VFR 1200 Crosstourer X DCT. Will never give it away!
searching… waiting… someday!!!!
which is not the motorcycle which is reviewed here not nearly even related to it.
I only rode a friend's VFR750J a little bit - it was definitely the most exciting motorcycle I'd ever ridden at that time. Handled like it was on rails, and the engine seemed to provide massive torque anywhere in the motor / box - what a monster.
Honda Motorcycles needs a visionary leader, similar to Akio Toyoda, with strong business acumen and a deep passion for the brand and innovation. Continue producing successful scooters and low-cc models, while also creating exceptional motorcycles that inspire and delight hardcore motorcycle enthusiasts.
It seems to me that all the Japanese factories have really dropped the ball lately, Yamaha is releasing to odd interesting bike, Suzuki seems to have just given up, they need to get their mojo back.
Start this story with the RC 166. Honda went to build cars after so much motorcycle winning. Riders like Freddie Spencer and Joey Dunlap crushed with the v 4s. Bought a 500cc '85 red white and blue bike and rode it for years. Flat out it could get into the 130s and could still handle two up. Bought the '87 VFR 700cc bike new in Candy Blue and rode that bike for many years with Corbin seat and many mods. The fit and finish on these bikes was immaculate compared to the other UJMs,. Those bikes had all kinds of grommets to tame vibration, the V bikes are so smooth. You should look into the ST 900 and ST100 and ST1300s. Great work, Thanks.
I am the proud owner of a 2010 VFR 1200f as one of my 4 Honda motorcycles. It is a showcase of Honda technology, having a 1,237cc V4 engine, shaft drive, fuel injection, the first bike with "fly by wire" technology, single sided swingarm, incredible 170HP. It is a little heavy, but the engine actually weighs less that the VFR800 and does not have or need a balance shaft. It gets around 37MPG. and must have premium fuel. The two inner cylinders are facing the rear so the engine is narrower where the riders legs are. It has unified front/rear braking easily handled by the front handbrake. I only wish it had a more upright seating position as my wrists get tired. The power delivery is far more frightening than my '94 V-Max was and may be the best kept secret from Honda
The VFR 1200F is a future classic.
@@dorstefanI totally agree.
All true except, I don't know if it was first, but my 2009 Aprilia Shiver or other models may have been the first fly by wire bike.
I have the Cycle World road test and those features are mentioned. Total rocket ship. 10.3 in the quarter. Perhaps still the quickest Honda ever. The testers as a whole liked it.
Cast another vote for the untested 2010-12, 1200F. I have had the pleasure of putting many miles on the Tri. ST 995 and Honda VFR 800. The RC51, the sporty Aprillas and Ducatis sounded wonderful, but unavailable. I am now in love with my 1200F daily ride. The Unique, safe, sporty steed ride is wonderful, and the very powerful motor, & slick trans, clutch, etc are all above the competition for a sport-touring. Yes, a bit for tight corners. Yes a bit short on touring features. But when I wanna fly, it is extremely powerful in every gear! V-4 Fever...
I bought a VFR800Fi couple of months ago. It´s the 1999 50year anniversary edition first owner. He put 107kkm on the odo and kept every record and receipt over the 25 years he owned it. Original second key never used. I purchased it to use it as a daily commuter and occasional weekend tourer. That thing runs like a swiss watch and is absolutely rock solid in every rpm range. That was one of my best purchases over the years. I aim it to be the first bike my daughter (10 months old) will be riding on the backseat as soon as she is 12yo.
The original 1100cc V4 Sabre / Magna set was a lightening fast beautiful motorcycle. Love to have a Sabre now.
Handling wasn't good on the Sabre
I swapped in the lower 700s bars onto my V65Sabre, and lowered the forks 20mm (had to modify the air preload plumbing). For such a big bike with skinny tires, it handled quite well. Narrow engine allowed crazy lean angles.
I have 2x v65 1984. Vf1100s and vf1100c .
Lightning fast? By what standard of today. Virtually every 1000 cc plus modern ADV bike would out perform those relics today in handling and straight line performance.😂
it was a sleeper
I've had the VF1000F VFR 750 800 and the 1200.
All amazing machines.
I now have the SP1 twin which is on another level and I'm never going to sell her.
I bought a used -87 VFR 750 F in 1990. I still have it and it is a wonderful bike!
All I have done in terms of service is oil and filter service, new spark plugs and valve adjustment twice. New tyres a few more times of course. Reapairs? not much really, new fork seals + oil, new exhaust silencers and new friction plates and at the same time an overhaul of the carburetors. The bike runs exactly as good today as it did when I got it 34 years ago....
The engine sound is awesome and it is so smooth with good torque and a roar from 5500 rpm and up that puts a big smile on your face!
I think they will have to bury me with this bike.
I have bought a 1999 5th gen about a month ago in pristine condition and I couldn’t be happier. It’s such an upgrade compared to my GSX 600f. The GSX made me feel somewhat uncomfortable riding the highways but the VRF is like riding on rails and very confidence inspiring. The 24 Bhp extra is very noticeable. 🙂
Lore has it that Honda lost money on every VFR750 they sold: given how Honda over-compensated for the troubles the VF750 had, you can see it.
I remember that story, its just that tho, a story, no truth at all in it.
I'd sure like to have my '83 VF750F back today. Glad to see the author mention the soft cams which my dealer replacement botched under warranty; but Honda came through when I told them and replaced them again properly myself.
"Flat slide", not "flat side" carbs. Named due to them employing a flat, sliding throttle rather than a butterfly that's used in CVs. The idea is that the slide moves up, out of the way as it lets air in, meaning that there's nothing in the way of the airflow at WOT.
People regurgitate information without any understanding or thinking about any actual meaning. Results in gibberish being touted as factual information and people none the wiser lap it up
@@jimstartup2729I find that so much with bike channels on RUclips, its mainly young guys talking about topics with little knowledge or research, I mean "The VFR was literally the RFV (i presume he means the RVF750) race bike with headlights and licence plate" the RVF was a TT-F1 & Endurance prototype race bike, the VFR 750 had almost nothing in common with it, the VFR was a roadbike through and through, not a "race bike with lights".
I had a VFR-750 G from 92 until 98, when I traded it in for a VTR-1000. I added Maxton forks, Pro-something shock, a LEDAR jet kit, a Micron pipe, and full Rothmans paint, and it took me round Wales, France, Holland...and the Isle of Man.
But you didn't mention the bike I had before that - the exquisite but rare VF500! That had none of the reliability issues of the 750, but got rather overshadowed by them, and various UJMs not least the CBR 600. It was lovely though. My Dad then bought one as well, and sold it earlier this year, at the age of 86...
I’ve owned four Interceptors (VFRs): ‘86 500, ‘95 750, ‘06 800, and ‘14 800. Sadly, creeping age and arthritis made the last one unrideble. As have said others here, the gear-driven cams were a treat to the ears.
They never made a VFR500. The 500 was a VF500. One of my all time favorite bikes.
@@rapid13 One of the best bikes ever made, period! I had one. It was so balanced; had great handling, torquey smooth engine, great riding position, could just do anything. Long rides, no problem, sprinting down the twisties, done, giving you that confidence while riding, covered. Imho, they should have just bumped it up to 600cc and they would have had a worthy competitor for the ninja and fxr of the period. I know it would have been cost prohibitive, but, I'm just saying. ;)
@@rapid13 there was also different types of 400 V4‘s blasting around in Europe.
Try adding collagen to oatmeal every morning, giving up smoking, drinking, and caffeine. Worked for my kinked up joints and slipped disc and stress cracked bones.
@@rotorbob88 I had a 85 red/black/white VF500, always hoped they would bring out a 600 version, when the 86 NC21 VFR400 came out i really thought they would, but alas we got the CBR600 instead. The VF500 did quite well in production racing against the 550s and hordes of RZ350s here in NZ, mainly due to handling, as they were a bit down on power, and struggled on the faster tracks.
ALso, I LOVED the shape of the early VFR750s with their sharp angular looks, but of the later models, my favourite was the VFR750F RC36-2 (the red one that had looks that were similar (to a degree) of the famous and rare NR750) 👌 😎🇬🇧
I rode my first Honda 750 4 in 1976. What an incredible bike for the time. Such a classic.
Hello! I really enjoyed this video. Thank you!
Some years ago I rode a friend's sixth-generation VFR800 (V-tec) for a two hour road trip and absolutely fell in love with it; I've wanted one ever since. I finally purchased one late last summer (2023), a 2005 edition, and I love it even more; I have absolutely no complaints.
I don't know what all the griping is about re V-tec activation; when I reach the activation zone the transition is smooth as you please. It feels like a big gust of tail-wind when riding a ten-speed bike but starting from highway speeds. I guess they fixed whatever problems it might have had when this model first came out.
I ride it almost every day for errands ans such, and I've taken it on a few 300-500 km road trips over the summer. The Thing has been pure Joy throughout whether in urban environments or on expressways.
Hard to believe it's a twenty-year-old motorcycle.
Cheers!
Vtec has never had a failure with the mechanism itself. Only issues they every have are the actuation solenoids leaking oil. It also doesn't add valves, it changes the lift on all the valves that are on the equipped camshaft.
I don't know about later Vtec VFRs, but the first one did add valves. At low revs they ran on only two valves, at high revs they engaged the other two valves, running on all four valves.
On the "Car engines", yeah... but on the VFR bike, I'm pretty sure it did "add valves".
edit: I see someone commented already... oops.. but yeah, that's right. It opened one intake and one exhaust valve until 7k rpm and then all 4 would "come alive"
@joonya4427 then that's not actual vtec
@billymanilli then it's not actually vtec
@@dipstiksubaru3246 Maybe not. But if I remember correctly, they called it Vtec.
Rode early 750 VFR's coming from large capacity Kawasaki's and loved them , I saw Joey Dunblop racing an RC30 at the Island and was a fan for life. Nice video.
Why do you keep calling the racer "Mike" Doohan? I know his full first name is Michael, but no one called him Mike. He was always called "Mick". This is something like the third video I've watched in the last week where I've heard you make that mistake.
Mike "The Bike" Doohan!
@@long-jeep
I think "Mike the Bike" was Mike Hailwood.
My second bike was a 1986 VFR750F (all white with the blue seat) and the bike that caused me to fall in love with motorcycling. I had it for several years, put a lot of trouble free miles on it but eventually got transferred and sold it, much to my regret. Fast forward to this year when I found a used 2006 VFR800 Interceptor for $3,500 which was in great shape. Although it has V-tech it is not very intrusive and I've learned to work around it. Anyway, while it doesn't have the same sound or soul of the 1986 version it is still great fun and I plan to keep it long term. It's a great bike. Thanks for a great video.
VFR was not the first Honda with ABS, nor was it the first bike with VTEC. It was the first motorcycle with DCT, though Honda had that on ATV’s a couple years earlier.
I had a VF-500, and it was Great! As I remember, I put about 35,000 trouble-free miles on it before I had to sell because I couldn't ride anymore.
Fortunately, I'm able to have two friends with two Honda VFR's and all 4 are still with us and in pretty good shape after 40yrs... thanks for not giving up Honda 😊
I love your videos your research & presentation spot on, please make a video about the CBR1100XX The Super Blackbird,
It's an incredible bike& worthy of attention ‼️
That sports tourer was one classy/ beautifully styled bike!
I used to commute to work in Oxford, England, on a Honda CB250. Then in the mid nineties I had the opportunity to buy a partly disassembled VFR750FK. The British version with a clock and adjustable screen. Having got it back on the road I realised what a truly awesome machine it was. Smooth, powerful, sweet handling and with some crazy horses at higher revs!! The best thing for me was it's stability at high speed. I clipped an unexpected pot hole in a very fast bend once and, before I could react, the bike shimmied then smoothed out and tracked perfectly around the corner. Amazing!! It's a shame that I had to let the bike go. The reason? Going to work at three figure speeds more than fifty percent of the time is not a particularly safe thing to do...
I just put 200 miles on my VFR 800 today, such an awesome bike. I can't get enough of how that engine sounds. I had a Sabre V65 a few years before I got the VFR and it made me fall in love with the V4.
I think it was 1985/6 when a UK motorcycle magazine did a feature to test the 'New' engine and to determine how much better it was than the outgoing VF750F, so they thrashed a standard, road legal VFR750F around MIRA (?) in the UK, for a full 24Hrs period
It was ridden flat out (160mph) with the throttle pinned to the stop at 11,000rpm, on the banked track ALL THE TIME, only coming in for fuel, rider and tyre changes
It NEVER missed a beat !
In 1985 that was ground-breaking . . . . . and still is today
Great Motor !
That Magna engine was FANTASTIC !... not to mention the Interceptor version which was amazing !
Always great hearing from Honda enthusiasts. I started 1964, on what else; C102 (50). Had many model over the years. Two 90's and two 100's still in collection. 😊
Good video, but you didn't really mention the 700 Saber I used to have, or the ST1300 I currently ride. The ST's are great sporty touring bikes!
Time stamp 13:33 is the old Carter Honda on Grandville Island, Vancouver BC. Loved that shop and the people that worked there.
That's a great idea, bringing back the 750/800.
There's been some images online of what a new 800 could look like, styled on the RC30, it's fantastic. A version with high end suspension, brakes and tuning, would sure to be a huge success, do it Honda!
I'm a VFR owner, thanks for the great vid..
I bought a brand new VFR700 in '87, i was a senior in high school. It was blue and silver, it was beautiful, stable, powerful, comfortable and reliable. I added slip on supertraps and lost about 15lbs, with the gear driven cam's I would go out in the morning start it up and stand behind it and listen, it sounded like a drag car, just pissed off! LOL! I loved that bike and it got me in a lot of trouble with the cops for sure. I'm always looking to buy another one and if I find one in great shape I will definently buy it again! Some of the best motorcycling experiences I've ever had were on that bike!
The reason Honda changed and went away from the VFR line was Soichiro Honda passed away and his son took over the company. His son is more about profits than about quality and brand respect. Honda lost it's single best engine design and has lost customers from it. If the VFR returns as has been hinted at, Honda would probably retake that title of single greatest manufacturer of motorcycles again. One can only hope for such a thing to happen.
Any company that doesn't make a suitable profit will eventually fail. It is always big talkers with empty pockets suggesting what such companies should do debased on their own fantasies. V4 engines cost more to produce and for street usage have zero net benefit as compared to inline 4 for 99% of all consumers and what they are willing to pay.
The RC46 (before V-tec) was the pinnacle of Honda’s VF platform. Like you said, it had all the good 90’s tech like fuel injection and combined braking system paired with things like the bulletproof gear driven cams. I went away from sportbikes for my own and other’s safety but i still aim to own one some day. Maybe when i got a little older and wiser.
If Honda bring out a new V4 (litre~ish size) Sports-Tourer, I for one would seriously consider buying it just on the spec.
No. You wouldn't. Honda DID EXACTLY THAT ten years ago. Remember the 1200 VFR? Nobody bought them. Including you.
I have had the 1980's honda interceptor, the 2000 VFR 800 and now the VFR1200F. By far, the 1200 is the best bike I have ever ridden. Unlimited power, smooth, amazing handling, and decent fuel economy when you are touring (about 350km on a tank). If you see one, buy it, you will love it!
These big VFR’s sat in showrooms for ages. I remember them being $2k or more off and still not selling. Then covid hit and raised all the prices. They will come back down I hope.
@@ericalger5003might have sold more of them if they weren't so fkn ugly.
@@jonm7272 And slow and heavy.
My first bike was a 500cc V4. A great bike which turned into my first race bike.
I had an NC30, those gear driven cams made it unburstable. I removed the speed limiter, just a small piece of alloy in the speedometer, and it was a 140mph rocket. With sticky tyres and no weight it handled like nothing else. I have never forgotten it.
Rode an ‘86 VFR700 in the UK for about a year. It got me speeding tickets. The faster you rode it the better the bike felt. To me, coming from an H1 Kawasaki, it was magical. RD400 to a tweaked H1 500 2-stroke, the VFR at 90mph felt at home going very very fast. The throttle was addicting and I had to sell the bike due to lack of self discipline. I never went back to that type of motorcycle. The bike had more capability than I had skill or discipline. I ride sportsters now but have fond memories of being young, stupid and riding a great bike.
Owned a 83' vf750c (Magna V45) and the engine is interesting and unbelievably smooth. Its sowing machine smooth while making a very unique engine sound. I didnt have any problems with cams but the carbs, more specifically how difficult it was to take out and put back in when it came to cleaning it made me sell it.
Although I was/am a Kawasaki fan, and, although I only got to once ride a VFR750s, I DID once own a VF750F, and for its time, I LOVED it... that throaty rumble of the V4, the torquey pull, it was a LOVELY motor! 😏👍 😎🇬🇧
I am a septuagenarian, double TKR with infection survivor. KAWASAKI Vulcan 650 is my bike. My Vulcan is built in Thailand. Did you know that also BMW, DUCATI, Harley-Davidson and Triumph also manufacture motorcycles here in sunny, tropical Thailand. Johnny Bike-SanooK! Residence Khlong Nam Lai village 380 km from Bangkok
I prefer my 87 GPX750R to my 86 VFR750F, its faster, quicker handling, I like my VFR, but the GPX is a more exiting bike to ride.
@@uhtred7860 Ohhhhh the GPX750R.... A friend of mine (Steve) got one of those (as a change to his KLR650).... Had many a bike swaps, and yeah.... FULLY AGRRE with you fella.... A HIGHLY UNDERRATED bike the GPX! 👍
Great job! 👍
The 3rd gen VFR.... Still makes me jaw drop after all these years... Such a timeless, gorgeous bike especially red and white combo.... I do wish I bought one, but back in the early 90s I was always on Kawaski Ninjas.... Wow the 90s Hondas.... RC, NR, CBRs.... Really great bikes from the giant.
I have a 5th generation VFR800 and it's in pristine condition, made quite a few upgrades, the sound of that gear driven cam, that 4 into 1 flame spitting delkevic full exhaust turns heads where ever I go, will never sell that thing.
That v4 is almost indestructible.
Had a 750 and a 400 - the VFR 400 is an overlooked jewel, so light and with amazing power delivery. The 750 was the better tourer, but as a town bike the 400 was just so damned good. That cam whine!
Still have my '98 VFR I bought off of the showroom floor. 100,000+ miles and still runs/looks like the day I brought it home. Now if I could just source some ape hangers for it to relieve a bit of the pressure on my wrists - they don't bend quite like they used to.
I love my Honda 89 VFR750. ❤
I bought it from a friend over 20 years ago and it’s been nothing but faultless. Like other people’s comments…it’s the Swiss watch of motorcycles.
Love the engine noise it makes when you back off the throttle & going down a hill and the engine braking makes a rumbling noise like V8 Supercars.
I don’t think I could ride anything else. Thanks for the video. 👍🏼
Yep, still have my 2000 VFR800iY, and although I don't ride it regularly anymore it still gives me a bit of thrill just walking past it in the shed.
Had the Vfr800, absolutely loved everything about it.
That V4 vibrated like no other, I had one, my hands tingled every time I rode it.
For a few years i raced an 85 500 interceptor...many got to hear that sweet v4 exhaust note through a pretty free flowing kerker exhaust at tracks including Daytona and it was often at the front of the pack 😊
Great video! I’ve owned a 99’ VFR for for 20 years. I love this bike! It doesn’t have have R1 power, but has plenty of power for me!
Great video. I own a vintage metric motorcycle shop. I can tell you how many v45's and v65's I have worked on where the owner had no clue that the engine was only funning on 2 cylinders. The front carbs plug up sooner and the front 2 cylinders stop firing but they still run well on 2!! At this time I ha e 10 of them in the shop. I sure do alot of them!
One customer brought in an interceptor with 500 miles on it. Yeah, I had to add it to my collection.
I owned a 98 VFR800 and what a bike it was! It sounded incredible. I dreamt of Honda brining out a modern sports orientated VFR 1000 that stayed true to the pedigree for years. Sadly it never happened.
For a video about the Honda V4. There was very little discussion of the Magna and what an impact it had in the early 80s. It pretty much started the genre of "power cruiser". There was also no mention of how Yamaha stepped up to create the legendary V-Max V4 that absolutely crushed that same genre.
I bought the VF750f when it was first introduced. For about a year it was clearly the best production motorcycle in its class with the best handling and most power. As for reliability, mine was stone reliable because Honda took quick action fixing the camshaft pitting problem via a factory recall. From a customer POV, the fix worked great because it was combined with an oil change service. Yes my bike probably would have failed without Honda’s quick action; the dealer showed me there were a few small pits on my original camshafts.
I was a mechanic at a Swedish dealership - one of the best in Sweden at the time - who sold Yamaha Kawasaki and Suzuki - from 80 - 84 when I left Sweden. There was a Honda shop down the road that we were always making fun of as all they seemed to do was replace cam chains and tensioners. Being only a young lad then (and in awe of the Japanese) I had a slightly over confident view of the bikes we worked on as there were very few chronic failures from a mechanics point of view, apart from the early Yamaha RD 125's when we had a whole store room full of pistons because they all blew holes, and the Yam TX 750 with the failed lube system where you got a spare engine with each bike. When we did have a Honda trade in the cam chains always needed replacing so I did quite a few and what I noticed was that compared to the other marque's all the (different designs!) tensioner did was constantly PUSH - there was no give in the reverse direction - as there was in all others to avoid over tension - and even in the singles where you had a lock bolt there was too much friction in the tensioner so you had to force it to move with a screwdriver or you did in fact not tension it but thought you did - so these wore out prematurely too. The only conclusion I could come to was that they were either incompetent at designing tensioners or they did it on purpose - which was unthinkable in those days. I did eventually even do the chains (double trouble) on a VF750 in my own workshop in NZ 25 odd years ago after another shop's failed attempt - and frankly I'm not surprised as there is double everything crammed into a narrow tunnel and the little nips were really inventive in the amount of things you could get wrong if you were a novice Honda sufferer. Being cured of this affliction I got it right, and for the fist time rode one of these bikes - and it was a revelation! - to quote Vivian Stanshaw - now I knew why that Honda shop was in business in spite of it all..that low down center of gravity making rails in the road and the extremely compliant engine doing whatever you wanted without complaint! I loved it and so did the customer who came back many times but took my advice and sold it before the chains needed doing again. So its the tensioners that are at fault not the cams as is stated a few times here and in the comments - as Honda's are no more prone to cam wear than any others; and were I now not well into my pension I would be looking out for a VFR 750 as that gear driven cam must have been what saved Honda and I want one!
I rode a pearl white 1987 VFR700F2 (13:50) and think it was the epitome of what motorcycles could ever be. The styling was PERFECT, with its 16" front wheel and 18" rear, classy paint with subtle graphics, gorgeous exhaust note and engine rumble (with cool gear-driven cam whine), and a ride-all-day seating position. I rode it from LA to SLC in one continuous 12-hour stretch. It was truly a masterpiece. I think VFR800 might have improved on the 700 in some ways, but I never rode one.
I have an 86 750 in those colours, the 88-89 (the U.S never imported those ones) version was even better as it looked almost the same, but had better suspension and a 17 inch front.
The first VFR 800 with VTEC was the best road bike I ever rode - and I rode A LOT of the contemporary bikes.
I didn't even see the thumnail, I just knew this video was about their V4 and it makes me immensely sad.
Owned a 2006 VFR800 and it was the best engine I've ever had.