What the ? Honda VFR1200

[Cougar377]

Shows you how much I pay attention.....

I've just realised that Honda binned the VFR1200 from their range a couple of years ago. OK, the engine lives on in the Crossdresser, but it now looks like if you're after a big tourer from Honda then it's either that, the VFR800 or the Wing. No hyper sports tourer to speak of....

Pretty sad really when you consider some of the legendary bikes Honda have given us in years past.

 

[Malone]

As someone who owned firstly a Blackbird as a super sports tourer, and then graduated to a Hayabusa when the only upgrade for my carby was to go FI. I then stayed with Busas and then alongside sometimes a couple of ZZR1400 gen2. All of these, 7 in total, were all doing what the Bird originally did extremely well i.e. fast European touring. OK as an aside I did then also sprint, drag race and top speed race my Busas with a great deal of success.

What did Honda do in their wisdom when they decided not to do proper updates to the Blackbird, like better brakes, suspension, engine capacity etc.? They dropped it and brought out the VfR1200 and all its complications. It’s as if they said “sod the customers, we want different, because we can build different” when what I wanted was an updated 1300 Bird that handled and stopped well.

 

[Jaws]

It’s as if they said “sod the customers, we want different, because we can build different” when what I wanted was an updated 1300 Bird that handled and stopped well.

That is precisely what they said.
Way way back at a meeting with Honda big(ish ) wigs, myself, another Bird aficionado, and two guys of similar standing in the VFR world was asked what we would like to see
Bird boys said bigger IN LINE lump, better luggage option, more up to date dash layout, and we would not object to a shafty though not ideal
VFR lads said they would like an engine upgrade but no bigger than 1000cc, and the rest more or less the same as us in the bird camp
Several months go by and another meeting called at which the VF1200R was revealed
They had bothered to ak what was wanted and paid for us to attend a swank hotel, and then completely ignored everything that had been said
I asked the question.. so is this supposed to be the upgrade Blackbird owners have been waiting so eagerly for ?

The answer ( and this is pretty much a direct quote )
No, we are aiming at a new and different audience The Blackbird present Blackbird owners will go with the new direction

( in other words, we have already had YOUR money, so you do not matter as we will have all new customers )

I was as the NEC the year the VF1200 came out..on trade day
Back then I was a known face still.. Bill Davis ( ?? I was never sure the chaps name and proly completely wrong !) From Kawsaki called me over...
"Do me a favour John, give this not to the guys on the Honda stand"
Okkkk . but I wat to know what it says first !!
"Sure, have a read"

Canna remember the exact wording but basically it said

Thank you for dropping the CBR1100 and bringing out the VF12. You have done more for Kawasaki sales than any amount of advertising could ever do

And in my opinion that note was 100% spot on

 

[Malone]

I went on an organised trip to Brno for the MotoGP and then onwards to Romania. I was Busa mounted. One of the guys on the trip was on his brand spanking VFR12. After we left Calais he was found to be missing. Once found it appeared that his recently 1st serviced bike had seized. It was recovered to a local Honda dealer and as it was buggered it was then repatriated to UK, end of trip for him as Honda could/would not let him have a courtesy bike - trip over! We found out later that the Honda dealer had put the incorrect oil in it.

When a Ducati Multistrada mounted rider aquaplaned and destroyed half the side of the bike, it was recovered to a local dealer in Czech or Hungary (I can’t remember which) they then robbed all the bits off a showroom new model to get him roadworth again. They pulled out all the stops to assist. He was able to continue the trip albeit a couple of days late, but then had to pull out as his injuries were starting to stiffen.

 

[andyBeaker]

I rather liked the inset badge on the side panel of the vfr1200.

 

[slim63]

I always liked the look of the vfr1200 but once I'd ridden one for about 60 miles I thought it was a horrible uncomfortable, heavy & fairly gutless POS when compared to the carbie bird I owned at the time, sure it went ok if you revved it but you had to if you wanted get anywhere quickly, handling seemed off as well & I couldn't wait to give it back

 

[Jaws]

I always liked the look of the vfr1200 but once I'd ridden one for about 60 miles I thought it was a horrible uncomfortable, heavy & fairly gutless POS when compared to the carbie bird I owned at the time, sure it went ok if you revved it but you had to if you wanted get anywhere quickly, handling seemed off as well & I couldn't wait to give it back

I would add soulless to that list Slim
It was like I was not part of the bike, but rather an inconvenient necessity.. Hard to explain in words but def not a riders bike, just an expensive mode of transport

 

[eddyace595]

I always thought that they look pretty good in the flesh..But thats just my opinion man...
Seems like Honda were trying to answer a question that nobody was asking ..

 

[Jaws]

I always thought that they look pretty good in the flesh..But thats just my opinion man...
Seems like Honda were trying to answer a question that nobody was asking ..

Honda employees hated it if one went on a test ride in other than perfect conditions.
I was told by more than one of them the only way to clean em properly after was to remove the panels as they could not access areas of the front end that although were clearly 'on display' were virtually inaccessible