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There's no better way to review a sport tourer bike than to take it sport touring and that’s exactly what we did with Honda’s VFR1200F: a trip to Mpumalanga for a weekend savouring the twisties of the erstwhile Eastern Transvaal.
I collected the bike from the Honda Adventure Academy in Pretoria and was immediately struck by its almost sculpted appearance – the VFR is a work of art with its flowing lines and minimal decoration.
People generally fall in one of two camps about this bike: they love it or they hate it. Finding myself firmly in the first camp, I have little doubt that the VFR1200 is destined to become one of the classics of bike styling.
The heart underneath the big Honda’s smooth skin is its powerful but compact 1237cc V4 capable of transmitting 127kW (at 10 000rpm) and 129Nm (at 8750rpm) to the rear wheel through a slick six-speed transmission and a shaft drive that has a sliding constant velocity joint that takes up any variations in length during the rear wheel’s arc of travel.
Honda says more than 90% of the engine’s torque is available from 4000rpm.
V-motors are not known for their smoothness so Honda’s decision to forgo a balance shaft seemed perplexing but on the open road – in this case the decidedly unexciting stretch of highway between Pretoria and Middelburg – the VFR proved to be remarkably smooth.
This, says Honda, is due to a new phase-shift crankshaft which complements the advantages of the cylinder layout (the two rear cylinders are closer together than the front). Operating with a 28° throw, the crankshaft effectively reduces primary vibration and noise, eliminating the need for a balance shaft.
Although the VFR is pitched as being on the sporty side of the sport touring scale, weighing in at a fairly hefty 267kg curb mass it leans more towards the touring side of things. But Honda’s efforts around mass centralisation have paid off and on the move the bike’s weight seems to evaporate
It wasn’t long before I felt that I could slacken the reins and start test-riding the Honda in earnest. It was around this time that I realised where the bike’s true strength lay. The tight curves that define the mountain passes of eastern Mpumalanga had given way to long, fast, sweeps and the VFR was in its element – the combination of its weight and long wheelbase endows this bike with exceptional stability.
Between Hazyview and Sabie lies the well-known “22” – a sublime collection of curves that seems to have been designed in biker heaven.
Throwing the Honda at the unending variety of curves that make up this stretch of road, I became keenly aware of the bike’s weight.
Riding fast and cornering hard became a physically tiring exercise, only partially negated by the ease with which the broad seat allowed me to shift my own weight in compensation.
Its weight notwithstanding, the VFR handled the spirited riding quite well. This is partly due to Honda’s mass centralisation and partly to the bike’s competent suspension: a 43mm cartridge-type telescopic fork with stepless preload adjustment up front and a Pro-link rear suspension with remote-controlled hydraulic preload and stepless rebound damping adjustment.
In the stopping department, the VFR is as high-tech as they come: six-piston callipers for the front and two piston callipers for the rear grab large discs (320mm front and 276mm rear). Front and rear brakes are linked to give optimal braking balance, while the inclusion of anti-lock as standard equipment is equally welcome on the open road and in the twisties.
During the trip I covered nearly 1000 km on various types of road and, although the bike wasn’t perfect, it was more than up to my demands.
My biggest criticism was its surprisingly small fuel tank – at a mere 18.5 litres, it is woefully inadequate on a bike meant for high-speed, long-distance riding. On the upside, however, is the fact that it positively shines in its intended role: a kilometer-eater with a decidedly sporty character.
Although I feel the bike doesn’t quite live up to the hype that preceded its launch I am convinced that, like the VFR800, the VFR1200F will go down in history as one of the bikes that defined the sport touring category.
I collected the bike from the Honda Adventure Academy in Pretoria and was immediately struck by its almost sculpted appearance – the VFR is a work of art with its flowing lines and minimal decoration.
People generally fall in one of two camps about this bike: they love it or they hate it. Finding myself firmly in the first camp, I have little doubt that the VFR1200 is destined to become one of the classics of bike styling.
The heart underneath the big Honda’s smooth skin is its powerful but compact 1237cc V4 capable of transmitting 127kW (at 10 000rpm) and 129Nm (at 8750rpm) to the rear wheel through a slick six-speed transmission and a shaft drive that has a sliding constant velocity joint that takes up any variations in length during the rear wheel’s arc of travel.
Honda says more than 90% of the engine’s torque is available from 4000rpm.
LESS IS MORE: Subtle decals add to the clean design.
This, says Honda, is due to a new phase-shift crankshaft which complements the advantages of the cylinder layout (the two rear cylinders are closer together than the front). Operating with a 28° throw, the crankshaft effectively reduces primary vibration and noise, eliminating the need for a balance shaft.
Although the VFR is pitched as being on the sporty side of the sport touring scale, weighing in at a fairly hefty 267kg curb mass it leans more towards the touring side of things. But Honda’s efforts around mass centralisation have paid off and on the move the bike’s weight seems to evaporate
It wasn’t long before I felt that I could slacken the reins and start test-riding the Honda in earnest. It was around this time that I realised where the bike’s true strength lay. The tight curves that define the mountain passes of eastern Mpumalanga had given way to long, fast, sweeps and the VFR was in its element – the combination of its weight and long wheelbase endows this bike with exceptional stability.
Between Hazyview and Sabie lies the well-known “22” – a sublime collection of curves that seems to have been designed in biker heaven.
LET THERE BE LIGHT: Large indicators advertise your intentions in no uncertain terms.
Riding fast and cornering hard became a physically tiring exercise, only partially negated by the ease with which the broad seat allowed me to shift my own weight in compensation.
Its weight notwithstanding, the VFR handled the spirited riding quite well. This is partly due to Honda’s mass centralisation and partly to the bike’s competent suspension: a 43mm cartridge-type telescopic fork with stepless preload adjustment up front and a Pro-link rear suspension with remote-controlled hydraulic preload and stepless rebound damping adjustment.
In the stopping department, the VFR is as high-tech as they come: six-piston callipers for the front and two piston callipers for the rear grab large discs (320mm front and 276mm rear). Front and rear brakes are linked to give optimal braking balance, while the inclusion of anti-lock as standard equipment is equally welcome on the open road and in the twisties.
SHAFTED: The final drive didn’t escape the stylists’ attention...
My biggest criticism was its surprisingly small fuel tank – at a mere 18.5 litres, it is woefully inadequate on a bike meant for high-speed, long-distance riding. On the upside, however, is the fact that it positively shines in its intended role: a kilometer-eater with a decidedly sporty character.
Although I feel the bike doesn’t quite live up to the hype that preceded its launch I am convinced that, like the VFR800, the VFR1200F will go down in history as one of the bikes that defined the sport touring category.
