Honda VFR800 Fi Review 97–01
30th October 2014
My last bike was highly desirable; both to me and to the thieves who eventually took it, cutting short our fun together. During the last few months of our time together, my trusty K5 GSX-R1000 and I covered many thousand miles, commuting from Oxford to London through the wettest winter I can remember. All in all we covered around 10,000 miles in around eight months and the bike never missed a beat.
I found it a thing of beauty, but also a really useful tool, that highly tractable engine which inspired the BMW S1000RR, combined with a riding position which was excellent over distance, made for the perfect fast road weapon. There is nothing, repeat nothing that compares to riding a full-fat 1000cc sportsbike. I had the GSX-R’s suspension tweaked by Darren at MCT in Stowmarket (www.mctsuspension.com/home.htm), and it definitely handled better than I rode. Me and my bike toured Scandinavia, France, Wales, did a couple of track days at Brands Hatch GP and Cadwell and commuted Oxford to London. All in all I did around 30k miles, and our relationship was getting stronger and stronger.
I bought the K5 after I did read a road test for RiDE magazine up in Peterborough, riding the K7 GSX-R 1000 in the wet. Coming from my CBR600F, the Suzuki was a revelation. I was astonished at how communicative the forks were and how effortless it was to ride fast and with confidence. Hardly a whiff of throttle input was required to get it to shift; I knew then and there that I had to have one.
It was the complete package in my book, so I bought a nearly brand-spankers K5, which looked better (it’s a modern classic I would hazard) in its classic red white and blue paint scheme not bettered to date; Suzukis of old seem to be aping the design and coloration of the K5. Suzuki need to get the person who did the original K5 design, and get him to redesign the fleet of GSX-R’s with similar originality. At the moment, they look like poor imitations of an original masterpiece.
The design of the K5 is cock-on. The colour scheme too; not shell-suit fussy like some sports bikes, and not too grown up with single tone paint. It looks racy and classy at the same time. It looked the business then, and it still does now. If you haven’t owned a GSX-R 1000 — may I suggest you test right one. They may not be the fastest round a track, and they may not have traction control, but they are extremely capable road bikes. Like a man in love, I’m getting carried away. This is supposed to be a Honda review:
So after my beloved Suzuki was taken from me, I decided to buy a workhorse, something I could park without fear of returning to find it gone, something cheap and reliable and sporty *enough*. A Honda tick, A Sports tourer, tick. The Honda Blackbird? I test rode one at Chiswick Honda, and I remember spinning up the back wheel accelerating along the A316 in the wet — maybe the 1100 is a bit to much of a handful for commuting into town. It’s also a bit big. What about a Fireblade? I like the red velvet paint of 2008; another classic looking bike, but you would buy the C-ABS version now, given a choice.
No, it’s too expensive and too desirable. In the end, I settled on a VFR800F, pre V-tech (so I could adjust valves etc myself). I also prefer the ‘wise old owl’ styling to the futuristic Japanese manga-esqu V-TEC. After all, VFR stands for Very F***ing Reliable. I think it’s a direct translation from the Japanese.
The first fuel injected VFR was released around the time of the end of the 918cc FireBlade, and the styling department saw fit to add racy design touches to the VFR released at the same time. A substantial fairing, massive headlight (which is fantastic by the way) nice and neat integrated indicators. It is a handsome, if slightly too long bike (because of the length of the V-4 motor). But I happen to think it still looks the business today, especially with ‘executive luggage’ fitted. Purposeful and solid design which is timeless.
My bike had lived most of its life in London, so was a bit choked up, but over that last 10k miles, I’ve been gradually thrashing the bike back into a nice smooth engine (adjusting the valve clearances helped too). It was a bit scuffed up, a bit neglected, but service history receipts were substantial so off we went together into the sunset.
As you might expect, the feedback from the forks is not nearly as obvious as the GSX-R, but the softer suspension makes for more easy progress on the road. The forks are soft for a sports bike, but actually quite nice too when you’re just pootling along. You can take liberties with this bike and it won’t bite you, but you’ll be doing it on faith to start, with as the feedback from the softish forks is pretty low.
The V4 engine is a fantastic motor with usable smooth drive above 4,000 revs (somewhat lumpy below 2500). I would say it is reason enough to test ride one of these bikes. It is by no means as smooth as an in-line 4 low down, but nowhere near as lumpy as a v-twin. It combines the best attributes of both. So flexible is the motor that you can make excellent progress on the road without even trying, and when you thrash it, the engine feels awesome and far smoother than an inline 4.
Overtaking is best done in fourth, and the front wheel goes light rolling on the throttle in first. I would imagine a sudden twist of the wrist would easily bing the front up, if that’s your cup of tea. Because the engine has the effortless drive of a V-twin low down, it is easy to forget that you can rev the nuts off the engine (redline is at around 12,000) and end up going really fast.
Wise old Bird
What really surprises me is that a T-Reg bike can perform so well 15 years later. This bike will pull easily to 120mph. It is a true testament to Honda’s build quality. If you find one of these bikes with a careful owner who has pampered it, you will have in your hands a bike which will last.
The VFR800 feels cheeky, it feels willing to pull and pull, and that gloriously characterful V4 is such fun that you wonder why more manufacturers don’t make them (of course Yamaha’s successful cross plane crank motor is an in-line 4 copy of a V4, so in a way they are)
It feels more fun than usual to ride a bike like the VFR fast, because a 15 year old motorcycle shouldn’t be as good as this at dispatching roads. It is a more experienced, less shouty performance than a full on sportsbike, but nonetheless very capable. It’s not difficult to recognise that supersport bikes go fast; looking at a supremely fit supersport bike, you just know that she’ll be good fun.
By contrast, the VFR is a slightly older model, a bit softer, and a bit curvier and carrying a bit more weight, and she’s not as desirable as she once was, but still a looker. But with these lowered expectation comes the joy of discovering that she’s an absolute hoot (that’s enough owl analogies!), really playful and fun to ride. There’s no song and dance, just the quiet efficiency of many years’ experience. You know that you’re in capable hands.
As I was riding along earlier today, I felt completely assured in the bike and the tyres. It is unseasonably warm today at 17°, but the roads are a mixture of dry, damp, and tractor mud, yet I can’t think I’d be any faster on a sports bike than I was on the VFR with its Angel GT tyres.
The brakes are combined (linked) and still perform immensely well 15 years later. Bleeding the brakes was trying, the Pirelli Angel GT tyres are everything that is good about modern tyre technology; they are quick to warm up, good in the wet, and corner with confidence. Sport-touring motorcycle tyres have to be the tyre of choice for the UK rider who rides all-year round.
A Gentleman’s Conveyance
What I also love about the VFR is that I can fit a top box. To be able to fit 50-odd litre container to the back of the bike makes it so much more versatile. I can leave my helmet and gloves when shopping. I can go shopping in the first place. I can take a laptop or bag and write when I’m out and about.
I can go away for the weekend and know that my luggage is dry. I had a top box fitted to my CBR600F2 and I actually liked the way it looked. The same goes here with the VFR. It looks more purposeful with a top box fitted, not just a toy for weekend riding thrills, this bike is someone’s daily conveyance. It is like comparing a businessman with a small carry-on roller bag with the guy who has a rucksack.
After 50,000 miles, the rear shock was a squidgy mess, so to celebrate its half century, I sourced a Nitron Sport shock from eBay with a spring suited to my body weight. It feels much better and I can corner with much more confidence (a combination of more steering head angle, and better damping). The shock has only one damping adjustment nut, which changes both compression and rebound damping at the same time (a simple +/- clickwheel.
At the moment the shock damping is run pretty loose; but it needs to be to match the front forks which are soft to say the least. I’m saving up for a rebuild at the moment. I think I’ll try to give Maxton a go. They will re-spring and re-valve forks for around £400, which seems reasonable. They will need a fresh coat of paint while they’re at it, as they are well and truly corroded. A fork rebuild should help with confidence in the corners. It’s a shame they didn’t make the original Honda VFR suspension with adjustable damping in the forks, I reckon a well sorted VFR will keep up with most things on the road. I’ll keep you posted about that.
If you’re in the market for a VFR800, Don’t forget to check on eBay
There are some really nice low mileage examples, and lots of photos to look through before deciding whether to visit.
Honda VFR800 Fi Review
Originally published at www.shiny-side-up.net on October 30, 2014.
