Well here it is, The VTEC VFR800 '02 Road Test you've been
waiting for.
Having been ask for my opinion of the VFR800 VTEC so often through my web site, I decided I could put it off no longer. At the risk of "puppy" syndrome (Take me home please, I love you) I contacted Frettons of Leamington and arranged an afternoon on their Demo bike. With 1000 miles on the clocks I decided there was little point giving it any kid gloves, I was gonna ride it like I owned it. I planned a route that would take all afternoon, and headed south from Warwick to Swindon, Wilts, in search of the house I grew up in, where my little sister was born (my earliest childhood memory). So you see it wasn’t just a glance into the future on the VTEC, it was a trip down memory lane too. I wanted to ride roads I didn’t know, heading for an unfamiliar destination rather than just thrash up and down the local lanes. Why? I was supposed to be test riding a new machine and evaluating every inch? Simple, to assess it’s "real world" performance rather your typical "It pulls wheelies and is the best bike ever" magazine type review. I wanted to ride the bike and let it talk to me rather than sit straining to absorb every nuance.
The A429 south of Warwick is a lovely road cluttered with villages stitched together by twisting, flowing stretches.
The VTEC first impressions.
Straight away I asked "Where’s the Speedo gone?" Being digital in place of the previous analogue version is a definite step backward in the manner of the Maestro "Talking Dash". We could do it so we did "Jurassic Park" syndrome.! Bad move, I never knew what speed I was doing without taking a lingering look, as opposed to the peripheral glance required by the analogue version. You need to focus and interpret the figures, allowing time for your brain to comprehend the number before sending the signal to the grey matter. Typical reaction was "Shit, 114mph, I had it down as 85ish !!" I much prefer the traditional analogue speedo because I know what speed I’m doing within 5mph, always, by familiarity with it’s layout, with no interpretation nor comprehension required, not to mention taking yours eye off the road ahead ! 1-0 to the old VFR800. At tickover I was convinced that the choke was still out, and after scanning the bike for signs of a choke lever I suddenly remembered the brochure I’d previously read at the NEC bike show eleven months. It had been superseded by electronics, replaced by an automatic system that used ignition timing rather than enrichment to encourage cold starting. Strangely it didn’t get any smoother when hot, which I put down to the two-valve operation below 7,200rpm. Sure enough even after three hard hours on the road it felt just as lumpy. 2-0 to the old VFR800, things weren’t looking good.
One hour into the trip it was apparent how comfortable the riding position was, the seat is a big improvement over the old model, and the mirrors have lost the rubber shroud that looks really tatty within a short period. Oh my god, the VTEC has Equalised! 2-2.
The engine is the major draw for most people to upgrade to the 2002 VTEC VFR800, and I must admit to being intrigued with the initial details as they leaked out of the factory during development. I had my name on the order books even before the first spy pictures were released to the press. That was the day I pulled my money out, it looked awful! That nose, those tail pipes up the chuff, it was my worst nightmare! 3-2 the old bike leads again. Then it was revealed that the new bike had, wait for it, am I reading this right? Chain driven Camshafts Oh my dear god, it’s not a VFR in my book, it should be called a VF800. The previous model is streaking ahead. Honda’s explanation of "Quieter operation" backed up by "narrower engine package" stank of "Cheaper to Produce" and I was distraught, how could Honda do this? After all these years building a loyal following for the steadfast reliable VFR that has inspired a world wide following, they’ve turned their back on it’s very trademark! 4-2 to the gear driven cams.
Having seen a VTEC on the Dyno for the first time, I was really hoping for a "power-valve" type curve having read all the claims of boosted torque and unleashed top end performance, but the results were a real shock. 5-2 to the old model.
The power is down on my '99 model, the torque was down too.
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There was a big dip in the torque curve at 6,500 that slowly recovers to the expected curve a further 500rpm after the four valve change over at 7,200. The chasm is incredible, I’d have sent it back for investigation but for my knowledge of homologation legislation and Honda’s enthusiasm for being leaps ahead of the rule makers. They’ve strangled the motor, hanging onto two-valve mode even after the point where all drive-by noise and emission tests are conducted and then let the motor have it’s full quota of valve surface at 7,200rpm.
It recovers quite well but never matches my 18,000 mile pre-catalyst version, and by some margin too. Most of which I put down to the cats and underseat exhaust layout which are certainly never considered a performance enhancement. They never were a good idea, only suiting the posers and fashion conscious biker, oh and of course the throw over pannier brigade. Honda have designed their own dedicated hard luggage for this model making full use of the room made available by the lack of side pipes to produce some cavernous boxes.
So what did this blip in the curve feel like on the open road? In a word, Terrible! The performance is totally disappointing, in two-valve mode it feels worse than riding a VFR400 and when the eagerly awaited change over to four-valve mode occurs there’s an awful series of rattles, a change of induction note from a hum to a roar, followed by only a slight improvement in forward thrust. The midrange is so absent that I was forced to revert to riding it like a 400. When ready to over take, it’s always down two and wide open, getting busy on the gear change is not something I’ve done on the road for many years. It took me right back to my 1988 CBR600 days, which can be great fun but is quickly annoying, tiring and just not what you’d expect from a VFR let alone an 800 cc machine! So the score’s 6-2 and I think It’s a lost cause. Even if I brought on all the team VTEC subs and blindfolded the ref. I don’t think the VTEC is going win this head-to-head match. In desperation I did a back to back performance test. Top gear roll-on is an industry standard used to assess real world performance. Ignore the dyno, what does the stop watch tell you about the bike? Picking a straight section of clear dual carriageway, I notched the old bike up into top on part throttle, waited for it to reach 6,000rpm, an indicated 90mph. Crack it wide open and just watched the second hand, giving cursory glances to the road ahead. 6, 7, 8secs and we are at 9,000 rpm, an indicated 120mph. Time and time again it proved pretty useful. Now for the new bike, initially it took so long that I was running out of road, so I had to find a longer straight. Eventually a longer, flat, straight dual carriageway was located and the test resumed. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Oh Come on you have to be kidding, 13 secs it took to make 9,000rpm and 120mph so I knew they were at least geared equally. Hopeless, that’s over 50% worse! I was amazed, upset, annoyed, I tried over and over again giving the bike every chance to pick up it’s socks, but to no avail, 13 secs was a repeatable outcome. I was appalled, totally bowled over. Had the mighty HRC boffins taken a leave of absence while the apprentices came up with the latest model? I mean, jees, fella’s, you want to unleash this machine and expect the masses to trade in and trade "up" you’d better hope they don’t book a test ride first! In fact as I returned to the shop the shop crew were waiting with baited breath. As I walked in the shop they knew my wallet was staying firmly in my pocket and had a strange question for me. What was the highest top speed I’d seen? "Just a shade over 140mph" I replied, "why?" "Well" said the sales rep, "one of our customers wants to bring his new VTEC back because it’s too slow, he thinks there might be something wrong with it!" I had to smile. "Give him my number and I’ll test ride his bike and let you know how it compares to the demo bike." was my admittedly smug reply. I retired outside to take some "generations" photos.
I must admit that the styling had slowly won me over, the old bike looked just that, standing next to this Science fiction character my 1999 VFR800 looked out of date, too reserved.
Like parking a
Lincoln Continental next to a Ford Anglia. The chassis was nicely set up, in a
nominal position straight out of the factory, a confidence inspiring compromise
that allows as much tarmac exploration as the OE Bridgestone 020’s would
allow. I’ll have to take next years VFR800 VTEC out for a ride, when they
update the engine calibration and replaced the ABS after consulting a company
that better understands the requirements of a motorcyclist. That’s the first
time I’ve ever criticised a Honda’s brakes, but I’m sorry the brakes were
by far the worst I’ve ever experienced.
Like a 20 year old
machine, no feel, no reaction, and full four finger operation to get any decent
deceleration. The rear brake, by contrast, is a real ground anchor. The balance
is totally wrong, set up for your typical car driver who might consider taking
his bike out on a sunny day with the lads or wife in tow and rarely use the
front brake for fear of locking it up in a panic situation. The rear brake is
"Premier League" while the "Pub Team" front brake follows up
to settle the bike without actually contributing much. Completely back to front
for me, still, I ride every day of my life and hate cars with a vengeance. Shame
I’ve work in the automotive industry for the past 20 years, if only I could
find a two wheel pre-occupation that covered the mortgage payments, hmmm.
In conclusion, I’d had a nice day out riding some beautiful lanes in amazing countryside; the Cotswolds never fail to impress. I’d found and photographed the first house I remember living in, it jogged a few memories seeing our street totally unchanged 30 years later. I sent both my sisters the pics over the Internet and they enjoyed them for different personal reasons, so the day wasn’t totally wasted. Plus I’ve saved the £5,000 it would cost me to allegedly "upgrade" to the VTEC. My VFR looks lonely in the garage at night so I think I’ll buy a second bike with the money I’ve "saved". I just wonder if the wife would swallow that?
I can’t
leave it there can I, so awarding a single point for the VTEC styling that
admittedly grew on me, the final score is not so much a white wash as a sound
thrashing. 6-3 to the ‘99 model, thank god it didn’t have to go into extra
time, I couldn’t wait to get off. Just goes to show you can’t believe
everything you read in a bike mag.
