Year 2002 VFR Interceptor Dyno Run

As a longtime fantatic of the VFR, I am completely disappointed. I owned a 93 VFR (arguably the finest looking motorcycle ever made, with the gorgeous pearl white paint), then a 98 VFR800. There was a very distinct path towards a more sporting bike with the 98 makeover with a feistier engine, better handling, etc., yet it had better wind protection! It was to me, the ultimate motorcycle. I kept with lots of more powerful machinery in the twisties, yet I could ride 600 miles days with no problem.



This new version seems to have traded some utilitarianism for sake of coolness, with the VTEC crap, radical front end and high mount exhaust. Honestly, I loved that the old VFR was a bit on the bland side as a looker. The fact that my riding skills could overcome the power differential between me and an R1 in the mountains was truly wonderful! The torque that allowed me to trounce an R6 in the quarter on my "sport tourer" was a work of art!



But now, making it look too sporty just makes it stand out, and the expectation that this is a superbike becomes unrealistic. I've been a devout V4 fan for as long as I've been riding. I've owned 6 bikes, all Hondas, and all V4s up to now. I switched to a VTR1000. Why? Because it stays true to its roots as a canyon carving machine with a stompin motor. It doesnt try to be anything that it's not. Its powerband is low and mean. It wheelies with ease. It doesn't have to be revved to the moon to get the power. And it is unusual in the land of inline sporty bikes. I've always loved and defended Hondas V4 design. I can no longer do that. No gear driven cams??? What's next, no single swingarm?? Come on Honda. You've had many years to boost the displacement of the VFR. All your competition is doing it, and you simply cannot substitute the displacement disadvantage you have with the Aprilia Futura, Triumph Sprint ST, etc., with a few techno gadgets, and raising the exhaust. Shame on you Honda... You missed the mark, and soiled the good name of the VFR.

So, the wins have nothing to do with the valve-train. OK. Geez, talk about an argument not worth pursuing. It's just one data point in the thing's mechanical make-up and there's no way to say which could be left out or changed and have the results still be achieved. You could put all of Ducati into a few Honda-sized rooms, so what they've managed is kinda cool given the difference in size and might. But hey I'm a race fan, not just a Ducati enthusiast. It would have been OK by me if Colin had kept the plate, long as the racing was close and fun to watch.



As for ultimate performance numbers bro, I stopped following that merry-go-round long ago. If that's all that mattered, we'd all be riding turbocharged Hayabusas and every hugely powerful motorcycle I came across would be able to leave me on a twisty bit. We're not and they usually can't.



In the end, I just know what feels good under me on the road and truth be told, I like all sorts of different scoots for all sorts of different reasons. So when you say "we're" suckered in by Desmo this or that, it's kind of insulting. It's not a matter of being suckered, it's a matter of enjoying the way Ducatis go about the business of being a motorcycle. Just like others enjoy the way their Honda twins or whatever do the same. We all prefer certain things over others for reasons too varied to fathom.



No need to believe that all Ducati enthusiasts are trend seekers and merit being painted with the same brush 'cause it's not as if we ALL just discovered the marque while shopping at Needless Markup. Hey it's a big world out there and it takes all sorts to keep it spinning. Admittedly, some of the new boutique-ish things they're doing gives me the willies, but I suppose its simple commerce. Do I want a Bostrom Replica? Hell no. It's hideous. An MHe? Nope. A Multistrada? ACCK! What the hell is Terblanche smoking?! Nah, I'd like to have a late model SPS or a more current R. In the meantime, a beloved old SS and an 888SP4 are enough to satisfy my Ducati jones. And FWIW, the garage also holds two Hondas, a BMW and a CCM. Also FWIW, if I had the spare change (and the extra shop space), I'd have a 954RR, a GSXR1000, A Mille R, an R1150GS, a V-Rod, a Husky NOX, an assortment of scooters, etc, etc.



It's all good to whoever chooses to own and ride it. Including this new VFR...



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