New Honda 1200 V4 CrossTourer!!!

[RaY YreKa]

Originally Posted by Drunk_Uncle

I would be happy with a Veradero.

Really? 33-36mpg imperial..?

[Drunk_Uncle]

I had a 03 GL1800 for a year and a half. That is good mileage.

[bross]

Originally Posted by Drunk_Uncle

I had a 03 GL1800 for a year and a half. That is good mileage.

Really? I regularly get 50mpg (Imperial) with my CBF1000. Still don't understand why a modern bike can't get over 40mpg, even 50 or 60.

[swimmer]

Originally Posted by bross

Still don't understand why a modern bike can't get over 40mpg, even 50 or 60.

Because the manufactures think they need to make 120hp bikes in order to sell something because for some reason people think they need 120hp to get down the road.

[precarious]

Originally Posted by swimmer

Because the manufactures think they need to make 120hp bikes in order to sell something because for some reason people think they need 120hp to get down the road.

This was exactly my problem with the VFR 1200. I still think Honda could have had a winner if they just applied the new technology to a revised VRF 800 instead of inventing this flagship wonder cruiser that costs almost as much as a Wing. Most of the success of the VFR was because of its balance of versatility, price, and size/weight. VRF owners never wanted 160hp; they would have bought a CBR.

[Drunk_Uncle]

Originally Posted by bross

Really? I regularly get 50mpg (Imperial) with my CBF1000. Still don't understand why a modern bike can't get over 40mpg, even 50 or 60.

To be fair the Goldwing mileage improved a little from the 1500 to the 1800. The 1500 ran a single carb I think and the 1800 runs fuel injection. Mine averages about 32mpg and sometimes dipped into the 20's, but I ride the hell of whatever I own. Its a flat 6, so it will use a bit of fuel hauling 900lbs + rider(s) and luggage.

[precarious]

My friend usually got around 40mpg highway as long as he kept the speed under control on his GL1800.

[eakins]

i think Honda is suffering from a bi-polar disease.

on their car/mobility side they are striving to be the leader in gas mileage yet on the bike side are falling behind other mfg and don't seem to care or in the case of the new 700 twin motor don't seem to care about building a great package past the high-mpg motor.

[eakins]

Originally Posted by bross

Really? I regularly get 50mpg (Imperial) with my CBF1000. Still don't understand why a modern bike can't get over 40mpg, even 50 or 60.

bmw is achieving it but w/ very lean engines.
it's just a factor of continually building larger engines (& thus needing more fuel) to meet some kind of customer need? imo the multi-cycle 650-800cc class can provide all most anyone could possibly need and offer a better riding experience (less bloated weight) than just pure forward speed.

it's almost like the bike mfg are saying, well we're in the same range as cars these days and so that's good enough. instead of saying let's double what cars can do and attract more people to bikes that way.

[eakins]

Originally Posted by precarious

This was exactly my problem with the VFR 1200. I still think Honda could have had a winner if they just applied the new technology to a revised VRF 800 instead of inventing this flagship wonder cruiser that costs almost as much as a Wing. Most of the success of the VFR was because of its balance of versatility, price, and size/weight. VRF owners never wanted 160hp; they would have bought a CBR.

that and a shaft drive is why the bike is an epic fail.
it's not what the vfr is all about.

i think honda fails to understand the whole auto thing too. if they actually took the time and interviewed riders why they buy/move to autos/maxi-scooters, they find out alot are ex-motorcyclist who for various reasons (age, diminished strength, health issues, simplicity etc.) downsized to to machines they could handle. what they don't want is an even heavier monster bike like the crosstourer is. like the auto fjr, the auto xtourer is gonna be another epic fail.

honda really has a potential package in the 700 series auto-tranny version bike, but they need give the motor a little more umph even if it only gets 60mpg and put some better suspension. once again they came up short.

[JHa]

Originally Posted by ray_rev

Really? 33-36mpg imperial..?

More likely 50+mpg imperial or are you referring to MK I figures?
My year 2005 Varadero Mk II averaged around 53mpg during those 23700 miles I owned it.

[JHa]

Originally Posted by precarious

This was exactly my problem with the VFR 1200. I still think Honda could have had a winner if they just applied the new technology to a revised VRF 800 instead of inventing this flagship wonder cruiser that costs almost as much as a Wing. Most of the success of the VFR was because of its balance of versatility, price, and size/weight. VRF owners never wanted 160hp; they would have bought a CBR.

What a bullshit.
Maybe you should go back to school and learn to calculate.
GL1800 base MSRP is $23.800 and VFR1200 is somewhere under $16.000.

[markjenn]

Originally Posted by eakins

what they don't want is an even heavier monster bike like the crosstourer is. like the auto fjr, the auto xtourer is gonna be another epic fail.

I agree that Honda has their head up their ass on new products, but I don't think it is because they're going big when the US market wants small. The market consistently has been voting for bigger/heavier bikes in all classes of bikes. This is the reason Triumph is building a 1200cc triple adventure bike, why Ducati has upsized the Multistrada to a 1200cc, why BMW is rumored to be going with at least 1250cc on their new GS, why KTM is going to 1200cc on their Adventure. Small bikes continue to struggle to find a market in the US except in relatively small utilitarian markets like the Wee and KLR occupy.

- Mark

[RaY YreKa]

Originally Posted by markjenn

I agree that Honda has their head up their ass on new products, but I don't think it is because they're going big when the US market wants small. The market consistently has been voting for bigger/heavier bikes in all classes of bikes. This is the reason Triumph is building a 1200cc triple adventure bike, why Ducati has upsized the Multistrada to a 1200cc, why BMW is rumored to be going with at least 1250cc on their new GS, why KTM is going to 1200cc on their Adventure. Small bikes continue to struggle to find a market in the US except in relatively small utilitarian markets like the Wee and KLR occupy.

- Mark

While Honda slept, the euro manufacturers crept up and hit them with a hammer.

When Honda released the VFR1200 as a 'roads sports' bike, they were already 5 years behind the times, and at least 10 years since they could shape the market by power of engineering and brand loyalty.

Despite labelling bikes over 500cc as 'fun bikes' Honda persisted in engineering the fun right out of them.

Like I said, I hope the XTourer works, because Honda wanted the engine in a touring bike, not a big trailie.

[precarious]

Originally Posted by JHa

What a bullshit.
Maybe you should go back to school and learn to calculate.
GL1800 base MSRP is $23.800 and VFR1200 is somewhere under $16.000.

With dealer incentives on leftover models, Wing prices have been down in the high teens, jackass.

My mistake on the price comparison. Your mistake at being a belligerent prick.

Regardless, my point on price hurting the VFR is nevertheless valid.