If Honda has angered some of its loyal customers with a relative lack of new product in recent years, that might be about to change with this interesting, upright adventure/sport model that will be unveiled in production form at the Milan show. Expected to displace approximately 800 cc, the new bike should have the ergonomics of an adventure machine, i.e., completely upright with wide bars and a comfortable footpeg position, together with 17 inch wheels and street rubber. Our readers hung up on whether this is an “adventure” bike, or not, should note that Honda is not really calling this an adventure bike, but a street machine with the upright ergos of an adventure bike. Here is a brief quote from Honda regarding the new machine.
“This mid-range machine is an exciting new approach – a crossover machine that represents the best aspects of two separate biking genres. It will have the flexibility and exciting attitude of a Naked performance machine, with the more comfortable upright riding position and design cues inspired by adventure bikes.
“With the low center of gravity of a performance bike it is great fun to ride, and because of its wide handlebars and upright riding position it is both easy to maneuver and comfortable.”
Looks sharp! Great idea!
I wonder what so many people who sound like they don’t like motorcycles are doing on a mtorcycle website.
…and they call this a CROSSDRESSER ????
We got the bike dead and buried and all we got so far is a sketch. At least Honda dosen’t always play safe like Harley.
Dear Honda:
Please lure away a designer from MV and pay him big buck to design a great looking bike that you can be proud of. Just a thought.
Here’s a thought – leave the 1200cc engine, untouched, in a comfortable street-bike platform. The B-King almost hit the mark, but those ridiculous side panels would have necessitated surgery for anyone with a long inseam (like me :-). Happy Halloween!
I’m curious to see what the wet weight will be on this. Honda lists the last 800 Interceptor at 540 lbs., full of fuel and juices, ready to ride. If this new bike hasn’t gained more than 10 lbs., or so, I would be really interested. Although, that Ninja 1000 is calling to me as well.
Maybe Honda just needs to take their bean counters out of the board room, put them back in their little accountiung cubicles where they belong, fire the design manager and put a marketing guy or engineer in charge of motorcycle operations.
The company that many of us used to respect changed several years ago after the old man passed away. They seem, sadly, to have lost their way. Their efforts are just not resonating with U.S. consumers like they used to and like we’d like them to.
Kawasaki, on the other hand, seems to have gotten tuned in.
Hope it looks better in person. Looks too much like the DN-01 in this drawing. And I agree with S Calwel, leave the v-tec off.
Honda has the engineering talent and in house product input (if they listen) to hit a home run this time. This sounds like the answer to what a lot of us are looking for. All day comfort ergos, enough suspension travel for rough but paved roads, an engine derived from the superb VFR 800 (the early one not the later variable cam version) AND low weight, low c/g priority.
Most of the riders I know would love to have a bike with Honda engineering and all the above attributes. It fits the way we use our bikes. I had a 1998 VFR 800 that was great in many respects. Sweet gradual mid range hit, small block Chevy sound, good handling, Honda build quality and a joy to look at. Now the not so good stuff. Even Heli Bars would not cure the 2 hours and it’s not fun anymore folded up feeling. The suspension was too limited for some of the rougher roads.
I’m optimistic, first Triumph (Trophy 800) and now Honda are offering new bikes that sound like they are aimed at my target.
KC, I can’t relax, I’m nursing a full bladder for the ride home. The temperature has just dropped like a rock in these parts.
‘Sounds like you’ll have to pee on your bike again.
I like it! Call it whatever you want this is exactly the style of bike I like.
If market research is real, then how come every manufacturer end up with different results for the same questions? It must be the target audience! Some manufacturers interview the most probable users of their products while other manufacturers try to tell people what they need! Or… maybe it’s all crap and people just build what they want regardless of the outcome!
Because every firm asks every research firm to ask different target markets different questions. Honda knows who their loyalists are for both cars and bikes, and they tune their product lineup accordingly. Motorcycles must resonate with a buyer’s sense of self and emotional imprint. Triumph, targets testosterone-laced hooligans. Harley sells a “beer drinkers and hell raisers” attitude, and Honda…well…a flawless grey pantsuit and very sensible shoes, miss.
Did you ever brush the snow off your Norton commando, get your hands wet with gas as you tickle those beloved bing carbs, then climb aboard to find top dead center on the left cylinder? For you metro sexuals, that’s done by easing down on the kick start. One hefty kick and it backfires, skinning the shim on your right calf. A repeat performance ends with the kick starter hitting the stop and you know what just happened!
You run into the garage to scramble for tools. You know exactly what you need and hurry to drain the gearbox onto the road as you loosen the gearbox cover bolts. Pull the guts out of the gearbox to find the kickstarter pawl (cheap piece of British crap) has broken and gouged the teeth on second gear. You pull a new component (pawl) out of the pocket of your waxed Bellstaff and smile as you run into the garden shed to find a file to fix second gear. A little dressing up and you re-assemble the gearbox and check for kickstarter engagement just about the time it starts snowing hard. It’s your lucky day. You are going to get to work on time! Replenish the hypoid lube and repeat start procedure.
Bike starts but won’t idle, so you throw your tools over the garden hedge and re-adjust the news paper you have stuffed down your jacket for extra insulation. Open face helmet directs frozen air stream right into your right ear as you ease on the throttle and momentarily let go of the bars to lower your favorite world war one flying goggles.
Three miles down the road, the bike shudders to a lifeless death as you swear and curse life with every last ounce of strength. You inspect the salt covered engine to find out that the carbs are frozen solid. The only tool you have is a full bladder so you unload it evenly over the carbs as passers by look and quicken their pace in the snow. Now, zip up and repeat the start process. Vroooom, keep her revving while sweet heat builds and creeps it’s way up the intake manifolds. Pee smells about cooked so it’s time to ride! It’s my lucky day!
OK, so not all of us started our biking days this way, but some did. No car for a backup and a true dedication to the machine and the lifestyle. Take one more look at the new Honda! It is designed for poofters! END OF STORY.
Yeah, and you also walked backwards, uphill, 10 miles through the snow to go to school, etc., etc. We are all, I’m sure, suitably impressed by your (embarrassingly-) huge ego. Relax.
A lifeless death? Is there any other kind of death?
Ah yes, the good old days.Not.
Nortons did not have Bings…
I welcome any new “Adventure” style bike – which has come to mean “Street bike motor and weight, with slightly longer travel suspension components”, but I would prefer to see some activity in the 250-400cc “multi” class. If manufacturers want to continue with their propensity towards more fairing coverage (plasic!), they should at least consider using low density polyethylene, instead of the fragile street bike stuff (ABS).
Because every firm asks every research firm to ask different target markets different questions. Honda knows who their loyalists are for both cars and bikes, and they tune their product lineup accordingly. Motorcycles must resonate with a buyer’s sense of self and emotional imprint. Triumph, targets testosterone-laced hooligans. Harley sells a “beer drinkers and hell raisers” attitude, and Honda…well…a flawless grey pantsuit and very sensible shoes, miss.
sorry..looks like I posted this under the wrong one…eds..help!
So is everything from honda going to look like the hideous VFR 1200?
Oh yay! I hope it has an automatic transmission!
Looks fine, but the designer spent too much time on the plastic body and to less on refining the look of the machanical parts.
Honda already has a 1000 cc V-TWIN Adventure bike – it’s called the Varadero. available in Canada and Europe, but not the US. look at the Honda of Canada website. why not import that one? Duh!
To all the people crying about Honda not bringing some models to the US. Did you ever stop to consider that the US dollar and economy is in the toilet at the moment especialy compared to the Euro and it would simply make a lot of European bikes like the awsome CB1000R far to expensive to retail in the US.
It appears that Honduhh lacks an understanding of the meaning of “Adventure”!
The whiners remind me of some of the engineers where I work. If you present an idea to these particular engineers, they instantly scoff and start coming up with “nonsensical” reasons why it wouldn’t work, before even understanding the concept or giving it any consideration at all. There is a lot of complaining going on for being a sketch/concept drawing without much detail. The sketch looks kinda cool, and the upright ergonomics sound comfy. The look reminds me of a bike that Bruce Wayne might want to order in black and add some accessories to for brawling around alleys.
The comfortable up-right riding position is what’s important here. Who says adventure touring has to include a lot of heavy-duty off-roading? Any kind of touring not strictly on the interstate, and not on a big H-D or Goldwing dresser, is an adventure/sport-touring ride IMO, if it’s comfortable.
It appears that all of the factories are chasing the V-Strom.
Or shall I say BMW GS. Way to go Honda ! You are a few years late ?
Ok, for all of you Fox News educated geniuses, we’ll read this again, slowly:
“Honda is not really calling this an adventure bike, but a street machine with the upright ergos of an adventure bike.
Now, do you understand that it is NOT an adventure bike and Honda is not calling it that?
Everyone is so quick to judge. Just a few points to make:
– Adventure is NOT just off road, and 99% of ALL adventure riders never even see gravel.
– I live in Canada; and when it comes down to pricing Honda is on par with all real competitors, but they don’t drop their MSRP by $2000 dollars the first day it hits the showroom floor. That’s also why Honda product don’t depreciate as rapidly as other brands. Stop being so cheap.
– This bike is just a sketch, but I’m sure the finished product will look good and most likely will sell. If the yuppie wanna be rider is buying motorbikes, then sell to them.
Thats why Honda’s profits are rising, they are acquiring new riders while all you whiners are just complaining that your perfect bike hasn’t been made yet.
– If you don’t like it… buy something else!
This is Honda’s version of the Multistrada, one of the best selling bikes Ducati has ever made.
Lynchenstein said it perfectly. The sensible, non-psychotic, non-axe-murderer way to look at this bike is as the successor to the VFR800. Based on what we know, it will likely be significantly improved in several ways.
I grow very tired and weary of all the people who prefer true off-road bikes and who go ballistic anytime that anything comes along that seems to offer a modicum of off-road capability, but that stops short of full off-road capability and makes no pretense of full off-road capability (notwithstanding the marketing department’s understandable decision to leverage the word “adventure”…).
Why is it that some people react so strongly to this sort of thing? It causes me to be afraid of them. It causes me to be concerned that if I were to buy a bike that these people have identified as a poseur, that they might do harm to the bike if they see it parked somewhere. Or worse yet, they might confront me. I imagine myself parking the bike in some lot somewhere, perhaps entering a Walmart, and while getting off the bike and removing my helmet, a mud-covered pickup pulls up alongside me. In the back of the pickup are a couple of small dirt bikes, which is unmistakable because they are covered in dried mud, and you can see the kick starters. Suddenly these two big guys in muddy overalls jump out of the cab and come running up to me and start screaming at me. They probably have rotten teeth, and remind me of the nightmare that I had after watching “Deliverance” back in the seventies.
One of them starts yelling, “That ain’t no real dirt bike, you sissy metrosexual faggot-boy. Watch what happens to all that plastic when I knock it to the ground.”
As he moves toward my bike, I try to get in the middle, and I try to explain, “But wait, it isn’t supposed to be an off-road bike. I mean, nothing like the bikes that you haul around in the back of your truck. Sure, if you knock it over, the plastic will break, but I’ve had it for several years now and so far it hasn’t fallen over, so please don’t knock it over. Please. And by the way, I’m not a faggot-boy. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But people who are that way shouldn’t be referred to or spoken to in that way.”
He puts his hand on my chest and pushes me to the side as he gets closer to my bike. He speaks, “Well, maybe I shouldn’t have called you a faggot-boy, but this is still a sissy bike, for faggots. Don’t ride it unless you want people like me to call you a faggot.”
“I really don’t care what people like you call me or think about me. In fact, of all the things that I care about, ranked in order from things that I care a lot about to things that I do not care about at all, your opinion of me and my choice of bike would be very close to the bottom of the list. But what I don’t quite understand is why bikes of this sort, that offer a modest amount of off-pavement capability but that are still predominantly street bikes, light up your fuse in the manner that they do. I just don’t get it.”
“It’s because they ain’t real off-road bikes, like the two bikes that you see here in the back of this truck. This is a real man’s truck, by the way. If I were to add up all the miles that I’ve put on this truck hauling these bikes around, it would probably be in the tens of thousands of miles. Just to haul these bikes around.”
“Do you mind if I stand on the bumper of your truck so that I can get a better look at your bikes?”
“Be my guest.”
“Hmmm. I see that the mileage on one bike is a little over 2,000 miles, and the mileage on the other bike is a little less than that. But these bikes are several years old. All it all it would seem that you put about ten times as many miles on the truck, hauling the bikes around, than you put on the bikes.”
“Maybe. But these are true off-road bikes, and you can’t ride them on the street, at least not legally. If you want to ride a true off-road bike, you have to have a truck to haul them around.”
“Okay, but that just isn’t something that would interest me. It’s fine for you, since that is obviously what you like. But for me, I like to be able to ride the bike rather than drive around in the truck. You can see from the odometer on my bike that I put more miles on it in a single year than you put on your bikes in over five years.”
“Hmmm. I hadn’t actually thought of it that way. So, rather than ride around in the truck, hauling the bikes, you actually ride the bikes to the wherever it is that you want to go. Okay, but when you get there, you still can’t ride it in the dirt.”
“Yes, that’s true. I still can’t ride it in the dirt. I mean, not the real dirt. But if there is a decent gravel road, or even a decent dirt road, I can handle that, but not even that comes up that often.”
“Okay, but I still don’t get why your bike has all that plastic on it.”
“Neither do I. I’ve never really understood that. But I think that with bikes of this sort, the manufacturers put the plastic on it because it actually saves weight, and probably cost, as compared to routing all the hoses and wiring in the way that they would have to in order to make it look good without the plastic.”
“But what if I knock it over?”
“Please don’t knock it over.”
“Got any money on you?”
“All I have is my lunch money.”
“Okay, give me your lunch money, and just be glad that I didn’t kick your scrawny ass.”
“Okay, here’s my lunch money.”
I gave him the change in my pocket and a few one-dollar bills from my wallet, then got back on my not-really-adventure bike and rode away to defend my bike another day.
While Honda may be misdirected in making this street-only “adventure” bike, who wouldn’t like to see me doing long smokey burnouts and wheelies for miles on this thing? Yeah. That’s what I thought.
ABQ says:
October 27, 2010 at 11:11 am
“A VFR800 for us geezers that can’t bend over.”
and at this, the conversation could have been done.
But what would all the Honda bashers do for the rest of their lives?
There’s always H-D and Metric Cruisers…and there’s more than plenty to get us by…until Honda comes out with some other ridiculous idea as the DN-01,Rune,etc.
There…next question ? Anyone? lol (^_^ )
Adventure bike?? Wouldn’t want to drop this one!! Couldn’t afford to fix the plastics.
What plastic? How did you figure out, from looking at that design sketch, just how much plastic it has? And how did you figure out how much it will cost to replace the plastic? And why is it that a bike that is not intended to be ridden off road cannot be the source of true adventure?
Will all you dumb Democrats go back and read the article again, “adventure duh”.
It’s a “Faux” adventure bike, as in “Faux” News.
If you’re going to pick a political party I should think it’s the other one represented here with all the negatism.
apparently, a picture is worth a thousand words….
People! Chill out! It’s only a sketch. So much vile hate and disdain. For those that feel Honda has lost its way and can’t seem to build bikes that anyone wants just let me point out that their bike sales are up by 30% in Europe which has pulled out of the global recession more quickly than the US. Someone likes what they’re doing!
But yes, it’s a sketch and you’ll just need to wait. As has been pointed out, very few owners of “Trailies”, adventure bikes, do any true off road riding. Who’s the real poser here?
I think if you guys are discontented so much with Honda just turn around and go buy that other bike or two you keep threatening to buy unless Honda gets their act together..What are you waiting for? Why would you want to hang around a Honda discussion anyway? Go get something else and be happy. Life’s too short.
Nicely put MGNorge. We are fortunate to have Motorcycle Daily and one can hope for even more daily news on our favorite subject. But honestly, all the negativity from commenters is getting more than boring.
You fail to mention that Europe gets such tasty bits as the CB1300 and such, while we get cruizers and Bold New Graphics on the two sportbikes they give us. And then IF they bring in something that looks tasy, it is usually overpriced and has fewer features compared to the competition. 919 was case in point. Great bike, but would have been better if it had either been priced competitively, or had better suspension or some other reason to justify the pricing, other than it is a Honda. I am not just bashing Honda for the hell of it. I have had many bikes over the past 10 years (more actually) and I still have my Bird and my son rides a 929. In fact I started riding on an old Superhawk, the 305 version. So I don’t like what Honda is doing, and have what I believe is a good reason to be disappointed, I had not planned on looking elsewhere for my next bike.
I actually did already – I sold the GL1800 and ST1300 and bought an F800GS as well as a R1200GSA. They more than adequately replace the previous bikes and actually are more entertaining to ride.
For the European aspect. Ever compared what is (and has been) available in Europe to what is sold in the US? Where is the Varadero? How long did it take to get the Dullville over (NT700V)? Where is the Transalp?
As to your point on Adventure bikes being poser bikes. How many RR’s are driven on the race track. I guess those people riding them on the street only are posers as well. I guess we all should turn to cruisers now as that is what Honda (and the other Japanese manufacturers as well as Harley) think the motorcycle market is all about – at least that way we won’t be posers – no track bike and no off-road capabilities are even deemed to show.
Honda is certainly grabbing a some attention with their announcements this week but I’m still waiting (and waiting…….) on their new CB1100f for the US – oh where, or where.
I don’t really have any opinion of the bike itself based on such little info, but I do find it hilarious that Honda is acting as though they have created some new category of motorcycle (see Multistrada, Versys, Tiger 1050, etc.).
Im glad to see honda is finally designing new streetbikes – 1200, 800 & 250. But, I hate the styling and would never buy one. I loved the old ST1300 and a redesign that good looks without the saddlebags would have been a home run.
I don’t know. I think there will always be a compromise made betwin looking good with out bags and then with them on.
Even the FJR, C14 and R1200RT seem odd to me at times w/o the bags hanging.
It would take some good design to come out even.JMO.
The ST1300 is an EYE SORE w/o bags(just my shallow opinion).
Yeah, i thought too that the SuperTanker1300 had more life in it with some DIET and REFINEMENT but Honda didn’t.
They(HONDA) are trying(Kudos to them in the mean time).
Nothing to say yet until i see the end product. Not hanging my hopes high tho, lol. Is Honda we talking about here.
What im wondering about is WTH are the OTHER 6 not mentioned yet Models. Cruisers? OH GOD, PLEASE NO. LMAO.
At least three of them have already been announced. Sorry to tell you but they are cruisers. Let’s see, 2 are 750 Shadow variants and another is a touring VTX1300. The Fury trike, (Gran Fury?), will be along shortly, I’m sure. 😉
So much negative stuff going on here. Jeez people, relax – wait and see.
Honda may have lost its mojo but even so, would an upright VFR800 be all that bad? That’s what it sounds and looks like to me. It may be wearing more butch duds, but with those alloy wheels (likely in sportbike sizes) you must be seriously clouded to think the bike in the sketch is intended for off-road duty. Hell, take a look at the rear wheel – sure looks like a 2009 VFR rear doesn’t it?
Indeed, this is the correct way to look at this bike. It is an evolution of the VFR800, and a very smart evolution of a bike that was already one very nice, practical motorcycle. All this business of criticizing this bike because the name suggests some off-road capability that it might not have, is simply nuts. I get so tired of this same thing. Many people who prefer off-road bikes jump down the throats of anything that even suggests a slight amount of off-road capability. Off-road car people do the same thing, habitually venting misplaced anger at crossover vehicles that sort of look and sound like off-road vehicles but that don’t really have much of that mojo. It is as though these people believe that every vehicle should be either fully, seriously off-road capable or else should not make any pretense of such and should not even offer any amount of moderate off-pavement capability. Their attitude does not make a whit of sense, and only makes the come across as a bunch of raving nut jobs.
What a freaking joke. A soul-less, hyper-complex, over-engineered, “adventure bike” for metrosexuals who (if they ever actually ride the thing on dirt or gravel) will need plenty of extra money for new plastics and dealer only service intervals. I absolutely do not see the purpose of a bike like this unless you are pure poseur.
Wow. All this from a sketch?
What a freaking joke. Steve, even if you actually had the bike in your possession and your assessment of it was rooted in fact, your opinions would still be entirely subjective. If you do not see a purpose in it, that is fine for you, but other people may see a purpose in it, for lots of perfectly good reasons. If you look at it as an alternative to a full-blown, 700 lb touring bike, then surely the purpose is evident to anyone willing to open their eyes and look at what is right there in plain sight.
You know steve I have been riding for 40 years and you sound like a soul-less, hyper-complex metrosexual idiot. I like the idea of this bike and I can also tell you I am not a “pure poseur”. Your statement is a freakin joke!
I’m guessing thhat this “new” plastic shrouded machine will hose the old VFR’s motor. So it will be overpriced and underpowered compared to Triumph’s Tiger and numerous other competitors. Disappointing
Meh, fat chance. Why would they go back to a heavier,less HP,phisically bigger engine? Productions cost savings from “already paid tooling”? Maybe? Nahh…but lets see next week.
I’m seeing an awful lot of negativism for a bike that has yet appeared past the stage of the sketch. I can partly understand the frustration with Honda, for having denied us certain bikes in recent years while giving us the Rune and that thing that is a cross between scooter and a cruiser. But I think it is wrong to use this bike for venting the frustration, because it looks to me like Honda is about to do just what a lot of people have been wanting them to do for many years.
I think the notion “adventure tourer”, as it applies to this bike, is simply a way to indicate it as a touring bike, but one that has more in common with the recent genre of “adventure tourer” than with a conventional touring bike.
I think it is probably better to think of this bike as the more practical sibling to the VFR1200. The overall design of the engine seems very smart, and it will be nice to see it available in this more practical size. And the ergonomics will almost certainly be vastly more comfortable and practical than the ergonomics of the VFR1200. And it will be less massive. Even if it weighs more than we think it should, which it probably will, it will still weigh considerably less than the VFR1200 and less than the lightest of the current batch of uber-tourers, which seem optimized for the task of finding out if it is possible to cross the western half of the USA in one day.
The sketch shows a convex dish shape for the rear wheel, indicating that it will be a single-sided swing-arm, and indicating in turn that it will most like have the same shaft drive design as the VFR1200. This shaft drive design seems very, very smart, achieving the dynamic behavior of chain drive while not adding nearly as much weight as the double-articulated, parallelogram design of BMW, that Kawasaki copied.
Thus, it seems to me that this will likely be a machine destined for lots of accolades and awards, and more importantly, a machine that finally gives us what many of us have been begging for, for many years. A practical, fully modern motorcycle, with comfortable, upright ergonomics, sensibility in engine size (the only way to avoid the oven effect), and a smartly designed shaft drive.
I could end up being completely wrong. It could end up weighing way more than it should, and the engine could turn out to be de-tuned to the point that the performance will be boring. It could end up costing much more than it should. But it will certainly cost a lot less than the Ducati Multistrada, although it won’t be nearly as fast and possibly not even as light. But it will be a better value, and it will likely offer as much power and performance as most people really find usable for a touring bike or daily rider, and it will have a very good, low-maintenance shaft drive, which the Multistrada does not have.
So I say stop with all the negativism. Wait and see. This could easily turn out to be one of the most desirable all-around, practical motorcycles that has hit the shores of the USA in decades. And no matter what, all this negativism serves to justify Honda’s refusal to bring those practical bikes to our shores over the years. If is finally the compensation for the rune and for that thing that seems part cruiser and part scooter (which no doubt was inspired by the regular skit on the ill-fated Conan late night show, “if they made it”).
i like it, looks like it might be way over 500 pounds though. I rode a new multi and the fueling was so bad under 5k, i bet this thing will be perfect in that respect.
KTM beat them to the punch with the 990 SMT
Wow a dual sport PCH model Yuck…
a lot of plastic to be considered adventure tourer. I’d say more supermoto tourer. I hope the reality turns out better than the sketch for Honda. Shades of Pacific Coast and Rune.
Seems a bit de ja vu doesn’t it? inviting many of the same responses as last week’s 2010 Honda NT700V: MD Ride Review. Honda may here feel they’re addressing some of that machines issues, but will they achieve a genuinely better and just as important MORE SATISFYING motorcycle I somehow doubt it (I wonder what this one will weigh in at..?).
Ian
Any chance this bike will be overweight and overpriced? Just a guess..
Buahahahaha…good one.
Honda has absolutely missed the mark yet again. This looks like another plastic bike that was designed and built completely void of soul! Since the proud purchase of my CBR1100XX that I still enjoy riding, I have purchased three BMW’s and a Ducati. Non of them perfect by any means, but all possess something Honda can’t create any more!
Did Honda fire all the biker Engineers? Did Honda get too mixed up with saving the planet! Did Honda get taken over by poofters? Is Honda trying to lead the future? Honda, you have absolutely driven off thousands upon thousands of potential customers by relentlessly showing us your displays of technology no one wants or needs. Biking takes commitment, discomfort, risk and an element of social rejection.
You are not going to convert the elements of society that are dedicated Honda Accord drivers to jump on a plastic covered machine with no soul and discover the untapped world of motorcycles. Build something like a KTM, Ducati, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Norton or Triumph for God’s sake. Work on retaining the customers that made you rich in the first place. You have the skill and imagination… Now get a grip and stop listening to the bean counters.
“…and an element of social rejection”.
So THAT’S my problem!
Well put Paul! I wonder if Honda realizes that they are losing sales to other companies that build bikes that are faster, lighter, more interesting, better looking and cheaper to purchase? Honda doesn’t seem to care much for the opinions of the people that actually ride and buy their motorcycles. This latest creation looks to be in the same category as the DN-01 and Rune….so different that nobody wants them.
Paul nails it. I owned Honda motorcycles exclusively for YEARS. I was one of their biggest fans. I had Honda street bikes, Honda dirt bikes, Honda apparel and “Ride Red” decals on my truck. I was a fan of their race teams. But over the last decade they abandoned the engineering and passion that they once had. It seems lawyers and accountants are now in charge at Honda. They lost a good and loyal customer. I currently have 5 bikes…all Aprilia and Husqvarna. Good luck with this on Honda.
Honda needs to wake up! And yes I am one of those DL 1000 riders duel sport, maybe in a pinch, but that Honda is not even close !
On a side note: Suzuki should get up from the same bed as Honda as both seem to be sleeping togheter.
Suzuki:That V-STROM is been around FOREVER NOW. Don’t care how good and functional, UPDATE the danm thing already.
Somewhat agree , but until some one comes up with a better bike for the same price I’ll stick with the Strom !Lets see were the new Tiger goes ( bang for the buck )
Indeed, better known than to be known bike.
I haven’t found anything I’d trade my ’02 Strom for. An update would have to make it a WHOLE LOT better before I’d pop for a “new, improved” version.
DITTO
Glad to see the 800 motor. Please can we get an updated VFR 800 that looks better than the 1200 and has a real gas tank? Otherwise I will be getting the Ninja 1000 which looks to be about perfect for me (ABS please). I will be replacing my current VFR750F and Ninja with one of the above.
Start saving your $ for that Ninja cause most probably all u’ll see coming your way from Honda along those lines is the VFR1200T “Shamu’s FATTER Cousin”.
I see a lot of comments about this bike being an adventure bike or not. But don’t forget that Honda Varadero was a huge success here in Europe and back then a lot of people where against it because it wasn’t a true offroad. And truth be said, a lot of people that buy GSA’s and S10’s never take them off road so they might go for a more road-oriented bike. If this bike has decent weather protection, reasonable price and good mileage from the 800cc engine, a few FJR/STX/GTR potential buyers might go for it instead.
But really its too soon let’s wait for next week!
“With the low center of gravity ….. wide handlebars and upright riding position…”
Could it be a Magna with a fairing?
No, please, NO…Magna brings a picture to my head of a C00L Power Cruiser/Sandard( along the lines of these: Vmax,MT01,VROD Muscle,etc)…do NOT associate that name with the above sketch.
If something should be called Magna is that Beast known as “EVO 6”.
Honda is in a fog. They will not listen to peoples wants and believe they know better than we, the customer does. After owning many, many Hondas, I will start looking elsewhere for my next ride after my beloved Blackbird. If they continue with overpriced, unwanted, horrifically ugly, poorly suspended bikes, they may not be making bikes that much longer. Fit and finish will only get you so far if no one wants your product
I will wait until they unveil the production model before I pass judgemnet. Everyone knows that production bikes are usually far from what the sketches or even prototypes look like. I like the idea, though. I wish Honda would come out with updated version of the old PC800.
The actual bike would have to be far off the mark compared to the sketch to even PRETEND to be in the real adventure category.
Perhaps that is indeed what we will find upon the unveiling at Milan. Honda might be setting us up for a big surprise with something that will make GS/KTM/KLR riders notice that Big Red still actually make motorcycles.
Anyone else care to speculate? (I guess that’s why we are all here anyway, right?)
A VFR800 for us geezers that can’t bend over.
This is more like a F800S/F800ST competitor than an ‘adventure’ bike. It is yet another sign that Honda has lost its mind to marketing people that know motorcycles by name only and have zero understanding of what customers actually buy or are looking for.
I rather buy the BMW, Tiger or a Yamaha. Those are adventure bikes – not this one. Even a VStrom is better suited for adventure – and that is saying something.
It appears that Honda is simply looking for a way to keep using the parts/tooling/assembly line for the VFR 800 powertrain. This thing smacks of some influential bean counter’s lunch meeting with a couple of desperate marketing dudes.
Double yawn. It is a street bike, sorry. I would prefer a VFR800 Touring Version.
The only thing I see keeping this from being a touring version is the lack of luggage. I’ll bet some is forthcoming, though, and then this should be a great, upright sport tourer. Honda did not call this an adventure bike. It’s styling is inspired by adventure bikes but all of Honda’s press releases regarding this model were very clear that it is a road going bike with adventure styling – think TDM. I, for one, will reserve judgement until I actually SEE one but I have little faith that it will be priced competitively. One need only look at the NT700V pricing for a hint at where this one might end up.
Yes, ground breaking…..3 years ago. It was called a HyperMotard
Try 19 years ago… the Trans Deutschland Motoradsport, or TDM for you laymen. 😛
Adventure bike? Are they joking? I agree Ziggy, on your list of real Adventure bikes. I think you can also throw in the new Yamaha 1200, and the newer Tiger 800 too.
Maybe it’s an adventure bike in the sense it’s what Pee Wee Herman is going to ride in Pee Wee’s New Big Adventure ? All that’s really missing are the streamers and the rest of the nerd farkles .
It looks like a modern Bimota Mantra one of my all time faverite bikes to ride. larry
Yawn. And they still won’t bring it to the US.
I propose that US-based motorcycle media outlets no longer bother to cover anything Honda does.
PS:
*…snore…*
That’s not an adventure bike. It’s a sport tourer with triangular helmet v. wheelbase geometry and a extra inch or two of travel.
Can we just make a rule here at MD that we won’t call anything an “adventure bike” unless it has real, long-distance on-and-off-road capability?
Some bikes that should fit would be: KLR, KTM ADV, Honda Transalp, various GSs with knobbies, etc.
I know there are folks who swear by their ‘stroms, and some nut even rode an R1 around the world, but if we’re going to throw everything in this category it becomes meaningless.
Agreed. The marketing yahoos have begun to twist and convolute the Adventure theme/genre to the point that it is becoming unrecognizable…as witnessed by the image above.
A truely capable adventure bike is bit like….pornography. I may not be able to clearly define it, but I know it when I see it.
But will they bring it to the USA? My bet is No.