It may not have defined the segment, but the VFR800 is *the* quintessential sport-touring motorcycle.
Got kinda porky the last couple of gens, but you can't beat it for a nice balance of sport and touring.
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Best sport touring bikes for long distance
- Thread starter shanekingsley
- Start date
It may not have defined the segment, but the VFR800 is *the* quintessential sport-touring motorcycle.
Got kinda porky the last couple of gens, but you can't beat it for a nice balance of sport and touring.
slowbird
Well-known member
Couldn't agree more.
LOL, your sig also agrees...
I rented a 5th gen a while ago when I was in Vancouver and did the Duffy Loop on one. Fell in love with it.
Then a friend let me ride his 6th gen. Geez, gained weight in all the wrong places, super top-heavy. And also this:
slowbird
Well-known member
LOL, your sig also agrees...
Shhhhh!!! ? Don't draw attention to it!
Then a friend let me ride his 6th gen. Geez, gained weight in all the wrong places, super top-heavy. And also this:
Hahaha! Amen to that. I had a 6th gen VFR800 with the VTEC Yo in it for about a month before I sold it for my current 5th gen. Wasn't a fan at all.
I personally prefer the previous 4th gen VFR. 750cc Gear Driven Cams. Smooth carburetors. No combined Linked Brakes and best of all....NACA ducts ?
Priller
Well-known member
Fair enough. I guess I just wonder what 'touring' means as a designation when only the Goldwing qualifies. I'd put any of the baggers in the cruiser box, which isn't really part of the spectrum I'm talking about.
It's an arbitrary line, but I struggle to think of anything weighing north of 600 pounds as having true 'sport' potential, and even bikes like the VFR1200 (which are incredible value on the used market) are a bit porky. Then again, I'd call the XR and Caponord sport-tourers in ADV clothing, so 'sport' means different things for everyone...
It's always puzzled me, as 'sport-touring' seemed to cover a great swathe of motorcycling, and 'touring' seemed to be a category of one. And even then, from what I've read, the latest Goldwing handles far better than it has any business doing based on the spec sheet...
The 2014/15 VFRs are very svelt and fun to ride. The VTEC things is not noticeable at all in the 8th gen bikes, except the exhaust note changes for the good. A friend of mine let me ride his for a day through the mountains of Quebec and it was a joy to ride. So smooth and less porky with the rad moved out front instead of the sides like the 6th gen bikes. And for and finish is typical Honda top notch. Too bad they only brought them here for 2 years and only in white or red.
slowbird
Well-known member
That's true. I heard the latest generation VFR800 has a better VTEC transition. If they were avilable in North America I'd go for the HRC colors.
I think a good test is to run all the bikes on a track with the same test rider. Earn the "sport" in "sport-touring" by lapping under a minimum time.
Make the cut-off time based on a bell curve of all lap-times, compared by model year, so you don't have to arbitrarily pick a number or race older bikes with newer ones.
WaterlooJay
Well-known member
Wish I still had this one in the garage. She was a fun ride
Priller
Well-known member
Tongue in cheek or no, I can't tell you how much I would love to see this done. It's exactly the sort of thing one of the Brit bike mags would have done in their '90s/early-'00s heyday. Manufacturer's could earn a "sport" designation they could market with, sort of like the Ride Recommended logo, too. Amazing...
I like the VFR's and rode one for about 40k a long time ago. I'm trying to stay away from fully faired bikes, because I have a tendency to scratch and break plastics in addition to the hassles of removing them for some types of maintenance. Also looking for something a bit more upright if possible.
I do agree that they are an excellent sport touring bike and have been throughout the various versions. The VFRD forum is also a great resource.
Ken of KMW has 200k on his. Great bike
can you swing it ??
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Had a 2003 in the same colour with Staintunes. Rode it to the east coast twice. Great bike.
It would certainly sort out all the manufacturers who use displacement/horsepower as a panacea or a distraction, especially in these times when emissions regulations are pushing up the weight of all motorcycles across the board.
The hard lesson to be learned is that more power doesn't necessarily mean a better/faster bike, especially if it comes at a penalty to weight and maneuverability, as the DL1000 proved compared to the Wee-Strom. Being able to turn a motorcycle still matters to *some* riders.
Very nice! A bit out of my budget I think, but the more I look at the S1000XR and the Africa Twin, they are growing on me.can you swing it ??
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I'm also hoping that as I save my money and buy this in a couple of months, used bike prices will be more reflective of late summer pricing than spring pricing.
One thing I don't want to do is buy a toy on credit. I like buying toys outright.
If you ever want a whirl on the XR just PM me. Previous gen isn’t quite the same but you can get a baseline feel for everything.
matt365
Well-known member
If memory serves, you had a mid 80's vf750r Interceptor. Skinny 16" front wheel, 18" rear. Sketchy front (you don't want to take your hands off the bars). Not exactly a comparison to a 4th or 5th gen vfr.
The plastics thing makes sense.
You're looking for a unicorn Shane.
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My vote goes to Multistrada 1200S/1260S, KTM Adventure 1290S, BMW S1000XR.
All 3 will be all day comfy, have tons of hardbag storage options, have excellent electronics/options/components, have lots of personality, and are in the 160hp range so will surely make you smile when you pick your spots to play.
Honourable mention goes to the Triumph Tiger 1200 which meets most of the above with a bonus of shaft drive and a minus of a bit less power.
AT1000/1100 - it can munch the miles, but the suspension is much more basic as are the electronics and the biggest minus is the 1100 just squeaks out 101hp with the AT1000 7hp less than that. Buy something with more grin factor.
All 3 will be all day comfy, have tons of hardbag storage options, have excellent electronics/options/components, have lots of personality, and are in the 160hp range so will surely make you smile when you pick your spots to play.
Honourable mention goes to the Triumph Tiger 1200 which meets most of the above with a bonus of shaft drive and a minus of a bit less power.
AT1000/1100 - it can munch the miles, but the suspension is much more basic as are the electronics and the biggest minus is the 1100 just squeaks out 101hp with the AT1000 7hp less than that. Buy something with more grin factor.
WaterlooJay
Well-known member
If there was no Africa Twin AS, I would be on a 2021 S1000XR. Hands down, handles dirt great with 50/50 tires.
i would miss the DCT, the quicker shifter works well. Up & down.
Evoex.
we should meet up and go for a ShaneKingsley roads day ride. 1000km day would be a good comparison test.
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