Motorcycle USA's 2010 Sport-Touring Shootout

[Jimm]

Honda takes the crown....

https://www.motorcycle-usa.com/12/8188/Motorcycle-Article/2010-Sport-Touring-Shootout-V.aspx

 

[RaYzerman19]

Sure it's interesting to compare bikes, but let's face it the VFR ain't no sport touring machine, really. Have read reviews and sat on one today... oh yeah looks sexy an all and has a nice engine, but it would kill me to sit like that for any distance. It's small and its a sport bike you can put touring panniers on. I would want off it after 50 miles. The Connie is the real sport tourer.... but they forgot to put a real gas tank on it and it's a bit heavy....... what's it gonna take to pry me off an FJR? Nothing real soon, but I'm keeping my eye out for a Kawi ride day, then will wait for a nice used one (maybe).

 

[MCRIDER007]

If you throw in a sport bike (that is what Honda calls the VFR) with sport-touring bikes and then heavily bias the scoring towards high speed performance, the sport bike will win every time. Nobody would call the ZX-14 or Hayabusa sport-touring bikes but if they had been included in the comparison both would have out scored the VFR.

Its even more strange that a bike that no one wants to buy is the big winner. Sport-Touring.Net has almost 15,000 members but not even one of them will admit to owning a VFR1200.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

If you throw in a sport bike (that is what Honda calls the VFR) with sport-touring bikes and then heavily bias the scoring towards high speed performance, the sport bike will win every time. Nobody would call the ZX-14 or Hayabusa sport-touring bikes but if they had been included in the comparison both would have out scored the VFR.

Pigeon-hole-ing the new VFR does appear to be difficult (and Americans do seem to want to be told a bike's intended purpose...?). Honda does say the VFR's aerodynamics were MotoGP inspired -- but, certainly, it's not a 'race replica'.

I think there are many who'd consider those two big-bruisers (Kawi-14 & 'Busa) sport-touring bikes -- with the addition of a few luggage accessories?

I didn't see the 'e-zine' article (comparison test) as biased -- and tend to agree with the author's conclusions.

Its even more strange that a bike that no one wants to buy is the big winner. Sport-Touring.Net has almost 15,000 members but not even one of them will admit to owning a VFR1200.

Now, I agree -- that is strange! :blink:

I applaud Honda for moving the marker forward and 'expanding the envelope'. Trouble is, many cannot accept what they cannot (directly) compare and , often, just like what they're used to...

For the future of motorcycling -- I wish Honda all the best.

 

[Rory]

I totally disagree with their winner. If nothing else, that article and their rankings make me very interested in the Sprint GT. The "important to me" stuff would have placed it first. And yet they came up with some other criteria that place the Honda in first?? The dang Honda (with bags) costs almost 50% more than the Triumph? And we rank that the same as range or "grin factor"? Hmmm, OK. Well, I'm going to vote with my wallet and the VFR won't get my vote.

The VFR muffler looks like it is blowing right on the right bag too. Nice. Frankly, I don't care for the VFR styling at all. Looks goofy to me. Another FAIL for Honda. The Rune of 2010.

 

[SilverHound]

It's funny how "subjective" these ratings are. I read another ST comparison (can't remember the mag but it was either Rider or Motorcycle Consumer News) and the VFR came in dead last. In fact the consensus was it was neither an ST or a Sport Bike and overall had an identity crisis. Other than MCN which is solely subscriber funded, I don't trust any of the reviews in mags that also get advertising revenue from the manufacturers.

 

[ionbeam]

This is what I found interesting, right at the beginning of the comparison -- excerpt:

NEW SPORT-TOURING CONTENDERS

 

Our Sport-Touring tests tend to be big and comprehensive, but are bound by the availability of test units, which limited our options this year. BMW refused to lend out its 2009 comparison-winning K1300GT, with the Bavarian marque having already announced its replacement in the new Inline-Six-powered K1600GT. Likewise, Yamaha wasn’t keen making its FJR1300 available – with an update seemingly forthcoming for one of our all-time favorite ST rides. Yet even with two of the heavy hitters nixed for 2010’s shootout, we still had three new or upgraded bikes to work with.

 

[MCRIDER007]

This is what I found interesting, right at the beginning of the comparison -- excerpt:

[/b]Our Sport-Touring tests tend to be big and comprehensive, but are bound by the availability of test units, which limited our options this year. BMW refused to lend out its 2009 comparison-winning K1300GT, with the Bavarian marque having already announced its replacement in the new Inline-Six-powered K1600GT. Likewise, Yamaha wasn’t keen making its FJR1300 available – with an update seemingly forthcoming for one of our all-time favorite ST rides.

I think Motorcycle USA was reading too much into why Yamaha didn't want the FJR in the comparison. The FJR won the comparison in 2008 but finished second (way) behind the BMW in 2009, and barely beat the C14 and Sprint ST that year. With Triumph's introduction of the new Sprint GT and all the improvements Kawasaki made to the C14, Yamaha was probably concerned that the FJR could finish in last place in the 2010 comparison. Whatever Yamaha's motives, we know that we are not going to get an update in 2011.

 

[JimNtexas]

I test rode a 2010 Sprint GT just the other day. That's not a Sport Touring bike at all as far I'm concerned.

It's great that they made the wheel base a bit longer and put on better (FJR-like) hard bags, but they retained pure sport bike ergos.

You could probably add bar risers to help a little but you're still going to have a lot of weight on your wrists.

Of course the pain your knees caused by the race-like tucked up foot pegs will probably force you to stop well before your neck and/or wrists give out.

The Speed Triple has much better touring bike ergos than the Sprint GT, since neither one has a windshield worth mentioning I don't see much point in the GT. The GT instrumentation is not much better than that of my Ninja 250.

The Triumph triple is a sweet, sweet motor, it would be great if they made a Sport Touring bike around it someday :thumbsdownsmileyanim: . By 'Sport Touring Bike' I mean one that's all day rideable as the FJR, C14, and ST1300 are.

And of course the GT is only available with a primitive manual clutch.

I was so glad when my test drive was over so I could get back on my FJR before I lost the use of my legs. Really, getting off the GT and on to the FJR was like going from a John Deer to a Cadillac.

 

[Top Case]

There is no question that the bikes they tested are more to the "sport" than the "tour" side, but it amazes me how many members of this forum spend their time defending the FJR as anything like sporty after investing in bar risers, highway pegs, and other add-ons to convert the bike into a sport-styled Gold Wing ride-alike.

I like my FJR, but the stock handlebars are too damned high and are too far back even when rotated to the maximum forward position. I've done a 700 mile day, but most of my riding is over much shorter distances. For me a week-long tour of 3-500 mile days and time to enjoy each destination makes a sport tour. I enjoyed a week like that this past July, in which the other bikes on the trip were a GSX-R1000, a VFR 800, and a Sprint ST 1050; to keep up with those guys, it felt like I needed to lower my head between my elbows because the bars were so high. For shorter distances in particular, a sportier riding position would be a big improvement to the FJR.

It certainly makes sense that, for anyone with similar tastes, the sportier sport-tourers would finish ahead.

And, of course, anything with factory hard bags deserves the "touring" suffix.

 

[SilverHound]

There is no question that the bikes they tested are more to the "sport" than the "tour" side, but it amazes me how many members of this forum spend their time defending the FJR as anything like sporty after investing in bar risers, highway pegs, and other add-ons to convert the bike into a sport-styled Gold Wing ride-alike.

I like my FJR, but the stock handlebars are too damned high and are too far back even when rotated to the maximum forward position. I've done a 700 mile day, but most of my riding is over much shorter distances. For me a week-long tour of 3-500 mile days and time to enjoy each destination makes a sport tour. For shorter distances in particular, a sportier riding position would be a big improvement to the FJR.

It certainly makes sense that, for anyone with similar tastes, the sportier sport-tourers would finish ahead.

And, of course, anything with factory hard bags deserves the "touring" suffix.

I think it's all a matter of perspective. Certainly there are more "sporty" sport tourers than the FJR and then there are less "sporty" sport-tourer like the ST1300 IMO which truly felt to me like a Goldwing trainer on my test ride. I did make the mistake of adding the highways pegs to my FJR but quickly found out that they really didn't help all that much for the times I wanted to stretch out over long straight distances. I just haven't bothered to take them back off.

Anyhow since I came off cruisers and particularly after selling my Valkyrie Interstate, the FJR by comparison feels really sporty to me. Was my Blackbird sportier? You bet it was but I confess that I'm simply not that agressive of a rider where I could really appreciate the difference or the full capabilities of the Bird so for me the FJR has all the sport I care for and all the tour I want. Now I have my eye on the BMW K1600 GL or GTL for possibly my next bike in the next two years and even I will find it a stretch if they consider that bike to be a sport tourer because to me it seems more like either a luxury tourer with a little more sport than a Goldwing or a Victory Vision or perhaps even a new class of bike altogether.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

I totally disagree with their winner. If nothing else, that article and their rankings make me very interested in the Sprint GT. The "important to me" stuff would have placed it first.

That's fine...

Reminds me of days gone by when bike magazines would have comparison tests and include a BMW "airhead" in with the others -- with disasterous results for the BMW. But some folks would say, "All that stuff the editors thought was good -- quarter mile time, top speed, race track lap times, etc. -- I don't care for. BMW builds a nice slow, relaxed, bike the way I like..."

And yet they came up with some other criteria that place the Honda in first?? The dang Honda (with bags) costs almost 50% more than the Triumph? And we rank that the same as range or "grin factor"? Hmmm, OK. Well, I'm going to vote with my wallet and the VFR won't get my vote.

When one throws money into the equation it really muddies the waters. I think the 'e-zine' editors were looking for the Best bike -- maybe, not the "best-bang-for-the-buck"?

When price is an issue, maybe Suzuki's 1250 Bandit S (sourced) sport-tourer would come-out on-top (or a 'USA' FJR...?)?

The VFR muffler looks like it is blowing right on the right bag too. Nice. Frankly, I don't care for the VFR styling at all. Looks goofy to me. Another FAIL for Honda. The Rune of 2010.

"Style" is another area that doesn't respond well to objective testing and analysis... :blink: Too subjective... :huh:

When it's all said and done -- Honda, with the new VFR, has a really new motorcycle: new size target; new take on V-4 motorcycle engine design; new (for motorcycles) transmission offered -- just NEW all over.

I respect that.

 

[Rory]

If it doesn't sell, then I think they wasted a lot of time on the bike. Knowing how resource intensive product development can be, I think Honda put too much focus on the VFR, missed the mark, and left other opportunities on the shelf.

So I guess I am bad mouthing Honda as well as the writer of the article.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

If it doesn't sell, then I think they wasted a lot of time on the bike. Knowing how resource intensive product development can be,

Well, you'd think there'd be future benefits down-the-road for putting new engineering concepts into production?

(unless we want to ride push-rod v-twins forever -- well, I guess, some do...? :huh: )

True -- lots of expense...

It, the new VFR, is now in the hands of the 'marketing dept.' -- and here the Japanese m/c manufacturers have been "falling on their sword" in recent times in America. They don't seem to be able to instill very much desire in the American buying public...?

MamaYama goes so far as to make cusomers 'pay-in-advance'...!

I think Honda put too much focus on the VFR, missed the mark, and left other opportunities on the shelf.

They do seem to be 'casting about' far-and-wide, these days... :blink:

So I guess I am bad mouthing Honda as well as the writer of the article.

The 'e-zine' can probably take it? -- Honda, I'm not so sure...?

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Sure it's interesting to compare bikes, but let's face it the VFR ain't no sport touring machine, really. Have read reviews and sat on one today... oh yeah looks sexy an all and has a nice engine, but it would kill me to sit like that for any distance. It's small and its a sport bike you can put touring panniers on. I would want off it after 50 miles. The Connie is the real sport tourer.... but they forgot to put a real gas tank on it and it's a bit heavy....... what's it gonna take to pry me off an FJR? Nothing real soon, but I'm keeping my eye out for a Kawi ride day, then will wait for a nice used one (maybe).

Sure it is! They added hard bags and heated grips!

 

[Rory]

and left other opportunities on the shelf.

I may have spoke too soon. Saw this on another forum:

https://hellforleathermagazine.com/2010/10/yes-2011-honda-cbr250r-coming-to-america/

sort of a really small VFR spin-off.

 

[MCRIDER007]

Its even more strange that a bike that no one wants to buy is the big winner. Sport-Touring.Net has almost 15,000 members but not even one of them will admit to owning a VFR1200.

UPDATE: We have an owner at Sport-Touring.Net, "mountainmotor" just confessed that he owns a VFR1200....which means that some lucky dealer was able to sell one.