New Honda 1200 V4 CrossTourer!!!

[GB]

Originally Posted by eakins

my guess is the vfr1200T(ST) was done years ago but the timing was not right to sell enough. they'll be expensive and honda will wait till people are flush again to buy them.

Meanwhile the ST1300 carries on unchanged for 10+ years, while the GTR/Concours14 are on their second generation and the FJR is on Gen III, with updated electronics: cruise control, traction control, throttle by wire, 2 fuel maps, full function on board computer, etc...

So what does Honda do? Take a niche bike like the VFR800 and make it more "nichy" and price it higher than a base K1300S. Honda desperately needs an updated sport touring bike..

[xrcris]

Originally Posted by GB

Meanwhile the ST1300 carries on unchanged for 10+ years, while the GTR/Concours14 are on their second generation and the FJR is on Gen III, with updated electronics: cruise control, traction control, throttle by wire, 2 fuel maps, full function on board computer, etc...

So what does Honda do? Take a niche bike like the VFR800 and make it more "nichy" and price it higher than a base K1300S. Honda desperately needs an updated sport touring bike..

Honda desperately needs to get it's head out of it's ass.....from leading the charge to eliminate two strokes, getting rid of the highly successful line of XR's (except for the "L" which has been unchanged for TWENTY years, a new 230 dual sport LRP (little red pig) that weighs 15#'s MORE than my 650! With the new focus on budget bikes, Honda forget the axiom to "dance with the one that brung ya" by doing absolutely nothing performance oriented....

[idahoskiguy]

Have noticed the local law enforcement riding the new VFR1200.

[J-P]

I`ve been riding the VFR1200X DCT since early september. Having ridden ST1100/1300, switching to R1100-R1200GSA and back to R1150GS i can only say that the crosstourer kicks the butt of all GSses I have owned, on the tarmac. On paper it`s heavier than it`s competition but once you let the wheels spin the weight seems to disappear. Even walking the bike into the garage seems easier. I`ve done 16K kms (10K mls) with it now and it was effortless, a breeze. Smooth engine, the DCT is quite amazing too. It`s not your average automatic gearbox, it works like any other normal gearbox, only no clutch handle and no gearshifter at the LHS. The 2 switches to go up and down the gears work like a charm when riding on manual, which I rarely find myself doing. I mostly ride in S(port) setting and use the "-"switch to downshift when approaching corners or roundabouts. You can ride without using your brakes, simply downshifting makes the engine braking sufficiently.

Now, it`s less of a dual sports bike than the GS, going of the tarmac it`s just less suitable, but very few people take their heavy dual sports off the road anyway.. The USD front suspension is hardly protected and one serious off road ride proved painful to my front fork seals. This was solved under warranty by the dealer (who also replaced braking pads because they ware greased) and after that we placed some neoprene inner leg protectors. Other than that, you can do pretty much anything you want with it. Going off road, the boxer character is more suitable, the VFR engine is just too powerful and nervous for those conditions. But on the tarmac, it kicks ass!

Here`s mine:

[Salvo]

Originally Posted by twinrider
I was astounded that Honda USA opted to import the CB1100 but passed on the Crosstourer.

Originally Posted by Sock Monkey

+1



-SM

Boggles the mind, what is Honda thinking??? In a growing market they FAIL to bring this bike to the US.... WTF?????

[fredz43]

Originally Posted by Salvo

Originally Posted by twinrider
I was astounded that Honda USA opted to import the CB1100 but passed on the Crosstourer.



Boggles the mind, what is Honda thinking??? In a growing market they FAIL to bring this bike to the US.... WTF?????

Honda USA is going to announce 3 new models on Feb 8, including 1 in the "touring" category. Perhaps a long shot, but maybe???????

[cb4017]

Hmm, I've been wanting a Versys 1000 but this would be an option if Honda imports it to the US.

[ishmac]

A quote from someone above on this thread;

"Honda desperately needs to get it's head out of it's ass...."


I agree, but Suzuki are also a LONG way behind, all they have in the UK is the Suzuki Bandit 1250cc as their ONLY (large) touring bike, the V-Strom DL1000 has been dropped from the UK Suzuki range for over 3 and a half years now. So no great choice, pathetic really..!!!!!

Kawasaki/Yamaha/BMW/KTM are well ahead of the game etc....

[Podman]

Originally Posted by fredz43

Honda USA is going to announce 3 new models on Feb 8, including 1 in the "touring" category. Perhaps a long shot, but maybe???????

So what's the secret here. Where is this info coming from? Everyone I have talked to saids "clueless" they have not heard a thing. Why Feb 8th? Why nothing leaked yet? You would think at this point someone would have picked up on this on. Is there any concrete evidence of this happening.

[Podman]

http://world.honda.com/news/2013/motorcycle.html

it's blank

[fredz43]

Originally Posted by Podman

So what's the secret here. Where is this info coming from? Everyone I have talked to saids "clueless" they have not heard a thing. Why Feb 8th? Why nothing leaked yet? You would think at this point someone would have picked up on this on. Is there any concrete evidence of this happening.

Trust me. Those bikes will also be on display at the Chicago Motorcycle Show that day. Definitely 2 new to the USA models, more likely 3. Also the "touring" model may be nothing that we adv types are interested in, but it is a possibility. We shall see. There will be no official announcement until that day, so you won't see anything on their website.

[Podman]

Ok you got my attention. Now I just wait

[IndyChizzle]

Wow, what a good looking bike in RED!

[sweetlu]

Originally Posted by fredz43

Honda USA is going to announce 3 new models on Feb 8, including 1 in the "touring" category. Perhaps a long shot, but maybe???????

This was also hinted in the Feb 2013 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News

Although, I think the "touring" might be the updated ST1300. I think Honda classifies the CrossTourer as "Adventure". We'll see next week.

[cb4017]

Originally Posted by fredz43

Honda USA is going to announce 3 new models on Feb 8, including 1 in the "touring" category. Perhaps a long shot, but maybe???????

Just Honda or will any other manufacturers be making a new model announcement?