Why is the Crosstourer a flop?

I'm sitting on deployment right now pissing away money I haven't made yet on bikes I may buy when I get home. I've always liked the Crosstourer. On paper it's a dynamite machine. I've' owned an ST1300 before and that V4 was a mad engine. Even the magazines reviewed it fondly. Why are there still leftovers stagnating on showroom floors? I've seen new models going for less than $10K in Florida.

No cruise control.

Brilliant street bike on all other counts. I've gone through 2 shopping cycles & ended up with another bike that had factory cruise both times.

Hah! That...^ I think people are just dumb. Super cool bike, capable, not CRAZY pricey, and that engine...man the sound of that thing rumbling really gets the blood pumping! The traction control is...weird, just like my AT (which can be turned off, dunno about VFRX). Be safe wherever you are, thank you for your service, and scoop one of those bastards up for a song when you get back!

I test rode the manual one back in 2012 when they first came out. It was a good bike, loads of power, handled ok and was comfortable. But it was a heavy mutha, even heavier than the S10 i had at the time.
But for all the good things about it, it just didn't do it for me. I even found it a bit bland.

I demo road one back in 16 or 17 and thought she was bland for a V4.
yes, and very heavy and high COG.
Not fuel efficient, so other bikes win.
Not off roady, so other bikes win
No CC at that price, so other bikes win. Now the DL1000 and AT has CC.
The pegs were really high for a touring bike. I'm not sure what it's supposed to be. A sport touring Adventure, or what.

Hard, hard, hard, pass.
Easy call.

Heavy is the biggest complaint I've heard, especially as the trend is moving rapidly towards lighter and smaller. Older buyers, who are the buyers now, do not want big top heavy bikes. It's really a sport touring bike with an ADV dress on.

I can only speak for reception in the USA really. They brought it over at the same time as the AT, but with none of the marketing push and general hype. It is also a large bike with no small amount of intimidation in play, and more of a sport touring adventure on the surface, with less flash and aggression than appears to be the case with other competitive bikes (bland?). The DCT sold it to many, the engine sold it to more, and many of the owners love it and are generally folks with long riding backgrounds.

If you are a seasoned rider, with many bikes behind you, I think the quiet underdog bike, not so common or hyped by marketing, is hard not to think about, and give a try. You already know the hype does not equal the best, so you consider it and maybe take a test ride.

I came most directly from a few big dualsports, then through a couple of V-stroms, but was looking for more speed and comfort with some dirt ability, maybe shaft drive for low long mile maintenance needs, and the DCT had some appeal, but not so much that I wasn't convinced an S10 was the next logical step for me. I took a new electronically suspended model on the test ride, it didn't fit as well as I hoped, and it felt just too similar to the sorted Vstrom I already owned. Very much let down, I turned my gaze to the VFRX parked close by, and asked to take that for a spin after deciding I still wanted more of a tourer than the AT would be. After a few minutes on the road, and couple of blasts of throttle, and a few bends in the road, I was so in love I considered just riding it for the rest of the day and asking for forgiveness.

I spent the next few winter months riding the dirt on knobbies in the same way I used my previous bikes and found it even more capable of that task so long as you can provide the confidence for this much bike. I find it more nimble on the move than other similarly sized bikes, but it still is a tank when stopped. Being tall and having a few large bikes of confidence behind you really helps clear the immediate barriers to this bike. And I think many hit those barriers and run the other way before ever riding it. Hard to really know a bike without riding it.

I ride mine for 500-800 mile single day rides as a break from daily life, as a big dirt bike on multi-day adventure routes, and for short excursions with the wife. I got tired enough of picking it up alone in the woods after two years, that I bought a smaller adventure bike (cb500x) to play solo in the dirt, but still keep the VFRX for those long day rides and longer trips where I loan the smaller bike out to other riders.

This bike will not make you cool, too understated for that, but I do find it draws quiet and honest interest from all types of riders wherever I park it. And it has been under a few folks who just had to take it out for a spin. Most like it, but worry and comment about the shear size of it.

I don't want to be without it, the engine and handling are that good for me.

Greg

Yeah the S10 has weight down low.
1st time i pulled a Crosstourer up from the side stand... I grunted, sat it back down, got off, said no way in hell many are going to buy this. Big fat pig.

The what????





That's basically the problem. Most people don't remember there was, let alone still is, one of those in Honda's lineup. That and 608 lbs.

Gustavo

I sure followed it until I actually handled it...uh sorry this is a tank Honda. I was excited about it and bummed after I touched it.

Hoping Honda still brings it's A game with a 500-700cc modern TransAlp/Dominator bike to market.

Why so cheap now? Slow sales from the start and a market trending toward lighter and cheaper plus more sophisticated solutions. Its basically a dinosaur relative to the leading edge of the current adv market. Hasnt seen a real update in 3 years, and was a bit behind the trend even further back.

Not a trend setter myself

So typical of HMC anymore, they are so close on having a nice bike, and then at the last second they blow it, the vfr1200f made like 150hp but in the x just eeked out 100, no cruise, heavy as a battleship.

I've had some Honda's and still do, but they are so far behind the ball, look at the AT, that bike should have been out 10-12 years ago, maybe then they wouldn't of had 2 and 3 year old bikes still in the show room like they do now.

Can you imagine what it takes to get do a valve lash adjustment on that VFR?

The one i rode certainly wasn't short on power. The spec sheet figure was 127bhp, not 100.

@Big_John owns one, maybe he could chime in. If you meet him you would understand why this is a correct sized bike for him.

I think the motor was tuned for more low end torque vs high HP. No shortage of motor.in this bike.

Interestingly Honda never did upgrade the ST like there was talk of and even images.
Seemed their V4 package really fiziled or is that just US availability?

Why so cheap?
They are just trying to get rid of them
Last model was 2017
https://powersports.honda.com/street/adventure/vfr1200x

Tried it before buying my Explorer 1200. It was too heavy, too "slow" (not about speed)... It's a pure road bike, which makes me discard it, as I get off-road. Seems that honda "formula" of making bikes in the middle, not good at anything, not bad at anything, was overpassed with this one and it's an insipid bike.

Flops happen
https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sport-heritage/models/scr950
Some were selling in the 2s from one dealer ship for awhile. They bought up remaining stock and blew them out for Yamaha.

Yes, it was 93ft/lbs of torque, which is a lot of torque in anyone's book. Combined with the 127bhp i never found it lacking in power.
Strange how a bike with that sort of power was just a bit dull to me tho. It was just too sanitised, too Honda.

608 curb weight did not help it and that weight felt high up.

I'm sure the DCT is a blast to ride...punch it and go.

I'm sure it's a good deal for the $ now as a street touring bike.