As is the way with bikes these days Honda has released a further concept sketch of its new Crossover touring bike, now being referred to as the VFR800X.
It does looks pretty snazzy from the artwork and as with the CBR250R and CBR150R, it has been given the VFR1200 appearance which will be the distinguishing feature of Honda’s new range of machines.
At present there’s not much more to tell as no specs have been released but from the sketch we can tell this is a mid-range road focussed tourer, high on style, and hopefully high on tank range. It’ll be a V4 and some web pundits are predicting traction control, automatic gearing etc, but that would most likely put this way out of the cost bracket of competitors. The VFR1200 pricing is eye-watering enough, and Honda could very quickly kill the VFR800X with a mad price tag. The bike and full details of its specs will be released at the Milan show which is fast approaching, so it won’t be long to wait before we find out if they have a winner on their hands.
After the muted response to the VFR1200F, mostly due to the issue of its touring range, Honda seemed to be lying low while the likes of Ducati and Triumph dominate the headlines. That is however until now. It seems the Milan show will be Honda’s staging ground to retake the market lead with the CBR250R, its ‘Crossover’ the VFR800x, and a concept 1200cc machine.
Focusing on the CBR250R for now this looks to light a fire under just passed their test bikers everywhere, but especially in Europe where new regulations are due altering the size of engine new bikers can access. It looks to challenge Kawasaki’s Ninja 250 and most likely will be priced competitively at around the £4000 mark. Honda seems to have put a lot of thought into this bike to give it an all-round appeal and should be a huge hit. Given its VFR styyling Honda apparently want to give its range a stand out look which, like or loath the VFR’s new shell, it makes a change from the homogeneous sports bike look blighting a number of companies at the minute.
Honda says of its new bike;
What was on our minds during the development of new CBR? It was to realize an attractive quarter model that can meet the demands of the times to come and provide customers all over the world with joy and at an affordable price. What we aimed at was the ‘Sport Quarter for One World, CBR250R.’
Our passion is embodied in various aspects of this motorcycle such as its displacement, frame size, driving stability, and riding position. These features were optimized for riders of all kinds, from beginners to experienced riders, so that they can feel the fun of maneuvering, which is fundamental to motorcycle riding.
A sporty feel that riders get the moment they mount and ride the motorcycle is pursued without sacrificing ease of use, in search of the optimum balance between the two. Nimble acceleration that can be felt the moment the throttle is opened, a feel of smooth rev-up in the high-speed range, linear vibration characteristics that do not discomfort riders, and a variety of equipment features such as a rear grip that provides a sense of comfort when riding in tandem-with this list of features, we are confident that customers will be satisfied without exception.
Below are specs for the bike as well as Honda’s promotional video.
Now it all starts to make sense, Honda has a plan, a vision of things to come.
The upcoming ‘Crossover’, and new concept bike due to appear at the Milan show, which may be a new Pan European in the style of the distinctive VFR1200F, are apparently just the beginning.
Honda is applying the VFR look to a lot of its range starting with two new bikes to entice the new riders thinking of taking to two wheels.
Many bikes are availble in different markets around the world and the image below is of the CBR150R from the Asian market, which is rumored to be finding its way to Europe in 2011.
You can see it’s been ‘VFRed’ and a 25cc engine size drop will make it road legal for learners. Supposedly following on from that, and catering to a market that was all but crushed a few years back a 250cc version will be appearing as well. The only image of it seems to be from a magazine and was found by CMG Online (well spotted)
This bike would give a natural stepping stone for new riders restricted to 33bhp for two years, and will compete head on with Kawasaki’s Ninja 250.
So just as we all wondered what Honda is up to with sudden announcements and curious bike concepts, it seems it’s all part of the plan.
Hello all Editor Nick here. Doctor Who fans will get the reference above, for those who don’t it means a new incarnation of Ride The Wild Wind approaches. This will be version 4 of the site, having started as a simple html local site, then moving to VOX for a bit more of a social blogging effect. While RTWW did well on VOX with about 800 readers a month, there wasn’t much happening on the VOX service itself, and it’s now closed as of the end of September 2010.
At the start of 2010, after a brief break for the birth of my son Brandon, RTWW moved yet again to WordPress.com and fouind a good format there that has seen a huge rise in visitors with close to 10,000 a month now. I started the site as just a bit of fun to let me waffle on about how awesome motorcycles are, and it would seem quite a few people are tuning in. I can’t thank you all enough for checking out the site and I’ve made some great friends via RTWW both here as well as via the accompanying Twitter feed (@Bikers_RTWW), and on Facebook.
So in an effort to keep things fresh, and make all the content that has built up on the site over the last couple of years more accessible, a new version of RTWW is due for launch on November 1st. We’ll still be featuring stories as usual until then but hopefully come Monday the 1st RTWW will have regenerated into its new version.
….Of course I probably shouldn’t have said this in case I miss that deadline but hey ho! 🙂
The first thing that springs to mind is Jackie Chan has executed another of his awesome insane and death defying stunts. However the video below is just a regular biker going about his business, until he crashes SPECTACULARLY!
It’s uncertain if the rider actually has super powers or is just a Batman level athlete, either way he has at speed cartwheeled through the air, according to witnesses landed on his feet, and as you can see swiftly comes back to survey his destroyed bike. Not too sure how you’d practice ‘crash maneuvers’ such as this, RTWW would like to state, don’t try this at home 🙂
RTWW will admit confusion when the first details of this new bike from Honda were announced. Orginally talked about as an adventure bike, though the drawing that came with that showed a bike not suitable for adventuring in the BMW GS sense.
Now Honda insiders are calling the bike the ‘Crossover’ and saying that it is a 800/900cc V4 bike, unique in its styling and ready to ‘crossover’ several motorcycle roles. A bike for everyday use but not ignoring other qualities.
Suddenly it seems they may have something very tempting up their sleeves. A new image of the front end of the bike is interesting to say the least showing a neat fairing, stacked lights, and apparently a raised dash bringing instruments higher into the riders field of vision.
So it seems this bike is an all-round tourer and, should they fix the small fuel tank issue that has plagued and overwhelmed a lot of the good press around the VFR 1200F, Honda could be pulling the covers off something fantastic in Milan.
Honda’s official statement reads;
Honda today released a second design sketch of the mid-range crossover motorcycle that expands its V4 engine configuration offering. The image shows the front face of the motorcycle, with a fairing design that improves high speed stability as well as engine cooling; and an innovative ‘floating’ instrument panel to put the gauges in the rider’s field of vision for improves safety. This crossover is a midrange capacity motorcycle – Honda will also reveal at EICMA a new concept motorcycle using the 1200cc V4 engine first seen in the VFR1200F, to further prove leadership in this evocative and powerful engine configuration.
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 centre 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 manoeuvre and comfortable . Honda research had revealed that customers want a machine that has both a unique style and is also fun to ride in all conditions throughout the year.
Honda has delivered this customer request. The final production motorcycle will be shown for the first time at the EICMA show in Milan from 2nd November 2010, when pictures, the date for production and date of availability in dealer will be revealed.
Two shots have emerged of Triumphs big break into the adventure market. First up is an official image of the new Tiger 800 XC ahead of its big debut and it’s looking good, now that we’re not trying to see it through holes in a wooden crate!
While the official image showcases the off-road version of the Tiger, a spy shot caught at a fuel stop, following a highway chase, features the road bias model of the bike. The telling feature between the two is the cast 19 inch wheels on the road preferring version as opposed to the 21 inch with spokes wheels for the dirt scrambler. Both bikes feature the same engine and other features and look to be fit challengers for the BMW F800GS.
The spy shot comes from George Edwards who tracked the Tiger until it stopped for fuel. George has an excellent web site of his and his wife Cathy’s biking adventures over at www.rtrider.co.uk check it out.
Just released from Honda HQ is a teaser image of what Honda insiders have apparently described as their new adventure tourer bike.
Now adventure means something different to different people but these days for bikes, it’s a rugged, expensive fairing free bike i.e. the new Triumph Tiger, BMW F800GS, Yamaha Super Tenere, and of course the king of adventure the BMW 1200 GS. The sketch Honda has released appears to be the much rumored Pan European replacement which did the rounds last year then promptly disappeared. One of the concept images MCN drew up is below.
This new bike is to be unveiled at the Milan bike show in November, and it’s supposed to be a V4, like the controversial VFR1200, but oddly not a 1200cc bike ….huh?
Another rumor is that Honda will show a concept bike designed to be a GS challenger, but it’ll be a concept far from production with 2012 being the target year. It would seem Honda have been caught out by the awesome efforts and innovations of Triumph, BMW, Ducati, and other Japanese counterparts this year.
Or perhaps they’ve caught the same virus as Harley Davidson : P
KTM has finally released details of its 125cc bike. After teaser videos and concept art for the last few months official pictures and specs are now out.
While some of the concept art’s better details, such as the cool half and half coloured wheels are gone (shame),the bike still has plenty of style. It should make a decent mark on the entry level bike market and hopefully inspire kids to make the jump to two wheels.
Available to buy in Spring 2011, specs for the bike are below;
As is the way with bikes these days Honda has released a further concept sketch of its new Crossover touring bike, now being referred to as the VFR800X.
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