20 YEARS OF VEE-FOUR PERFECTION!
12 May 2006 - Honda (UK)

2006 sees the 20th Anniversary of the legendary Honda VFR and this year sees the machine back at the top and better than ever!

It was back in 1986 that the VFR and its supremely reliable V4 motor first saw light of day and since then the bike has been constantly refined from the first VFR750FG, through to 1998’s VFR800 to today’s VFR VTEC.

For its 20th Anniversary year, Honda has listened to feedback from the owners of this illustrious machine and altered the VTEC system so that the feeling is less abrupt than on the 2002-2005 bike. On the earlier machine, two of the four valves per cylinder would operate below 6800rpm, then all four valves would chime in. This figure has been lowered to 6600rpm, while the rev-range in which VTEC reverts back to two-valve operation has been lowered to 6100rpm, making the transitions in between much smoother.

One of the first to try the new machine in the UK was Keith Phillips, from the very popular VFR Owners Forum on www.bikersoracle.com/vfr/forum. He managed to ride a demonstrator from Doble Motorcycles in Coulsdon. After the ride he said: ''The transition to four valves was smooth, so smooth in fact that I had serious trouble identifying when it was engaged and when it wasn’t! The new system seemed to work perfectly. Those of you who have been put off by stories of the VTEC fluttering between four and two-valve operation at 6800rpm need worry no more – it simply doesn’t happen. Not only that, but after we dynoed the bike, we realised that Honda seem to have found another seven bhp from somewhere!''

The VFR also celebrated its 20th birthday by topping the sales charts for February in the sport-touring category. 214 VFRs were sold up to the end of that month, which also put it into second place overall as the year’s best-seller to that date.

The specialist press has also been quick to celebrate. Motor Cycle News recently tested the new 2006 machine and declared that the improvements to the VTEC system were very worthwhile and the bike an improvement over its predecessor. Meanwhile, Two Wheels Only featured a 1988 VFR750FJ on the cover, alongside a pristine, but high-mileage 2002-model VTEC. All the various models of VFR were put through their paces at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground by ex-GP star Niall Mackenzie who couldn’t believe how flexible the V4 motor still was on all the various models and how good they looked and performed for their years.

For details of your nearest dealer, simply go to www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/ and hit the dealer search button.

www.honda.co.uk

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