12th January 2017

The Honda VFR750 – One of the most user-friendly motorcycles ever designed

There are very few motorbikes that can double comfortably as a sports tourer. The Honda VFR750 despite its lack of engine volume is one such bikes that is versatile and extremely user friendly. There is no unnecessary pretension and it still remains one of the all-time high demand bikes in the used motorbikes market. Carole Nash even ventures as far as to call it “a bargain hunter’s dream.”

You can ride two-up without any trouble and you can also demand excellent resale value even if you sell it second hand. The reason is that it is one of the most maintenance-free and hassle free two-wheelers in the market and despite being “old” as it was produced for the last time almost two decades back, it doesn’t feel backdated or completely out of sync with modern bikes.

Expect it to whip up a storm as you ride as it has known antecedents on the race track where it was once a darling of the racers. It isn’t indolent on off-road terrains as well and anywhere on earth, it will make you feel reassured and safe due to its linear handling curve and stability.

Honda had got global recognition with this model and its aerodynamically designed chassis is still hard to beat. The 749 cc DOHC engine with 16valves, V4 design and 6 gears was and still is known as much for its efficiency as it is known for its power and finesse. The engine is positioned as a stressed member inside the aluminium twin spar frame.

How did this motorbike transform into a reliable tourer?

One of the biggest benefits of this bike is that it has a relatively big tank range of 164 miles and a fuel tank capacity of 19 litres. The 800 mm seat height and the 209 kg weight also make it a stable two-wheeler and a steady performer. It is easy to glide the hurtling bike down the roads even with relatively short in-seam and the sitting posture is fairly straight up. Its stylish one-sided swing arm still garners a lot of fanfare and attention.

What is a reasonable price for such a good motorcycle?

Today it is easy to pick up a VFX750 or 800 for less than £1000. Most would pick up a Honda VFR750 which has clocked in excess of 50000 miles, blindfolded because of the excellent V4 engine and the reliable make which doesn’t show major signs of corrosion even in the UK cold.

The handling is predictable and although they are sporty, they are less agile than the later 800s. The seat is excellent and you won’t need breaks even on long journeys. The preload adjusted front suspension and the preload and rebound damping adjusted rear suspension provides excellent shock absorption and 2 296 mm front disc brakes and the single 256 mm rear disc brake can compete many modern ABS enabled brakes.

After every 8000miles, if you get a comprehensive servicing of the bike done, it would run without problems for a long time. However, treat it as a genuine rider rather than a long-term investment. You won’t regret your decision, if you buy one.