No. 107

Special VFR1200F Issue Contents February/March 2010 | Special VFR1200F Issue

4 2010 VFR1200F Riding Impression 24 All Dressed Up and Ready to Go: VFR1200F Accessories 10 VFR1200F: Extending ’s Heritage of Innovation 26 Honda’s VFR1200F Headlines the Tokyo Show

16 The Dual Clutch Transmission 30 Kumamoto Factory Tour: The Fountainhead Comes of Age 32 27 Years of Groundbreaking V-4 Innovation 20 Day One Aboard the VFR1200F 36 Tracking Footprints of Racing Giants 38 The Stuff of Legends

ON THE COVER: It’s a sport-touring bike more advanced in more ways than anything that has come before: The 2010 VFR1200F. In this issue of Honda Red Rider , you’ll find info aplenty regarding what might well be the most impressive new mount of the year. Photo by Kevin Wing. (Professional riders shown on closed course.)

2 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 3 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com otorcycle journalists tend to be a jaded lot, naturally so as they get to ride everything new under the sun and have a good idea of where the line between mere promotion and true per - formance is drawn. Moto-scribes are not prone to heap hyperbole upon new products or pile on praise without good reason. Which is precisely why the superlatives sprinkled throughout the media’s first impressions of the VFR1200F from the recent press launch at the Sugo Circuit in Sendai, Japan, were so revealing: revolutionary, radical, flat-out amazing, fast, fun, a blast, flawless performance, will change the way we look at ... We understand. After our ride on the 2010 VFR1200F we came to the same conclusions: This is an entirely different sort of sportbike, one that combines luxury and performance like never before. It is the embodiment of new technology fused with Honda’s rich V-4 heritage to create a futuristic sport motor - cycle designed for experienced hands who ride hard, ride long, ride far and ride often.

• Click here to view all of the 2010 VFR1200F coverage, including features and benefits , technical innovations and full launch coverage.

4 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 5 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com Led by Large Project Leader Yosuke Hasegawa, the new VFR ® is powered by a light and compact 1237cc liquid-cooled 76-degree V-4 that incorporates Honda MotoGP technology and architecture. This engine includes a unique cylinder layout placing the rear two cylinders inboard in the center of the crankshaft, while the front cylinders are located outboard. This, plus the VFR’s lightweight and compact Unicam ® valvetrain that permits significantly smaller cylinder heads, nar - rows the engine right at the key rider/ inter - face—the seating area. This unique engine also utilizes asymmetrical exhaust lengths—a Honda first— between front and rear cylinders to help create a unique power delivery, an intriguing blend of V-4 torque and an aggressive inline rush. The VFR engine features a number of other firsts, including Honda’s first Throttle By Wire (TBW) fuel- injection system, and an optional industry-first Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). This revolutionary auto - matic transmission features a manual mode actuated by paddle-style shifters on the left handlebar, and two fully automatic modes. The Honda Pro-Arm ® single- sided incorporates a next-generation shaft- drive system with offset pivot point and sliding constant-velocity joint that defines a new level of shaft- drive performance and control. And the VFR’s GP-technology layer-concept aero fairing provides unrivaled air management and a futuristic style. First impressions of the VFR drive home a feeling of directness to every connection—ergonomics allow aggressive sport riding yet also offer the kind of com - fort long-haul riders demand. You sit farther forward than is the norm on less aggressive sport/touring machines, so you feel connected to the front end and what it’s doing. It’s a feeling you get with everything on this new VFR. The are super powerful but return great feedback, and the throttle seems hard-wired to the rear contact patch so you get precisely what you ask for. And the shaft drive? You have to keep reminding yourself there’s no chain driving this machine because the amount of chassis movement during throttle tran - sitions is so well controlled.

6 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 7 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com The VFR’s sophisticated technology comple - cruise or the kind of aggressive track riding displayed by the media at MODEL: VFR1200F / VFR1200F with Dual Clutch ments its sporting abilities. Powerful new six-piston Sugo. Blake Conner from Cycle World said it best: “I didn’t realize that calipers act on large floating discs (320mm at the front motorcycling was missing out on this technology until I rode the VFR.” ENGINE TYPE: 1237cc liquid-cooled 76° V-4 and 276mm at the rear), and Honda’s Combined In Sport mode, the DCT responds to aggressive throttle inputs with Braking System (CBS) creates the optimal balance of extremely quick and seamless shifts just shy of redline. As an added AND : 81mm x 60mm front and rear braking forces. Also, the addition of a bonus, the shifts are so quick and smooth there’s almost no discernible : 12.0:1 compact and lightweight ABS supports both the motor - change in chassis attitude during shifting, and this added smoothness VALVE TRAIN: Unicam SOHC; four valves per cylinder cycle’s exceptional sports-riding potential and its long- is a boon to less-than-expert riders, especially when riding two-up. On distance proficiency. the track, the most fun was had utilizing the VFR’s manual-transmission IGNITION: Digital transitorized with electronic advance The engine oozes sophistication. It’s exceptionally (MT) mode. MT allows the rider to select shift points manually via pad - INDUCTION: PGM-FI with automatic enrichment circuit, smooth; no is necessary as the crank dle shifters on the left-side handlebar. Upshifts are executed with your 44mm throttle bodies and 12-hole injectors uses 28-degree-offset throws combined with the 76- index finger, while downshifts are actuated by your thumb. Mode TRANSMISSION: Six-speed / Six-speed automatic with degree Vee angle for perfect primary balance. Power changes can be done on the fly via a right-bar-mounted index-finger- D and S modes and manual mode is everywhere you want it with that familiar lumpy V-4 actuated switch. Or if you’re already in auto mode, you can switch over SUSPENSION torque beat pushing you forward at the bottom of the to MT mode by simply utilizing the paddle shifters. Front: 43mm cartridge fork with spring preload adjustability tachometer. With more than 90 percent of peak For the kind of aggressive track riding we did at Sugo, the MT mode and rebound damping adjustability; 4.7 inches travel engine torque kicking in at a mere 4000 rpm, the introduced a whole new dimension to high-performance riding that Rear: Pro-Arm single-side swingarm with Pro-Link single VFR1200F boasts incredible roll-on acceleration in took all who experienced it pleasantly by surprise. Aboard the DCT gas-charged shock with remote spring preload adjustability every gear. From around 6000 rpm to redline, the version, the fastest riders at Sugo went faster more easily than with the and rebound damping adjustability; 5.1 inches travel VFR turns into a horsepower screamer with an standard manual-transmission machine, and even the less aggressive BRAKES almost inline-four kind of power rush. It’s a unique riders preferred the paddles to the conventional toe-shifting VFR. The Front: Dual full-floating 320mm discs with CBS power texture that’s complemented by the TBW sys - fully automatic mode, however, is so intelligent and refined in its exe - six-piston calipers with ABS tem. While some TBW systems can have a removed, cution that on a ride around a street circuit at Sugo that reflects real- Rear: Single 276mm disc with CBS two-piston caliper disconnected feel, the VFR’s TBW has a rheostat world conditions, most riders preferred to let the system make the with ABS quality about it, direct and precise. shifting decisions. TIRES While the VFR is doubtless a high-capacity sport - Intelligent and refined: Here are two more superlatives that go far in Front: 120/70 ZR17 Dunlop Roadsmart radial bike, on the road it accomplishes that amazing Honda describing every aspect of the new VFR1200F, a machine that sets new Rear: 190/55 ZR17 Dunlop Roadsmart radial trick of shrinking before your eyes. It feels lighter, industry standards for fit and finish, and has taken a giant leap forward : 60.8 inches (1545mm) smaller, more agile and far more sporting than its in technology designed to redefine the sport-riding experience. The RAKE (CASTER ANGLE): 25°30’ specifications imply. Steering is light and neutral, and VFR1200F is everything you would expect of a machine created by the you can trail-brake deep into turns without the chassis greatest engineering minds at Honda. TRAIL: 101.0mm (4.0 inches) resisting, thanks in part to the stout 43mm inverted The VFR1200F will be available at Honda dealers in spring of 2010. SEAT HEIGHT: 32.1 inches (815mm) cartridge fork. For more information on the VFR1200F, go to powersports.honda.com . FUEL CAPACITY: 4.9 gallons At the Sugo launch, the media was impressed by the manual-transmission VFR they rode in the morn - To read what the media who attended the VFR1200F press launch had to say, go to: ESTIMATED FUEL ECONOMY: 31 MPG ing, which features six speeds and a slipper clutch. Motorcyclist Online COLOR: Candy Red But it was the afternoon stint on the DCT model that motorcyclistonline.com/newsandupdates/122_0910_2010_honda_vfr1200f/index.html * blew them away. High-performance automobiles, such CURB WEIGH T : 591 pounds / 613 pounds Cycle World as Formula One cars, have used paddle-shifting DCT www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=41&article_id=1754 *Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel—ready to ride. Specifications subject to change. technology for years, but Honda is the first to apply Motorcycle-USA this high-performance technology to two wheels. As motorcycle-usa.com/3/340/1/Motorcycle-Blog-Post/2010-VFR1200F-First-Ride- Honda’s fuel-economy estimates are based on EPA exhaust Cycle World put it, Honda’s “DCT has introduced a Blog.aspx emission measurement test procedures and are intended for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary new era to motorcycling.” With a pair of clutches Motorcycle.com depending on how you ride; how you maintain your vehicle; enabling two modes (Drive and Sport) or fully auto - motorcycle.com/events/2009-tokyo-motor-show-report-88845.html weather, road conditions; tire pressure; installation of accessories; matic or paddle-shift operation, the VFR’s DCT is ver - cargo, rider and passenger weight; and other factors. Sport Rider • Click here to view a video, including media interviews, from the 2010 satile enough to accommodate a relaxed weekend sportrider.com/news/146_first_ride_honda_vfr1200f_siahaan_blog/index.html VFR1200F launch in Japan. Meets current CARB and EPA standards.

8 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 9 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com VFR1200F: Extending Honda’s Heritage of Innovation Without a doubt, as an all-new machine the 2010 NEW PHASE-SHIFT CRANKSHAFT VFR1200F presents startling breakthroughs to the world INTAKE AND EXHAUST PORT SHAPES of . But take a step back and you can also see just how radically the VFR1200F spins Honda’s maintaining a five-digit redline ven erable V-4 heritage into the fast-forward mode. of 10,200 rpm. As another ben - efit, this Unicam setup allows Engine for a very flat combustion cham - The VFR1200F centers on a 1237cc liquid-cooled ber for a quicker, more efficient 76-degree V-4 engine that draws directly from Honda’s V-4 burn resulting in more power. RC212V MotoGP technology. It’s more compact than the More than 90 percent of peak engine from the 781cc Interceptor, yet it delivers a whop - engine torque kicks in at a ping 58 percent increase in —a mere 4000 rpm, giving this mind- staggering jump in the power-to-size ratio. Mass cen - machine incredible roll-on acceleration in every gear, just tralization, light weight and compact dimensions all play key the thing to fulfill real-world riding needs. roles as together they produce superior performance along The new VFR1200F sports another first for Honda, use with an aesthetically pleasing rider/machine interface. To of a Throttle By Wire (TBW) system. This setup is more com - that end, the rear two cylinders reside inboard at the cen - pact and lighter than conventional cable-operated systems, ter of the crankshaft, while the front cylinders ride outboard, and it incorporates an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) to which narrows the entire rear section of the engine right at process rider throttle control input, engine speed and more the key rider/motorcycle interface—the seating area. The to help the TBW system return an exquisitely accurate throt - VFR1200F’s slim ergonomics let the rider perch down in tle response. As a result, the rider enjoys an unprecedented the bike rather than feel stuck atop the machine, for a level of control and feel through the throttle, a true next-gen - seating position that allows the rider to meld readily with eration, more direct level of connectivity with the machine the machine. that heightens the riding experience. A special high-strength Symmetrically Coupled Phase- The VFR1200F can be had with a standard six-speed shift Crankshaft with a 28-degree offset works in manual gearbox or with the option of an impressively new concert with the 76-degree Vee angle to essentially negate piece of technology for motorcycles, Honda’s Dual Clutch primary engine vibration for smooth running. Net result: per - Transmission (DCT), the world’s first fully automatic motorcy - fect primary balance, which eliminates the need for a bal - cle dual clutch transmission for large-displacement sportbikes. ance shaft, creates a more compact engine and also yields This new transmission offers riders the enjoyment of full sport- a weight savings of nearly 3 pounds—a perfect example of riding capabilities along with easy and seamless operation . how breakthrough engineering reaps cascading benefits. The conventional manual-shift VFR1200F comes Credit for the compact engine size and prodigious power equipped with a slipper clutch mechanism to moderate the output goes in part to the Unicam valvetrain, a system that effect of deceleration torque on the rear wheel during first debuted on Honda’s championship-winning CRF450R aggressive corner entries with heavy engine braking, motocrosser. A single overhead camshaft directly actuates thereby allowing engine braking to slow the bike without two intake valves per cylinder while integrating roller rocker causing the rear tire to chatter. And both iterations incorpo - arms with screw-type adjusters to actuate two exhaust valves rate four dampers within the engine and drivetrain to smooth per cylinder. This Unicam technology saves weight and space power delivery without losing that connected feel between over a comparable dual-overhead-camshaft design while still throttle and tire contact patch.

10 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 11 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com OFFSET PIVOT/SLIDING CONSTANT-VELOCITY JOINT SETUP

Pivot Chassis within a wide-span frame swingarm pivot area for increased Swingarm The VFR1200F rolling chassis centers on a lightweight and chassis rigidity, and the swingarm pivot sits in an offset posi - Driveshaft rigid four-piece aluminum twin-spar diamond-configuration tion above the driveshaft. This highly developed shaft-drive Vertically offset driveshaft Constant-velocity joint frame. The swingarm and driveshaft lengths are optimized with - system features a driveshaft that passes below the swingarm and pivot out extending the overall length of the motorcycle through the pivot, which allows a wider swingarm-pivot/frame mounting use of another clever and sophisticated touch: The output shaft structure resulting in greater strength and rigidity. A sliding is below the transmission countershaft to create a more com - constant-velocity (CV) joint compensates for driveshaft length pact engine and allow for a longer swingarm without extending variations throughout the rear wheel’s arc of travel. Thanks to the total wheelbase—a move that enhances both handling and this new configuration and the rigidity of the pivot structure, Yoke joint traction without resorting to dimensions beyond the moderate the new shaft-drive system enhances cornering ability, high- Pinion gear 60.8-inch wheelbase. speed handling and traction capability to a notable degree Honda’s distinctive single-sided Pro-Arm swingarm is compared to prior-generation shaft drives. The VFR1200F incorporates an offset swingarm pivot located above the driveshaft and a sliding constant-velocity joint to compensate for variations in driveline length as the rear wheel travels through its arc of suspension travel.

43mm cartridge-type telescopic fork with stepless preload adjustment and rebound damping adjustment, 120mm axle travel. DUAL-CLUTCH SYSTEM Pro-Link with gas-charge damper, 25-step remote-controlled hydraulic preload Clutch center Pressure plate adjustment and stepless rebound damping adjustment, 130mm axle travel.

Clutch center cam Pressure plate cam

Clutch spring

Clutch outer

Clutch disc/Clutch plate

RIDING POSITION/CHASSIS DIMENSIONS

12 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 13 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com Bodywork The Man Behind the Machine A balance of positive and At the Sportsland Sugo Circuit press ride we chat - negative bodywork surfaces gives the VFR1200F a light, ted with VFR1200F Large Project Leader Yosuke open look while also creat - Hasegawa, the man behind the machine. ing a profile that slices through the wind with the How important is the VFR1200F least possible resistance. In to Honda? addition to this modern, cut - The VFR1200F is a very important ting-edge look come a motorcycle because it contains num ber of distinct benefits. new technology that suggests the Honda’s designers and engi - future of Honda’s design develop - neers worked together to uti - ment. It’s aimed at customers look - lize this uniquely attractive ing for a high-performing sportbike shape to also generate opti - mal airflow and maximize that can also be used as a sport- heat management. The fair - . That made it a ing design incorporates two very tough project to work on—it layers that harness flowing air to gain several dynamic advan - was hard to keep the balance between the sportbike tages. Air entering between the layers and through two oval- and sport-touring nature. shaped spaces in the front of the fairing is channeled to enhance the bike’s handling at higher speeds and cool the The bike has a very unique sound. How was this achieved? engine, and air is also deflected around the rider’s legs for a This new V-4 engine is very powerful, and the sound is cooler, more comfortable ride. completely different from that of other bikes. We worked hard at engineering a new character into the bike, a dis - The VFR1200F brings to motorcycling tinctive sound quality and feel, using the new firing order. enthusiasts a unique blend of elegant What was your goal in fitting the VFR1200F with DCT? sophistication and hard-core sport performance never before offered The Dual Clutch Transmission [DCT] is a very high-per - to the riding public. formance transmission. It is very easy to use, but the motorcycle is still sporty to ride; DCT is a very good fit From the finest details to the grandest application of race - with the VFR. This is the first product using DCT in a track technology, the 2010 VFR1200F comes laden with inno - motorcycle—the first time ever in the history of motorcy - vation upon innovation, a machine that once again changes the cling. Because it has two clutches it’s very smooth and state of the motorcycling art. In each case, however, the target gives a seamless driving force. It’s very quick shifting, of these benefits remains the same: the rider. The VFR1200F which helps chassis stability; it doesn’t affect the chassis brings to motorcycling enthusiasts a unique blend of elegant reaction during sport riding. sophistication and hard-core sport performance never before offered to the riding public. Such a unique and lofty mission Are you satisfied with the comments you have heard here serves as the perfect goal for the 2010 V-4 VFR1200F, a today about your motorcycle from the media? machine that traces its deep and rich V-4 heritage to a true rev - This has been a very rewarding day to have the olution in sportbike design, and one that is bound to repeat the American journalists here to ride the new VFR1200F. We sport-altering history of its famed forebears. were very confident that the journalists would be very excited about the bike after they rode it. • Click here to view photos and animated technology renderings of 2010 VFR1200F innovations

14 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 15 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com The Dual Clutch Transmission Manual shifting is now outmoded in the four-wheel world? Yes— unmistakably so. Specifically, in a ere’s incredibly exciting news: The 2010 Honda recent issue of Car and Driver mag - Comes of Age VFR1200F comes available with an optional Dual Clutch azine, the editors held a compari - HTransmission (DCT). Better yet, that thought comes connected to son test featuring a trio of high-end even bigger news: This is the world’s first fully automatic high-performance automobiles. Two motor cycle dual clutch transmission, a design that’s eminently contestants featured dual clutch adaptable to virtually any large-displacement sportbike, and it transmissions, while the third was equipped with an older stands poised to change the entire motorcycle industry just as This new VFR1200F Dual Clutch Transmission stick-and-clutch manual shifting system—which the dual clutch transmissions have already rearranged the sports facilitates full-on sport-riding capabilites along testers proceeded to apologize about, since it slowed car landscape. with such easy and seamless operation that performance of that particular unit during acceleration even longtime motorcyclists who cling tightly to testing compared with a DCT-equipped version they had tradition will soon be converted. sampled earlier! Indeed, that is one of the benefits of a dual clutch transmission: Such a setup can actually shift measurably faster than a conventional manual setup, and that can translate to faster acceleration in timed tests. But that’s just one aspect relative to the VFR1200F. This new VFR1200F Dual Clutch Transmission facili - tates full-on sport-riding capabilities along with such easy and seamless operation that even longtime motorcyclists who cling tightly to tradition will soon be converted. Fact is, DCT will outperform manual shifting in other respects. Credit the VFR1200F’s electronic control tech - nology that triggers hydraulic systems to help ensure smooth, seamless gear changes—so seamless, in fact, that there is less driveline lurch and chas - sis movement during shifting than with a manual transmission because the system shifts gears more smoothly and quickly than a typi - cal rider can accomplish during a gear change. To provide a remarkable level of versatility, the VFR1200F with DCT offers three operating modes: two full-auto modes (D-mode and S-mode) and a six-speed gear-select mode for full rider control via paddle-shifter-type controls. D-mode operation provides a well-bal - anced blend between acceleration and fuel effi - ciency, just the ticket for relaxed riding or long-distance travel. The sportier S-mode, in con - trast, raises the rpm thresholds between shifts, giv - ing access to higher engine speeds where more power is produced; the result is distinctly sport-oriented

16 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 17 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION MECHANISM TWO RIDING MODES

ND switch operation Clutch for gears 2-4-6 acceleration and more spirited throttle response. Choosing Inner main shaft AT/MT switch operation Outer main shaft Clutch for gear-select mode allows riders to control gear selection gears 1-3-5 Up/down switch through handlebar-mounted paddle shifters. Downshifting operation yields engine braking, albeit within set operating parame - ters; the ECU will not permit downshifting to the point of excessive over-rev. And while in manual mode, the trans - mission will not automatically upshift until the rider chooses to do so—instead, you’ll hit the rev limiter, just as you would with a conventional setup. All in all, the rider enjoys a full range of options, all within fingertip reach. The effectiveness of this optional Dual Clutch Countershaft Transmission makes the VFR1200F a true milestone machine, and you don’t have to take our word for it—that’s “To my surprise the bike shifts in a very intuitive the overwhelming response from motojournalists who manner, making both up- and downshifts pre - Pressure plate recently traveled to Japan for an early bird’s ride aboard cisely and effectively on the track to the point sample machines. Blake Conner of Cycle World magazine Hydraulic piston said, “‘Revolutionary’ is a buzzword that is thrown around where I was comfortable letting the bike do the chamber for control far too frequently, but I have to say that after riding Honda’s work while I focused on enjoying myself on the Hydraulic canceller Hydraulic canceller transmission also employs dual concentric input shafts (one brand-new 2010 VFR1200F around the Sugo Circuit out - winding, twisty Sugo racetrack.” chamber chamber shaft runs inside the other hollow shaft), an exclusive inline side of Sendai, Japan, as well as on public roads nearby, [I Ken Hutchison, Motorcycle USA clutch design, and concentration of hydraulic circuitry feel] this bike truly defines that expression.... The DCT- beneath the engine cover to achieve a compact design equipped model takes innovation to an entirely new level. with seamless 0.5-second shifts just shy of redline. I was The program responded to my aggressive throttle inputs initially concerned that the system wouldn’t downshift aggressively or would do so at a deep lean angle. But “Skeptics like me were converted, never in the course of my ride did the bike shift up or down Hydraulic passageway Hydraulic passageway and the paddock was abuzz with praise. at an inopportune moment.” for clutch 2 control for clutch 1 control Well done, Honda.” Ken Hutchison, editorial director at Motorcycle USA , Greg Drevenstedt, Rider magazine said, “Although power is important for anyone considering buying a VFR1200F, the aspect of this motorcycle that I’m Clutch 2 Clutch 1 that’s not noticeably bulkier than the conventional setup. most impressed with is the performance afforded by the Clutch for gears 2-4-6 Clutch for gears 1-3-5 / Takeoff clutch If you still remain a bit skeptical about the utility of the Dual Clutch Transmission. Don’t be misled into thinking the VFR1200F’s Dual Clutch Transmission even after reading auto clutch is a snoozer. In S-mode the motorcycle is as fun Flows to hydraulic this account, that’s understandable. And you’re not alone. as the standard version. To my surprise the bike shifts in a piston chamber But we’ll close here with some observations from Rider very intuitive manner, making both up- and downshifts pre - for control magazine’s Greg Drevenstedt, who also approached the cisely and effectively on the track to the point where I was Dual Clutch Transmission-equipped VFR1200F with some - comfortable letting the bike do the work while I focused on thing of a jaundiced eye—until he actually rode the two enjoying myself on the winding, twisty Sugo racetrack.” bikes, with and without DCT, and ended up a believer: “The In order to accomplish fast and efficient shifts, the Dual standard model’s six-speed manual transmission shifted Clutch Transmission employs independent clutches for the smoothly, and the slipper clutch worked flawlessly ... but the odd-numbered gears (First, Third, Fifth) and the even-num - Hydraulic pressure from linear solenoid valves 1 and 2 real show-stopper was the Dual Clutch Transmission model. bered gears (Second, Fourth, Sixth), respectively. The two Sport (S) mode is a revelation when hard-charging. Gear clutches operate alternately to effect gear changes. For By placing two clutches in line on the same shaft and loading a changes are seamless in any mode. Skeptics like me were example, during the change from First to Second gear, the hydraulic pressure control piston inside the clutch disc, a very converted, and the paddock was abuzz with praise. Well computer detects the upshift and engages Second gear, compact clutch assembly is created, which limits the increase in engine width. done, Honda.” then releases the First-gear clutch while engaging the Second-gear clutch to achieve a smooth gear change. This • Click here to view a video, including media interviews, from the 2010 VFR1200F launch in Japan.

18 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 19 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com he American Honda Press Department recently hosted a trip to Japan, inviting mem - bers of the Powersports press in the U.S. to sam - ple the 2010 VFR1200F for the very first time at Sportsland Sugo Circuit. Once on-site at Sugo, the editors climbed aboard manual-shift models as well as samples of the VFR1200F equipped with the innovative Dual Clutch Transmission. For the daylong test session, the editors were allowed to put in hot laps on the Sugo Circuit and also ride the bikes on a twisty road course that surrounds the main track, an environment that closely resem - bles a street ride. Between the two experiences, the editors came away with a very good feel for just how competently the VFR1200F performs in different settings. On this and the following pages are images of the Sugo launch, an event that elicited much praise for the new machine from all members of the press in attendance.

20 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 21 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com 22 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 23 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com 1 29-LITER SADDLEBAGS: Aerodynamically shaped and colored to match the motorcycle’s bodywork, these lock - All Dressed Up and Ready to Go: able bags fit onto integrated bag attachments with no need for additional mounting brackets. Honda has developed a new one- VFR1200F Accessories 3 4 key system that enables the VFR1200F’s ignition key to open all With all the attention Honda paid to the VFR1200F’s the Genuine Accessory bags. extremely efficient aerodynamic envelope, it was clear that accessories made for this new sport-touring bike 2 33-LITER TRUNK: Roomy enough to hold a full-face hel - would have to fit in the same, wind-cheating mold. met and more, the trunk features a locking, quick-detach Honda’s equipment designers did just that, crafting sad - system for easy mounting. Like the saddlebags, the box’s lid dlebags, a windscreen and other components that inte - matches the bodywork color, and its lock is operable with the grate elements from the VFR1200F’s bodywork materials bike’s ignition key. and colors while also complementing the bike’s styling, amazing fit-and-finish and performance. The Honda 3 NYLON INNER BAGS: For the saddlebags and trunk, these Genuine Accessories available for the VFR1200F include: 1 2 light gray, Honda-branded bags are made from ballistic waterproof nylon with waterproof zippers. Straps and handles make them easy to carry before and after a ride. 5 4 TANK BAG: Made from ballistic waterproof nylon with 6 waterproof zippers, the Honda-branded bag measures 6.7x11.4x11.8 inches to provide about 7 liters of storage capacity.

5 LOW SEAT: This seat’s lower (0.8-inch lower), narrower profile makes it easier for shorter riders to reach the ground, yet it maintains the VFR1200F’s ergonomics.

7 6 WINDSCREEN DEFLECTOR: An adjustable, three-position windscreen that integrates with the VFR1200F’s standard 8 9 windshield for added protection. 7 WIND DEFLECTORS: Wind-cutting components that mount to the VFR1200F’s fairing to reduce turbulence around the grips.

8 HEATED GRIPS: New design for improved function and performance. Features integrated controls, smaller diam eter grips, as well as an innovative heat distribution system. 10 11 9 HUGGER: Protects the VFR1200F from mud, stones and other road debris thrown by the rear tire.

10 12-VOLT SOCKET: Easily accessible to power electronic accessories.

11 CENTER STAND: Utilizes existing mounting points on the VFR1200F’s frame for simple installation.

24 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 25 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com 20 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 27 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com onda’s massive display was the centerpiece of the 41st Tokyo Motor Show, and the reason was simple: The company had much to reveal. On press day before the public poured into the show, Honda President and CEO Takanobu Ito addressed a press corps that made a Hollywood red-carpet opening seem quaint by comparison. With thousands of journalists, photographers and videogra - phers hanging on his every word and clamoring for a shot, Mr. Ito introduced the all-new VFR1200F, plus a host of motorcycle, automobile, power and innovative mobility prod - ucts that both generate electricity and run on electricity. Reflecting the display concept of “Creating The Never Before,” Mr. Ito said, “Last year we provided some 23 million motorcycles, automobiles and power products to our cus - tomers around the world. We will continue our efforts to quickly deliver convenient, fun and unique products to our customers in a way only Honda can.”

Mr. Ito presented the “Honda ELectric mobility LOop,” or HELLO, concept of vehicles that run on electricity and also generate electricity, including the compact EV-N commuter car, the EV-Cub and the EV-Monpal personal mobility vehicle.

Cutaway of the VFR1200F shows how the Dual Clutch Transmission does its magic.

The VFR1200F made its world debut in a display that asked the ques - While some manufacturers displayed their exotic racing machines behind velvet Honda also unveiled the DN-01 Touring Concept complete with saddlebags and cool paint. tion: Can pioneering innovative technology restore common sense? ropes, Honda offered a step to make it easier to climb aboard the exotic RC212V.

28 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 29 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com The Fountainhead ost all of us have visited a baseball stadium at one time or another. Go conjure up some mental Mimages—can you visualize that stadium and the surround - ing grounds? Next, take that mental picture of those stadium grounds and expand that area by a factor of 36. Got that in mind? Well, maybe not entirely, because now we’re talking about a layout that is genuinely gargantuan. But at least you’re beginning to get an inkling regarding the total size of

The press tour of the Kumamoto motorcycle factory focused on the “Fun” assembly line, which is utilized to produce large-displacement motorcycles, including the new VFR1200F.

the Honda Kumamoto factory grounds in Japan, where 87 different models of motorcycles and scooters spring forth for worldwide distribution. Here’s another big number for contemplation: The Kumamoto factory can produce as many as 1800 motorcycles in a single day! And on top of all that, other factories at this site produce 53 different engines and many other components to supply 30 other Honda factories in 20 other countries. motorcycle down the assembly line adjusts to different heights dur - The staff of the Press Department at American Honda ing the assembly process, allowing workers of different heights to recently held a visit to this facility, hosting a number of edi - build machines of varying sizes simultaneously on the line with min - tors from the stateside press. Since its beginnings in 1976, imal physical stress—a big key to Kumamoto’s production flexibility. Kumamoto has grown to include a plastics molding factory, As another method of speeding production, parts conveyor racks a metal foundry, a power-equipment engine factory, a trans - carry parts along the assembly line at the same pace as the main mission factory, a wastewater treatment facility, three test conveyor, delivering the needed parts to assemble a single motor - tracks including on-road and off-road plus sports fields— cycle. For workers, this eliminates the need to change parts carriers including a baseball park, ironically enough. In addition, when parts run out, increasing efficiency. Honda recently completed the construction of a new motor - Once completely assembled, each motorcycle is inspected, the cycle plant in which all of those motorcycles and scooters engine is warmed up and run through the gears on a rear-wheel previously mentioned are built. dyno, and then the bike is ridden along a short zigzag course to The press tour of the Kumamoto motorcycle factory check the chassis and suspension movement before it heads to the focused on the “Fun” assembly line, which is utilized to pro - crating area. Here, each motorcycle is neatly packaged one by one duce large-displacement motorcycles, including the new in preparation for shipping. All the motorcycles are carefully pack - VFR1200F. Measuring 130 meters long, the Fun line pro - aged to protect against damage during the long boat trips that end at duces 537 motorcycles daily, enabling each unit to be ports literally all around the world. From such ports the crated motor - assembled in about 90 seconds. The computer-controlled cycle is then distributed to a Honda dealership, and the machine’s elevator-style Automatic Lift Platform that carries each journey might very well end at your driveway.

30 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 31 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com 27 Years of Groundbreaking V-4 Honda’s newest V-4, the 2010 VFR1200F, show - The perimeter chassis was the basis for a big handling cases an amazing amount of revolutionary tech - breakthrough: It was far stiffer than the competition’s single- nology, from its radical new Dual Clutch Innovation backbone frames, and it imbued the V45 with handling never Transmission to its 28-degree-phase crankshaft, before experienced in a streetbike. asymmetric cylinder layout, layered-concept Next, the V45 saw the introduction of the 16-inch front fairing, Throttle By Wire and much more. But wheel to the Honda lineup. At the time, most streetbike front that’s hardly a surprise, because Interceptors wheels were 18 inches in diameter; the 16 made the have showcased trailblazing Honda technology Interceptor much quicker-steering and way more responsive, ever since the first V45 wheelied onto the scene a real night-and-day change from the other bikes out there. in 1983. Often, the Interceptor showcased tech - And finally, the V45 used a single-shock rear suspension, nology that was right off the racetrack; other again at a time when much of the competition was still using times, while it may not have premiered a feature, twin shocks. The V45 had it all: speed, handling, comfort and it was often one for the first bikes in Honda’s race-winning power. Honda never looked back. lineup to offer that feature to the public. Let’s take a look at some of the breakthrough 1986 VFR750F technologies that have appeared on Honda Want to see how fast Honda was accelerating technology Interceptors over the years. in the 1980s? The ground had barely quit shaking from the first Interceptor’s introduction when the bike received a 1983 V45 VF750F Interceptor major makeover. First, a minor name change from VF to The original 1983 Interceptor is one of the most VFR ®. Next, the engine received gear-driven cams for more important streetbikes ever made, right behind another precise valve timing. Gear-drive cams were the stuff of legendary 750, the 1969 CB750K0. The 1983 model unobtainable, factory Bol d’Or machines, but here they were didn’t just showcase one feature; it put together a for the everyman. collection of groundbreaking designs unequaled Even bigger news was the Interceptor’s new frame: An until the new 2010 VFR1200F. all-aluminum construction, it was stiffer, offered better han - dling and was a big contributor to the new bike’s 45-pound 90-DEGREE V-4 ENGINE weight reduction. Yet for all the racetrack-inspired features, the VFR was an even better streetbike, with none of the Serving as the longtime center-stage high-strung tendencies of other track-replica machines. for engineering innovation, over the years the V-4 VFR has served as the showcase for many high-tech features. 1990 VFR750F/1990 RC30 Here is a ghost illustration of the 1998 This new decade saw the introduction of two new Honda Interceptor, first of the 800 series. V-4s, the next-generation Interceptor and a new machine built specifically for the Superbike class, the RC30. The First, the VF750F introduced the concept of a 90-degree V-4 engine to Interceptor now would focus on being a broad-spectrum the sportbike world. Honda had pioneered that concept in its Grand Prix streetbike, while the RC30 took over the racetrack duties. bikes as early as 1978 with the NR500, and in 1982 Honda brought out a Both featured twin-spar aluminum frames and single-sided V-4 for the street, the Sabre ™. But the original Interceptor’s engine was in Pro-Arm ® aluminum . The second feature was a much higher state of tune than the Sabre’s, making the Interceptor the right out of Honda’s endurance-racing experience. The quickest machine in its displacement class. design allowed super-fast wheel changes, yet even with Second, the V45 used a radical new perimeter frame. Fabricated from the swingarm open on one side still provided excellent han - square-section steel tubing, it wrapped around the outside of the engine GEAR-DRIVEN dling. A combination of sophisticated design and supe rior instead of underneath in the conventional “double cradle” style of the day. CAMSHAFT SYSTEM manu facturing techniques made it possible.

32 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 33 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com Early versions of the VFR’s Pro-Arm single-sided LUB-COATED PISTONS swingarm were manufactured with the aid of CAD- CAM—Computer-Aided Design and Computer- Aided Manufacturing. Cutting-edge stuff at the time, CAD-CAM parts have now become the state 1994 VFR750F of the art. 1998 Interceptor The 1994 VFR showcased some breakthroughs in This was another big chassis breakthrough, the intro - bodywork aerodynamics—for instance, the NACA duction of the pivotless frame. Normally, the swingarm ducts (the black, Y-shaped openings) on the sides of pivot would run through the rear of the frame, but on the the fairing. This was part of the VFR’s sophisticated 1998 Interceptor (and the VT1000 Super Hawk™) the air-management system, and in many ways a precur - swingarm pivoted through a casting at the rear of the sor to the new VFR1200F’s layered-concept fairing. engine/transmission case and never touched the frame The NACA ducts came right off another Honda V-4, itself. This allowed Honda engineers to completely iso - the ultra-exotic, limited-edition, oval-piston NR750. late the frame from the swingarm’s action, and fine-tune And finally, Honda designers found a way to shave chassis stiffness to a degree never seen before. another 20 pounds from the VFR; the lessons learned Engine displacement jumped to 781cc, partially Over the years, various VFRs have incorpo - LINKED BRAKING here relate directly to today’s generation of lightweight rated Honda’s unique cast aluminum Pro-Arm SYSTEM through the use of aluminum-ceramic-composite cylin - sportbikes like the CBR600RR and CBR1000RR. single-sided swingarm, which offers high der liners, another manufacturing breakthrough, along rigidity, light weight, simplified rear-wheel removal, easy chain adjustability and more. with the Interceptor’s LUB-coated pistons. The braking 1994 RC45 system offered LBS—the front and the rear brakes This is the bike that put Honda over the top in both linked, a practice growing more and more common today AMA and World Superbike. It also introduced true, but really cutting-edge at the time. high-performance programmed fuel injection (PGM-FI) The fuel-injection system also used a much more into the Honda lineup. The RC45 was lighter, faster sophisticated 3D mapping. And the Interceptor now more compact and a real winner in every way—just used twin side-mount radiators. The goal here was ask Miguel Duhamel, who used it to bring home not twofold: first, to allow the designers to move the just multiple victories at Daytona but a National engine closer to the front wheel for better handling, and Championship as well. second, to isolate the fuel-injection system’s air intakes from the hot air dictated by a radiator in a conventional VTEC ENGINE An engineering sleight of hand to enhance engine breathing at both lower and position. Honda had used side-mount oil coolers back in The 1998 Interceptor broke new ground by combin - higher engine speeds to boost power output, the VTEC valvetrain allows the its days of six-cylinder 250 GP bikes, and now the ing two innovative Honda technologies: the Pro-Arm engine to breathe through two valves at low rpm and four valves as engine single-sided swingarm and a twin-spar pivotless speeds increase. new Interceptor offered the design for the street. chassis, using the engine as a stressed member of the chassis. 2002 Interceptor This was another landmark year for Interceptor innova - tions and improvements, the biggest of which was the introduction of the VTEC ® engine. VTEC let the Interceptor run on two valves per cylinder at low rpm for better throttle response and torque, and at four valves per cylinder at high rpm for better horsepower and engine breathing. Sophisticated ignition mapping and fuel-injec - tion delivery smoothed out the transition.

As you can see, for the last 27 years the Interceptor has ridden right on the cutting edge of technology. And in another 27 years, riders will look back on the new VFR1200F with all its technical innovations as both a groundbreaking and benchmark bike— exactly what you’d expect from a Honda!

• Click here to learn more about Honda’s production V-4 motorcycle history.

34 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 35 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com Tracking Footprints of Racing Giants he cry of a full-tilt racing V-4 howling around the track at redline’s edge stages an armed assault on the senses, Tas anyone who has attended a MotoGP race lately can attest. Most recently, the RC212V has been Honda’s V-4 racing weapon of choice in the MotoGP traveling show, and it is truly a sight—and sound—to experience. However, if you turn the clock back 27 years to 1983 when the startlingly new Honda VF750F Interceptor made its racing debut in the Superbike race at Daytona, you’ll find that first V-4 encounter in American Superbike racing arguably posed as great a stir as the racing debut of any other new machinery in modern times. For at that time, inline-fours filled the mainstream norm in the Superbike class; this new V-4 was something truly exotic, a fact that became undeniably obvious when Freddie Spencer won that debut race. Spencer would later return fleet - ingly from his mainstay GP responsibilities to win the Daytona Superbike events in 1984 and 1985 aboard Interceptors. Honda’s VFR-series V-fours would go on to win championship upon championship in the USA and around the world. Fittingly enough, the Honda Museum at Motegi today houses a complete collection of this line of racing V-4 machines for people to admire. And for those of you who might Giants from roadracing’s past glory days loom large at the Honda not be planning a trip to Japan to take in this display, you can Museum at Motegi. follow the link below to enjoy a timeline depicting a full array of the production bikes and racing machines that comprise the Click here to view the Honda V-4 timeline and enjoy a trip back in time with some of the giants of racing. rich heritage of Honda V-4 motorcycles. •

The limited-edition street-legal V-4 Honda NR750 became a legend The NR750 V-4 engine on display: four oval pistons, eight connecting rods, At the Honda Museum, you can take your time and stroll around Championship machines aplenty reside here at Motegi, and historic racing images in its own time immediately upon its release in 1990, and the legend 32 valves. Crazy-exotic stuff of the highest order. in the midst of genuine greatness, eyeballing truly exotic accompany many of the displays to whisk you back in time. has only grown. machines to your heart’s content.

36 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 37 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com Fred Merkel - 1984 VF750F The Stuff of

onda’s VL-4 emotorgcyclees havne a rdich ras cing legacy. Always trailblazing, they’ve won world Hand national championships, lapped the Isle of Man at record speeds, and turned club racers into house - hold names. From the oval-piston NR500 to the leg - endary RC45 to the current RC212V, Honda V-4s have ruled the track. But nothing rocked the racing scene like the original. Here’s a look back on the VF750’s dominance of the American racing scene. The Interceptor first appeared as a national force on the American Superbike scene in 1983, and it was an immediate success. In its first year the Interceptor won a remarkable eight AMA Superbike races, including the Daytona Superbike event. For a bike in its first year of contention, and especially for one that incorporated so much cutting-edge tech - nology, the Interceptor’s finish of second overall in the series was remarkable. But the very next year, things got even better. The season got off to a roaring start with another Daytona win, and Interceptor riders never looked back. The VF750F-based machines won 12 of the season’s 13 AMA Superbike events. Flyin’ Fred Merkel took home the championship and along the way set the record for most wins in a season as well as the highest sea - son winning percentage. The next year was a near carbon copy. Freddie Spencer won Daytona on his Interceptor, Merkel again won the title and Honda won nine of the By 1987, only a fool would bet against an The last year an Interceptor was still a contender in 13 events. Interceptor on the track. The only thing that AMA Superbike was 1989. And while Honda didn’t field By 1986, even a bike as strong as the original changed was the rider. a team, a privateer Interceptor still won Daytona, with VF750F needed some updating, and a next-genera - John Ashmead riding home first across Daytona’s tion Interceptor rolled up to the starting line. The over - Honda flat track star turned roadracer having a spectacular year too: famous banking. Across the pond, Merkel backed up his all design stayed the same: V-4 engine racing against Bubba Shobert finished third in the series on his Honda V-4. first World Superbike Championship with another. a grid full of inline-fours. The new bike won eight out of Shobert’s rookie year was no fluke: In 1988 the Texan rode his By 1990, the Interceptor’s days as a front-line race - nine AMA races, and Merkel took home his third Interceptor home to his first AMA Superbike championship, and bike were over, supplanted by the RC30 and later the straight Superbike Championship for Honda, while his Honda’s fifth straight. The Interceptor’s performance set a record for RC45. The Interceptor now occupied another role: that teammate Wayne Rainey rode home in second. the most consecutive AMA Superbike Championships won by any of one of the most sophisticated streetbikes the planet By 1987, only a fool would bet against an Interceptor manufacturer to date. Merkel was now riding in a new class, World has ever seen, a motorcycle for those who appreciate on the track. The only thing that changed was the Superbike, on another Honda V-4, the new RC30. And, just as natu - Bubba Shobert - 1988 Interceptor refinement and innovation—a legacy the all-new rider. This time it was Rainey’s turn, with a young rally, Merkel and the RC30 rode off with the inaugural Championship. VFR1200F carries on.

38 Honda Red Rider February/March 2010 February/March 2010 Honda Red Rider 39 hrca.honda.com hrca.honda.com Vol. 19 No. 107 Februar y/ March 2010 PUBLISHER American Honda Motor Co., Inc. / EDITORIAL OFFICE Vreeke & Associates Inc., 250 E. Easy St., Suite 3, Simi Valley, CA 93065 Honda Red Rider ™ assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, drawings or photographs, and such materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Publication of any article, photograph, illustration or advertisement in Honda Red Rider should not be construed as an endorsement by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., or its affiliated companies or dealer organization, of specific products, accessories or their use. The opinions expressed by the contributing writers of this publication are the sole opinions of these contributors, and should not be construed as an endorse - honda.com ment by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Honda Red Rider is published for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. by Vreeke & Associates. Copyright ©2010 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Honda, Honda Red Rider , Honda Riders Club of America and HRCA are trademarks of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Other trademarks in this publication are property of their respective owners.

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