Honda VFR800FI Interceptor reviews

I've been commuting 110 miles a day year round on my '02 since I bought it new in September. The only problem at all was the speedo sensor which went out at 11,000 miles. The VFR needs a little more power so I added a Two Brothers exhaust and went up two teeth on the rear sprocket which gave it more of a kick. I get an average of 42 MPG on my freeway commute but if I get on it hard it drops to 38. I found the Metzler Z-6 tire suits the VFR well, helping it handle fairly quickly for its weight. The speedo was way optimistic so I put a recalibrator on and it reads right on now. Top speed with the TBR and sprocket change is 150 MPH verified by GPS. One negative area is the cost of a valve adjustment - because the VFR has VTEC valves the job takes 8 hrs and when done with a service check the cost is around $600.00 - Ouch! Overall this is a great bike, reliable and good handling but it would need to lose 100 LBS and gain 10 hp to be perfect.... Show less

I love my new VFR. I upgraded from a 1976 Honda CB500T. Oh what a difference. It is the exact bike I wanted because I wanted a sport bike, but I also wanted comfort. I chose this bike over the VTX 1800, Yamaha Road Star Warrior, and Harley V-Rod. I am so glad I did, because I realized I like going fast for long rides. For its speed and agility, it is very comfortable. I put 12,600 miles on the bike in 9 months if that tells you anything. Whoever it was that said this bike was jerky when the VTEC kicks in is over exaggerating. The engine transitions very well into a 4 valve system. The power boost is noticible, but it is far from dangerous. Second, the forks are adjustable, just have to read that little book under the seat. Show less

I have had my bike for a little over 1 thousand miles now. It was my first bike and it's just great. Pluses: gas mileage, comfort, riding position, visibility, torque, responsive powerband, linked brakes. Minuses: vibration in throttle, needs aftermarket pipes to be heard, stiff suspension stock. The V-4 engine is great and it keeps up with the inline 4 600's. Keep in mind this machine wasn't made for hard cornering without the experience and know how to do so, and stunting isn't easy to do because of the linked brakes, but it's a sports tourer and not a high output sportsbike. Driving to work, long trips, or riding 2 up for a little sight seeing is the best. Want to go really fast really quick, stunt, or outrun anything with more cc's, it won't do it. Show less

3 months and running, this has to be the best choice I've made in years. Almost bought a Katana until I found out about how old the technology was. This bike is light years ahead of the competition in this category. Comfortable, powerful, and all around enjoyable. Show less

I traded in my old VFR, a '96, which was hard but I have been nothing but satisfied with the changes to the new model. The new bike is extremely quiet until you hit 7000 rpm and the v-tec kicks in, and you've got yourself a monster. I've recieved nothing but good comments on the looks of the bike and I can't wait to get her broken in enough to see what she can really do. Thanks Honda for keepng the VFR legend alive and well. Show less

I've owned my VFR for 3 weeks and have had 3 trips of 250 to 350 miles. The bike is very smooth. The engine has a nice growl when you run it hard, but the rest of the time, it just purrs along. I've seen several comments about the bike being slow. I had a CBR 954 RR and it is considered relatively fast. There's not much difference in real world conditions. Unless you ride like a racer on the street, you probably will prefer the VFR. If you ride hard enough to appreciate the performance difference, you need to be on a track, not on the street! It's more difficult to judge your speed on the VFR relative to the CBR. It runs so much smoother you have to pay attention to the speedometer. The bike is well designed and everything works like it should. It's clear Honda was sweating the details on this bike. Most buyers go for the flash and dash bikes and ignore one of the best rides on the market. Show less

I just got the bike and traded my '04 Ninja 500R for it. Holy cow this thing is awesome! The power in this machine is crazy. I'm 220lbs. and I can get some wicked air under my front tire. A definite must have. This bike beats any 600 or 700cc bike hands down! And the cams sound so awesome! This bike gets lots of looks. Show less

The VFR is a bike that you have to get to know, but once you do it's like a long time girlfriend that you can trust no matter what. When I first got my VFR, I was comparing it to an FZ-1 which is the funnest bike I've ever ridden. The VFR is just so... smooth. It's Honda smooth. It smoothly runs up around 90mph without you knowing it. It's not as comfortable because of the leaned over riding position, but the engine pulls from down low. The Vtech takes some getting used to if you hang around 7000 RPM, but if you go right by 7K you won't notice, but the engine runns more freely. Again, a smooth transition. Handles like a dream. So why do I like it if its not as comfortable, not as fast, not as fun as an FZ-1? Because overall it just fits my personality, my riding needs, better. I find myself reaching for the keys to the VFR more than any other bike in my garage. I have many bikes including the FJR, the VFR, and the FZ-1. FZ is faster and funner; FJR is more comfortable but bulkier; VFR just grew on me. Show less

People hate the VFR 800 because it is slow and heavy...they are right,it is slow and heavy. If you want fast and light buy the r-1, gixxer or zx10. Guess what! I can keep up with my buddies who drive those bikes 70-80% of the time. And, I finish the ride without the sore neck, back and wrists. Comfort? ...If you plan to a carry a passenger, the other bikes won't even come close. I've even been told my bike looks just as good, if not better than those bikes. I can live with the vfr's relative lack of performance. How often do you use the top 20% of power anyway? Race bikes are for race tracks. In my opinion the vfr 800 is better suited for the streets. As a bonus the v-4 engine sounds awesome (can't wait for the aftermarket pipe!) Show less

I bought my VFR, as they are called in Canada, in June 2002 and in my first year I bought the hard Honda saddle bags and went on a 20 hour straight ride from Toronto to Myrtle Beach SC. I found I was more comfortable than my friend who rode a Harley with me. This year I bought the rear trunk (rear beer box) and I find I have a weekend tour bike and a weekday crotch rocket. I do my own oil changes and find it easy to work on. I have ridden BMWs, Harleys and Jap bikes, this is by far the best bike. Oh, and I can still lift the front wheel without any effort. Just a tip, I wanted silver color so the dealers said I had to buy a brand new 2003, but, the dealers in the Toronto area had lots of 2002's in red color that they were practically giving away. So shop around if you are not color picky like I am, and save around $2000. Show less