Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/425612
2015 HONDA VFR800X CROSSRUNNER FIRST RIDE P58 Still, they were good enough to persuade Honda bosses to try to get it right second time around. So the new Crossrunner has a much-improved crisper-looking appearance with the more tra- ditional adventure tourer styling requested by potential custom- ers, according to Honda. Also improved was a more spacious riding position with a one-piece handlebar replacing the slightly curious separate controls of the old bike, as well as pulled-back and slightly wider-spaced grips for an ultra-relaxed yet more up- right stance. There's a two-way 32-33-inch adjustable height for the two-piece seat with enhanced passenger accommodation. Also included are the meaty but quite graceful looking grab rails which were introduced a year ago on the upgraded VFR800F. Indeed, the new X-model is es- sentially based on that bike, em- ploying the same sharp-steering chassis and upgraded version of the 72 x 48mm, 782cc 16-valve DOHC 90° V4 engine fitted with Honda's trademark VTEC vari- able-valve timing system. This now delivers 106 bhp/78kW at 10,250 rpm, with torque im- proved to 75Nm/55ft-lb at 8,500 rpm, compared to 101 bhp/73Nm on the outgoing model. In spite of still rather surprising- ly lacking an RBW/ride-by-wire electronic throttle, this much- enhanced engine has a very pre- cise, light throttle action, which makes it ultra-maneuverable at slow speeds. It also allows you to explore the extremely tight turn- ing circle, making feet-up U-turns with impunity. This is a very practi- cal package, which pulls away on part-throttle and hardly any clutch without a hiccup from as low as the 1300 rpm idle speed. It has a smooth, linear build of power and torque that just keeps right on coming without any of the steps in delivery as was before on the first-series VTEC models intro- duced in 2002. But the Cross- runner's performance is slightly underwhelming down low, until you get an audio reminder of the VTEC transition point at 6,600 rpm, when all 16 valves start to work in concert, rather than just eight up till then. The flat drone of the low-set 4-2-1 exhaust alters to a hard-edged rasp that's pretty intoxicating. And while the transition is smoother and less abrupt than before, there's still a really invigo- rating extra zap in acceleration in VTEC mode. That's because below the VTEC threshold, en- gine performance has been de- liberately softened via revised EFI mapping and altered ignition timing, according to Honda R&D boss Yoichi Inayama [see Techni- cal sidebar], giving the VFR800F genuine pretensions to all-round adaptability. There is a small amount of midrange vibration through the footrests from what is otherwise a very smooth op- erator, although this soon disap- pears. From there to the 11,250 rpm limiter, revs do pick up quite a bit faster in VTEC mode. There's a notably greater difference be- tween before and after on the Crossrunner than on the sportier VFR800F. However, it's just a question of the power delivery being more intense, not a step in the power curve as such. Ridden hard, as it invites you to do (in us- ing more revs to access the extra