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/795513
2016 HONDA VFR1200X FULL TEST P112 found Level 3 (the least amount of intervention) to my liking most of the time. My VFR was fitted with Honda accessory aluminum saddle- bags and trunk. Since most of my riding on the VFR involved lane-splitting, I rarely rode with the side bags in place; they stick out quite a bit. The trunk, how- ever, pretty much lived on the bike. Keep an eye on the four bolts that attach the trunk to the rear rack. One time, my trunk passed me through a corner on a the clutch rolling up to a stop, rid- ing an auto bike does not turn you back into a beginner again. And it's just as easy adapting to the DCT Honda; in fact, it's a fun transition. I enjoyed every minute I had with the VFR1200X. It's one of the most user-friendly everyday-bikes that I've ever ridden, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the DCT transmission for every- day use and on the weekends. In fact, the more I rode the VFR, the more l appreciated the DCT transmission for what it could S P E C I F I C A T I O N S 2016 HONDA VFR1200X ($15,999 / $16,399 DCT) ENGINE TYPE: ... Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, Unicam, 16-valve, V4 DISPLACEMENT: ........................... 1237cc BORE & STROKE: ...................81 x 60mm INDUCTION: .................PGM-FI electronic fuel-injection IGNITION: ................................. Electronic COMPRESSION RATIO: ....................... 12:1 TRANSMISSION: .......... 6-speed / Honda Automatic DCT transmission (optional) DRIVE TRAIN: ...................Enclosed shaft CHASSIS: ....................... Twin-spar frame FRONT SUSPENSION: ..... 43mm inverted telescopic fork w/hydraulic damping, preload and rebound damping adj. REAR SUSPENSION: ................... Pro-Link w/gas-charged damper, preload and stepless rebound damping FRONT BRAKE: ......... Dual 310mm discs, combined ABS REAR BRAKE: ..........Single 276mm disc, combined ABS FRONT TIRE: .......................... 110/80-R19 REAR TIRE: ............................. 150/70-R17 RAKE / TRAIL: ................ 28.0° / 107mm WHEELBASE: ................................ 62.8 in. SEAT HEIGHT: .............................. 33.5 in. WEIGHT: .................... 608 lbs. (standard transmission) / 631 lbs. (DCT) FUEL CAPACITY: ........................ 5.68 gal. AVAILABLE COLORS: ........ Black (2016) / Candy Red (2017) Hand guards are a nice touch, for sure, but their presence might suggest that the VFR is capable of going off road. Think again. dirt road with my laptop inside it. The laptop survived and the trunk only had a few scratches and no dents. Pretty tough. I love the fuel range of the 5.7-gallon tank. Two-hundred miles on a tank is pretty much guaranteed under any situation; I managed it easily a number of times. Another handy feature is an ac- cessory socket, which is some- thing I used a lot to power my cell phone while I used it for navigation using an aftermarket mount. After riding the VFR for so long, I was curious as to how I would adjust to manual shifts bikes again; would it be like learning how to shift and use the clutch all over again? No, not even close, other than a few late actions with do and for what it has to offer; it makes your life a lot easier for those mundane day-in and day- out commutes, while still being a blast for the weekend fun rides. Of course, I'm not saying that we should replace shift bikes with auto bikes; hell no, but I do feel that auto bikes have their place, and the VFR1200X is definitely one of those places. Pretty much everything else about the VFR1200X is right on the money, though improving suspension a little bit and reduc- ing weight should be at the top Honda's to-do list when it comes time to revamp the VFR1200X in the future. Still, it's a serious adventure bike worth considering if you don't mind sticking to the pavement. CN