Honda's Best Kept Secret: This VFR800fi is a Bargain V4 Superbike!

[@smiththers2]

Just bought mine a month ago and I absolutely love it! Power enough to definitely respect it... comfortable enough for me to ride for hours instead of minutes.

[@deepakkantgir]

I loved my 98 vfr 800. Infact that's me in the video posing on the red vfr. Had it for 22 years and what an engine. That motor belongs in the hall of fame

[@Jacob-he1lg]

I bought a 2004 VFR new. I still ride it and love it , zero problems. The V-4 is such a great engine. It still turns heads and I get offers to buy it regularly. There are a lot of faster bikes, and more comfortable bikes, but not too many bikes do everything as well as the VFR.

[@magicf7076]

Still have mine. ‘98 VFR. Power Commander II. Never, ever, will sell it. Still today 2024 it’s superb.

[@stephenscharf6293]

I have a 5th Gen '99 VFR800Fi with stock exhaust and only ~17,000 miles on it with an Ohlins shock and revalved front forks. Also, two full sets of Givi hard luggage for it. In my experience, the BEST sportbike EVER made. Mine is mint, quiet, FAST, and handles like a DREAM. Just a SUPERB motorcycle.

[@kamsa1243]

...quiet?

[@MaxLord67]

I have the VFR 750 RC36 from 96', it has the noise of a V8 with a Devil Exhaust, the handeling is insane and the look

[@davehoward22]

ive got a 2000 and love it...Doing it up,been sitting under a cover for a year,charged the battery,fired up..Sounds great,west fairing kit..

[@isaiahvillarreal4512]

I average about 4 to 600,000 miles outta my VFR’s as a motorcycle courier in Los Angeles ( dispatch rider) A colleague of over 25yrs asked why I keep riding the VFR? He said he’d get bored of the same bike yr after yr. I said nothing in return but just rode away thinking. Bored? Not the way I ride!

[@RHauto]

That's impressive, and must be fun! I done food delivery for 2 months on mine before switching to a scooter, the VFR was just a bit overkill for the short trips I was doing around the city. That, and commercial insurance is a pain for bigger cc bikes 😅

[@isaiahvillarreal4512]

@@RHauto insurance co. are crooks. When I asked why I had to pay so much on a classic mc that only gets ridden about 100mi a yr. They said it doesn’t matter if you ride one mile or a million miles, the price is the same. Then the Ins. Co. Made me sign that if I ride more than 10k miles a yr and I get in an accident I’m not covered. So I discoed the Speedo. I can tell by my revs how fast I’m going in any given gear ( I never buy commercial ins) the dealer sold me 4 yr unlimited mileage warranty that they refused to honor within three yrs cuz the VFR had over 200k. They said I got my $$ worth outta the bike. I replied “what part of unlimited mileage do you not understand?” They held the bike for 7 months while we argued the point. They even asked if I was a mc courier and that voids the contract. I was way ahead of them. “ mc courier what’s that?” Why do you have so many miles then. “ if you look at my loan application I’m a diamond setter.” How does that explain the high mileage? “Well again, look at my address I live in Palm Springs ( used my dads address) and I commute to the Los Angeles jewelry mart. 5 days a week 240 miles round trip on the most comfortable sport tourer.” They fixed the VFR. But I was told they’ll never sell me an extended warranty again. I bought my next two VFR’s under my moms name with the extended warranty. The third one I went to the same dealer under new ownership and they insisted if I wanted the price I haggled for I had to buy the extended warranty. What could I do? they had me! I rode away laughing.

[@yellowbearworks2535]

I am also a VFR800 (5th g) enthusiast, however I cannnot demonstrate such a stellar mileage history as you do. My only grime is actually the urban/suburban use though, even if it is just slow traffic no jams, the coolantás temp swiftly gets maxed out, also constantly activating the radiator fans. A bit scary, but no issues so far. My bike has very good technical condition, so I just do not understand how the VFR800 was also used as an urban police bike so successfully in Japan. Just thinking..., overall an awesome bike, a piece of motorcycle history, which should be reintroduced with a state-of-the-art suspension upgrade and some weight savings. Interestingly the used market is still not enthusiastic about this bike, so buyers still can get very good deals. Still not too late to buy one!

[@AssociatedNotaryProcessServer]

@@RHauto First I don't use commercial insurance, too expensive. Thats why I disconnected the speedo. 40 plus years at this job one develops a 'feel' for how fast one is going and how many miles one rides a day by the jobs and cities he travels too, about 300 to hundred a day. Scooters have a big advantage on congested city streets, better mileage, more maneuverability and its rider can carry bigger boxes on the floor board.

[@AssociatedNotaryProcessServer]

@@yellowbearworks2535 Don't sweat the high temp readings on the VFR, that used to scare me too but the auto fan going on and off is a good thing. I try to time the traffic lights during the hot summer days so I can keep on moving thus keeping airflow thru the motor. When temps are 110 or more then remove the lower cowling so the heat can escape, heat is not an issue on the highways just the urban stop and go. But as long as your battery is in good working order, you can get away with turning the motor off at lights while the fan runs and cools the radiator (I have done that when I don't want to remove the fairing) and have seen the temps drop 5 degrees as soon as I start the motor back up. Sure, it's bit of a pain but its only till I make it back to the Hwy. A small price to pay for the best balanced motorcycle. Lastly use a good quality oil, I always use GOLDEN SPECTRO. I recommend the 50/50 synthetic blend. Honestly I have noticed my VFR shift not as smooth on full synthetic.

[@darrenlucas2768]

I've just finished sorting a VFR 800 like this to my taste,new suspension, cosmetics exhaust etc etc, and without doubt it feels more like a race bike than any sports bike I've ever owned. The engine is simply charismatic....and more than enough power in the tank for most on the road,and track. Biggest surprise,handling.....it's weighty,but on the move.....it's more sports than tourer....fit a free flow exhaust,and suddenly.....the engines heritage simply screams at you. I understand this video....the guy explains it well.Its not an RC45 race bike,but 90% of the time,for 90% of us it feels 90% as good I'd say if you closed your eyes and didn't look at it,not that it's ugly...it's just not pretty...but,the class is there

[@Tubesmaney]

I had a 2003 VFR (RC46) and loved that bike. It didn't have the gear-driven timing which I loved the sound of, but still the sound of it was fantastic. I rode all over Northern California and Nevada with it!

[@MrCrazeDawg]

Have had 2001 VFR800fi as my second bike ever, super fun bike greate handling, and they sound super when aftermarket exhaust is fitted :D

[@luisnunes5274]

I got a rc36-1 heavily modified and I'm considering buying a 5th gen that popped up also heavily track modified. The VFRs just have something special about them, others bikes can do alot of stuff better but don't have the same soul ❤

[@keithmarsay5611]

Rode mine from Milan to Birmingham (~1000 miles) in a single day, ~16 hrs, with a flat battery. Never missed a beat. All day comfort. Brilliant bike. Had mine over 20 years, never found anything better.

[@jaanuspapp1333]

I love vfr's, its weird and unique, but actually reliable, good and affordable. Like what other bike has a V4 motor, mono swingarm and a hydraulic clutch. You are correct, a ducati penigale V4. Except this is actually comfortable to ride, and is incredibly reliable, but only costs a fraction of the price.

[@fulltilt151]

Had a 750. The sound of those gear driven cams...

[@vfr5834]

Nice video. The VFR800Fi might not have the aesthetics of the RC45, but it's more comfortable, way cheaper, and more importantly comes with a much better soundtrack.

[@peterkoning21]

I had a VFR800VTec which I loved !! It was just a bit shyort on top speed but a lovely bike

[@drrrivevibes]

I have zero knowledge of bikes at the moment, but am very enthusiastic about them after meeting my girlfriend's dad, who has always been obsessed with building, riding and tracking his own ensemble of motorcycles. He recently picked up one of these for £150 that had been totalled and left to rot in a shed for a quarter of a century; it was crashed the year after it was manufactured, in '99. It's an import (we're not sure where from) with 8096km on the clock - it is almost perfect mechanically, but a majority of the 'panels' or whatever you'd like to call them and some parts of the frame are very badly scuffed or totally unsalvageable. I'm helping him pick it apart in order to understand how they work, but there's a good chance that this VFR800fi will be the first 'real' bike that I own once I have passed my tests and gotten some proper practice in on his '83 GSXR 400. Videos like this are helping me truly understand and appreciate the heritage of this bike, and I'm so lucky that my first experiences will be on some of the most iconic motorbikes ever produced.

[@zero1strike]

I own a 2000 fi & a 95 750 .. i love both, sort out the 4 main weak points ( R/R, Exhaust system , oil cooler pipes & a scottoiler ) then you have yourself a very well sorted machine that’ll out live you, all thats needed is the mere consumables, mileage means nothing to these gear driven cammed wonders 😎👌

[@flexjay87]

The dude narrating this is killing me . " RC Farty five" :)

[@mickeymouse4897]

That's Northern Irish accent for ya ... They can't pronounce a word which starts with a "TH" they use "D".

[@Antanix]

"Boring bike" my ass. I have a '98 5th gen, that model year has an AMAZING punch at midrange (and a terrible gas mileage, btw) and still some decent juice at high RPM. As result, i constantly kick 750 gixxers arses opening gas from tight bends, even if they have 30-40 hp more. They must find a good straight line to catch me. With a lot of effort i can even keep up with some british triples. No kidding. With a quicker frame and without the damn CBS brakes, this bike could keep up with many modern bikes. BTW, the viffer block has 180 degrees cranks, while the RC45 has 360 degrees cranks.

[@frenchmirage6711]

Bottom line : the VFR 800fi offered best confort-range-sport/travel abilities with exceptional technical specs and... a champion endurance engine block. That philosophie got degraded as soon as gear diven cams were abandonned for V-tec... too bad !

[@armondpiche6891]

I love my 5th generation vfr800!

[@shnarklevonbarkle110]

I've been wanting a VFR800 for years, but can't seem to find one that hasn't been abused or within a thousand miles away so I picked up a VFR750 with low miles and since I can't compare it to the 800, I really don't know what I'm missing. I love this bike!

[@RHauto]

Some people prefer the 750 over the 8 so it all depends on the person. I've personally never driven the 750 so I could be missing out too! Hopefully I'll get a chance to ride one at some stage and who knows, I might prefer it too 😁

[@shnarklevonbarkle110]

@@RHauto I'm pretty sure I would prefer the fuel injection and those added 50 cc's of power. However, I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoy riding the 750.

[@Marques_239]

@@shnarklevonbarkle110 The 750 is faster, lighter and has better handling. You were lucky haha

[@shnarklevonbarkle110]

@@Marques_239 I'm not sure why it would be faster, but I suspect it might get better fuel economy. It does feel quite light and I love the way it handles. I wasn't looking at 750's, but there was one just a few miles away for sale and the price had been dropping for a while, and I figured I didn't have anything to lose by going over and looking at it. In the end it cost me $1,500.00. It was an elderly couple who could no longer ride anymore because of health issues. They took meticulous care of the bike and it basically looks brand new. So I seriously lucked out on this one.

[@Marques_239]

@@shnarklevonbarkle110 Ask around or try the 800 yourself. You'll see I wasn't that lucky, I get a feeling mine was slightly neglected in the past :/ anyway, I'll ride it till the wheels fall off 😅

[@justinsorci5998]

The VFR and the RC have different crankshafts and firing order, hence the difference in their exhaust note.

[@mickeymouse4897]

They're both RC's & VFR's, correct they don't use the same firing order, RC45 is more of a less refined agricultural firing order very uneven, that's why they're not a reliable motor, unlike the later derived RC46 (5th Gen) which is uber reliable, based on same motor, different internals & no Magnesium engine covers.

[@EZ-D-FIANT]

I've got my 98, first road bike infact, Im a KTM kinda guy usually...👍👌👍

[@conkerman01]

I had an anniversary one. It was eminently capable, but utterly boring. I replaced it with a ZX9R, that was faster, more fun and more comfortable. The vfr does sound nice though, I always thought a 1000cc one wold have been a winner with 130-140 bhp.

[@ahcs2001]

What year zx9r did you go with?

[@rookiefmxrider]

Thanks for confirming my suspicions, my 1998 VFR800 is being modified based on an Rvf750! Great video and good job!

[@RHauto]

Sounds interesting, do let us know how you get on! Thanks for the kind comment 😁

[@danhollatz5944]

I have one, stopped riding my 1991 GSXR1100 RR, she sits the garage crying

[@howtotweak]

I need to see this

[@EZ-D-FIANT]

How do you dream? You talking aesthetics or are you gonna start changing cranks and firing orders ect?

[@DaveLister-rn4xn]

How can I put this.. If you want to ride around all day on very high revs, hanging on the a rocket for dear life.. A VFR isn't the one. I've had 1 litre bikes and they are brilliant and mad and pull your arms off! But as a practical bike that is good for long distance and can still get to 160mph (mine has recently passed this! with a few mods) this is a very comfortable bike that actually handles really well.. I uses less petrol than my old CBR600 fuel injected bike! Th reliability and growl of that V4 is fun.. I understand why people say its boring! gear driven cams sound divine! I hate the weight of the thing! if they lightened at and added some extra horses.. it would have been much better.. I enjoy riding it, especially long distance! An inline 4 revs higher and sounds great, but once a few speed tickets have been and gone.. You look for fun and transport in a more practical way.. Start on racing bikes and evolve to touring mode lol

[@SolamenteVees]

Great video- the last street bike I rode was a 1999 VFR800.

[@dozyproductionss]

I'm here from a FB VFR group. Cheers mate!

[@RHauto]

Thanks for stopping by 🤙

[@christianp.603]

RC 36/1 hat den besten Sound

[@BorisBeer24]

probably going to pick one up this weekend

[@BorisBeer24]

Update, bought the VFR, clean one with only 12.000km on it and with a Devil exhaust. Picking it up end of next month since I'm going on holiday

[@MrSillenomis]

6th gen ain’t bad, plenty of bhp for your bucks!

[@acvn-hg9gy]

Dull...?? Maybe if you're used to a 1000cc superbike. Honestly, my '01 is the most fun (dare i say, more rewarding than my new 750 hornet) and versetile bike i ever had. Its so much more nimble than it gets credit for. 110hp is more than enough and the v4 has loads of torque. Keep it the way it is, or get rid of the emmisions stuff and tune it up a bit; but man, i loved this thing. My dream now, now that i have some money, is to get a FI or a vtec, remove the airbox, get 4 pods on there somehow, sports exhaust, and tune it.

[@smiththers2]

I've run mine in the driveway with the airbox off and the induction sound is out of this world! I might look into modding it but I'd want to start with a broken old box first

[@hoggravyandchitlins]

I have had a 98 for a number of years now, best all around bike I have ever owned, looking for a second one just in case, they are becoming harder and harder to find

[@Desmodromic916]

Rc45 has 360 crankshaft

[@mickeymouse4897]

As opposed to what u plank, all cranks spin 360 u knob.

[@Scarletpimp72]

44t are spoilt with constant new press bikes thrown at them. were they to live a normal life theyd quickly appreciate the 98 5th gen. Richy vida should have been the ytber you quoted he is a huge fan boy, albeit the vtec.

[@RHauto]

Very true. I kinda get that as journalists, they can't say every motorcycle is perfect or they would find themselves quickly out of a job lol

[@Lovelylove4everyone]

Got my second one after 15 years. I've had faster bikes and more comfortable bikes but none sound as good or are as good as vfr.

[@kristopherbell7158]

The vfr 800 is fast enough

[@stan0matic]

Great research and presenting, but I gave up watching on account of the dreadful and too loud background music.

[@ralphcantrell3214]

I had a Gen 4 750, and a Gen 5 800. Loved them. Unfortunately, in the mid '00s I got all caught up in the Adventure bike craze and let them go. Wish I had the 800 now.

[@juliansmith1608]

Don't tell them them well dressed 44 teeth riders please. I rely on them buying and riding everything ever made. Cheers, Don't tell them about that secret Irish popular whiskey either, it will run out! Or what's under the 90's chich hairstyles, you know the old school way of removing the magic 10 kg! But the 5th generation does also have the shorter wheelbase and the gear driven cams and can shed far more weight than the slightly newer v Tec model. Oh dear whoops it does indeed sound better than modern bikes once you take the plunge with a full exhaust system! The high line can rocks also, IE improves sound and balance and looks! Oh yeah don't forget to update the rear shock. Note I wouldn't object to modern traction control to eliminate rush of high siding through. Great debate cheers to all bikers.

[@EZ-D-FIANT]

I'm itching to know what you know, I've just bought my first 98 5th gen, she's a saver, went down on the left, I've done her justice and plan on keeping her so any lightening, performance or reliability modifications anyone knowledgeable might recommend I'm all ears 😊 👍👌👍

[@tecnoaddicted]

this video is a silly video. besides the facts that rc30 and rc45 are totally different bikes in honda idea ( many tuners said rc45 is a crappy engine that can go fast only with extra factory parts compared to " those days " rc30 engine. rc46 aka vfr800 for the price is a stunning bike for sure. about the crank cases common in rc45 and rc46 no wonder. i personally checkd rc30 and rc36 crankcases and are very very similar. the main differencies are heads, where the power arrives. i am quite sure that a vfr800 with bigger valves and TI rods , high compression piston will go quick fo sure. but comparing a rc45 to a rc46 , to me, its quite a non comparable test. different finbal use. for sure vfr800 for his price its really a great deal.

[@RHauto]

Non comparable for sure, but when compared together, share shocking similarities. Not everyone knows this which is why I made this video. Thanks for the comment 🙂

[@TheZaxx]

I think this was a great video. The fact is, the RC46 was based on the RC45. Are they the same bike? Not at all, but they share many similarities.

[@EZ-D-FIANT]

Bro, you opened a bracket without closing it and I can't read the rest due to having an immediate aneurism 💀

[@LEEGOOVER9901]

Man, if this bike ever went in indonesia..but it is not, only the crossrunner i presume used by police here...

[@rzaultra165]

now the modern version is on ducati

[@devinddalrymple4426]

DULLL?!? WHAT ABOUT VTEC?

[@davehoward22]

4:03 i cant understand how hes managed to make it so ugly..

[@jayflash2035]

Let’s pretend 44t didn’t call them boring eh, I had one and personally I thought it was nothing of the sort Especially due to its habit of eating batteries, kept me guessing will she start lol

[@RHauto]

Exciting lol. I still have yet to have this issue or any issues at all. I put it down to forum rumors because it's the only issue the 5th gen really had and unfortunately got echoed so much that it seemed like a larger issue than it was. Regs/recs will always burn out on every bike, especially if people are fitting heated grips, and back then high current halogen fog lights etc. As for Alaister, I can kinda understand his point, it's not exciting compared to a 2023 "insert bike here" that they're paid to review, but he still said what he said :)

[@TheZaxx]

Yes, I've heard this "boring" comment about VFRs before. I'd like them to explain what they mean by that. Is it the fact that VFRs have smooth power delivery, and good, predictable handling? Is it that they don't do unexpected things that make you go "Oh shit!?" I tend to think it's more about the understated aesthetics.

[@rc51farodir83]

music name :)?

[@rc51farodir83]

@@luketolle6483 thx :)

[@DBAUG]

Excellent material. Terrible sound, annoying to listen to. shame...

[@RHauto]

Your feedback is appreciated but which sound do you find annoying? The background music/voiceover/something else?

[@mickeymouse4897]

5th Gen 800 RC46 is not the same bike as an RC45 .... u really need to change your clickbait title.

[@jasonengland2357]

But it is, same frame, engine block, fuel injection, swing arm, gearbox. It was a way for Honda to make some money back from throwing so much cash at the race bike to only give up and go twins. It was a race bike made into a street bike unlike most other bike on the market. Also why you’ll find these VFR’s with over hundred thousand miles and more without ever an issue. Way over built for a street bike. I own a 98 and a 15’ VFR800. Awesome bikes.