The Honda VFR400R Review - With Richard Hammond

Join Richard Hammond as he test drives and reviews the very fast but small 2000 Honda VFR 400 R NC30, and finds out exactly what makes it such a great sports bike perfect for racing. Would you want to ride this amazing bike? Tell us below in the comments!
[This clip is from Two Wheels: Season 4, Ep. 23, originally aired 14/01/1999. The full episode can be watched here: • Two Wheels: Season 4, ... ]
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[@bikeserv]

Hammond makes that bike look normal size

[@daveberry9922]

i was just about to say that

[@oldtimer5283]

Me to 🤣🤣🤣

[@insansiregar7522]

Is that bike actually small?

[@bikeserv]

@@insansiregar7522 well, imagine that seat length fits barely his helmet

[@GunnySonics]

fits him perfectly, makes him feel like a full sized adult

[@DregKiller]

richard hammond 'fully grown adult' hahaha good one

[@RiderMark]

+yzfarr 125 3:02

[@tgypoi]

I got a nc21, and it's my favorite bike that I've ever ridden. So responsive, so smooth, it's the perfect balance.

[@019208237]

I love the way he gets all excited about its mini size thinking he is too big for it and yet it suits him like a 6ft man on a 1000.

[@prashanthpanicker2890]

Absolutely gorgeous styling!

[@ducksonetime]

The world's smallest man complains about a bike being small haha.

[@waynester71]

My brother had a CBR400RR which was also tiny.. The NC30 is pretty and so collectible now, especially in classic RC30 colours

[@garydunn3037]

If Richard Hammond feels like a giant on this bike, then it must be small.

[@GunganWorld]

This is by far the most fun bike I ever rode! Even at 6 foot 11 stone it flys, and the 14.5k red line sounds brilliant. Ok it's not a tourer but if you live in Central London as I did you dont really need bigger. I highly recommend one to anyone in a town or just wants something fun for short trips. And in heavy slow traffic it was so easy to nip between cars and be a chav on. God I miss this beast. Only thing I'd suggest is to get a *cough* proper can on it, so you can enjoy the wondefully sounding V4 engine and watch flames come out the back at 14.5k. Even as slow speeds, as anothe comment says, you can scrape the left peg on the ground and leave a trail of sparks behind you.

[@initialfunk]

I've always loved this bike. Hard to find in Ontario, Canada. I actually just picked up an 88' Honda Hawk 650GT Gettin' her on the road next year. Cant wait!

[@jamezy4137]

I know your comment is over a year ago, but yeah man they're a pretty rare sight almost everywhere, my father owns one. Very unique bike to say the least.

[@jamesclaims200]

KZbin serving this video up in my recommended is brilliant

[@Yz_768]

lol if hammond thinks it's small...

[@blueskies613]

Just picked up one of these today, looking forward to the rest of the summer :P

[@cheeseyexoticbutters]

us here in south east asia make this lil bike look gigantic haha i thank the algorithm for recommending me this after i just got one of my own

[@brianblais6582]

Rode one for 3 weeks through the german Black Forrest. Absolute great machine.

[@1979bolton]

My first bike, nice easy riding and looked amazing 😎.. peg scraping fun

[@kinglouis6974]

Omfg !!! It’s Hammond!!!! The only thing better is the Rvf... my mate had one , I had a gsxr 400 With the usdf and they were pretty much the same , 400’s are fun all day long

[@edgar9651]

I had one of those. Am 186cm tall and not exactly slim, and the bike size was just fine. 1st gear 100km/h at red line 14,500 RPM is a lot of fun. I miss it. But I sold it because 20 years later it was difficult to get spare parts.

[@Alps6408]

I'd like to see how hammond looks on his Busa haha, a 400 suits him

[@johnforensicman6179]

I had the rothmans Honda model. Best looking bike I have ever owned. Loved it, just can't remember what happened to it, just left with some pics of it.

[@TankToChest]

Dude what! Is that Hammond?

[@fujiwags5023]

You may feel huge Richard but you look just right for that size bike.

[@engineer446]

Watching Richard Hammond

[@darringoodbrand6603]

Really nice looking bike's good power for a 400cc aswell

[@RougeCognito]

>fullly grown adult >hammond hahaha anyway i own one, fucking great bikes

[@TheFirearmEnthusiast]

Doesn't look small for Hammond, looks like just the right size lol.

[@DiegoRuiz1991]

Sportbikes around the year 2000 were bigger than modern ones, that's why he thinks the NC30 is small

[@smith2781]

3 grand for a bike wow wish it was still like that.

[@1000sofusernames]

I had one and literally ground the pegs away on bt90s. It was a good tool for the time but I wouldn't want one now given I'm about 10kg heavier than the late 90s when I was a racing snake.

[@unit764]

My respect for hammond just went up, and he was already my favorite top gear host.

[@thepoultrypeople]

holy mother of god! hes only about 4 foot high!

[@57F100]

When watching this and Hammond says the bike is tiny you have to remind yourself, so is he

[@MrRs1975]

love my nc30

[@RetroSuperbikes]

Do you still have it?

[@DesirableVinyl]

Interesting.... Yes it's not a large frame, only a 400 of course, but I'm 6 foot and no longer a small guy now in my late 40s! You can't ride for 100s of miles without pain, but I've also had CBR1000s new and old, a Daytona 955i, R1 and they bloody hurt too if in the saddle too long! I love this bike and it has reliability, character and it revs and revs!!!! Avoid motorways and enjoy

[@angelina-louisa]

Perfect for my little 5.1" frame but prefer the 800Vtec! VROOOM! ❤

[@siobhanberry3770]

As soon as I heard Hammond of all people complain about it being small, 6 foot me knew this bike wouldn't be an option

[@Ibanez74200]

I had a go on one of these and at 6ft 2" I felt like I was riding a pocket bike lol

[@RetroSuperbikes]

We are organising what we think is the biggest NC30 meet worldwide, trying to get one of each type 1 to type 9 together as well as nc35.

[@gridders77]

Got exactly the same leathers

[@1000sofusernames]

Would have thought Hammond would have had enough brass to buy a set of Kushitanis not Hein Gericke stuff.

[@channowhere6273]

Now i ride NC30 OKI so cool bike hahah

[@madnotbad44]

I wished I looked this size on my fireblade 😂

[@bradcogan8588]

0:30 did he forget about the Hurricane CBR400RR NC23? 1987.

[@alterglobo]

Great review... I have been watching several reviews by Hammond from those days and cannot help but be surprised: He did use to have talent, he did use to know about bikes and cars, he did also know how to transmit those sensations and that knowledge through television. Probably the influence of Cloakson made him mutate into the vacant clown he is these days...

[@Mr562stan]

No fucking shit richard hammond holy fuck i never knew he did this!!

[@MegaVin88]

this narrator is realy small man and that bike isn't small with him look as 1000

[@luislaurencio]

Vin Goldblum this narrator? You dont know richard hammond?

[@orangnusantara6308]

Any sparepart now..where u get it

[@troublingleaf]

I had one, and if I had the cash I'd have another, most fun ever, beats anything else I've ridden hands down, ok so it's not as powerful as the majority of bikes, it's ten times more fun, and nothing can keep up in the bends

[@Dennell_Mount_and_Blade]

Short, average or tall, it's all relative. Obviously Hammond is talking about the riding stance, wich is super sportive. Here in the netherlands, men are 6/6'1 (183/185) average, most of you could be considdered small(er then average) here, but in Japan it's probaly something like 5'7 or 170 average. Great bike, sadly, I don't think you can ride it for long when you are taller then average.

[@DMoots]

+A Somewhat Amused British Guy Yes, I would say so. I was looking at buying one as a first bike so I tried one out. I'm just over 6 foot and it was far too small. After all Richard hammond is 5ft5 and he mentions it is small for him. It is a pity because they are beautiful bikes, especially in the RC30 colours.

[@garydunn3037]

Beautiful Bike? These race replica bikes just don't float my boat.I much prefer a bike to look like a bike, one that you can see theengine, with lots of chrome and polished alloy. Yes I was a bikerback in the 70's before these Plastic Missiles took over.

[@DMoots]

+Gary Dunn Yes I think they are Gary. I do understand where you are coming from though regarding no mechanicals on show. I think I love these bikes because these are the models I grew up seeing on TV.

[@coencleland1025]

aryansupreme hahaha i lost my shit for some reason 😂😂😂

[@joevidya]

Hammond is 5'7'', he's exactly the right size for the motorcycle because that's the average male height in Japan. Either he's very self conscious about his height or a 6'0" guy wrote the script.

[@ISeeYouOliver]

Was thinking the same thing haha

[@citizenseventies6738]

Going to look at an NC24 tomorrow, cosmetics a bit tatty but all consumables are perfect and apparently runs mint and just needs MOT - 550 quid. Can't wait.

[@searchthetruth1981]

Are those still to have???to buy?

[@walofrias391]

La mejor 400 ever.

[@jazzyb521]

love my nc30.one thing ill never part with..

[@markyyyyyyyy321]

I prefer the NC29 to the NC30. Much more usable and sounds better.

[@polymathfilms2142]

Ha ha ha ha he is 5ft 6 ha ha ha ha ha looks good on it! Great bike really want one

[@dartvader60]

Is it gone?

[@uncleputes]

Lol even the Inline 4 250s have enough power for Hammond's tiny ass hahaha

[@Roof_Pizza]

name a single inline 4-250.

[@uncleputes]

MC19, MC22, ZX2R, GSXR 250RR

[@uncleputes]

Don't forget FZR250...and the myriad of sport naked quarter fours...

[@lucky9flick791]

roof pizza what now?

[@gearjammer3688]

I used to tour on mine....mind you I was younger.....and lighter. Ho hum, happy days.

[@coenijn]

Me too but on a NC24! Took it all the way from the north of the Netherlands to the Italian Alps last year. Autobahn wasn't comfortable, but the great handling makes up for it once you hit those mountains!

[@spinnanz]

Gearjammer same here. I have a nc24, few weeks ago did 850km over 2 days. rather sore ass....

[@rbotha6575]

What is better the FZR400 or the vfr400 i really ant to buy one but not sure

[@callummcausland3904]

Now these are 15k Australian or 10k USD

[@thatwolffe3802]

I still prefer the NC21 and NC24

[@TheRealUnconnected]

Nc24 was sold in the UK before this bike, sounds better see my channel for videos.

[@radioactivepotato2068]

Find me a better beginner/mid level bike for people with short legs.. I'll wait.

[@Munibahmad241]

hammond should jump on a CBR250rr fireblade lol its funny how he calls a VFR 400 small

[@PaulC1980]

I'm assuming Hammond is joking about the size of him on the bike? Nearly too big for him

[@MrBeboopman]

Ah scutter.. if Hammond thinks its small.. no point me buying one at 6ft 2 and 16 stone.. its bloody lovely tho.. its so ickle it would fit lovely between my busa and z13...

[@damiennunn]

I had an NC21

[@takingoutthetrash1512]

holy shit, ducati stole this bikes design

[@toddposton869]

Nope. Massimo Tamburini was inspired from the Honda NR, when designing the 916.

[@toddposton869]

There really isn't much beside the single sided swingarm, which even looks like a Ducati SB.

[@jacktoby9153]

what gear is he wearing?

[@citizenseventies6738]

Top gear, perhaps? :-p

[@IAmMozaik]

Awkward how Hammond is so small but still makes the bike look small. It's even more awkward how when I sit on my VFR it makes ME look small. Damn.

[@kennymacm3031]

A kiddies trike looks small on you Richard

[@danhole5560]

fully grown adult .....

[@dirtymikentheboys5817]

I like Hammond, the rest of top gear team are disrespectful.

[@luislaurencio]

Richard saying fully grown adult,,,, lol

[@rexpepper2513]

lol good to know richard knows about finding his sexuality before the age of 16

[@TheFireblade1000RR]

How the HELL can Richard say the nc30 is too small for him???? I had one and I'm 6ft2 and it wasn't so uncomfortable.

[@Hypersonik]

V4 torque. What a load of nonsense. If he'd have said cam profile and timing torque, I'd have been nodding, but somehow moving the cylinders about creates more volumetric efficiency.

[@NC35Race]

Yes, 400 is very nice. NC30: SMALL BUT DEADLY. See my 400v4 hobbysite. www.400v4service.nl

[@AH-fl4lx]

Richard looks tiny on that bike, whats he going on about.

[@philipcooper8297]

Modern 1000cc bikes are smaller than that.

[@n2n8sda]

Of course bikes 25 years newer are smaller. But in 1989 when the VFR was launched the equivalent 1000cc bikes were huge in comparisson

[@Terraceview]

No they're not.

[@Terraceview]

flip inheck I know, just popular talk.

[@Terraceview]

flip inheck Same here. I started riding on an NC30 and it's still the best bike I've ever ridden. Yes, ever. And I've owned dozens of bikes by now and none of them are as good as a package as a well set up NC30 (or NC35 even tho I prefer the NC30). And no, a modern 1000 is a boat compared to a 400, no idea where the OP got that from. (prop never even sat on a 400)

[@philipcooper8297]

***** I owned NC27 and that bike was alright, then I had a go on a Fireblade and that bike was tiny. Now, I've got ZXRP1 which is just like you say, a big boat on wheels, but the fireblade was not and more modern they are smaller they feel.

[@puchu9507]

Hammond, ironically is a pony calling the bike a pony

[@mrmando69]

12 grand now lol

[@Razuki]

Anyone else watching in 2017?

[@vincentmckenna281]

2018

[@kellykingston5600]

@@vincentmckenna281 2022

[@xvdd1]

But it makes you look small. lol

[@stitcha123]

All this bullshit and no one mentions at 2:33 that’s a toy dummy’s head. Hahahaha