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As far as test marketing goes, the BKing was test marketed a ton at all the motorcycle shows and in the magazines. The masses told Suzuki to build it just as it was in prototype. They did, and nobody bought one even though technically it was a superb motorcycle. There are lots of examples of superb motorcycles that never sold for one reason or another. There are also examples of truly horrendous motorcycle that sell by the boatload.

Since the Honda Cub, Honda has not followed but innovated and led. Some of the innovations were well recieved. Some were not. I was lucky enough to be riding when the CB 750 was introduced in 1969. I thought it would never sell, too big, too heavy, too complicated. My gosh, think about trying to keep 4 carburators and all those valves adjusted. Dizzying. I went to my local Honda dealer for a looksee when the Goldwing was introduced in 1975. I thought it would never sell.too heavy, too wierd,the kickstarter was in the gas tank for petes sake, and the gas tank was not even the gas tank…and three disc brakes, why? when everyone “knew” that discs brakes didn’t stop in the wet, and dual front discs would surely throw you over the bars when applied hard in the dry. Suzuki put a radiator on a bike in 1972. Really a radiator on a motorycles? Why surely they would leak and over heat and leave you stranded. Air cooled motorcycles worked just fine.Fuel injection? Whats wrong with carbs?Sometimes innovations take a while to be accepted, then they become the norm. Most often Honda has been the leader in those innovations.Then again sometimes innovations never are accepted, and sales take a hit. The cost of trying I suppose.I just hope they never quit innovating.

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Go see one in person…..it looks better in person than in pix.

The sport Aprilia V4s are very small….depending on your weight and height it might not be a good fit for you….but go for a test ride to judge all this for yourself. Let us know how it all turns out.

I headed up a weekly Demo Ride Program at a local dealer which featured the Aprilia V4s and other bikes the dealer sold. Only one rider all year wanted to test ride Honda VFR1200……about all you need to know if you want a Sport bike or like V4s.

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The VFR1200 is yet another Honda in a long line of bikes that did not sell when new that the few will be seeking out decades from now to ride and/or restore and show off at vintage meets. DN-01, Pacific Coast, GB500, 650 Hawk, RC-51, VFR 800…….on and on and on.

Price and specs are two reasons the VFR1200 is not selling as noted by most here.

However, what bike market category does it fit? Obviously most potential buyers are confused at best and this is a sure path to low sales. Does it compete with the new Lambretta V4, Concours 14…..Sport bikes, Tour bikes, Sport/Tour bikes….any BMW?

Honda has so lost its way…..and yes I owned plenty of Hondas.

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The point is the second one sold was 18 months later at a dealers year end clearance sale in New Mexico…… and for all the reasons stated here in most of the other posts.

Lack of Sales…..get it yet?

The fact that you have not stated one item, one thing, one small detail you dont like about your VFR1200 goes directly to your lack of credibilty. You bought it, so by definition it is the greatest.

Your demeaning others here is the exact same type of arrogance Honda has shown with the entire VFR1200 program. You deserve Honda……Honda deserves you……perfect pairing….that I do understand.

Why dont you get with it and put up a VFR1200 forum……..that way the first and only VFR1200 buyer East of the Mississippi and you can post to each other every day and leave the rest of us out of it.

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>>>>>>

Most of these negative comments would have not been necessary if Honda had done test marketing with artwork and specs since the replies here would have been the same given this approach. Advantage = go to work fixing the common dislikes…….. before going into production! There are examples of this approach every month/year from other manufacturers.

Rave reviews by magazines that depend on Honda and all manufacturers advertising do not always sell bikes that have obvious flaws…flaws that have been noted here by many people. Frankly, I have not read many test reports on the VFR1200, but the few I have were not positive and all raves.

More accurate test reviews are always the second go around after the bike is introducted and then another company introduces a newer competing model. How many times have we seen the better than sliced bread winner from a year ago being thrown under the bus in a comparision review for things the year before were not even mentioned!

With the VFR1200 I think there has been a basic lack of buyer understanding by many motorcyclists where this bike fit in the market place from the beginning and again if this is true this would have been something caught with test marketing, artwork and specs. I attribute this to arrogance on Hondas part……arrogance without basis based on the lack of sales.

Wonder how many promotions happened at Honda over the VFR1200 and the DN-01?

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I’m not a psychologist but I’ll play one in this thread: You want one so bad that you mask your desire with fear and loathing to hide the truth. The truth is, you probably can’t afford it, LOL!

I’ve slow played my hand in this thread so I’ll call your bluff: I bought the first VFR1200-DCT west of the Mississippi 17 months and over 18,000 miles ago. This is my third VFR generation I’ve owned and I still own my 98 VFR800 purchased new. You have no clue how utterly competent the DCT is. It’s engineering excellence has raised the bar for the entire industry. Europeans get it, it has done well across the pond. Americans like yourself don’t because if it doesn’t look like a cruiser or something easily categorized, you can’t understand it. Your loss. Now move along.

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Yeah, after 30 years of V4 pedigree, Honda has no clue.

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