RETRO REBOOT
So Honda finally gave us the V4 sportsbike we’d been waiting for but the beautiful RC213V is horrendously expensive. How about a V4 for us non-lottery winners?
Honda’s VF1000R rethought for modern times.
The long-awaited V4 sportsbike that had been talked about for so long was finally released for public consumption in 2015. But production limited to just 250 hand-built units, most of us will never see one on the road, or track for that matter. At £137,000 for the base model (and that’s without the £10,000 sports kit that unleashes an extra 50bhp on top of the stock 165bhp) it’s pure exotica that is out of reach for most. However, if rumours are to be believed, there may be a more affordable version on the way wearing the ‘RVF1000’ moniker but we quite like the sound of ‘VF1000R’…
With nods to the Fireblade, RCV racer and the 1984 bike, our VF features ‘wings’ in the fairing borrowed from Motogp technology to help with high-speed downforce, and also because the Aprilia RSV4 wears them this year. Our virtual wind tunnel reckoned the tail unit wings also assist keep wheels on the ground as well as housing the rear indicators and echoing the ’84 VF styling. With exhausts tucked under the tail unit things are kept sleek and aerodynamic. So along with Italy’s Aprilia RSV4 and Ducati Panigale V4, there would finally be a Japanese option – and doesn’t that sound great?
A heavy steel cradle frame graced the original VF1000R, which went some way to the total 238kg dry weight which is at least 65kg heavier than the RC213V. The rumour is that the next V4 will use a cast-aluminium monocoque frame that also doubles as the air-box (fed by a central air intake), similar to the Panigale V-twin, all of which will keep production costs low. The single-sided swingarm may add a few extra lbs but we’ll take the hit: it didn’t do the RC30 or 916 any harm. The 17in wheels replace the 16/18 set-up of the 1984 machine.
The original 1984 VF1000R made 122bhp and the standard 999cc RC213V makes ‘just’ 160bhp and needs the sports kit to pump it up to 215bhp. While the extra power would be welcome, the 116db racket from the race exhaust would have us kicked off track-days before you could say ‘noise meter.’ We think the benefit of three years’ extra R&D and refined mass production will find a middle ground that helps keep costs low and power high. 180bhp? That’ll do.