Honda VFR400R (86-92) voted 7th in top 100 bikes

[CRM]

i had a VJ23 and that had the only swarbrick prototype pipes (looked and worked better than the sugaya pipes) full power ECU (keeping oil pump for road use) and airbox and induction, and it made a healthy 54 at the wheel with a dollop of torque my old MC21 could only wish for.
build quality was excellent, finish was good, and it was ace to ride. comfy and light and quite quick. sure was quick to 80 odd after that or the first sign of a hill a 400 would have the edge.
lovely electric start and dry clutch too.
really nice bit of kit. sold it after nipping it up in early 06 to make way for a new CBR600RR. please form an orderly queue to beat me to a pulp for being a nobhead.
Dont get me wrong, i have had enough of highly strung 2 strokes, great fun and nice to own but a pain in the arse. not sure i would have another, but it was nice to have something a bit different for some fun on.

[Dan Norton]

The TZR 250 3XV i had was the best handling bike i've ever owned, i felt invincible on that thing

The NC35 i had, was a very close 2nd

To be fair, back in the mid to late nineties when the influx of Japanese imports came over, really opened up the entire UK bike market didnt it......we were seeing all these wierd and wonderful creations, and i really miss that nowaydays.

Wouldnt it be great if the main manufacturers re launched Hypersport 400's....little R1 reps. weighing 140kgs, 80bhp, etc.....i for one would be 1st in the local dealer que

[fastdruid]

Wouldnt it be great if the main manufacturers re launched Hypersport 400's....little R1 reps. weighing 140kgs, 80bhp, etc.....i for one would be 1st in the local dealer que

For quite some time the current ranges just haven't done anything for me (with the exception of some of the real exotica), nearest has been the CBR600RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR but even that is just too big, heavy and powerful.
A new set of pint sized MotoGP based bikes would really be the ticket, imagine a V4 Suzuki GSVR400, Honda NC212V or Ducati Desmosedici-400 or an Inline-4 cross-plane crank YZF-400M1 :) ~80Bhp and sod all weight.

*Those* I could get excited at.

Druid

[Neosophist]

True!


My most wanted bike in that top 10 is a Street Triple, being eyeing them off for a while now.

lol they sound nice but every bike meet I went to last year there were loads of them (not that thats a bad thing )

CBR600RR is a fantastic bike though :D

[DoktorMandrake]

The list is impressive, not only for the inclusion of the NC30 at 7 but for its diversity in general. The way a lot of bike mags go on you'd think there was but 6 bikes in production since year dot. There are a few bikes I'd like to have seen included or who should've had a higher position imo but generally it's a heartening read and having sumat like a RGV way up there along with the likes of the VFR is a nice surprise.

Wouldnt it be great if the main manufacturers re launched Hypersport 400's....little R1 reps. weighing 140kgs, 80bhp, etc.....i for one would be 1st in the local dealer que

For quite some time the current ranges just haven't done anything for me (with the exception of some of the real exotica), nearest has been the CBR600RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR but even that is just too big, heavy and powerful.
A new set of pint sized MotoGP based bikes would really be the ticket, imagine a V4 Suzuki GSVR400, Honda NC212V or Ducati Desmosedici-400 or an Inline-4 cross-plane crank YZF-400M1 :) ~80Bhp and sod all weight.

*Those* I could get excited at.

Druid

Ahh, we can but dream Druid.

Anyone know why manufacturers forsake the 400 sports? Would've thought there was a market for nippy bikes that handle like northing else? Or maybe the shift away from 400s in favour of mid and heavy weight machines was consumer lead?

[Dan Norton]

Wouldnt it be great if the main manufacturers re launched Hypersport 400's....little R1 reps. weighing 140kgs, 80bhp, etc.....i for one would be 1st in the local dealer que

For quite some time the current ranges just haven't done anything for me (with the exception of some of the real exotica), nearest has been the CBR600RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR but even that is just too big, heavy and powerful.
A new set of pint sized MotoGP based bikes would really be the ticket, imagine a V4 Suzuki GSVR400, Honda NC212V or Ducati Desmosedici-400 or an Inline-4 cross-plane crank YZF-400M1 :) ~80Bhp and sod all weight.

*Those* I could get excited at.

Druid

I have gone on and on about this subject with my brother over the last couple of years.

There are no really trick entry level hyper sports bikes anymore......250 strokers are extinct, so are 400's.....i reckon theres a market for it.

If they replace the 125's with a four stroke class, im hoping it could be something like a 400 "Moto 3" class, maybe then it might re-invent the entry level bikes.

[Dan Norton]

The list is impressive, not only for the inclusion of the NC30 at 7 but for its diversity in general. The way a lot of bike mags go on you'd think there was but 6 bikes in production since year dot. There are a few bikes I'd like to have seen included or who should've had a higher position imo but generally it's a heartening read and having sumat like a RGV way up there along with the likes of the VFR is a nice surprise.

Wouldnt it be great if the main manufacturers re launched Hypersport 400's....little R1 reps. weighing 140kgs, 80bhp, etc.....i for one would be 1st in the local dealer que

For quite some time the current ranges just haven't done anything for me (with the exception of some of the real exotica), nearest has been the CBR600RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR but even that is just too big, heavy and powerful.
A new set of pint sized MotoGP based bikes would really be the ticket, imagine a V4 Suzuki GSVR400, Honda NC212V or Ducati Desmosedici-400 or an Inline-4 cross-plane crank YZF-400M1 :) ~80Bhp and sod all weight.

*Those* I could get excited at.

Druid

Ahh, we can but dream Druid.

Anyone know why manufacturers forsake the 400 sports? Would've thought there was a market for nippy bikes that handle like northing else? Or maybe the shift away from 400s in favour of mid and heavy weight machines was consumer lead?

They orignally came about when the Japanese had really strict licensing laws in the early 80's, making it nigh on impossible for most to pass they large capcity tests (expense etc), so they had a "reason" to make shit loads of them.

Nowadays the laws hardly exist / or have been relaxed, so the larger capacity stuff gets bought and ridden, and basically the 400's got fazed out.


Lets all hope theres a resurrection

[Neosophist]

They orignally came about when the Japanese had really strict licensing laws in the early 80's, making it nigh on impossible for most to pass they large capcity tests (expense etc), so they had a "reason" to make shit loads of them.

Nowadays the laws hardly exist / or have been relaxed, so the larger capacity stuff gets bought and ridden, and basically the 400's got fazed out.


Lets all hope theres a resurrection

Thats only really partly true.

In Japan for a larger bike theres 2 classes of bike licence.. Standard licence is limited to 400cc machines and the other more difficult and expensive test (heavy motorcycle licence) is for larger bikes. Many people still just take the standard 400cc licence.

Since the mid 90's there are more larger CC bikes that are less limited available in Japan than there once was so more people do buy bigger bikes.

Keeping older vehicles on the road isn't too difficult but is a process most Japanese people don't bother with so they just sell the vehicle on.. often with low mileage, which is why many were snapped up by importers.

One of the main problems in the UK was higher importation costs and taxes, combined with a poorer market. As more and more 600cc class bikes became available 2nd hand as the 400cc bikes had 're-started' the sports bike craze and many people had moved to higher power machines the costs of a 400cc bike became less appealing.

There are still a few decent 400 bikes about like the new CB400 superfour and the Silverwing GT / Shadow Custom.

I don't think they even do the CB400 Super Four (NC42) over here anymore.





Shame really, i'd love one Espeically the one wearing the Moriwaki system

Suzuki also make a 400cc version of their Gladius for the JDM, equippied with ABS too..



Alas, anything new and sport is mainly is either 125 or 600+ now. There just isn't the demand anymore, either side of the pond :/ and coupled with the fact that anythign that comes over is taxed to high heaven *sigh*

[Cammo]

The new EFI CB400 is being sold in Oz in ABS and non-ABS versions, unfortunately we don't get the bikini faired version which Japan has. Most reviews really rate them as being one of the most sorted bikes to come out of Japan (as they should be given their production history). They are pricey though - more expensive than a new hornet 600.

Japan also sells the GSR400 (pretty much a sleeved down 600), and also the (XJR400 until recently?).


No sports 400's though.

[Neosophist]

The new EFI CB400 is being sold in Oz, most reviews really rate them as being one of the most sorted bikes to come out of Japan (as they should be given their production history). They are pricey though - more expensive than a new hornet 600.

Japan also sells the GSR400 (pretty much a sleeved down 600), and also the XJR400 until a couple of years ago I think.

No sports 400's though.

I know.. shame really.

I'd love one of those CB400's tho :D

VTEC too I believe...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrgeNdC_8bg

Sound nice