2016 Honda VFR1200X—First Ride Review

Where do you want to go and what kind of roads do you want to take on your way there?

If you answered those two questions with something like "as far as possible" and "paved roads, please," then over the past few years Honda's VFR1200X had probably crossed your mind as a bike worth looking at. The only problem there, of course, was that so long as you lived in the States, you couldn't actually get your hands on one.

That's all changed now, with Honda announcing that for 2016 it will be bringing the Crosstourer (as it's called in Europe) to the U.S. for the first time since the bike's official introduction all the way back in 2012.

The adventure-styled VFR1200X is essentially the same as the bike that’s been available on the other side of the pond for all those years, hold for a handful of 2016 model-year updates. These are mostly small changes, but include a new lever for the X’s height-adjustable windscreen, a 12v socket at the dash meant for bringing power-hungry accessories to life, and on the Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) model, a three-level adjustable Sport mode that in its more aggressive settings holds onto each gear for a while longer, for more spirited riding at higher revs.

The 76-degree V4 engine is similar to what was used in the sportier, yet no-longer-available-in-the-States VFR1200F, yet tweaked in a way that enables it to produce more torque at lower revs and through the midrange. Because the engine uses Honda’s Unicam technology, it is overall short and compact, while thanks to the 28-degree phasing between crankpins that eliminate vibration, it can be assembled sans balancing shaft.

A twin-spar frame differs from that on the VFR1200F as well, with the X going on to utilize spoke wheels wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tires in a 110/80-R19 size up front and 150/70-R17 size out back. Three-level (plus off) traction control (referred to as Selectable Torque Control by Honda) and non-adjustable ABS come standard, too.

In case any of those features or the bike's overall design has you envisioning dirt roads cutting through two mountain ranges, then we should probably mention now that, regardless of what the nose beak suggests, Honda does not intend for the VFR1200X to put the adventure in your next adventure-touring ride. Consider it competition for Kawasaki's pavement-loving Versys 1000 LT, Suzuki's V-Strom 1000, and BMW's S1000XR, while the CRF1000L Africa Twin is competition for the BMW R1200GS Adventure, Ducati Multistrada Enduro, KTM 1190 Adventure R, and other more aggressive adventure-touring bikes.

Knowing that the bike will remain mostly on paved roads has, of course, allowed Honda to focus on things like engine performance over ground clearance and suspension composure, and that showed in the first few miles of our ride out of Moab, Utah, where Honda had scheduled for us to ride the new X. The V4 engine pulls well from a low rpm, with zero peaks or valleys in the power curve and a steady stream of power all the way through to the soft rev limiter. This is one of those engines where it almost doesn’t matter what gear you’re in, and one that subsequently requires very little work at the shift lever. It’s smooth too, with almost zero vibrations felt through the handlebar, seat, or footrests—a plus for any riding, but especially the longer ones spent mostly on the highway.

The X continues to use Honda’s unique ride-by-wire setup with cables running to a sensor that then manipulates the throttle, and while this provides a more natural throttle feeling, I did feel like the on/off transition was still a bit abrupt. Otherwise, electronics are well integrated, easy to adjust, and work seamlessly, with the traction-control system being easily adjusted via a button on the left fairing while riding, and on the DCT model, the modes easily adjust so that you can bounce between Sport and Drive whenever you decide you want a more- or less-aggressive character.

Speaking of Honda’s DCT transmission, this latest unit is smoother and more programmable than ever before, with the Drive mode still sending the bike almost immediately into the highest gear possible (for better fuel economy), but Sport mode hanging onto gears for a more reasonable amount of time. In the more aggressive of the three settings, in fact, Sport would actually hold onto a gear longer than I often even wanted it to, which is why I’d ultimately opt for Sport mode, level one.

A nice feature on Honda’s latest dual-clutch transmissions (starting at gen 2) is that if you are in auto mode, you can shift using the paddles on the handlebar, but without then putting the bike in manual mode. Of course, if you would rather have full control of shifting, you can switch over to manual mode and control the gearbox as you desire. And while I’ll admit to missing having a clutch and shift lever (one is available as an accessory and works as a simple switch), I will say that the third-generation DCT on the X truly is what I always hoped an automatic transmission would be. That’s to say one that provides seamless, predictable shifts while in Drive mode and enough fine-tuning options that you can determine how you want the transmission to act in the widely varying types of riding you could be doing in a single day.

Worth noting, of course, is that the standard transmission still provides faultless shifts, with zero notchiness and a light clutch pull. Unfortunately, at $15,599, the standard transmission model costs just $400 less than the $15,999 DCT model, and thus deciding between the two comes down more to preference than budget.

Ergonomics overall are great, even if better for the taller rider than shorter one thanks in part to the tall handlebar risers, 33.5-inch seat height, and wide tank/seat junction made larger by the 5.68-gallon tank. At 6-foot-3-inches, I thought the reach to the bar was nice and the overall riding triangle comfortable enough for mile-heavy days in the saddle, with the extremely easy to adjust windscreen offering great wind protection in its highest setting. For me, perhaps the only real negative was a soft seat that in the end felt like it gave too much and put adverse pressure on my derrière. Interestingly, not everyone felt the same. Maybe I’m just picky…

One thing I’m sure of is that the VFR1200X should have come standard with cruise control. Cost aside, I can’t see why Honda has not endowed the VFR with this feature, which really could make the difference when long-haul riders are comparing it to a bike like the S1000XR. Could the switch and electronic programming really cost that much anyways?

There are a few other negatives, one being the bike's weight and the other its suspension. At a claimed 603 pounds when equipped with the standard transmission and 631 pounds with DCT, the bike weighs quite a bit more than the BMW S1000XR (claimed 502 pounds), Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT (claimed 549 pounds plus saddlebags), and Suzuki V-Strom 1000 ABS (claimed 502 pounds). You start to feel that weight in little things like picking the bike off of the kickstand and when balancing it at low speeds, too.

Standard-mount calipers biting on 310mm discs don’t at first look up to getting all that weight stopped, but surprised in overall power and feel, with enough bite to easily get the VFR1200X slowed down in a relative hurry and in a controlled manner.

Controlled, unfortunately, is not how I would describe the suspension, which feels like it sacrifices composure for comfort on uneven sections of road. To be fair, the VFR’s bits are adjustable (hold for compression damping at the back), and could likely be tuned to provide more control. And to its credit, the VFR1200X corners better than its weight suggests it should, with good composure on its side and no weaving and good front-end feel.

Would we expect something from Honda to handle any different? Probably not.

In fact, in a lot of ways the VFR1200X is exactly what you’d expect from Big Red. It’s polished, refined, and misses very few marks. I think that, for the riders who are honest with themselves and admit they will not be doing any off-road riding, it will be worth a look. Those same people will certainly also have to take a look at the competition (most of which comes equally or better equipped but with less weight and, in some cases, a lower price tag).

Those, of course, don’t come with Honda’s V4 engine and optional DCT, and the VFR1200X does—features that are probably reason enough to be excited the bike is finally stateside.

FIRST RIDE VIDEOS: