The Honda VFR 400 motorcycle is considered a model that everyone can afford. This is possible due to the variety of bike options in the VFR 400 series, as well as the fact that they have been produced for several years. The buyer can choose a motorcycle from previous years of production or a more modern and modernized bike of the latest model.
Despite the difference in technical characteristics, a motorcyclist will be satisfied with riding any bike from the VFR 400 series. It is generally accepted that this motorcycle is intended for beginner bikers. This one differs from other two-wheelers in its rich functionality and quite affordable price.
This motorcycle is often referred to simply as the Honda VFR. The Japanese started producing them more than thirty years ago. Already in the mid-90s, a serious modernization of all systems took place, and the motorcycle came one step closer to what we are used to seeing it now.
Looking at this iron horse, you involuntarily think about classic racing cars produced in Japan. Thanks to developments in technology ahead of other countries, Honda was able to provide its bikes with a powerful design.
Every year a huge number of motorcycles of different variations from this series are produced, which makes available not only the bikes themselves, but also original parts for them. And the more accessible they are, the less costs they require.
Bike features
Here are the main features of the Honda VFR 400:
- small capacity;
- good handling;
- true belonging to the class of sports motorcycles.
It is worth dwelling on the last point. The fact is that recently there have been a lot of bikes that are not actually sports bikes, but they look almost like them and the characteristics are quite similar. However, the real “sport” is easy to recognize just by looking at its exterior and contents.
Review of the Honda VFR (RVF) 400 motorcycle
They brought it to the garage, unloaded it, climbed on it in trousers and shoes, without a helmet. I get under way, somehow at first it doesn’t pull at all, barely, and then 140 km/h in 3rd gear there is snot in my ears, I started to cry, I think: Well, why the hell did they hide another engine or is it not 400. The seating position is sporty and hard, but for everyday driving it seemed not very comfortable, but the heel support is very useful. The chassis is frame, pendulum, fork, everything is rigid (I immediately realized that the suspension was rubber) in the future this really helped one rider stay on the wheels. Acceleration for 400 is terrifying. The ZZR-600 smokes 4 bodies at the back, 1-2-3-4-5 the speedometer is over, it’s still 5 and 6, the maximum speed of the X3, but on the internet they write about 225, I readily believe it. The motorcycle was restored and sold, the person left the season happy. The bike is definitely not for beginners; by the way, in traffic the steering wheel goes under the mirrors.
I came across the motorcycle by accident, the man bought it as the first one, put it down once and was disappointed in the two wheels.
Equipment: plastic in a bag, one headlight is missing, the tidy is cracked, the rear wheel is bald. At the same time, there was also a CB 400 from 1996, so it was easy to compare, because both are 400s. They brought it to the garage, unloaded it, climbed on it in trousers and shoes, without a helmet. I get under way, somehow at first it doesn’t pull at all, barely, and then 140 km/h in 3rd gear there is snot in my ears, I started to cry, I think: Well, why the hell did they hide another engine or is it not 400. The seating position is sporty and hard, but for everyday driving it seemed not very comfortable, but the heel support is very useful. The chassis is frame, pendulum, fork, everything is rigid (I immediately realized that the suspension was rubber) in the future this really helped one rider stay on the wheels.
Acceleration for 400 is terrifying. The ZZR-600 smokes 4 bodies at the back, 1-2-3-4-5 the speedometer is over, it’s still 5 and 6, the maximum speed of the X3, but on the internet they write about 225, I readily believe it. The motorcycle was restored and sold, the person left the season happy. The bike is definitely not for beginners; by the way, in traffic the steering wheel goes under the mirrors.
The first motorcycle I bought for myself was a VFR 400, the motorcycle is simply lovely. small, nimble, light, handles well and, despite its sporty nature, is perfect for driving to work and on weekends to Livadia. I bought it and don’t regret it even once. My height is 192 cm. My weight is 84 kg. But I find it quite convenient and comfortable.
And it actually looks great :-) I bought myself a VFR 400 first, the motorcycle is just lovely. small, nimble, light, handles well and, despite its sporty nature, is perfect for driving to work and on weekends to Livadia. I bought it and don’t regret it even once. My height is 192 cm. My weight is 84 kg. But I find it quite convenient and comfortable.
And he actually looks great
Hi, I bought it from Motobunker. 93 for 67 thousand. But I was lucky. I bought it in winter based on a photograph. The motorcycle was delivered in good condition, the condition was immediately that the motorcycle would be in satisfactory condition, no parts would have to be changed urgently. And so it happened, I just changed the pads and the oil and filter. The tires and chain will still ride this season :-)
If you like the mot, take it. The mot is actually worthwhile. It shoots like crazy, and at the same time you don’t get tired of it. In the city I learned to start at 1500 and in the city when I ride more than 4000 I don’t spin. Consumption of a ridiculous 10 liters is enough for a week, 300 km.
At the same time, if you turn it over 8000, even its sound changes. Damn, I sped up like that a couple of times, by accident! Then I walked for about 5 minutes - it was crazy!
Sports suspension, with adjustments for rebound and compression, used tidy on average costs about 3 thousand rubles (not like the tongue of the Seabird) The brakes are very, very bad (Brembo pads are red). The tank is 15 liters, the landing is a little heavy (sport ) the passenger doesn’t enjoy sitting either. The engine is very mysterious and interesting, high-torque, synchronization is really hard. The center stand is terribly lacking, but any car disc will help. The rear suspension, a pure work of art (console), is beautiful, reliable, durable, etc., dismantling the rear wheel takes no more than 2 minutes, with certain skills. It’s probably possible to balance even on automatic balancing bars (I haven’t tried it, there’s no program). Tightening the chain is quite simple, but at the same time it’s a hassle. You don’t need to align the wheel when tightening. The road holding is not bad, but it doesn’t like potholes and bumps. Every you feel the bump on yourself.
When buying, look, as everywhere else, for feathers, brake discs, wheels and similar offal. And I forgot the main thing, candles cost on average 1 piece - from 700 to 900 rubles, this is a big deal for me personally, but IMHO!
In my “track record” this is the first Japanese motorcycle. Before him, I rode on various “manifestations” of the domestic motorcycle industry. Then I started reading motorcycle magazines. And in the winter I firmly decided that it was time to switch to something more powerful. Then the problem of choice arose. I knew from the beginning that I would take a purebred sportbike, without any admixtures of tourism. At first I wanted to buy something liter-sized. But, after thinking, I decided to start with a smaller caliber, since I still would not have been able to resist the temptation to find the speed limits of the motorcycle, and without the appropriate skills, these attempts would probably have ended in failure. I'll still have time. Thus, the choice was between the Kawasaki ZXR400, Honda CBR400, Suzuki GSX-R400 and the Honda VFR400 itself. Then, just in time, I came across an article by Vladimir Zdorov about sports “four hundred” cars, and in choosing between the beautiful Kawasaki ZXR400 and the Honda VFR400, which pulls from the very bottom, I chose the best traction. And here he is! The motorcycle arrived already tuned (fully reinforced hoses, Brembo brakes, carbon “end”). At first it took me a couple of days to get used to the landing, to the dynamics, and to everything in general, to the new reality. And then he began to “unwind” it to the fullest. The V-engine not only pulls from the bottom, which allows up to 150 not to lose to the “six hundred”, but it is also smaller in size than others, and maneuvering in traffic jams is much easier. But still, this is a “four hundred”, so for normal acceleration the speed has to be kept in the region of 10,000–14,000 rpm. The comfortable speed on it is about 150, but if you “stick” to the tank, you can put the speedometer needle much lower than 180, around 230 km/h, even with a passenger (the motorcycle is “inflated”). It takes corners on time and holds its trajectory superbly. The engine and gearbox, despite my bullying, work perfectly. The tuned brakes are quite informative and allow you to quickly slow down, which is important on such a “rocket”. Next season I’m going to switch to a more powerful vehicle, since this is no longer enough, and I’m tired of, moving at the limit, seeing “liters” overtaking me without much effort. For anyone wondering where to start, I recommend the Honda VFR400. It forgives many mistakes for beginners, but at the same time provides good dynamics and opportunities for high-speed driving. During this season, the VFR400 gave me excellent experience in handling sports equipment and, I think, enough to move up to a more powerful class.
Dimensions and weight
The weight of the model is 164 kg. Tank volume – 15 l. The wheelbase of this fairly compact machine is 1345 mm, which is not surprising, since sports motorcycles are usually always quite small, not counting sports tourists. A motorcycle consumes 6-7 liters of gasoline per 100 km, however, this is not so important, because people who buy a sports bike are probably the last thing they think about is fuel consumption.
Chassis and brakes
Of course, the VFR 400 frame is made of aluminum. The bright contrasting colors used in the design emphasize the competitive nature of the motorcycle. The alloy wheels are quite elegant, and the steering wheel is typical for the class. Overall, the exterior of this model is simply gorgeous.
The rear suspension is pendulum and cantilever, with a monoshock absorber. At the front there is a 41 mm inverted fork. The VFR 400 is braked by a 220 mm rear disc and a two-piston caliper, while the front uses a pair of 269 mm discs and four-piston calipers for these purposes.
Model history
1986 - start of production and sales of the Honda VFR400R. The first generation is NC21. Model: Honda VFR400R (Japan, UK). Frame number: NC21~. Factory designation: VFR400RG
1987 - restyling of the model. Second generation - NC24. Model: Honda VFR400R (Japan). Frame number: NC24~. Factory designation: VFR400RH
1988 - no significant changes. Model: Honda VFR400R (Japan, UK). Frame number: NC24~. Factory designation: VFR400RJ
1989 - restyling of the model. The third generation is NC30. Model: Honda VFR400R (Japan). Frame number: NC30~. Factory designation: VFR400RK
1990 - minor changes to the rear suspension (new shock absorber with remote reservoir, new adjustment mechanism). Model: Honda VFR400R (Japan, Europe). Frame number: NC30~. Factory designation: VFR400RL
1991 - no significant changes. Model: Honda VFR400R (Japan, Europe). Frame number: NC30~. Factory designation: VFR400RM
1992-1993 - without significant changes. Model: Honda VFR400R (Japan). Frame number: NC30~. Factory designation: VFR400RN
1994 - restyling of the model. The new name is Honda RVF400R. The fourth generation is NC35. Model: Honda RVF400R (Japan). Frame number: NC35~. Factory designation: RVF400RR
1996 - no significant changes. Model: Honda RVF400R (Japan, UK). Frame number: NC35~. Factory designation: RVF400RT
1998 is the last year of production. Model: Honda RVF400R (Japan, UK). Frame number: NC35~. Factory designation: RVF400RW
