Honda VFR1200F
Encyclopedia
The VFR1200F is a sport touring motorcycle
from Honda
, which has a 1237 cc V4 engine
. It has the first dual clutch transmission
offered on a motorcycle.
. Production began in October 2009 and first models were delivered in early 2010.
Previously, Honda had displayed a V4 concept bike in October 2008 at the Intermot
show in Cologne. It had distinctive design elements that were to appear in the production VFR1200F, in particular the X shaped headlights. Leaks and spy photos of a new Honda appeared in various places including online and print news outlets. Honda created teaser websites in Fall 2009, in which parts of the a new V4 were shown tantalizingly, and a countdown timer was displayed.
In October 2009, Honda press materials for the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show announced that the company would display a new bike, the VFR1200F, at the show.
, a dual-sport motorcycle that was launched in 2011.
architecture is kept from previous models but the VTEC
technology is discontinued.
Instead the new engine incorporates the single overhead camshaft distribution system called Unicam which has been already tested on Honda's offroad machines. This compact system reduces engine size which could be placed further forward in the bike's frame while lowering its center of gravity
. A 28° positioning of crank pin
s and a specific firing order of the cylinders reduce vibrations. Therefore engineers avoid the need for a balance shaft
and limit the weight of the engine.
The throttle is electronic throttle by wire.
The configuration of the cylinders is also unique. The V4 has the rear bank of cylinders paired closely together, with the big ends of the connecting rod
s on the inner sides of the crank journals. The forward bank of cylinders is conversely set outboard of the rear bank, with the big end journals mounted on the outer sides of the crank journals. This design allows for a much narrower engine at the rear, which gives the rider a slimmer bike and allows an easier reach to the ground from the seat.
, or an automatic dual clutch transmission
(DCT),
both of which are mated to shaft final drive. The DCT version, known in some markets as the VFR1200FD, has dual clutches, one operating 1st, 3rd and 5th gears, the other operating 2nd, 4th and 6th gears. The dual clutches are able to switch quickly between gears and can operate in one of three modes: 'D', which is a fuel-efficient fully automatic mode; 'S', a sports automatic mode, which changes gear at higher engine speeds; and manual mode, in which the rider changes gear using paddles fitted to the handlebars. This gearbox is the first of its type fitted to a large capacity motorcycle, although dual clutch transmissions are already used in automobiles. The DCT gearbox retains engine braking
as with a conventional manual transmission.
(CBS) as in previous generation VFR models, and anti-lock brakes
(ABS) as standard equipment.
Sport touring
A Sport touring motorcycle is a type of motorcycle that blends the performance of a sport bike with the long-distance capabilities of a touring motorcycle, while providing comfort and relative safety to the rider....
from Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, which has a 1237 cc V4 engine
V4 engine
A V4 engine is a V form engine with four cylinders and three main bearings.-Automobile use:Lancia produced several narrow-angle V4 engines from the 1920s through 1960s for cars like the Lambda, Augusta, Artena, Aprilia, Ardea, Appia, and Fulvia....
. It has the first dual clutch transmission
Dual clutch transmission
A dual clutch transmission, commonly abbreviated to DCT , is a differing type of semi-automatic or automated manual automotive transmission. It utilises two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets...
offered on a motorcycle.
History
Honda announced the VFR1200F in 2009 and unveiled at the Tokyo Motor ShowTokyo Motor Show
The is a biennial auto show held in October-November at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association , it is a recognized international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs...
. Production began in October 2009 and first models were delivered in early 2010.
Previously, Honda had displayed a V4 concept bike in October 2008 at the Intermot
Intermot
INTERMOT Cologne is a biennial trade show for motorcycle manufacturers. The trade show began in Munich in 1998, though originally founded in Cologne. Since 2004 it has moved to koelnmesse in Cologne. The Intermot 2006 had over 1.000 exhibitors and some 187.000 visitors....
show in Cologne. It had distinctive design elements that were to appear in the production VFR1200F, in particular the X shaped headlights. Leaks and spy photos of a new Honda appeared in various places including online and print news outlets. Honda created teaser websites in Fall 2009, in which parts of the a new V4 were shown tantalizingly, and a countdown timer was displayed.
In October 2009, Honda press materials for the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show announced that the company would display a new bike, the VFR1200F, at the show.
Technology
The engine and gearbox used on the VFR1200F were all new when the bike was launched. A slightly de-tuned version of the engine, and the same gearbox, have been used on the VFR1200X CrossrunnerHonda Crossrunner
The Honda Crossrunner is a motorcycle launched by Honda at the 2010 EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show.It will go on sale in the 2011 model year,with first deliveries expected in Summer 2011.It is a naked bike with a V4 engine that is also used in the VFR800....
, a dual-sport motorcycle that was launched in 2011.
Engine
The transverse-mounted V4V4 engine
A V4 engine is a V form engine with four cylinders and three main bearings.-Automobile use:Lancia produced several narrow-angle V4 engines from the 1920s through 1960s for cars like the Lambda, Augusta, Artena, Aprilia, Ardea, Appia, and Fulvia....
architecture is kept from previous models but the VTEC
VTEC
VTEC is a valvetrain system developed by Honda to improve the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine. The VTEC system uses two camshaft profiles and electronically selects between the profiles. It was invented by Honda R&D engineer Ikuo Kajitani, and was the first system...
technology is discontinued.
Instead the new engine incorporates the single overhead camshaft distribution system called Unicam which has been already tested on Honda's offroad machines. This compact system reduces engine size which could be placed further forward in the bike's frame while lowering its center of gravity
Center of mass
In physics, the center of mass or barycenter of a system is the average location of all of its mass. In the case of a rigid body, the position of the center of mass is fixed in relation to the body...
. A 28° positioning of crank pin
Crank pin
In a reciprocating engine, the crankpins, also known as crank journals are the journals of the big end bearings, at the ends of the connecting rods opposite to the pistons....
s and a specific firing order of the cylinders reduce vibrations. Therefore engineers avoid the need for a balance shaft
Balance shaft
In piston engine engineering, a balance shaft is an eccentric weighted shaft which offsets vibrations in engine designs that are not inherently balanced...
and limit the weight of the engine.
The throttle is electronic throttle by wire.
The configuration of the cylinders is also unique. The V4 has the rear bank of cylinders paired closely together, with the big ends of the connecting rod
Connecting rod
In a reciprocating piston engine, the connecting rod or conrod connects the piston to the crank or crankshaft. Together with the crank, they form a simple mechanism that converts linear motion into rotating motion....
s on the inner sides of the crank journals. The forward bank of cylinders is conversely set outboard of the rear bank, with the big end journals mounted on the outer sides of the crank journals. This design allows for a much narrower engine at the rear, which gives the rider a slimmer bike and allows an easier reach to the ground from the seat.
Transmission
The VFR1200F is available with either a conventional sequential manual transmissionSequential manual transmission
A sequential manual transmission is a type of manual transmission used on motorcycles and high-performance cars for auto racing, where gears are selected in order, and direct access to specific gears is not possible....
, or an automatic dual clutch transmission
Dual clutch transmission
A dual clutch transmission, commonly abbreviated to DCT , is a differing type of semi-automatic or automated manual automotive transmission. It utilises two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets...
(DCT),
both of which are mated to shaft final drive. The DCT version, known in some markets as the VFR1200FD, has dual clutches, one operating 1st, 3rd and 5th gears, the other operating 2nd, 4th and 6th gears. The dual clutches are able to switch quickly between gears and can operate in one of three modes: 'D', which is a fuel-efficient fully automatic mode; 'S', a sports automatic mode, which changes gear at higher engine speeds; and manual mode, in which the rider changes gear using paddles fitted to the handlebars. This gearbox is the first of its type fitted to a large capacity motorcycle, although dual clutch transmissions are already used in automobiles. The DCT gearbox retains engine braking
Engine braking
Engine braking is where the retarding forces within an engine are used to slow a vehicle down, as opposed to using an external braking mechanism, for example friction brakes or magnetic brakes....
as with a conventional manual transmission.
Brakes
The VFR1200F incorporates a combined braking systemCombined braking system
A combined braking system , also called linked braking system , is a system for linking front and rear brakes on a motorcycle or scooter. In this system, the rider's action of depressing one of the brake levers applies both front and rear brakes...
(CBS) as in previous generation VFR models, and anti-lock brakes
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
(ABS) as standard equipment.
Criticism
The reduction in fuel tank capacity from 22 litres (46.5 US pt) on the previous VFR800 down to 18.5 litres (39.1 US pt) on the VFR1200F has been the main complaint raised by motorcyclists, coupled with the new engine's higher-than-expected fuel consumption. On-road tests have shown a maximum distance from a single tank of less than 300 kilometres (186 mi), with some press reviewers running out of fuel after just 240 kilometres (149.1 mi).External links
- Official Honda VFR microsite
- Motorcycle Picture Book | Dual Clutch Transmission Honda's animated visualization of dual clutch transmission operation (Adobe Flash).