Honda VFR750
Encyclopedia
The 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...

 VFR750F
is a sport touring motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

 produced between 1986 and 1997. The fully faired
Motorcycle fairing
A motorcycle fairing is a shell placed over the frame of some motorcycles, especially racing motorcycles and sport bikes, with the primary purpose to reduce air drag. The secondary functions are the protection of the rider from airborne hazards and wind-induced hypothermia and of the engine...

 motorcycle featured a reliable 98 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...

 (73 kW) liquid-cooled double overhead cam (DOHC) V4
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....

 four-stroke engine. All generations of VFR750 since 1990 employ an ELF-designed single-sided rear swingarm
Swingarm
A swingarm, or "swinging arm" is the main component of the rear suspension of most modern motorcycles and ATVs...

. Also characteristic of the VFR750 (until the 2002 VFR800) was durable gear-driven cams.

The original VFR750F was first introduced to journalists after the 1985 Bol d'Or, and launched at Jerez. Introduced for 1986 as a complete redesign of the VF700/750F models in order to address some of the camshaft
Camshaft
A camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...

 and bearing
Bearing (mechanical)
A bearing is a device to allow constrained relative motion between two or more parts, typically rotation or linear movement. Bearings may be classified broadly according to the motions they allow and according to their principle of operation as well as by the directions of applied loads they can...

 problems that had become associated with the first-generation Honda V4 engines, and to improve Honda's negative image concerning this engine. Compared to the VF750F, the new VFR750F featured greatly improved power output (105hp up from 83hp), lighter weight (claimed 20kg), a lower center of gravity
Center of gravity
In physics, a center of gravity of a material body is a point that may be used for a summary description of gravitational interactions. In a uniform gravitational field, the center of mass serves as the center of gravity...

, a wider front tire, a slightly shorter wheelbase (15mm) gear driven cams and 6 rather than 5 gears.

The VFR750F received many positive reviews and awards while in production, including winning the Best 750 cc sport bike award from Cycle World six years in a row.

"Tariff beater" 700 cc versions (VFR700F) of the first-generation bike were available alongside 750 cc versions in the US market, due to the tax laws in place at the time that penalized large-displacement imported motorcycles (in order to protect the troubled Harley Davidson Motor Company).

In the Japanese domestic market there were other VFR750F variants.
  • VFR750P - A police-specification model with its own distinctive model number (RC35) was restricted to 77 ps (75 hp) and fitted with a 5 speed gearbox, modified main stand, gear indicator, uprated alternator, crash bars, higher handlebars, and modified speedometer. This bike was not on sale to the general public.
  • VFR750K - Not to be confused with the VFR750FK, this training version of the VFR750F, again with its own distinctive model number (RC37), was restricted to 77 ps (75 hp). The oil cooler was removed and it was fitted with a modified main stand and gear indicator. This bike was sold to the general public.

Race History

Although not designed as a race bike, in 1986 British racer Ron Haslam
Ron Haslam
Ronald Haslam is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who has been racing for over thirty years, winning three World titles, four British championships and having ridden in almost 110 GPs....

 took a standard VFR750F to third place in a soaked Transatlantic Challenge race at Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...

, UK.

In the United States Fred Merkel
Fred Merkel
Fred Merkel is an American former motorcycle road racer and two-time Superbike world champion....

 and Wayne Rainey
Wayne Rainey
Wayne Wesley Rainey, born in Downey, California, United States, is a former American Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he won the 500cc World Championship three times and the Daytona 200 once. He was characterized by his smooth, calculating riding...

 disputed the 1986 AMA Camel Pro Championship, which at the time had both Superbike and F1 races but only one championship, with the best finish of the day counting. Merkel just rode in the Superbike while Rainey did the F1 as well. Merkel won two races and Rainey seven but the championship was won by Flyin' Fred Merkel by only two points.

For 1987 Freds bike was passed to Bubba Shobert
Bubba Shobert
Don Wayne "Bubba" Shobert was a three-time A.M.A. Grand National Champion from 1985 to 1987 and was AMA Superbike Champion in 1988 while riding for American Honda....

 who took 3rd place in 1987, being beaten by Wayne Rainey
Wayne Rainey
Wayne Wesley Rainey, born in Downey, California, United States, is a former American Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he won the 500cc World Championship three times and the Daytona 200 once. He was characterized by his smooth, calculating riding...

 and Kevin Schwantz
Kevin Schwantz
Kevin Schwantz is an American former World Champion motorcycle road racer during the late 1980s and early 1990s.-Early life:...

. The points he earned during the 1987 season gaining him victory in the AMA Grand National. In 1988 Shobert won 3 of the 7 races to win the AMA superbike championship.

A very special VFR750F called the '6X', a full HRC prototype containing titanium valves and magnesium flat-slide carburetors and weighing even less than the factory RVF was first seen raced by Wayne Gardner
Wayne Gardner
Wayne Michael Gardner OAM is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and touring car racer. His most notable achievement was winning the 1987 500 cc Motorcycle World Championship, becoming the first Australian to win motorcycling's premier class...

 at Suzuka against TT F1 machinery. Wayne trounced the opposition, smashing his 4 stroke lap record by 1.5s.

This 135hp / 188mph VFR '6X' was raced at the Isle of Man TT by Geoff Johnson, coming in 2nd to Joey Dunlop
Joey Dunlop
William Joseph "Joey" Dunlop, OBE , was a world champion motorcyclist from Ballymoney in Northern Ireland, best known for road racing. Referred to throughout the sport as "Joey", in 2005 he was voted the fifth greatest motorcycling icon ever by Motorcycle News...

 in both the F1 and Senior TT

The engine developed in the 6X became the basis for the factory racer, the VFR750R
Honda VFR750R
The Honda VFR750R, frame designation RC30, was a fully faired racing motorcycle created for homologation purposes for the World Superbike championship by Honda Racing Corporation . It was first released to the Japanese market in 1987. American enthusiasts had to wait until 1990 to get their hands...

.

An engine race kit was available for the 1986 VFR from HRC
Honda Racing Corporation
Honda Racing Corporation is a division of the Honda Motor Company formed in 1982. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge...

 for $4,000 (USD), including a titanium exhaust.

Engine

The VFR750F series all used 748 cc 16-valve gear driven DOHC liquid-cooled 90° V4 engines with carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....

-based air/fuel induction; the bore/stroke remained the same for all 750 models at 70.0 x 48.6 mm (2.756 x 1.913 inches).
The engine was made of cast aluminium alloy with the crankcase being divided horizontally, VFR750P and VFR750K models use slightly different crankcases with the lower casing being modified to allow for the gear position indicator in place of the neutral switch.
On all the VFR750 models the gear drive for the cams was between the cylinders.
Lubrication was via a wet sump with a chain-driven, dual-rotor oil pump; an oil (air) cooler was also fitted.
Transmission was a 6-speed, with a constant-mesh, wet multi-plate clutch and chain drive to the rear wheel with the exception of the 5-speed VFR750P which featured a spacer in place of one of the gears.

The VFR750F uses a 180 degree crank, instead of the 360 degree crank used in the VF and VFR750R.

In comparison to the VF750 almost every component had weight shaved off it, each con-rod lost 90g, rocker arms 6g, intake valve 0.5g, exhaust valves 1.5g, pistons 20g, piston rings 1.3g per set, valve springs 17g each.

The V4 engine has proven itself highly reliable, with few known faults. The gear-driven camshaft
Camshaft
A camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...

 system removed any lingering concerns about cam-chain maintenance, which had dogged the VF-series of Honda V4 engines. Valve adjustment on first-generation VFR750Fs was by screw and locknut, which changed in 1990 to shim-under-bucket, along with the valve-clearance inspection interval (to 16,000 miles). However, RC36 engines have been known to reach well over 50,000 miles without any need to adjust the valve clearances.

Second- and third-generation VFR750Fs have notoriously suffered from failed regulators
Voltage regulator
A voltage regulator is an electrical regulator designed to automatically maintain a constant voltage level. A voltage regulator may be a simple "feed-forward" design or may include negative feedback control loops. It may use an electromechanical mechanism, or electronic components...

/rectifiers, likely caused by heat damage. Although Honda eventually re-designed the replacement part, such that failures of the new, finned regulator
Voltage regulator
A voltage regulator is an electrical regulator designed to automatically maintain a constant voltage level. A voltage regulator may be a simple "feed-forward" design or may include negative feedback control loops. It may use an electromechanical mechanism, or electronic components...

/rectifier
Rectifier
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current , which periodically reverses direction, to direct current , which flows in only one direction. The process is known as rectification...

 are rare, some VFR750F owners carry spare regulator/rectifiers or even install small cooling fans to prevent reg/rec units from overheating.

Chassis

The VFR750F was the first of the 750 class to feature an aluminum twin spar frame, weighing just 14Kg and the nearest thing on the road to the RVF, the GSX-R also featured an aluminum frame but it was of a conventional twin cradle design.

Suspension

First-generation VFR750Fs sported anti-dive (adjustable on some models) on the damping-rod front 37 mm Showa forks (uprated to 41mm for 1988) and a conventional, dual-sided aluminium swingarm with a centrally located Showa damping unit with remote hydraulic pre-load adjustment at the rear.

Second-generation models featured non-adjustable 41 mm cartridge-style Showa front forks, coupled with a remotely adjustable (for pre-load) emulsion-type Showa shock absorber and the trademark single-sided swing arm. Honda soon upgraded the VFR750F's suspension to include pre-load adjustment on the forks, and damping adjustment on the shock. The bike's distinctive swing arm, derived from the ELF-designed race-bike Pro-Arm development work, has the advantage of allowing rear-wheel removal without the need to remove the drive chain or rear axle, and allows chain adjustment to be made very simply with no concerns of altering wheel alignment
Wheel alignment
Wheel alignment sometimes referred to as tracking, is part of standard automobile maintenance that consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are set to the car maker's specification. The purpose of these adjustments is to reduce tire wear, and to ensure that vehicle travel is...

.

Third-generation VFR750Fs continued to use the same basic suspension components as the VFR750FN/P, though the single-sided swing arm was redesigned to reduce the weight of the earlier model.

Models

The VFR750F can be divided into three distinct "generations", with significant revisions having taken place upon the introduction of the VFR750FL in 1990 and the VFR750FR in 1994. The VFR750F ceased production in 1998 with the introduction of the VFR800Fi, marketed in the US as the "Interceptor" and the "VFR" in the UK.

1986–1987 - VFR750FG/H (RC24)

New model based on a complete redesign of the VF750F, full fairing, alloy twin-spar frame, gear-driven camshafts, single-color paintwork, and 16 inch front and 18 inch rear wheels.
  • Fork Diameter 37mm
  • Bore & Stroke 70.0 x 48.6 mm
  • Compression ratio 10.5:1
  • Rake/Trail 27.5 degrees/4.3 inches
  • Carburettors 4 x 34 mm Keihin CV type
  • 11,500 rpm Red Line
  • Power (claimed) 105PS @ 10,500 rpm (103.56 HP)
  • Torque (claimed) 56.4 ft·lbf @ 8,500 rpm
  • Front tyre 110/90 V16
  • Rear tyre 130/80 V18
  • Wheelbase 1480 mm
  • Seat height 795 mm
  • Dry weight 199 kg
  • Wet weight 230 kg
  • Frame weight 14 kg
  • Engine weight (dry) 77.3 kg
  • Fuel Tank 20 litres
  • Average fuel consumption: 48 mpg (= 0,049 liters per km)
  • Average touring range: 207 miles

Performance

From Cycle June 1986:
  • Curb Weight /W full tank Fuel: 505.5lb
  • Standing 1/4 mile: 10.95sec @ 113.95mph
  • Fuel Consumption: 45 mpg
  • Range (to Reserve) 189 miles
  • Acceleration:
  • 0-60mph 2.4sec
  • In Gear Acceleration:
  • 45-70mph
  • 4th 3.76sec
  • 5th 4.64sec
  • 6th 5.20sec
  • Speedometer Error
  • 30mph indicated 29.80mph
  • 60mph indicated 57.15mph
  • Braking Distance:
  • From 60mph 118ft
  • Engine RPM @ 60mph 4420RPM
  • Measured top speed: 151 mph

1988–1989 - VFR750FJ/K (RC24)

Minor revision with fairing redesign, stronger fork legs (up to 41mm from 37mm), a more reliable ignition system and 17 inch wheels front and rear. (Note that this model was not imported into the USA.)

A clock and fuel gauge were also added.
  • Fork Diameter 41mm
  • Power (claimed) 105PS @ 10,500 rpm (103.56HP)
  • Torque (claimed) 56.4 ft·lbf @ 8,500 rpm
  • Front tyre 110/80 V17
  • Rear tyre 140/80 V17
  • Wheelbase 1480 mm
  • Dry weight 203 kg
  • Wet weight 222 kg
  • Power 87.5 bhp @ 9,700 rpm
  • Torque 47 ft·lbf @ 9,000 rpm


1990–1993 - VFR750FL/M/N/P (RC36)

Major redesign with new frame and bodywork, cartridge forks, single-sided swingarm and wider wheels to accept more modern tyres, gain of some weight.
  • Bore & Stroke 70 x 48.6 mm
  • Compression ratio 11:1
  • Carburettors 4 x 36 mm VP CV type
  • Front tyre 120/70; 3.5 x 17 wheel
  • Rear tyre 170/60; 5.5 x 17 wheel
  • Wheelbase 1470 mm
  • Length 2180 mm
  • Width 700 mm
  • Height 1185 mm
  • Rake/trail 26 deg/100 mm
  • Fuel capacity 19 litres
  • Dry Weight 216 kg
  • Wet Weight (est) 242 kg
  • Dry weight 216 kg (476 lb)
  • Curb (wet) weight 240 kg (529 lb)
  • Power 98.5 bhp @ 9,700 rpm
  • Torque 53.9 ft·lbf @ 9,000 rpm

1994–1997 - VFR750FR/S/T/V (RC36)

Bodywork revision evoked Honda NR
Honda NR
Honda's NR V-four motorcycle engine series started in 1979 with the 500cc NR500 Grand Prix racer that used oval pistons. This was followed during the 1980s by a 750cc endurance racer version known as the NR750. The oval piston concept allowed for eight valves per cylinder which generated more...

 design cues; mechanically very similar to its predecessor, but dozens of minor and weight-saving changes made the bike lighter and more responsive to ride.

Last of the VFR750F models before replacement by the VFR800Fi
Honda VFR800
The Honda VFR800, also known as the Interceptor, is a motorcycle introduced by Honda in 1998. It is a successor to the VFR750F , which was preceded by the VF750.From its first sales in 1986, the VFR750F scored highly on many press reviews...

 in 1998.
  • Bore & Stroke 70 x 48.6 mm
  • Compression ratio 11:1
  • Carburettors 4 x 34mm Keihin downdraft CV type
  • Front tyre 120/70 ZR17; 3.5 x 17 wheel
  • Rear tyre 170/60 ZR17; 5 x 17 wheel
  • Wheelbase 1470mm
  • Width 720 mm (28.3 in)
  • Length 2125 mm (83.7 in)
  • Height 1185 mm (46.7 in)
  • Rake/trail 26deg/100mm
  • Fuel capacity 21 litres
  • Dry weight 211 kg (US)
  • Wet weight 237 kg (US)
  • Dry weight 210 kg (Europe)
  • Wet weight 236 kg (Europe)
  • Dry weight 212 kg (California)
  • Wet weight 238 kg (California)
  • Average fuel consumption: 49 mpg
  • Average touring range: 221 miles
  • Best 1/4 mile acceleration: 11.61 sec., @ 115 mph
  • Measured top speed: 145 mph

Related models include the VFR400R (NC30)
Honda VFR400
The Honda VFR400 series of motorcycles were a related series of 399 cc V4-engined motorcycles, which were essentially scaled-down versions of the larger VFR models of the day...

, RVF400R (NC35)
Honda RVF400
The Honda RVF400R is a motorcycle introduced by Honda Motor Company in 1994, powered by a V4 16 valve double overhead geardriven cam 400 cc engine and known for its supreme handling capabilities. There were two models, the R and the T, which differed only in their paint schemes...

, VF1000F/VF1000R
Honda VF1000
The VF1000 range of Honda motorcycles was made from 1984 to 1988. The VF1000 is named after its V-4 998 cc double overhead cam 16 valve engine. There were three main models in the VF1000 range, the VF1000F , the VF1000R and the VF1000F2.- VF1000F "Interceptor" :The first of Honda's 1,000 cc VF...

, VFR750R (RC30)
Honda VFR750R
The Honda VFR750R, frame designation RC30, was a fully faired racing motorcycle created for homologation purposes for the World Superbike championship by Honda Racing Corporation . It was first released to the Japanese market in 1987. American enthusiasts had to wait until 1990 to get their hands...

, RVF750R (RC45), NR750 (RC40)
Honda NR
Honda's NR V-four motorcycle engine series started in 1979 with the 500cc NR500 Grand Prix racer that used oval pistons. This was followed during the 1980s by a 750cc endurance racer version known as the NR750. The oval piston concept allowed for eight valves per cylinder which generated more...

 and VFR800Fi (RC46)
Honda VFR800
The Honda VFR800, also known as the Interceptor, is a motorcycle introduced by Honda in 1998. It is a successor to the VFR750F , which was preceded by the VF750.From its first sales in 1986, the VFR750F scored highly on many press reviews...

.

External links

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