The Interceptor is Back!

[buzzbomb]

I've said many times that I have no plans to get rid of my 6R. That hasn't changed, we mesh so wonderfully I just can't imagine a better bike for me.

I'm still excited to say the Interceptor is back! It costs way more than a 6R, but if it's anything like it's original namesake, it has got to be one amazing bike to own, boring paint job aside.

I've been unable to ride for a couple of months and it's got me dreaming. A real, Honest to God Interceptor that's not sporting a bald head and grey beard?

Gimme, Gimme, Give Me!

EDIT: Url is forbidden. Google "Cycleworld review 2014 Interceptor" without the quotes, of course. Look for the article in the aforementioned mag.

 

[BIG O]

There are other bikes that are just as heavy and slow to waste money on.

Then agian, you wouldn't get the boring paint job

 

[buzzbomb]

There are other bikes that are just as heavy and slow to waste money on.

Then agian, you wouldn't get the boring paint job

Slow, sure. Compared to a true-sport. Heavy, sure compared a naked. What the Interceptor excelled at was balance!

Freddie Spencer, never losing a race on one, aside: What the Interceptor was, was perfect.

Faster and lighter, buy a true-sport. Get a freakin' awesome Ducati. Darn awesome bikes that break down a lot and are really expensive to fix.

A better touring bike? Arguably nobody has better than BMW. Again expensive and they vibrate enough to numb your hands. They're pretty solid, but if something goes wrong? $$$

Back in the day, the Interceptor really had no peers. For a rider who wanted to ride long distances in a sporty manner? There just wasn't anything that could compare.

One could buy faster and lighter. One could buy more comfortable and capable of really long rides. If you try to put those things together, it gets pretty difficult. Those attributes are self-inclusive.

The Interceptor pulled that off. Reading reviews of the current model, it seems to do so as well.

If it does? That's just a pretty darn awesome, all around, gotta have bike. Boring paint job aside.

 

[Fizzer6R]

buzz why not get a nice used one? I was at a dealer in NC not too far from you recently and they had 2 from trade-ins. I asked salesmen about em and immediately got they've been there a while and someone can get a great deal = ie. they want to move em.

like said, they are not flashy and a bit heavy but very underrated. and it's the rider not the bike. for the street they more practical than most others.

I don't mind the no graphics/all solid color at all, however the red/white/blue is nice

Honda Trots Out New VFR800F: 22 Pounds Lighter and More Power « MotorcycleDaily.com

 

[Fizzer6R]

no magazine links allowed?

BTW what is up w/not being able to link to magazine articles? dont recall last time done if ever, would assume during the past x years it was ok and now it's changed?

 

[ksanbon]

road tests

motorcycle 2014 Honda Interceptor Review
motorcycle usa 2014 Honda VFR Interceptor First Ride - Motorcycle USA

 

[BIG O]

Yeah, back in the day the interceptor was the shiznit.

I do like the retro paint scheme on the new one

For those of us old enough to remember the original

 

[Asako]

For the same price you can get a Ninja 1000 which in all honesty is probably a better bike.

 

[xb_guy]

Yes they are. Took a ride a couple weeks ago with a friend (die hard Honda guy currently has a "new" CB1100) up to Russellville to see one. They are the only dealer in our area that had one in stock.

Damn when I saw the press info if I didn't say "I'd have to get a deluxe in white". So we arrive and guess what they have.

It didn't follow me home (the FZ6R is paid for), but it really wanted to. Simply stunning bike in person. If I were in the market right now it would definitely be on the short list...

 

[pkoko]

I will probably get killed for saying this but get any Japanese supersport. Change the seat and buy handlebar risers. You get the same thing as the interceptor except it is faster, lighter and turns better for less $$$.

 

[buzzbomb]

BTW what is up w/not being able to link to magazine articles? dont recall last time done if ever, would assume during the past x years it was ok and now it's changed?

Don't know on that one. That's just what popped up when I tried to link the article. Seems highly likely the problem was on my end.

 

[buzzbomb]

buzz why not get a nice used one? I was at a dealer in NC not too far from you recently and they had 2 from trade-ins. I asked salesmen about em and immediately got they've been there a while and someone can get a great deal = ie. they want to move em.

like said, they are not flashy and a bit heavy but very underrated. and it's the rider not the bike. for the street they more practical than most others.

I don't mind the no graphics/all solid color at all, however the red/white/blue is nice

Honda Trots Out New VFR800F: 22 Pounds Lighter and More Power « MotorcycleDaily.com

I agree the tri-color looks pretty good. I'm not really planning on changing my ride, though. I'm just glad the Interceptor is back and apparently just as good as it used to be.

 

[buzzbomb]

I will probably get killed for saying this but get any Japanese supersport. Change the seat and buy handlebar risers. You get the same thing as the interceptor except it is faster, lighter and turns better for less $$$.

I've never had the pleasure of riding an Interceptor. I do remember that they literally OWNED basically everything else, back in the day.

From the articles that I've been reading it wasn't so much the Interceptor was super fast, or really light or incredibly powerful: It was the fact that what it had was so well balanced that It FELT like it had all that.

That's why I love my 6R so much. I know it's not the fastest or lightest or anything "est." But It's so easy to ride that it makes me feel like I'm on the best of whatever style of bike I'm emulating - be it running the twisties, cruising the boulevard or touring.

The 6R isn't the best at any of them, but it's really darn good at all of them! The Interceptor might just do it all a little bit better. That's kind of exciting.

 

[Bert-Aus]

From riding my brothers 2014 VFR, which was only a week old, last week my feeling from it was
Yes it was exceptionally balanced, had some pep about, the weight of the bike was non-existent in how it handled. Plus all the stock extras are amazing.

However, however, however I got the feeling that if my wife knew what bikes felt like to ride,
that she would have chosen the VFR for my new bike following my accident.
As the bike feels very safe to ride, and in saying that I felt that my XJ6S was a safe ride.

To which end I found myself riding at dangerous levels for fun!?!

IMO I like the VFR but it kind of felt like riding something that made you feel like you were wrapped in bubble wrap???

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2

 

[buzzbomb]

From riding my brothers 2014 VFR, which was only a week old, last week my feeling from it was
Yes it was exceptionally balanced, had some pep about, the weight of the bike was non-existent in how it handled. Plus all the stock extras are amazing.

However, however, however I got the feeling that if my wife knew what bikes felt like to ride,
that she would have chosen the VFR for my new bike following my accident.
As the bike feels very safe to ride, and in saying that I felt that my XJ6S was a safe ride.

To which end I found myself riding at dangerous levels for fun!?!

IMO I like the VFR but it kind of felt like riding something that made you feel like you were wrapped in bubble wrap???

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2

Oooh. Felt so safe that you rode dangerously to get the thrill of riding? That's not good. If I wanted that, I'd ride a Goldwing.

I want to know that I'm riding a motorcycle. If the Interceptor didn't deliver that feeling then my excitement was seriously misplaced. Boring is boring, regardless of what one is doing.

Luckily, I've still no plans of getting rid of my 6R. She's still the best there is!

 

[Bert-Aus]

Yep exactly!

My Suzi2 is an untamed mustang that I have to respect,
but she gets to unleash her thirst for POWER-ARGH in tempered bursts

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2

 

[Marthy]

buzz why not get a nice used one? I was at a dealer in NC not too far from you recently and they had 2 from trade-ins. I asked salesmen about em and immediately got they've been there a while and someone can get a great deal = ie. they want to move em.

like said, they are not flashy and a bit heavy but very underrated. and it's the rider not the bike. for the street they more practical than most others.

I don't mind the no graphics/all solid color at all, however the red/white/blue is nice

Honda Trots Out New VFR800F: 22 Pounds Lighter and More Power « MotorcycleDaily.com

Back in 2010 I was getting out of a rough year $$$. If $$$ wasn't an issue back then I was going to buy the brand new 2007 25th anniversary edition... I went for the yellow 6R instead. Fitted my budget at the time a bit better. No regret but I think the VFR would have make me happy too... That V4 sound quite sexy too.

 

[buzzbomb]

Back in 2010 I was getting out of a rough year $$$. If $$$ wasn't an issue back then I was going to buy the brand new 2007 25th anniversary edition... I went for the yellow 6R instead. Fitted my budget at the time a bit better. No regret but I think the VFR would have make me happy too... That V4 sound quite sexy too.

Also from what I've read, the VFR sold very poorly. It had issues with the system that Honda used on those bikes, and uses on the Interceptor, where the rear valves only open at a certain rpm. It's good for emissions and fuel mileage and such.

Prior to the current Interceptor model, it seems that the abrupt change in horsepower was... abrupt. Enough so that the testers in Cyclemag remember testing the VFR. Supposedly that's been tweaked in the latest iteration of the Interceptor. They say it's smoothed out and does what it's supposed to, without surprises.

I'm thinking your lack of cash at that time was actually a blessing. You got the 6R instead. I'd have no regrets about that.