2018 Honda VFR800X Crossrunner Review 

This review was very helpful when I was looking for a new bike recently. I bought a Crossrunner VFR800 X and love it. Thank you!

There must be something special about this bike. I've watched a lot of your reviews and you sir have a relaxed style of riding, but it looks like you had some fun with this VFR. I'm in the market for a sport adventure bike and this might be the one for me. Thank you for all the good reviews!

Thanks for this - didn't know it existed. Back in the day, I was torn between the Blackbird, VFR and the Sprint ST - went with the Sprint, not disappointed. Still fondly recall the V45 and V65 Sabres.

Like the format, like the spiel, you're getting really good at this! Another informative & revealing review, marvellous.

Sounds amazing. I love the understated looks of Hondas. Had lots of them in the 80s. The build quality was always great. The only weak point then was there Cam Chan tensioners could stick if you didn’t adjust them regularly. Once the vfr750 arrived that problem disappeared. Nice to see a bike that the manufacturer has decided to map the engine properly rather than provide a handful of pointLess bland rider modes.

Very nice review. Best i have seen about that bike on youtube. And that includes reviews from professional motorcycle journals. Subscribed.

Nice review! Looking forward to the long term test if you get the chance!

Well done - been following since the CRF250L. Great review, lots of commentary about options, view from the cockpit and wind feel - keep it up!

Great review! Wish we had this in the USA! It's the perfect motorcycle.

Had one of these for the last two years , 25,000 miles and been Faultless!! Two European tours and third this summer and can honestly say it's a Swiss army knife of a bike as it tours perfectly and can scuff it's pegs flat when your in the mood. Brilliant review as always TMF keep up the good work and really appreciate all the obvious hard work you put in to keep us all entertained and informed.👍

Picked a 2018 model up in August last year. It really is a great bike. That VTec engine sounds amazing and its really comfortable (Im 6 3" and have seat on highest setting). Sadly Honda wont be making them anymore because of Euro 5. I tested a Versys and VStrom and can honestly say this is the better bike. Great review !

Contemplating upgrading my gen 1 to a lower mileage gen 2 and came back for this vid a second time. 👌🏻

In full agreement with you Mr Flyer. Tested this against the Tiger 800 and the Tracer 900 and the Honda was the clear winner. Had mine since last July and loving it more than ever. Planning to do the NC500 on it when the weather improves a bit. Great channel by the way, thank you for putting the effort in for us all.

Great review had a test ride at the weekend loved it, so easy to ride took it up some nasty hilly roads in Wales after just 30 minutes of my test ride, no drama's very easy to handle. It reminds me of my Honda CBF1000 its not super sexy but just does the job. Result of test ride I've ordered one thanks again great reviews.

I've bought one!!! Collection imminent

Really enjoyed your review of this bike, helped me make a decision. I’ve just purchased a 3 year old one, 16 plate, with the akropovic exhaust, top box & centre stand, love the sound, easy to handle, good protection, great handling too for the size. Thanks for sharing.

I had a VFR400R some years ago in my younger days. Although it is a small bike, it had quite a bit of kick, and the sound of that little 400 V4 engine was great

Thanks for the review looking for another bike didn't know it exhisted one to add to my list

Cheers TMF didn't expect to this review so soon! Definitely on the short list. Some might say a tad boring ,but I like the look of it and Honda v4's go on forever. Great review👍🏻

Hey TMF. Just seeing this vid now. I have the 2016 version. So I dont have the adjustable screen. I agree with everything you said in the video. I had a 1999 VFR 800Fi before this and after 3 corners on the XRunner I was in love. I am 6'4 so sitting up and looking around while throwing this machine in and through corners like it is a pure sports tourer is a bliss. I do around 16k km or 10k miles on it in a year and its all recreational. I love it to bits for all the things you said, the engine, the handling. The looks. You didnt even mention the headlight! I have taken it to the track on more than one occasion and loved it there too. As you said, its a bike that is massively overlooked, also by the marketing department of Honda as the Africa Twin, Gold Wing, Fireblade and smaller CB's get all the shine. But thats fine with me. I love my Xrunner. And I dont care if somebody says it's boring because they clearly haven't ridden it.

Wish we could get them here in Canada. I absolutely love my 14 VFR 800 but would like to sit up a little straighter in my elder years. Lol. Great review as usual. Thanks .

Another great review TMF. Cheers!

I have just bougth one, have to pick it up on monday. Looking forward to it.tank you for a good review.👍🏍

Nice sounding bike, looks ok. I liked your review, very thorough. There is so much information, I'm not sure of what there is left to ask about.

Really enjoyed this vlog, once again. I have owned a VFR, nearly ruined my wrists but one with handlebars, sounds like fun and comfort. I now have a CB500X which suits me and the Irish rural road system. To bring it up to a comfortable touring level, I have fitted Hand Guards, Heated Grips, Full stand, SW Motech rack,Hugger and fender extender these were bought new but I also had Give Tank bag (needed new ring) SW Motech Air Hawk seat and Blade Panniers, these fitted well even though they were from a 1250 Fa. I will return to Wales on it for the Stafford shows but no longer tours…… well don’t hold me to that. Take Care.

TheMissendenFlyer Cool and informative video, as usual.

wow i was looking at this bike to possibly purchase, i checked your honda playlists 2 days ago and it wasn't there, its like you read my mind, thanks TMF - Dean

Nice impartial review. I took mine down to the Dolomites, loaded up with luggage. Then had a great time going up and over the passes and abusing the vtec. I have no idea what I'll replace my 2015 model with - it's everything that I want from a bike.

Been curious about this bike! Good to see. BTW... about cold hands... I found my macna atom gloves work much better than heated grips or handguards. Just don't forget to charge em!

Honda seems to receive unfair criticism from the general motorcycle press (particularly here in Aus) for being too efficient and lacking of character; having previously owned a ‘95 Fireblade and a ‘05 Blackbird, I totally disagree with these criticisms. Pleased you enjoyed your experience on the VFR800X👍

Just ordered this bike, I'll use it as a second motorcycle to get to work on & have the odd pleasure ride, looks excellent in the review, many thanks Missenden flyer.

Thanks for this. Looking for one for Leanna but at 5 feet 2 we'll need to lower it. I've always loved V engines anyway. Might be worth having a test ride.

I love the sound of the V4 engine when VTEC gets on,great sound!

After watching your video and one from Mark Pulling I took one of these bikes for a test today. 2018 model with 6k miles. Great bike, the vtec sounds awesome. Bought it!

I agree that, as an owner and rider of VFR’s since 1996, the VFR is a brilliant all-round bike. My current bike, a 2000 VFR800 FiX (pre Vtec) has had quite a few modifications, the most significant being fitting a handlebar conversion kit that allows the fitting of standard tubular bars (Renthall low-street are my preference) which provides a similar riding position to the VFR800 crossrunner. It’s capable of keeping up with many of the current crop of bikes on the twisties and also happily commuting to work or cruising along on touring trips with my camping gear loaded in to Givi Monokey luggage. However, Honda missed an opportunity, and the boat, in 2008 when they decided to develop a new VFR. They could have delivered what VFR owners wanted, which was an a new VFR1000 with advanced technology and more power, but in a similar ‘package’ to the VFR800, with a smooth torque curve, keeping the weight down to no more than the 800’s 238Kg (wet), returning to the gear driven cams fitted to my model and junking the widely disliked cam chains and their associated adjusters fitted to all VFR800 Vtec since 2002, keeping the VFR’s renowned reliability, sporty ride quality and the comfort & practicality of a tourer. They decided instead to create the 1200 which is a bike with an excess of touring and technology features, but too heavy with a shaft drive & optional DCT gearbox, making the total mass at least 267Kg (wet). It’s also thirsty on fuel and has a smaller petrol tank, limiting range to less than 150 miles, thus neither suited to touring or sporty riding. As it lacked the sportiness of the VFR800 it put it more in the same category as the Pan European but without the range or comfort and at a much higher price. However; I’m now in the process of changing my bike for a Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX as it offers significant performance, technological and safety advancements over my 21 year old (but perfectly running) VFR. That is why the Ninja 1000SX has taken the crown as the best, reasonably priced, practical, sports touring bike with proven reliability. In terms of value for money it can’t be beaten, especially if it’s bought in standard trim and the owner fits the accessories they want and need (alternative screen, heated grips, luggage, frame sliders, tank pad, phone / SatNav mount & a nicer / lighter exhaust). Yes, I would have liked a bike with a single sided swing arm but that’s a nice to have not essential. My only significant gripes with the Ninja 1000SX are the lack of a centre stand, which makes servicing and roadside repairs quite difficult and the small and relatively flimsy panniers as compared to my 20 year old equivalent and better priced Givi luggage.

I do like your videos as they are straightforward and address the issues that most of us in the real world have. I too looked at the Crossrunner and liked it a lot. I didn't want the chain drive having had a shaft drive on one of my bikes, so I opted for the Crosstourer with the 1200cc engine and the shaft drive. While it is a heavy bike, like the 800 it hides it well. I suggest if you liked the 800 try the 1200 lots of torque and even smoother. There's even a DTC version which is like majic. Keep up the good work and to answer your question you should get paid for the work you put in. How to be paid is the difficult question. Many Thanks Tim Lloyd

Thanks TMF. You're my favourite reviewer, another great review. This is the genre of bikes that I'm looking at and I was glad you compared it to the V-Strom and Tracer. I've ridden all of those except the Honda. I'm not considering the Versys but I am considering the Z1000SX/Ninja 1000 to these bikes. If you get the chance I would love to see a review of that bike. Bang for buck it's very impressive on paper. I rode the 2016 Z1000SX and like it a lot but I love the sound of V twin and V4's. If only the Multistrada 950 was cheaper in Australia! Thanks again, you're a ripper mate!

I loved my VFR750........and this with that fabulous engine sounds perfect. Look forward to these being available in my location.

I must book a ride.Got back in to bikes 2 years ago,60 years old, With a 1990 VFR ! love it.But would like modern fueling & ABS.Love your channel (no swearing,easy going) Thanks TMF.

Hi great review. I had one of the early crossrunners I loved it. Lovely smooth sweet engine with the V tech extra power gave it a split personality. She would quite happily cruise along all day but if you wanted to attack the B roads and have a few thrills then she could deliver.My only negatives were the screen needed heavy modification for my 6ft frame and eventually I found the leg room a bit cramped. Apart from that a great un cluttered bike easy to ride and enjoy. How about a review on the BMW F 800 ADV youve done plenty on your 1200 GS give its smaller brother a go!

Good review, my brother has just bought one and I'll get to ride it soon.

Good Evening TMF, Thank you for another super review . I am sure if you ever tried a Honda S T 1300 Paneuropean you would be so impressed by how smooth the engine and ride is . Please if you get chance, ride one because you don"t know what you are missing. Take Care .

Just before Christmas I bought one of these Andy and I love it! It's obviously screwed together well being a Honda - but more than that exudes quality everywhere. There's nothing on it which looks out of place (apart from the TC button as you mentioned) which wasn't something which could be said of my previous Tracer 700 which had bracketry thrown on as though Yamaha had forgotten certain items till it was too late to engineer them properly. Can I just point out that both F & R suspension is adjustable for both preload and rebound. And again it's of high quality and manages to be both plush and controlled which is particularly rare for a standard production motorcycle. A real magic carpet ride! Thanks for your review, which along with those from Mark Pulling and Cager on Two Wheels definitely helped with my buying decision. Ta

Another great review TMF! Man, I really like that bike. I need to go see if it's a model available here in the land of the orange leader. On a side note, love all the little Pubs there in the UK. I could visit and just hop around to all the pubs! EDIT: Sadly it appears it won't be available in the US. We do have the VFR1200X though.

Good review, well done.

Love the bike. Great review.

Morning Yes I had a VFR800 before my BMW 1200GS loved the bike did over 250 000 trouble free km and the sound was joy to your and everyone around you's eares :)

But in all seriousness, I am so glad you reviewed this bike. The X seems to have slipped under the radar and was a cracking machine.

Back in 2002 bought the VFR version, superb engine, great torque too and super smooth.

Great review as always.This bike would be a real contender if it was 50 lbs. lighter and had cruise control.

I love your channel.thank you for doing them.the U.K looks lovely

Bought one last june. What a great bike this is! Top quality engine, suspension and brakes. And very confortable. I commute everyday to work in heavy traffic and travel on weekends. 9.000 Kms in 6 moths. My previous bike was a NC 750. Loved it, but I needed more than just a (great) commuter bike.

Not surprised you liked it the engine is a peach , its dad the VFR 750/800 was widely regarded as the best all-round motorcycle in the world for the best part of a decade. I have a good friend with huge experience working in the industry who swears by his 16 year old VFR and would never part with it .. speaks volumes .

I have a 2011 model. Superb bike to ride and the engine and noise are a work of art

Glad you text this bike, it' is the one I want but not available in the USA for whatever reason. Thanks for your review 👍

Very tempted after your review

Just goes to show how good the 781cc V4 is against the 1000cc competition. Great review and thank you.

You're right - overlooked and I don't know why. (A bit like the CB 1100 RS, hint hint!) Another enjoyable review.

its a beautiful sounding bike , love it

Great review TMF , been looking forward to your review of the CROSSRUNNER (think l mentioned l have a 2016 ! ) I was lucky to get a demo with only 500 miles and £2000 off list price came with rider pack (Acropovic , Tom Tom rider , centrestand ) not keen on the Matt black colour red is best ! You didn't mention the mounting points for the panniers . No ugly metalwork on display and the single sided swinging arm , looks great and so easy to remove the wheel , oh and the LED headlights are fantastic . Looking forward to some more of your reviews Thanks BOB

Great bike great review TMF

Great review thanks. I agree with you that the Crossrunner is an excellent bike. I have the first version and I love it. Very underrated. Someone with a Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak rode it expecting it to be just another boring 4 cylinder, but they were blown away by the engine. They said the suspension wasn’t up to the level of the Pikes Peak, but the Honda is a very much cheaper machine and in my view is brilliant value.

That V-TEC sounds incredible! Really does sound like a Civic Si, I imagine it's 10x more visceral though

i got vfr800 pre vtec 98n only had it year and arf love it to bits just got some cosmetic stuff ta do on her she has done 76000 miles and still feels like new

Wow, it has everything I would want, ABS, TC, Heated grips; self-cancelling turn signals, adjustable screen, gear indicator; fuel gauge. Just the center stand missing. Wow! Thanks Mr. Flyer.

Just purchased one of these. Had the VRF800 a year ago. Ended up switching then coming back to the VRF with the 800X (2007 model). Now upgrading to the newer model. Wonderful machines!

Thanks for yet another great review, TMF. I see many people find the VFRX a bit ho hum, too heavy for its power etc, but I'm pretty sure the bike must get very good torque at lower revs from that engine and it really does look extremely comfortable. Power, weight, consumption and price wise, it loses out to the Tracer 900, but I think if you actually do regular commuting and road touring this bike would be a lot more comfortable and easy to ride. But then again, the Triumph Tiger Sport is just so much nicer.

I've got the VFR800F and think it's brilliant.

I bought one brand new almost 2 years ago, thanks to this video and other ones. I love it so much. 20.000km+ now, it's just plain awesome.

Nice review as always. I have one of these, I love the sound of the Vtec kicking in, I don't really like the self cancelling indicators. I had a 14 GS before this, fine comfortable bike with plenty of poke. I kinda miss it at times but I like the Crossrunner. Anyways, take care, Mike

Thank you TMF. Another great review. P.S. As an expert rider any chance of a future possible review or recommendations for base clothing layers for cold days? It would be great for new riders and old bikers returning back to the road. Keep it up!!

My first bike was a 2016 VFRX which I put 27000 miles on before swapping for a GSA 1200. I found that the front suspension was extremely soft on hard braking but other than that it was a great bike to get started on. Lack of cruise control was another reason to swap as well. Cost of ownership was quite expensive as well.

Nice bike, great review! Put on an aftermarket exhaust on and that engine would really sound great!

Funny that ,, of all the yrs , I’ve ridden and lots of bikes of owned all configurations of engine , except a v4 , blimey ,,, great review as usual , take care buddy , Shane uk 🇬🇧

Think you got that one wrong TMF I do remember you riding Richy Vida’s Honda VFR800 Vtec. And he has never let anyone else ride it. Great review tho TMF you are one of the best reviews on RU-vid. Keep em coming buddy we love you😃😃

Another excellent review from your good self. Interested to hear would you prefer this or the Multistrada 950 you had on a long term loan?

Always liked the face lifted version of this bike, the only thing I've been told in a negative way is V4s cost more in the maintenance department. I also think if it's being touted as a tourer it should have cruise control. Great review as always .

V4 Hondas have sang their siren song to me since 1982....one day. Thinking VTEC and the system on my 2005 Mustang GT are similar. Variable valve timing along with butterflies in the intake runners that open electrically at 3500 rpm. Quite the kick from that point forward....thanks for this.

Nice practical machine! Like the V4 too. Nice job as usual going over the bike. Are you in good enough graces with Mr Honda to ride the new Goldwing? That I'd like to see! Cheers.

VTEC just kicked in yo!

Hello Mr Flyer, I have been following up on your reviews since I found your channel. Great content. I think it takes a great deal of effort to help out other people. Thank you good sir. Regarding vfr800x a lot of people say it's a very old bike, just with a different dress. Do you think it makes sense to purchase this in 2019? Not sure if Honda is updating this bike or not.

Hey Missenden! went to Honda this weekend, got an offer for a brand new bike and will order it in June. I was torn between the F750GS, Tiger 800XRt and Tracer 900GT but the Honda wins my heart. I've just test ridden the F750GS but really cannot like a twin as much as a 4 cylinders...

Be interesting to see you ride the standard VFR800.. great vid mate as always

Great review as ever. Can you get your mitts on the vfr1200 Crosstourer?

Cheers TMF for a decent review on a slightly unusual bike.

Another great review. Maybe get a go on VFR1200 Crosstourer at some point? Im on my second, DCT this time. Have to say the 800 is a better looking bike than the CT.

i love all your video, possible to do a review on Honda latest NC750X.

Don't see why they can't put a decent sized front mudguard on instead of that tiny thing, also they should offer a handguards option. rear definitely needs a hugger. great review as always.

Had a VF1100 for a few years, and that was a great bike - shaft drive, and enough torque to ride up the side of a building!

Hi TMF another good review. I have the old model cross runner and having taken it round Europe it's a great little bike. The only gripe I have with it is it can be thirsty compared to say a gs with a bigger cc and more torque. It does lack a bit on tank range I think Honda have improved the new model on mpg.

I'm driving the 2016 model. The adjustable windshield is new, the exhaust is new and the 12V power output. Maybe colours are new the rest is like 2016. I added handguards and a higher windshield also a 12V power output. I bought it pricewise first but now I love it. The V4 is excellent. Petrol consumption is ok, 5.1 ltr/100km. Yamaha? My opinion: nice toys but quality on the long run is Honda. The instructor of austrian motorclub is driving a 1000cc Varadero over 600.000km. He has a new Africa Twin in addition. This bike has now 175.000 km. Long term quality is Honda, nothing else.

Finally bought this bike!!

Very nice bike, that has most of the things I'm looking for. Should come with a centre stand and a bar over instrument pod for GPS. Only fly in the ointment for me is chain drive, prefer shaft drive.

Looks good, the lack cruise control is strange, since tourer is in the name. The VFR1200X also has no cruise control. Looks like a nice bike, a bit on the heavy side for the BHP, and I hope they fixed all the ignition and cylinder noise from previous years. Great review, as usual.

A good review, thank you very much, excellent. Cheers!

Absolutely gorgeous bike

Lol u had slightly put me off about the CB500X after your review - I thought I would have a test ride to see for myself. It is a great bike though for higher speed and power at motorway speeds not enough for me. Thankfully the salesman was brilliant at Moto21 Swanley he pointed out the VFR800 CROSSRUNNER X - there was a second hand one in stock so I took that for a ride - absolutely brilliant just what I needed. Will be ordering a new one soon.

You should try an old 5th gen Vfr sometime if you can, gear driven cams and no silly vtec, get one with a nice end can, the sound is fantastic when you wind her up, the vtec ruined them though the 6th gen had great styling and better headlights, great review as always,brilliant channel !!

Good looking bike for sure, better than the V strom, it's not uncommon for these Honda engines V4 to reach 100,000 miles, extremely reliable.

Always loved that V-Tec growl..