Best Sounding Motorcycle? Gen 5 Honda VFR800 Road Test Review (1998-2001) 

I cringe every time someone says Japanese bikes lack character, I think Japanese bikes reflect their own culture of being very efficient, smooth and reliable. Even the design reflects their culture which is beinging very subtle and humble (almost comes of being boring sometimes), which makes it very unique and full of character in its own way.

A few years ago in a European bike magazine , it said this VFR model is so loved in Europe a two year old used machine could be sold for the same price as a new one . Even police loved them .

i've owned my '00 VFR800 for 10+ years now, and have owned -and sold- 8 other bikes since and no bike have given me as much joy and fun as the VFR does. once you crack the throttle wide open above 6,000rpm, the combination of instant torque, smooth immediate power, gears whirring and loud induction noise is like a well orchestrated immersive experience that no bike has ever given me

I am the 777 viewer, and I bought a 1999, 12 days ago. I absolutely love the machine.

I've had a 99 since 2001. In that year I had never ridden a sports style bike and a friend of mine lent me his VFR 98 to ride with him all day in the mountains north of Montreal. It felt like I had written it all my life the moment I got on it.

In 1997 we test drove a used 1994 VFR in wet conditions and I fell in love with the bike. So in 1998 when I saw a VFR800 on the showroom floor, had to purchase. I put a Two Brothers pipe on it. Have not ridden enough over the years due to working too much. Also purchased an ST1100 that same year. Another great Honda.

I had a 1993 that got stolen, and now have a 1999 I picked up 2 Years ago, I couldn't be happier!

Greetings from Ireland I have a 1998 VFR800 love it it's getting hard to get a clean 1 was on the lookout for 2 years before one came up.Never going to sell it.

ive been looking into getting one of these for a long time and i think your video about it just sealed the deal for me on getting one!

Agreed with everything said 100%! Very good descriptive words in summarising the VFR800.... soulful, sexy, exotic etc. I ride a 2015 VFR800F, same red colour, single side swingarm, looks "hot" with its Acropovic exhaust and whilst it doesnt quite sound as dreamy as the 5th Gen, it is definitely, as was pointed out at the end of the vid, a great choice of bike if you only own one. The only thing ommitted from this enjoyable little presentation is that it is a perfect choice of bike for pillions also. My wife finds it extremely comfortable on the back. Cheerio! 👌

I have a 2000 vfr, my dad crashed it in 03, just before I was born. He put 47k miles on it in just those 3 years of ownership. We just brought it back to life last summer, pouring many hours into fixing it, it’s one of the greatest experiences to ride.

The VFR800 is beautiful. I had the opportunity to ride a buddy's many years ago, and it was fabulous. The sound is so addictive.

Hi Jon, I am fairly new to your channel, but subbed straight away, love the content. You have the balance of factual chat, then terrific road riding video on great biker roads just right, good job Sir.

Great video. Information, background, editing, sound quality. Well done 👍🏻

I’ve heard much about the unique VFR engine gear sound and until now nobody has ever captured it. Now I know. Great vid as usual. 👍

Very nice. It's said that the 98-2001 is the cream of the crop. With timing gears and fi. I love my 96. RIDE SAFE OUT THERE!

5th Generation has the greatest sounding motor of all time, period. Great review. I love my 00, a perfect all arounder! Enjoy.

Very nice video, I have mine from 2001 and I still love it. Greetings from Belgium

Very nice review. I have a pair of 2001 VFRs, both with Staintune exhaust. One of them I bought new. Great bikes.

What a great bike Jon. It sounds more like a twin than a four cylinder. Excellent review.

I have a 98 and I absolutely love it. The V4 is a gem of an engine. Really fun bike. I need to get new rubber on mine so I can take her out this season!

Downshifting and a vfr800 and letting off the gas is the best sound ever when you're pulling up to a light next to people

I don't think I can part with mine. That engine has soul, hard to be good! Thanks for the insights.

Another great video! I was strongly considering one of this generation of VFR 800 for all the reasons you stated for my next bike, but the allure of the FJ1200 won me over. I won't say never on the VFR 800 though!

Excellent review 👏

Good morning Jon. ☕️ I really enjoy your way of describing the bike's character and feel as well as the technical aspects. Yes, I've been guilty of bikes tempting me to "override" them. I'm reminded of an incident with my 83 V65Magna, where I came into a tight corner way too fast and lost my nerve on the steep lean angle. I straightened, got up on the pegs, and went through a muddy ditchbank before going severely airborne and then lowsiding into a tree. (at low speed) I was extremely lucky with no severe injury to me or bike. My KLR holds no thrills in the powerplant, but I enjoy being able to wind her out and explore dirt roads, firelanes and mild trails. ***still interested in another bike...the new Transalp750 looks interesting. Eric in NC

I have ridden a stock VFR 800, and it was not comfortable for me, because of my back and wrist issues. But i noticed two things immediately, and that is the handling is really good, but most of all, the power for a 780 cc engine is way more than i thought it would have !

Having owned a '96 VFR750 for nearly 22 years, one of the best modifications you can do is actually to your ears. Don't use foam earplugs, instead get some musician's earplugs as after all, it is the most sublime symphony you're listening to.

Many thanks to my friend Paul for letting me review this beautiful bike!

Grest Video: Thankyou from England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

I have a 2000 fire engine red like this one. Got it as a prize for passing test! Had to fix a few light wires in dash. It is super fun, cool sound and cool looking. Oozes character.

Great vid, thanks for sharing. Just brought a '99 without knowing very much about them, totally standard with only 13.5k miles on the clock. Am experiencing the same thing, very easy to be naughty on it! I'm finding it is a great all rounder, my last bike was a Ducati 600 Pantah, and much prefer this, these are addictive which explains why there's so many owners groups out there..

Had a green fi in 2001 loved it

Honda certainly got their act together with the VFR compared with the early VF750 "chocolate cams". Considered for many years as one of the best sports tourers money could buy. Sadly no longer made but great second-hand choice and will serve you reliably for many a year to come.

I own a VRF800fi and can say its an amazing machine. Runs like a Swiss clock. Very smooth and lots of torgue. The sound of the geared cams and the V4 with a open exhaust is lovely. Its also handles very easily at low speeds. I love it. The only thing i would like is even more sound out of the exhaust. I have a carbon Bos muffler without db killer and stainless headers but still its a bit quite for my taste. But maybe its just me, I'm used to Ducati twins with open exhausts and they sound like monsters. But the Honda is far easier to drive and more relaxing. And its a soulful bike, which many japanese bike lack

I have one with the Staintune exhaust also. Had it for 25 years and still love the sound. Don't see the need for a newer bike!

I have a mint 1990 VFR750 and I have to say it sounds every bit as good as the VFR800.

Hola jhon .Excelente Maquina . Me acuerdo cuando lanzaron la Vf750 llamaba mucho la atencion por su grafica y su motor en V. Al tiempo por revistas españolas decian que su punto debil eran las cadenas de distribucion ... tal era asi que Honda volvió a fabricar la CBX750(made in Brasil). Luego volvieron a lanzarla con la sigla VFR 750..( cascada de engranajes) se acabaron los problemas y fue el mejor motor por duracion de toda la decada del 90. No tuve la suerte de manejar ninguna pero siempre escuché elogios. Aparte con tu prueba me conformo. Saludos .

I'm used to Kawasaki Ninjas a good while ago, but this came up recently, locally (ish..Im in Finland now) and I'm intrigued and really tempted!

I test rode a VFR750 as part of a used bike sale from a Honda dealer. It was stunningly competent, but under heavy braking the whole front end shook like mad and scared me. I told the dealer and he just shrugged. So I walked away from it. Some time later I figured the headstock bearings just needed adjustment, which I could have done in a morning. But too late............

Hey Jon, another nice one. That sound is awesome! Dont think I heard the gears though. Never rode one but I had a V65 Sabre a long time. Didn't sound like this. Is there something different in the crank angles, ignition timing from my V65?? Had an St1300 too. All V4's, but they all sound different.

Love my VFR 800 fi, it a great bike

こんにちは😃 自分は2000年のvfrに乗ってます。 日本でも台数が減ってきているので大事にしています😊

Thank you so much for this review, bought a 99 last year, can't stop grinning! I like the mirrors, better than stock. Which ones are they?

i have the same bike exactly it is very nice motorcycle

I knew it was Pa. I recognize the lousy roads and weather.

that bike is on my bucket list...someday....someday....

Had the same bike.I found they run hot very hot stuck in traffic in summer you start preying your fan doesn't stop...Its not a city bike for sure.Its open road touring.Weakness is from factory poor thin wires from stator and your rectifier will fry.Its so common that there is after market solution VFress wire kit.Anyway I had fun but now much happier on CB 750

Great channel mate, congratulations and greetings from Rome

Great review! What slipon exhaust is that ?

Thanks for this Nice document! I have the same bike, same color , Where can i find the sames reaview mirors? Impossible to find in metal like this..they are wonderfull! Thanks for the answer!

Might be picking up a 2000 with 8500 original miles all stock.

I am going to go ahead and agree with 'best sounding'. It reminds me of a time when side pipes (on cars) were common, and one bank of the V8 would exhaust on one side near the car door without combining with the other bank of cylinders. The effect was that under load and 50-150 feet away, you were only hearing four of the eight cylinders. Even if I didn't have this bike at #1, for sure it would be in the top 5 of all time. Is there a better sounding bike?

Man, I love your country side and roads. I have a gen 5 vfr here in South Australia. Best engine ever. What part of the country are you from?

I have a 25th anniversary and these are good bikes with good range and stability and comfort, gear drive 800s are best , these are heavy bikes with fair brakes and dated front end ,smooth motor lacking in real power and torque and they wallow in really tight stuff,I would expect maybe 85 hp on dyno and 50 lbs.

Да, этот мотоцикл очень красивый, несмотря на возраст. Мне очень нравятся фонари. Хочется его купить, сейчас езжу на Yamaha Dragstar 400, но болит поясница если езжу на своём мотоцикле, поэтому хочется купить VFR 800 потому что посадка удобнее.

mirrors..where can I get same?

Never saw one on the road.

One of the several bikes I always wanted but never got. I recently had an opportunity to buy a low mileage,, very nice condition, nicely modified 2015 model for dirt cheap. But I snoozed and losed! On the negative, the most recent gen VFRs were pigs, weighing in around 550 pounds! Oh well, no bike is perfect. No better sounding bike, especially w/aftermarket cans.

Thank you must say though best sounding to me is cb 750

what is the exhaust?

Despite the engine, what are they like compared to the vtr1000 twin?

its hard to beat a v4 for wide powerband.untill you have to pull the carbs multiple times to get them right.what a P.I.A. but its generally worth the effort.

shame that the exhaust can is all crunched up

Ветер в шлем дует?

11 sec stock 1/4 mile? never) I think 12,5 sec at best.

It looks like "Karizma ZMR" V1 🤍💯