Honda VTR1000 SP1 Review

“The Honda VTR1000 is an excellent bike that I will not...”

Written on: 23/05/2008 by ChobeG (1 review written)

Good Points
The V-twin engine is reasonably quick and reliable. Being a Honda the quality is excellent - 7 years on and the bike still looks in showroom condition (But that depends on how it is treated) WSBK pedigree and a very effective design by HRC. Has tons of HRC R&D behind it which made a great bike to use as a project racer

Bad Points
Clutch control! This can be a pain as you need to slip the clutch a bit on take off. (This can be improved by changing the gearing)
Suspension can be a bit harsh for road use but this depends on individual views.. I like a hard suspension but some may not!.. Fuel Consumption is a b!@(#! but then again.. it was never design with the road in mind but a race track!.. Lazy change of direction at high speeds...but this can also be improved by changing the shock link with a moriwaki or dan kyle unit!... which will change the steering dynamics

General Comments
The Honda VTR1000 is an excellent bike that I will not trade with any in-line four in the market!.. It may not look as flash as some of the newer 06 model bikes onwards but this bike has character and history the best HRC R&D behind it. This bike will provide you with a far more engaging, enjoyable experience as a rider, so it's not for inexperienced riders. If you're new to the big capacity bike scene you will not appreciated it as much until you have ridden other big capacity bikes. I strongly recommend to change your gearing to 15/41, intall a power commander as a must to improve the on/off switch like throttle response, install a larger capacity carbon air box, a dyno tune to get a custom map and also change the standard wheels to a lighter option and you'll have in your hands a pocket rocket! ... This changes will give you a max of 135hp @ the rear but take it for a ride and you will feel like reducing that figure!!