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I showed up at my local dealer at 9-something a.m. just as the Honda crew was setting their table and awning. I ended up registering fifth, which was a simple process, BTW. Next to a van and a trailer, over a dozen brand-spanking new Hondas, a third of them sportbikes: CBR600RR, CBR600 F4i, SuperHawk, 919, VFR (red), 599 (hornet-yellow) -- if you can call that one a sportbike. One of the guys ahead of me had picked the VFR for his first ride so I signed up for the 599 and not the F4 -- I had not been on a motorcycle in 10 days because of a bad back and, quite frankly, I did not want to be surprised by the F4's throttle, to which is connected 100+ rear-wheel horsepower. The route was a simple one: from the dealer, west on a surburban arterial, then westbound on a two-lane parkway, turn around, once more on the parkway the other way, then on an arterial to take a sweet decreasing-radius on ramp to a few klicks on a highway and back to the dealer. There was a young guy, with the ink barely dry on his motorcycle endorsement, ahead of me on that first demo ride, blinker constantly on, doing 40 km/h in a 70 zone on the RR. That was painful to see and he was quickly sent to the back of the pack. So how does the 599 ride, you ask? Nice, but not great. It's light and more flickable than my EX500. But it's a naked bike, which means I wouldn't want to go on a fall spirited ride at +4 deg. C. The good thing of the 599 is its peppy engine (based on the old F3). The downside is the cheap, non adjustable suspension, which meant that on the onramp, quite leaned over, it just didn't feel settled at all. Would it make a good first bike? Yes, with a conservative right hand, as that inline-4 revs to 13,000. But, hey, for a first bike, how about a much-cheaper used EX500 or GS500? Then, came the nicest moment of the morning: a ride on the VFR800ABS, the bike I've been lusting after and that makes me considering selling my first-born to raise the necessary $14.199 + tax. Sitting on it, even my short legs can make me flat-foot, with my calves just in front of the pegs. Speaking of pegs, those are in the perfect position, the reach for the handgrips is natural, although it will require more involvement from the lower back muscles and abs in order not to ask too much of the wrists. The VFR feels heavy, however, before you bring up the sidestand. But once in gear, even at parking lot speeds, I didn't feel like I was about to drop it. That engine is smooth, by the way, very smooth. It has a nice, 100-hp power curve, with a nice boost at 7,000 RPM when the VTEC valves kick in. On the onramp, which I took at 50 km/h because of the traffic ahead, at the point where the curve tightens, the VFR is just whispering in you ear "lean me more, lean me more..." Wind protection is just about perfect. Like a wild lover, the tank just begs to be gripped strongly by your knees. And the sound she makes as you twist the throttle.... It's heaven as seen from the handlebars... |