Q: What kind of bike is the VTR?
A: The VTR Firestorm (or "Superhawk" to Americans) is a sporting V-twin. It has the distinctive throb of a large capacity 90 degree V-twin engine, and the low-down torque associated with this kind of engine.
``Ducatisi'' would claim that it's a Ducati rip-off, and certainly this is at least partially true. The VTR is a Ducati for the real world: V-twin charisma combined with Honda reliability and a realistic roadgoing setup rather than Ducati's heavily race-oriented feel.
Interestingly the VTR project was guided by the same man who conceived the famous VFR - a bike renowned for its abilities as an all-round road bike. Some of the same attention to detail is evident in the design of the VTR, though the VTR is clearly more oriented toward the sporting end of the market.
If you're interested in sporting V-twins then you'll be looking at the VTR, Ducatis and the Suzuki TL (the Yamaha TRX850 is also worth a look, although it's not strictly a V-twin). My personal choice is the VTR - it has massive torque all through the rev range, it's as powerful as a Ducati 916 but won't leave you walking bow-legged the day after a long ride. It's exciting as hell yet doesn't tankslap at the drop of a hat like the TL. Its handling is smooth and yet not slow in the twisties. Most importantly it's a heap of fun to thrash in the hills, and yet perfectly tractable around city streets. This is the perfect bike for people who use their bike for more than just weekend riding.
Dyno curves thanks to Eric Stratten
| Power (ps) | 104 @ 9700rpm (measured at the rear wheel, depending on conditions) |
| Torque (lbs-ft) | 67 @ 6500rpm |
| Engine Type | 996 cm3 Liquid cooled 4-stroke 8-valve DOHC 90 V-twin |
| Transmission | 6 speed |
| Dimensions (mm) | 2050 x 705 x 1155 |
| Wheel Base (mm) | 1430 |
| Seat Height (mm) | 810 |
| Ground Clearance (mm) | 130 |
| Fuel Capacity (litres) | 16 |
| Tyres Front | 120/70 ZR17 |
| Tyres Rear | 180/55 ZR17 |
| Front Suspension | H.M.A.S. cartridge-type fork/adjust preload & rebound damping. |
| Rear Suspension | Pro-link/preload & rebound damping |
| Front Brakes | Dual disc /hydraulic 4 piston calipers |
| Rear Brakes | Single disc/hydraulic caliper |
| Dry Weight (kg) | 192 |
Q: Is there an email list about the VTR I can subscribe to?
A: Yes, ``Sport-Twin'' run both a web page and a mailing list for the VTR. To subscribe to the digest version, email [email protected] with the word "subscribe" in the body of the message. Alternatively to subscribe to a single-article-per-message version email [email protected] with the word "subsingle" in the body of the message.
More details are available at the ``Sport-Twin'' web site.
Other internet resources:Q: What insurance company is best/cheapest?
Many insurance companies won't even cover sports bikes. Others charge outrageous premiums. "State Farm" seems to get the nod from people in the USA.
General comments: comments from the listQ: How do I contact Honda?
In the USA, Honda's phone number is 310-532-9811.
In Australia you can check out Honda MPE's web page.
Q: How can I do a wheelie on my VTR?
Gee, get a life! :-)
No, actually you'd be surprised at how often this comes up. Here's one answer -
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