Honda Interceptor

Author's product rating:   

Comfort	Good
Handling	Good
Looks	Excellent
Features	Excellent
Fuel consumption	Good

Advantages:	Versatility
Disadvantages:	Lack of low end power delivery

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I started riding motorcycles in 1997 on a '94 Kawasaki Vulcan 500, which is a great starter bike by the way, moved on to a '99 Honda CBR600F4, and then to an '01 Suzuki Hayabusa. As invincibility wanes (I just turned 35), I found myself looking back to a cruiser for the comfortable fit of a molded seat and a bit of relief for my aching lower back.

So I buy an '02 Honda Magna (yes, I know this is about the Interceptor - just hang in there) figuring it's the perfect combination of cruiser feel but with sport bike punch. How can you miss when it comes with the original sport bike engine that launched it all? All was fine for a whole 4 months when I realized I missed the exhilaration of twisting the throttle and shooting down the road like a scalded dog. My fiancée gave me that look all men know, the "I TOLD you you wouldn't like that (insert recent purchase here)" look. After 4 weeks of debate I wore her down to the point that she agreed we could go look for another bike but that there'd be heck to pay later on.

Did you know tennis bracelets come in 4 carats and more?

Keeping in mind my penchant for flipping through motorcycles like they're last weeks news, I wheedled my way into test riding not one, not two, not even three, but four bikes. For those of you that have never purchased a bike before this may not mean anything to you, but for those that have gone through the test ride denial tango - I'm more proud of that accomplishment than learning how to walk. Ok, it helps that I've purchased all of my bikes from the same shop and same salesman, but I'm still flush with a sense of accomplishment.

I rode the CBR600F4i, the CBR954RR, the CBR1100XX, and the VFR Interceptor. The 600 is just loads of fun but didn't have the low end punch of my '99. The CBR954RR is an awesome bike but my knees couldn't take the extreme riding position. After the Hayabusa the XX was a bit tame in comparison and a bit heavier than I thought it would be. Which brings me to the Interceptor (thank you to all of you that hung in this far).

At first I was a bit put off as the power delivery doesn't really come on until 3000 RPMs (the sales guys blame the fuel injection) and the stock suspension settings are set for tree trunk sized bumps which makes it a bit soft. I actually rode the Interceptor first, complained about the diving, rode the 600, and then rode the VFR with the suspension dialed almost all the way up. BIG DIFFERENCE! The power delivery issue was still there but it felt like a completely different bike. The bars are just high enough to take a lot of pressure off of my aging back, and the seat was tolerable for my 5'7" companion. I still don't understand why more bikes don't have clocks on them like the VFR, and the 5.8 gal tank allows for pretty good range.

I've had the VFR for 3 weeks now and can tell you that no matter what Honda says - it's not a true sport bike even though there's a turbo-like boost at 7000 RPMs when the 3rd and 4th valves open up. It's a very competent overall bike and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a single bike to commute, play, and cruise, but a crotch rocket it ain't.

If you're looking for extreme handling get a GSX-R750 or a CBR600F4. If you're looking for extreme speed get a Hayabusa. If you're looking for a great starter bike get a Honda Shadow in the 550cc class or a Suzuki GZ250 (don't laugh, this is a great bike). If you have a death wish get a GSX-R1000 or an R1.

I am in an extremely fortunate position that I can ride many different types of bikes (there are some advantages to living in Southern California where half the world's biker population lives despite the teeth rattling earthquakes), and while I try to be open minded about the different manufacturers, I always seem to migrate to the Hondas and Suzukis. This is just my opinion and you can take it for what it's worth. Everyone will find the bike that best fits them and their personality, it just takes time.

Interesting side note - the woman got to sit on a few dirt bikes and agreed to purchasing one for us and one for the kids. I don't even want to think about what that's going to cost me...