Crossrunner for 2020 ?

[charlie]

Hi ,is there any info on a updated 2020 Crossrunner.
Have heard that Honda are retiring the V4 due to new emissions ?
Would be a shame

Cheers Bob

[stubax]

Probably being replaced by the rumoured 800 Africa Twin 🤔

[charlie]

Yes , sounds logical , think it's a 850 cc ?
Should be interesting.

[Lars]

Unfortunately I am afraid this will will be the case.
however, I have ridden the current 1000 cc Africa Twin on my holidays this year, a nice bike no question but purely looking at the engine, a paralell twin compared to a v4 vfr - when I got home and back on my bike I felt like stepping from a train into a jet fighter you just cant compare the two engines and philosophies behind it.

On the other hand, there are rumors that Honda has patented a new motorcycle VTEC system to counter BMWs approach in the new GSA. its only a rumor but - one can hope.

[v8guy]

It'd be tragic to see the VFR800 retired, and equally so to see the Crossrunner replaced by a parallel twin adv bike.. you can't compare the two, they're apples and oranges. 

Looking at the range, if the 800 is killed by emissions regs, that would leave only a single V4 in the range, in the shape of the Crosstourer - looking at the current models it seems the 1200F has fallen off the list.

Given Honda's investment in MotoGP efforts, so rooted in the V4 engine, I simply cannot see them relying on an apparently unpopular (as far as I can see)  overweight "adventure" bike to hold the V4 fort... surely it's time for a radically re-worked V4 of around 1000cc? In the shape of a traditional sports tourer (a la 800F) and tall-rounder (a la 800X).. bring it please, Mr Honda! 

[stubax]

Believe that the Crosstourer is also for the chop in 2020.

[Skids]

Originally Posted by v8guy

It'd be tragic to see the VFR800 retired, and equally so to see the Crossrunner replaced by a parallel twin adv bike.. you can't compare the two, they're apples and oranges. 

Looking at the range, if the 800 is killed by emissions regs, that would leave only a single V4 in the range, in the shape of the Crosstourer - looking at the current models it seems the 1200F has fallen off the list.

Given Honda's investment in MotoGP efforts, so rooted in the V4 engine, I simply cannot see them relying on an apparently unpopular (as far as I can see)  overweight "adventure" bike to hold the V4 fort... surely it's time for a radically re-worked V4 of around 1000cc? In the shape of a traditional sports tourer (a la 800F) and tall-rounder (a la 800X).. bring it please, Mr Honda! 

I'm struggling to understand why Honda would miss out on the clear marketing opportunity of relating their championship winning V4 bikes to the road market, other than the outrageous RCV211, by retiring and not replacing their best selling V4 engine. We've all been crying out for years for a 1000cc V4 VFR, hopefully they'll listen.

And I still can't understand why the 800X, 1200F and 1200X have not sold in bigger numbers as they are all superb bikes with fabulous engines.

[stubax]

Probably not sold due to press articles about old tech and poor fuel economy. Read later articles when bikes are long term and it's a different story, trouble is original reports stick in people's minds so they dont try the bikes, we know better tho 

[v8guy]

Originally Posted by Skids

I'm struggling to understand why Honda would miss out on the clear marketing opportunity of relating their championship winning V4 bikes to the road market, other than the outrageous RCV211, by retiring and not replacing their best selling V4 engine. We've all been crying out for years for a 1000cc V4 VFR, hopefully they'll listen.

And I still can't understand why the 800X, 1200F and 1200X have not sold in bigger numbers as they are all superb bikes with fabulous engines.

Without access to official sales figures, I can only speculate on what is selling from anecdotal evidence... what I see on the roads...  I rarely, but occasionally see an 800F or 800X. Less often, I see a 1200X. The 1200F was moderately popular at the time, but seems dated now.

In terms of new and newish models... what I see is a lot of adventure bikes, so the 1200X is missing the mark somehow. I suspect it's just the wrong engine for that kind of ride(r). There are plenty of big, heavy adv bikes selling like hot cakes, but they're almost exclusively twins.

I also see a fairly high number of tall-rounders (sports tourers with long travel suspension and a 17" front wheel), typically either Yamaha Tracers or Ducati Multistradas, in the larger displacement group. At the lower displacement end, there's no shortage of NC700/750s out there, or Kawasaki Versys 650s. In this category, clearly Honda are not hitting the mark with the 800X. I suspect it's a lack of engine power to compete with the first group, and high running costs (and/or weight) compared with the latter.

The more traditional ergo sports tourer market seems very much in decline.. aside from older bikes, very rarely do I see anything in that category these days.

Honda will go with the market and produce what people will buy. They're apparently scoring very, very well with the Africa Twin, and I think they could do just as well with an 800X-like bike pitched squarely at the Multistrada and Tracer - 1000cc, big mid-range and more at the top end to take them on, with the added marketing boost of that motoGP inspired V4. Maybe we'll get a surprise at EICMA... but I doubt it. Remember the hype before they launched the 1200F? They seem more interested in a quiet retirement, by the looks of it.. 

[Skids]

The thing that annoys me, as many riders on here have found especially those have come to the 800X from one of those type of bikes mentioned above, is that the current VFR800 is sooooo good, whether F or X model. Same goes for the 1200 - mine is awesome.

Perhaps we're not 'trendy' riders, those that go for looks and style over substance.

What Honda are thinking, I have no idea but I'm not holding my breath for the future.