Motorcycle specifications Honda VF 750 F 1983 The rise of V4

In the early '80s, Honda developed a second, four-cylinder architecture alongside its in-line 4-cylinder: A water-cooled, 90°-open V4 equipped with a gear-driven double ACT (or rather, two ACTs per cylinder block), activating 4 valves per cylinder.

the Japanese manufacturer, which initially offered its architecture in 2 displacements (400cc and 750cc), made a complete break with the CB range and proposed an ultra-modern engine, while retaining its in-line 4-cylinder, still a market favorite, but with much more classic technology.

the first models came out in 1982. And strangely enough, the new 750cc block (45 cubic inches for the Anglo-Saxons, earning the engine the name V45 in the USA) was not fitted to a sports bike, but to a custom (VF750C Magna) and a tourer (VF750S Sabre). It was not until the following year that the new sporty VF750F, aka V45 Interceptor, was launched. This aggressive name immediately set the tone (even if in France it kept the sober name VF750F).

the new model is an immediate sensation, thanks to its race-inspired technologies: perimeter frame in square-section tubing, Monoshock rear suspension, telescopic front forks with anti-dive system and dual-disc, dual-piston front brakes. The engine is much sharper than on the VF-S tourer. It develops 10 more horsepower (90 hp at 10,000 rpm) and has full power and torque curves over a wide rpm range. In this respect, the V4 revolutionizes the standards of the sporty engine, which until now has offered a restricted range of use (at the very top).

the VF750F picks up strongly at all engine speeds, and in this respect dominates the competing in-line 4s. What's more, its top-of-the-range chassis offers good handling without compromising stability at high speeds. At the time, bikers only criticized the bike's average protection and its muffled, banal exhaust note.

the success of Honda's first road-going V4 launched a whole range of models from 400cc to 1000cc, and a multitude of generations up to the current VFR 800 V-Tec. And if today the in-line 4 has regained the upper hand commercially speaking (thanks in particular to its lower production costs), the V4 still stands out for its flexibility and wide range of use.

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