Noordhoek, Fish Hoek and Franschhoek, what do all three places have in common? Hoek is a good guess but the correct answer is the new Honda VFR800X Crossrunner. Add Muizenberg, Paarl and Stellenbosch to the mix and you have some of the places I visited in just two days aboard Honda’s new steed – a bike that likes to go places!
My exposure to motorcycles over the past years have been limited, but when a test ride presents itself there is nothing that can hold me back from discovering what this new two-wheeler is all about. The fact that this Honda VFR1200FD will be the first automatic bike I rode was of particular interest to me. Until now, a motorcycle was a precision instrument for me. It is one of the few machines one encounters that is totally dependable on the rider’s input, and I was wondering what implications taking away the clutch and short foot gearlever would have…