Interceptor
Interceptor
Honda's magic motion machine
MATTHEW MILES
New Rides 2002
CAN’T BE RIGHT. SIMPLY DOESN’T make sense. How can this motorcycle, Honda’s thoroughly reworked 2002 Interceptor, excite beyond belief all those who throw a leg over it, yet appear on paper to be only mediocre, at least when judged against other Open-class sportbikes?
It's true. Scan the accompanying spec panel, and you’ll discover the Interceptor’s 11.2second quarter-mile time and 148-mph top speed are several tenths slower and a few mph off the performance of even Japanese middleweights-let alone such big-bore blasters as Suzuki's GSX-R1000 and Yamaha’s YZF-R1. What’s more, at 521 pounds dry, our antilock-equipped testbike scales-in more than 130 pounds heavier (the non-ABS model is alleged to weigh 11 pounds less) than the most featherweight of those machines!
The playing field becomes more even when the focus is on the sport-tourers with which the now saddlebags-optional Interceptor will be compared. Not that Aprilia’s Ten Best-topping Futura, Ducati’s 117-horsepower ST4S or Triumph’s remotored Sprint ST will be easy targets. And then there’s Kawasaki’s soon-to-be-released, ZX-11-engined ZZ-R1200...
This is the first large-displacement streetbike to make use of Honda’s variable valvetiming system (see “VTEC Explained,” page 45). But this patented innovation isn't the only change to the engine, not by a longshot. The dohe, 90-degree V-Four remains fuel-injected and liquid-cooled, with 16 valves, an oversquare 72.0 x 48.0mm bore and stroke, and a displacement of 781cc. The geared cam drive, however, synonymous with the VFR since 1986, was shelved, replaced by a less costly and 6.2pound-lighter dual-tensioner chain.
Lashed to the CW dyno, our bright-red (look, no graphics!) testbike produced 98 rear-wheel horsepower and 54 foot-pounds of torque. Those numbers are virtually identical to the ones posted by the last-generation Interceptor. But unlike that machine, which had a gaping hole in its powerband between 3000 and 6000 rpm, the new bike’s torque curve is table-top smooth. Plus, it gets a 5 ft.-lb. bump at the 7000-rpm VTEC kickover. Factor in more closely spaced ratios for first through third and slightly shorter final gearing, and acceleration is notably quicker.
At Carlsbad Raceway, the Interceptor laid down a half-second-better quarter-mile time and vastly improved top-gear roll-ons (3.2 versus 3.7 seconds from 40 to 60 mph; 3.3 versus 4.1 seconds from 60 to 80 mph). This performance is even more impressive when you consider sixth is an overdrive, allowing revs to plummet approximately 900 rpm for ultra-smooth freeway running.
HONDA INTERCEPTOR
$10,999
Ups VTEC va-va-va-voom! LIGHT-UP-THE-NIGHT quad headlamps A 200-plus miles between till-ups
Downs Angular styling doesn’t appeal to all Enough with the heat shields already!
Seat of the pants, the only “downside” to all this technotrickery is the sudden torque surge at 7000 rpm. But because the torque curve is so flat and the VTEC switchover takes place more than halfway through the rev range, it’s possible to cruise for hours without experiencing the boost in upperrpm power and more frenetic engine note. Conversely, with nearly 5000 revs to play with on top, it’s equally easy to bum through a twisty mountain road never letting rpm fall below 7000. Finally, 7K in sixth equates to about 105 mph, so you'll not likely find yourself droning along at that mark-unless you live in a state with lots of straight roads.
Handling-wise, the previous model was beautifully balanced, if a tad softly suspended for all-out sport riding. This year, charged with giving the bike a more sport-oriented focus, Honda’s engineers subtly uprated the Interceptor’s chassis. The triple-box-section aluminum frame spars are laterally and torsionally stiffer, the spring-preload-adjustable cartridge fork has larger-diameter 43mm stanchions, and stiffer spring and damping rates were spec’d front and rear. Steering geometry and wheel/tire sizes are unchanged, though wheelbase is .6 inches longer and weight bias was moved ever so slightly forward.
In addition to offering ABS as a SI000 option (a handy remote shock spring-preload adjuster is part of the package, too), Honda further refined its linked-brake system. Now, the front lever activates the two outer pistons of the left-side caliper, all three pistons in the right-side caliper and the center piston in the rear caliper. The foot pedal controls the two outer pistons of the rear caliper and the middle piston of the left front caliper. (Previously, the pedal actuated the outer pistons of the rear caliper and both center pistons in the front calipers.) As before, stops from any speed are fast and sure.
Neat, but hardcore types still want record-breaking numbers. That’s a shame, because what the '02 Interceptor does best can’t be easily quantified. You can’t put a number on the way the bike rolls into comers with sublime neutrality-on or off the brakes. You can't digitize the compliance of its suspension, or the benefit of a centerstand for maintenance and side-of-the-road repairs. Nor can you put a meter on the thrill provided by the quick-revving engine when the tachometer needle flashes past 7000 rpm and VTEC zings you into the next county. Factor in the long-distance potential provided by real-world ergonomics and optional integrated hard luggage, and the sum total is a charismatic and engaging motorcycle that is truly capable of doing it all.
Makes sense to us.
