After we posted the 2010 Honda VFR1200F First Ride review of the latest V4 from Big Red, the pressing question was how much it was going to cost. Well, the verdict is in and the base model manual transmission VFR1200F is set at $15,999 while the Dual clutch version’s price has yet to be announced. At just under sixteen grand Honda has positioned this motorcycle on the high end of the price scale in the Sport Touring segment. Although the argument can be made that this bike comes in well below the $19,150 MSRP of the base model BMW K1300GT, it’s still $800 more than the Yamaha FJR1300 and $1400 more than the Kawasaki Concours 14 in addition to another four grand further than the Triumph Sprint ST.

How it will stack up head-to-head against the other Sport Touring bikes will make for an intriguing comparison test, but we cannot help but take a look at the numbers and try to make sense out of our seat of the pants impression from our first ride at the Sugo race track in Japan.

Like we said before the VFR1200F is a big sportbike that can pull touring duty, so that infers that it is more similar to the Sprint than the purpose built sport-touring FJR, C14 or GT. But all four of those bikes have their own strengths and weaknesses. The ST is real sporty and doesn’t have the amenities many touring riders desire. Odds are the VFR will be subjected to this same type of scrutiny. We expect that the Honda’s handling prowess, like the ST, will be a hit with many riders, but will it better the sure-footed FJR and quick-turning GT.

Comparing chassis dimensions, the VFR rake and trail numbers support its quick-handling nature, so it comes as no surprise it fared well at the race track as well as the tight and narrow roads we took it on in Japan. Wheelbase is an inch longer than the Concours but the VFR felt more agile than the C14, mimicking more closely the turning characteristics of the ST or maybe the FJR to some extent. Unfortunately, we will have to wait to verify these theories in the upcoming months so stay tuned.

Only time will tell how the public will react to the VFR pricing and only a direct comparison will flesh out the truth behind the talk and expectations surrounding the VFR. For now, we have to believe the bike will hold its own on the mean streets of Anytown USA. But we cannot wait to stack it up against the next generation of Sport Touring machines in our next ST Shootout.