Ah, damn am I jealous of you multiple-bike-owners!
Yeah, I hear you - I'm gonna miss it. There's nothing quite like that V4 thing... If there's a finer way to power a motorcycle, I don't believe it's yet been invented.
When I finished fixing her up ( the last step was a new footpeg hanger) I couldn't resist a little spin down the road and back once warmed up. After a month of getting accustomed to the straight four of the Blackbird (and all it has to offer), the V4 growl you get winding a VFR open made me grin like a loon and seriously question whether I wanted to part with it.
Thing is - I passed my bike test 9 years ago not really knowing what I wanted to get, other than knowing I wanted a bike of course. All the advise I trusted on the subject suggested "buy a Honda - they just know how to make them properly". Ok I thought, I will. I went straight from CBT to Direct access, and I'm tall, so predictably the suggestions were a Transalp or a Dominator. Both fine no doubt within their intended purpose, but I wanted a bike because, well, I wanted one! Meaning I didn't really need one (already having a car), but wanted it for enjoyment's sake, and none of the suggestions really held any appeal for me at all.
So, I went and bought a '91 VFR750. It was scruffy, the fairing was in terrible shape and it had had a hard life, but it was such a creature! Fast (too fast for my beginners ways, but it forgave me all my mistakes without getting me killed), rode beautifully, exceptionally well put together, and the engine was a peach of a thing. Cost me about £800 and taught me how to ride.
It was killed by a truck driver reversing into, then partially over it whilst I was at work. I replaced it with a '98 VFR800, which I would still have had it not met an unpleasant end when a driver coming the other way lost control and nearly killed me along with my poor bike. That was replaced by the VFR800 that I'm about to part with - So, VFRs are all I've ever owned in 9 years of riding! They're fantastic bikes, no question, but sooner or later you come to think that you ought to get some variety in there somewhere...
Perhaps I'll live to regret it. I was surprised by just how much the Blackbird is a different experience. Part of me was hoping for a big VFR with bottomless power, but it's a different animal altogether, with entirely its own character. Who knows, maybe after a few years I'll yet V4 withdrawal and need to swap back. I missed that howling exhaust and gear-driven cam whine as soon as I opened the throttle again! I know I'd miss the BB's soaring top-end though. Maybe a VFR1200? Maybe I need a better paid job!