Voxan VB1 1000 2002 — Specifications

When Thierry Henriette unveiled the VB1 at the Paris Motor Show in 1999, the public discovered something unexpected: a French sportbike that dared to look Italian and Japanese rivals in the eye. VB1, for Voxan Boxer Number 1. The name is programmatic, almost arrogant. And the machine lives up to it.

The appearance strikes first. Four headlights embedded in a short, aggressive snout, a screen skimming the handlebars, carbon fiber fairings, angular flanks. At the rear, the seat terminates in a point and two generously sized silencers are housed under the frame, exactly as on the Ducati 996 of the time. The stylistic lineage is embraced, the twisted exhaust pipe adds a touch of mechanical artistry. On 185 kilograms dry weight and a 17.5-liter tank, Voxan has sculpted something taut and coherent. It is beautiful, objectively beautiful, a Latin beauty that owes as much to the Auvergne region as it does to Bologna.

Under the bodywork, the 72-degree V-twin already known on the Café Racer develops 100 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 95 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm. On paper, the figures speak for a true sportbike. In reality, the homologated exhaust systems and the too-long gear ratio strangle the engine before it can fully express itself. The usable range is between 6,500 and 8,000 rpm, where the V2 finds its colors and its voice. Below that, it is patient. The 6-speed gearbox does its job without particular brilliance. You wait, you rev the engine, then it comes. But the 996 from Borgo Panigale, it doesn't make you wait.

On board, the message is unambiguous: this is not a motorcycle for running errands. The high and firm seat, the handlebar-bracelets bolted under the fork tops, the forward-leaning position constitute a triptych that immediately excludes touring and daily use. The 41 mm inverted fork and the central mono-shock do a serious job, but the bike remains rigid when changing direction. You must accompany it with your body, feel the movement coming, anticipate. It rewards the rider who understands its logic, it sanctions those who improvise. At a theoretical top speed of 250 km/h, it does not forgive approximation.

The problem with the VB1 is not its competence, but its temperament. The heat released by the twin cylinder when stopped in town is painful, the sound level quickly exceeds the threshold of tolerance on the road, and the sporty position becomes a punishment as soon as the distance lengthens. It is an exceptional motorcycle in the strictest sense: it excels in exceptional conditions and proves to be troublesome in ordinary situations. Its natural audience is the experienced rider, one who already has a road bike for the rest and who seeks in the VB1 something that the Japanese do not give, this mixture of rarity, national character and elegant brutality. For him, it is a success. For others, it will remain a beautiful poster on a garage wall.