Honda replaced the VTX cruiser lineup with the Honda Fury, a bold, chopper-inspired model introduced for the 2009 model year as the modern successor to the VTX family.
Background: The VTX era
For more than a decade, Honda built the VTX line as its large-displacement V-twin cruiser family, including the VTX1300 and the VTX1800. The lineup emphasized big power, a traditional cruiser silhouette, and Honda’s reliability. By the late 2000s, Honda reorganized its cruiser strategy and phased out the VTX family as part of a shift toward newer styling and market positioning.
The replacement: Fury takes the reins
In 2009 Honda introduced the Fury as the successor to the VTX lineup in its cruiser category. The Fury adopted a bold, low-slung, chopper-inspired appearance and used a 1312cc V-twin. While it carried forward Honda’s emphasis on quality and touring comfort, it signaled a distinct design direction from the older VTX cruisers and helped diversify Honda’s lineup with a more aggressive, modern look. The Shadow line remained in Honda’s catalog, but the Fury became the flagship in the big-cruiser segment following the end of the VTX era.
What changed when Honda moved from VTX to Fury
Below are the key shifts that accompanied the transition from the VTX to the Fury:
- Direct replacement: The Fury was launched as the new flagship cruiser to fill the space left by the VTX models.
- Engine and displacement: The Fury uses a 1312cc V-twin, aligning with Honda’s mid-to-large displacement twins of the era, but tuned for a different character and riding experience than the older VTX engines.
- Styling and stance: Fury adopted a bold, low-slung, chopper-inspired look, contrasting with the more traditional cruiser styling of the VTX bikes.
- Market positioning: The Fury targeted a more daring, youth-oriented, retro-inspired aesthetic within Honda’s cruiser lineup.
- Timeline: The VTX models wound down after the 2008 model year, with the Fury arriving for 2009 and beyond.
In summary, Honda replaced the VTX with the Fury, a purposefully styled cruiser that introduced a new visual and market direction while retaining the core V-twin engineering philosophy.
Legacy and current status
Today, the Fury remains a notable chapter in Honda’s cruiser history, representing a shift toward bolder design language within a lineup that also includes the Shadow family and other modern Honda cruisers. The VTX name itself is no longer in production, having given way to the Fury and other contemporary models.
Summary
Shortly put, Honda replaced the VTX with the Honda Fury in 2009. The Fury brought a distinct chopper-inspired aesthetic and a 1312cc V-twin to Honda’s cruiser lineup, marking a clear departure from the traditional VTX styling while maintaining Honda’s emphasis on reliability and performance. The VTX era ended, and the Fury became the defining successor in Honda’s big-cruiser category.