VFR for touring?

[CRM]

Just got myself a Gen 5 VFR800 with full Givi hard bags and thinking it might be the perfect touring bike :laugh: (as you do with each new bike).

Here's why its better than my last bikes:
900 Hornet - the Hornet was a sweet ride but the VFR is smoother, nicer exhaust note, more protection with the fairing and screen and has the hard bags
ST1100 - another super-sweet Honda V4 but just so big and heavy to park and move around - plus a bit of an old-guy stigma to it
R1100R - they have a certain appeal - I like the chug factor but I had a bit of a bad experience with the electrics - don;t realy miss that one :no:
Triumph Trophy 1200 - looked great, awesome build quality, lots of storage and comfort, stonking engine, but it was big and heavy without great reliability (electrics lol) and the fuel range wasn't great (ran out of gas about 5km from National Park gas station once :confused:)
Transalp 650 - Never really had the boogy for touring. Used a lot of gas - don't know what for really. Cool bikes though for shorter distance stuff
VFR800 Gen 6 (VTEC) - had problems with the chain tensioner and was expensive to fix - found the VTEC a bit odd like it had two personalities but I had it for a couple of years and loved the way it sounded :headbang:
VStrom 650 - they told me they were great touring bikes and it was okay - economical, okay power, but a bit lacking character i thought - had some mechanical issues that put me off. I've never really made friends with a Suzuki - just me :rolleyes:.

They say the Gen 5 VFR like I have now are the perfect motorcycle and I can see why. I did 300km yesterday and just had a ball - every corner was awesome - winding it up through the gears is always a thrill - it's low and light enough to be easy to park and move without fear of dropping it - it sounds incredible - and it has the full touring bag kit. What's not to love? :eek:

Any good experiences touring with VFR's?

[HenryDorsetCase]

Well, it didnt win ten "Best Bike of the year" award for no reason....

[liljegren]

Here's my bit (47,000 kms, alot of it two-up).
Remove the camchain tensioner and replace with Ape manual adjuster. Mine shit itself (2006 model) and cost me a new motor.
Do yourself a favour and get an Ohlins shock, it will change the bike.
Look at coring the exhaust, it sounds much better!

Ride and enjoy, they're a great bike.

[BMWST?]

i had a couple of short rides on vfrs and had mates with one...i always thought they were quite thirsty for what they are????Dont really care what the actual consumption is but what range do they have?

[CRM]

i had a couple of short rides on vfrs and had mates with one...i always thought they were quite thirsty for what they are????Dont really care what the actual consumption is but what range do they have?

Yes they are a bit thirsty. But tanks are a decent size - 21litres. I remember on my 06 getting about 350km out of tank once thinking I was seriously about to run out but didn't.

My shakedown ride on my "new" one (which is a 1998) was Whangarei to Mangonui and back. I started with a full tank, and the warning light came on just as I was getting back (about 145km each way). I filled it then and it took 17.3 litres. The manual says it holds 21 litres, and when the warning light comes on there is 3.5 litres left - so that tallies up with what I observed.

So I was getting about 5.93l/100km on my trip - riding reasonably briskly. Theoretical max range on full tank at that consumption comes out at about 354km. That works for me. Nothing like the distance I could get out of my ST1100 but probably better than all the other bikes I listed apart from the VStrom which had a pretty good range. Enough to not have to be constantly stressing about where the next gas station might be when you are out in the backblocks somewhere.

Interestingly the Gen 5's are fine on 91 octane so that helps with costs.

[BMWST?]

Over 300 is a good range

[CRM]

Here's my bit (47,000 kms, alot of it two-up).
Remove the camchain tensioner and replace with Ape manual adjuster. Mine shit itself (2006 model) and cost me a new motor.
Do yourself a favour and get an Ohlins shock, it will change the bike.
Look at coring the exhaust, it sounds much better!

Ride and enjoy, they're a great bike.

Mine old one was an 06 model as well - made the dreaded cam chain rattle - from memory I got one tensioner done then the other one started making noises so I sold it before it did what yours did. What's a new motor worth? I hate to think. Apparently there are clever people out there with time on their hands who have put a Gen 5 motor in a Gen 6 frame.

I'm super-happy being back on a VFR though. After having a few bigger/heavier bikes it feels really light. Loving the 5th Gen version :niceone:

[CRM]

Did 600km yesterday on the VFR - Whangarei to Paeroa return with the the three panniers installed. They are a little wider than the bars so having to mentally be aware of width while lane-splitting through Auckland traffic but no issues. Bike went really well - put 19.3litres in at 320km so I think 340-350km on a tank is quite doable.

Riding position is pretty neutral - I like it for my size 5'9". Seat was getting a bit hard by the end of the day. If I was going to change anything I think that would be it - everything else is perfect :love:

[vifferman]

Any good experiences touring with VFR's?
Yup.

Oh... do you want more info?:blink:
Whelp, I've got a 2001 VFR800, on which I've been round the Coromandel a few times, up and around Northland two-up, with luggage (Ventura pack rack with two bags), and down to New Plymouth and back, two-up, with luggage. It was great! The New Plymouth trip was to get the suspension overhauled, which is now standard forks with Ohlins and Racetech internals, and an Elka rear shock with Eibach spring and Ohlins internals.
Good tyres for it are Michelin; currently running Pilot Road 2 front and back, but Pilot Power on the front makes the front more planted, especially with some extra ride height added in the back.

The first thing I did after buying the bike over 11 years ago was fit a Factory Pro EvoStar shifter kit, which gives more precise and fewer fudged gearchanges. Next best mod was to fit a fan from a Pentium computer to the Regulator/Rectifier, which means I'm still running the original R/R more than 14 years after the bike was built, almost unheard of for a VFR. Battery is now about half the age of the bike, also kinda unbelievable.

[rocketman1]

[QUOTE=CRM;1130928747]Just got myself a Gen 5 VFR800 with full Givi hard bags and thinking it might be the perfect touring bike :laugh: (as you do with each new bike).

Here's why its better than my last bikes:

Good Thread, I own a VFR800 1999, I agree with all you say great bikes, mine still has the original rectifier by the way.
They have a peach of a motor, and very reliable, sounds great.
You have had a few bikes like myself, I agree with all you have to say, except if I choose to go touring I choose to take my BMWR1200GS, it is more comfortable on long rides, has more low down torque,more upright, would have to say easier to ride in tight twisty stuff, very forgiving, OK its motor is not as sweet, and feels like a tractor after the Honda but a nice tractor. But if you take one for a test ride dont just go around the block, you will hate it, take it for a long ride, they grow on you. For shorter rides the VFR is a blast. Just my choice.

[Dodgy]

I have nine bikes, and one of them is the 5th gen 50th anniversary model.

Love it to bits. I have just clocked up 160,000km and running well and looking good.

Early on I delinked the brakes with CBR600 brakes up front (and VTR1000 fork lowers). Racetech front and an overhauled CBR929 rear shock.

I consistently get 18,000km out of Bridgestone T30s. Awesome tyres. Only my third chain too as I use a Sccottoiler.

The regulator shat itself at 140,000km (I think as the stator crapped out), so I replaced with a mosfet regulator and OEM spec stator

Also did the star shifter.

Fitted an Akrapovic silencer off my R1 when I went to a full Akrapovic on that bike - makes the 800 sound great.

Awesome, awesome bike. Did the Brassy a few times on her.