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View Full Version : Today my VFR completed 200,000k



cheshirecat
11th March 2020, 21:56
So today the bike finally turned 200,000k

I've always wanted a VFR after seeing Honda's advert up in London's Piccadilly's lights back in the late 80s. Italian styling with Japanese electrics, I was hooked. I acquired this 1994 Gen 4 example with some 67k and a full-service record about 14 years ago. and at the time remember being concerned about its 'high' mileage. It never dawned on me it would be running just as good now as when taking it for a test ride.

It came with a larger version of the QEM rectifier and there's never been issues until last year when the connectors started to melt, so I rewired with direct connections. Last year I met the mechanic who changed it all those years ago. He said replacing bikes rectifiers with larger versions of the original QEMs was standard practice then. He also said he'd never heard of a Gen 4 engine blowing up.

Aside from the usual maintenance, there was nothing notable until around 150k, when it went through two front wheel bearings in quick succession. The rear disc rotor replaced and a cracked starter motor clutch brings us up to 190k and last year, both front disc rotors were replaced and the steering head bearing needed another tighten.
Beginning to struggle to remember anything else needing doing aside from the usual. Oh it started slipping the clutch at high revs but cleaning the bypass flap in the master cylinder seemed to deal with that until late last year, so new plates are on the agenda.
A consistent theme is that repairs and parts are relatively cheap and easy to get. Easy to get in terms of me trawling eBay for weeks then my unperturbed dealer getting them their way the following day for less

The overall condition is pretty good for a bike used as everyday transport - shopping, meetings commutes and rides. The fairing internals is beefed up where they are falling apart, especially in the tail section.

Valves were last checked around 17k and never needed anything since. My longsuffering dealer long since gave up checking them. Head bearings are original alongside the rear wheel bearing. Rear suspension was replaced last year with a good second hand one. The original started leaking reminding me how riding 50s/60s bikes could be and how far we've come, well up to 1994.
I'm trying to think of things that broke but it's hard. Last year a rear spark plug blew out after being in 11k and was easily repaired by my trusty dealer, the sort one allows 40 minutes chatting about the old days, then can leave the keys saying "just do what you need to" and not worry about the cost. I feel guilty the bike is not really doing its fair share of contributing to their business profits so try and buy all my bike clothing bits from them.
The aforementioned dealer did, however, recommend I use Bell Ray 6 in 1 which also cleans and acts as a protective barrier, a purchase undertaken with a similar skepticism one reserves for a prophetic talking parrot but after many years of diligent application, I too have become the converted.

The bike is more or less standard except for shorter folding levers, bar risers, LED fronts and a Delkevic stubby exhaust which reduces me to a grinning adolescent opening the bike up in tunnels. Oh, and did I mention those gear-driven cams.

Occasionally I wonder if I should change it for a more up to date machine with all the modern developments of the 21st century. Invariably they fall short when getting back on the bike, instantly reminding me what the V4, with those rustling gear-driven cams is all about - pure rideability, low even torque pulling out of tight hairpins in too high a gear, the chameleon instant change into a Jap inline 4. There are the ridiculously high build quality and low running costs of course, but above all, l love it for, er, those gear-driven cams.

There must be more than a few of these Gen 4s with this millage and some, so it's an amazing tribute to Honda and what an engineering company can achieve when they put their mind to it, I mean how can something that can rev at 12,000 rpm last 200,000k and still ride like new.

caseye
12th March 2020, 05:21
Cool read there Mr Cat. They certainly have surpassed their original spec.
Ride On!:2thumbsup

OddDuck
12th March 2020, 07:15
+1. Thanks for the write up!

McTavish
12th March 2020, 15:36
Congratulations...you will have many great memories, I'm sure.

Swoop
13th March 2020, 14:02
Oh, and did I mention those gear-driven cams.

Nurse!
Clean up required in room 5.

Mmmmm, gear driven cams on a V4.:devil2:

pritch
13th March 2020, 18:17
I think it was BIKE magazine did a write up on the VFR at some significant anniversary a few years back, some of the bikes had done phenomenal milages - as has yours.`

May you have many more event free miles.