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VivaVee
22nd July 2004, 14:28
Spurred on by jrandom's subtle prodding here i am. I've been back on the bike now for six years, graduating to the VFR750 three years ago. Spent more time on human-powered two wheelers with the scars to prove it. Funny how I felt OK about careering down a hill at 80km/hr+ in a racing peloton in the wet with only a few microns of lycra on the hips/shoulders and a couple of leather straps on my head. Now its full body suit, CE armour, boots, gloves and full helmet.

I wouldn't trade the bike on anything - it has the power to scare me and the stopping power/handling to calm me. It short it behaves better than I do. But then maybe a slightly later VFR with fuel injection. Forget the VTEC versions - I never rev over 8000 rpm anyway :rolleyes: . I also dislike the current angular industrial design trend. I want curves.

So if you see a black VFR timidly following the traffic and occasionally ( really never, officer, truly ) lane spliiting. That's me.

merv
22nd July 2004, 14:35
Welcome fellow V4 rider.

vifferman
22nd July 2004, 14:36
Welcome, Latest Old Fart.

Yeah, the 90-93 VFR is arguably the bestest looking one anyway, even if a little podgy and lacking in various gee-gaws that festoon the later models, such as the odd HP or two, digital doodads, that sort of thing.

Now be very careful - my black VFR was very lazy, and had a penchant for lying down in the middle of the road at inopportune times, and those bits of Granite Blue Metallic plastic are quite pricey, as are the special dzus fasteners that hold them on.

Motoracer
22nd July 2004, 14:36
Welcome to the site VV!

Cajun
22nd July 2004, 14:42
welcome VivaVee

i love the vfr750/800, pity they went and ruined it with the the vfr800 vtec what a ugly thing

merv
22nd July 2004, 14:49
Yeah I still reckon mine (94-97) was the best looking model. Neither of the 800's that has followed has done it for me and going back to cam chains with the V-Tec version was just plain against the VFR principles as far as I'm concerned.

Zed
22nd July 2004, 14:53
Spurred on by jrandom's subtle prodding here i am.
Hi there and welcome VV. I can't quite understand how you would want *more* of JR's company but I guess he rubs off on you after a while huh? :shutup:

Enjoy KB!


Zed

VivaVee
22nd July 2004, 14:54
My more embarassing moments have been at speeds of 0-2km/h. The VFR has a tendency to go to sleep and kind of lie down like an old horse. Unlike a horse the cursed thing will not get up on its own no matter how hard I kick it. Being of lesser structural integrity than I care to admit to, I have needed a pitying bystander to help wake the beast and get it upright. Black duct tape and that modern miracle - black car wax - has hidden most of the damage to date. Excepting the cage that attempted a turn in front of me and then stopped. So i stopped - halfway through his bumper. And I always wanted to fly ...

vifferman
22nd July 2004, 14:59
Yeah I still reckon mine (94-97) was the best looking model.Mmmm...mebbe.
- Nah!
But it is probably the best all-round VFR, althought the 86-89 one was lighter and more sporty, and the later models (like the VTec) are better handling.

Neither of the 800's that has followed has done it for me and going back to cam chains with the V-Tec version was just plain against the VFR principles as far as I'm concerned.Same here. Honda has an apalling record with camchains, and took a big step backwards there. I think they did it mainly to meet noise regulations (but I'm betting a worn camchain will prove to be a heap noisier than scissor-gear drive!)
Wish my VTR had gear-driven cams.:crybaby:

jrandom
22nd July 2004, 15:02
I guess he rubs off on you after a while huh? :shutup:

Only in the most metaphorical of senses.

Zed
22nd July 2004, 15:08
Only in the most metaphorical of senses.
You can be sure that's all I meant JR...I was speaking from my experience with you btw :msn-wink:

Cajun
22nd July 2004, 15:12
Only in the most metaphorical of senses.
get ya mind out of the gutter you dirty little fxr rider you dc:<

VivaVee
22nd July 2004, 15:53
Hi there and welcome VV. I can't quite understand how you would want *more* of JR's company but I guess he rubs off on you after a while huh? :shutup:

Enjoy KB!


Zed

Regrettably :bleh: I have to work with him. It is you guys I worry about - you have a choice. More worrying is on the occasions when he passes me on the way home - it is enough to put anyone off their ride. :shake:

Hitcher
22nd July 2004, 15:54
Yet another old fart in our gargre! Welcome.

Zed
22nd July 2004, 16:11
Regrettably :bleh: I have to work with him. It is you guys I worry about - you have a choice. More worrying is on the occasions when he passes me on the way home - it is enough to put anyone off their ride.
Lol, but the REAL question for you VV is - were you an eye witness to the wheelie JR pulled in his avatar photo?? Can you verify once and for all that it is not a photoshop special?! :shifty:

VivaVee
22nd July 2004, 16:45
Lol, but the REAL question for you VV is - were you an eye witness to the wheelie JR pulled in his avatar photo?? Can you verify once and for all that it is not a photoshop special?! :shifty:

I can attest to an earlier version. I nearly wet myself watching the practice attempts. Me I have concerns about the extra 100kgs on the forks with the VFR. On the other hand body weight would compensate with the FXR. Oh hell, I'll just have to go upstairs and abuse him in person. Long range sniping is not enough fun.:ar15:

dangerous
22nd July 2004, 19:37
Hi there VV, The only 4cyl that I'd own would be a VFR already had two a 97 & 86.


Yeah I still reckon mine (94-97) was the best looking model. Neither of the 800's that has followed has done it for me and going back to cam chains with the V-Tec version was just plain against the VFR principles as far as I'm concerned.
Agree I had the 97 and it was a bloody nice bike however runner up would have to be the first of the 800's
As far as the V-Tec goes well it just isent a usable power spread and I believe it is plaged with injuction problems.


Honda has an apalling record with camchains, and took a big step backwards there. I think they did it mainly to meet noise regulations (but I'm betting a worn camchain will prove to be a heap noisier than scissor-gear drive!)
Wish my VTR had gear-driven cams.:crybaby:
Well no, I believe that the reason that Honda have gone back to chains is all to do with economics ie: they are to costly to build. And this is why we only had one CBR model (apart from the 250) that was gear driven and why the VTR SP has cesed to live and of course why they changed the VFR.
Why hell, Honda need to sell spares you know :angry:

sporty03
22nd July 2004, 23:23
Hey VV. Welcome along. :apint: Nice set of wheels by the way.
Hope you get as much feedback as I got. Friendly bunch here in the forums.
If you every find a black sportster timidly following traffic beside you, could be me. Mind you, you may have to venture a wee bit south of 'the hills' :spudwave:

LB
23rd July 2004, 06:09
Hi VivaVee - welcome to KB. We're a great bunch.

merv
23rd July 2004, 07:56
I believe that the reason that Honda have gone back to chains is all to do with economics ie: they are to costly to build. And this is why we only had one CBR model (apart from the 250) that was gear driven and why the VTR SP has cesed to live and of course why they changed the VFR.
Why hell, Honda need to sell spares you know :angry:

Someone mentioned already I think the noise issue too. My VFR sounds like a sewing machine with the whirring gears but that's cool but maybe they couldn't deaden them enough if they were chasing very low dB ratings.

dangerous
23rd July 2004, 18:43
Someone mentioned already I think the noise issue too. My VFR sounds like a sewing machine with the whirring gears but that's cool but maybe they couldn't deaden them enough if they were chasing very low dB ratings.

You guys have to be kidding about the noise dont ya....... Man I love that sound kinda like a supercharger turning over add that to the after market sound of a 4-1 V4 ohhh...... its good (but not as good as a V2)

merv
23rd July 2004, 18:50
I love the noise but am speculating why Honda killed off the gear drive cams and fitted chains again - noise was one issue I'd say and the other is it may have made the V-Tec set up easier to install which all said and done seemed like a waste of time from what I've seen of dyno charts for the newer bike.

moko
24th July 2004, 15:46
from what i`ve heard Honda really screwed up with the V-Tec,designed the motor and crammed it into the frame with little thought for the fact that someone would have to service the thing at some point.Result is that a full service on a V-tec 800 will cost you over double the price of the older model,valve check apparently is a total nightmare and half the engine gets dismantled to do it properly,Honda dealer mechanics were trained using a motor,not a complete bike(in the U.K. at least) so the problem took a while to become apparent.Some dealers actually warn potential buyers before they sign on the dotted line as we`re talking £600-ish at main dealer prices($1500-$1600 as a rough comparison)and you certainly dont want anywhere else without the full range of special tools touching it.Many dont like the V-tec anyway,at low revs it dosnt cut in early enough for some and it`s designed not to come in at all with a cold motor which has caused problems for U.k. riders in winter.My favourite VFR is the last 750 model.

pete376403
24th July 2004, 15:48
Gears are expensive. Chains are cheap. V-TEC is probably expensive, too. Gears plus V-TEC might have put the cost too far above the competition.

As to V-TEC not making a big difference to performance, possibly not but it makes a big difference to the marketing spiel. A bit like when the first twin cam CB750s (roller door type engine) came out, they actually made less power than the single cam CB750, but were much more glamourous in marketing-talk

merv
24th July 2004, 18:19
My favourite VFR is the last 750 model.

Agreed, I'll hang on to mine.

dangerous
24th July 2004, 18:56
My favourite VFR is the last 750 model.

Ok then I cant resist it, heres a photo of mine from 99

Firefight
24th July 2004, 19:46
Gidday VV, welcome to the site (again) sure you will enjoy,

Firefight :innocent:

moko
27th July 2004, 02:15
As to V-TEC not making a big difference to performance, possibly not but it makes a big difference to the marketing spiel. A bit like when the first twin cam CB750s (roller door type engine) came out, they actually made less power than the single cam CB750, but were much more glamourous in marketing-talk

Any other old farts might remember the dohc motors rep for trashing it`s valvegear,plus the original model,at least the one we got in Britain before the one with the CB900 styling,was pig-ugly and didnt handle,seem to remember they had a bit of the frame that un-bolted on that one to make engine removal easier,good idea given the problems it had but it handled like the frame was already un-bolted.There`s a VFR owners web-site somewhere that I had a good look at while doing some research and if the V-Tec is a marketting weapon then it`s main target appears to be Honda`s foot,one`s that have got it dont seem to like it and others wont trade up to the latest model because of it.

dangerous
27th July 2004, 18:52
V-Tec is a marketting weapon then it`s main target appears to be Honda`s foot,one`s that have got it dont seem to like it and others wont trade up to the latest model because of it.

ohh yeah I know of 2 people that had VTR1000's and traded them in on the V-Tec when it came out...... 6 months later they traded back in on new VTR1000's.
Both of these guys found that the VFR was boring, bland and the use of the V-Tec when it finaly came in at 7,000rpm was hellish.

magnum
1st August 2004, 11:06
hi and welcome :scooter:

badlieutenant
16th August 2004, 23:33
Spurred on by jrandom's subtle prodding here i am. I've been back on the bike now for six years, graduating to the VFR750 three years ago. Spent more time on human-powered two wheelers with the scars to prove it. Funny how I felt OK about careering down a hill at 80km/hr+ in a racing peloton in the wet with only a few microns of lycra on the hips/shoulders and a couple of leather straps on my head. Now its full body suit, CE armour, boots, gloves and full helmet.

I wouldn't trade the bike on anything - it has the power to scare me and the stopping power/handling to calm me. It short it behaves better than I do. But then maybe a slightly later VFR with fuel injection. Forget the VTEC versions - I never rev over 8000 rpm anyway :rolleyes: . I also dislike the current angular industrial design trend. I want curves.

So if you see a black VFR timidly following the traffic and occasionally ( really never, officer, truly ) lane spliiting. That's me.

Hi VV, Im new as of today to these forums and was wondering if your the black vfr that i've noticed going over to the nrthshore most mornings ? If you see a metallic blue 86 vfr (colour change came after a failed flight attempt off the road onto the beach at maraitai) that is most likely me, will keep an eye out for you, there arnt too many vfr,s on the road so its always nice to hear one go past.

aff-man
16th August 2004, 23:58
Howdy glad you could join the party :killingme

badlieutenant
17th August 2004, 00:21
Cheers Aff-man,
just been looking around the site abit. Good to see so many people nuts over bikes. Especially good to see people posting warnings about slippery corners. My first spill was because the local council workers didnt think to put out signs indicating the 20mm's or so of pea-soup they used to cover some new seal, and only on the corner, do they do it on purpose you have to wonder ?
:Playnice:

Posh Tourer :P
18th August 2004, 07:21
They cover new seal in fog now??? That's nasty!