Latest old fart

[VivaVee]

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?!

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.

[dangerous]

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.

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

[sporty03]

Hey VV. Welcome along. 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]

Hi VivaVee - welcome to KB. We're a great bunch.

[merv]

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

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

My favourite VFR is the last 750 model.

Agreed, I'll hang on to mine.

[dangerous]

My favourite VFR is the last 750 model.

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

[Firefight]

Gidday VV, welcome to the site (again) sure you will enjoy,

Firefight

[moko]

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]

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]

hi and welcome