VTR1000 FireStorm

[gav]

That lower fairing on your bike looks pretty good!! Who makes them? Fit OK?

[Teflon]

Decided I could be interested in a s/h VTRthou, seen a few of these Jap import models around, are they a different spec to the first 97 VTR's sold in NZ, is there a year in particular to go? Are the later model ones much different? Should I look at a TLS?

Those imports are alot different. The power is the first thing i notice, amount of abuse you have to use to even mono the think is crazy. With standard pipes it sounds really anemic, like a GN250. Chucked my yoshis on, no better, just a loud hollow anemic noise.

VTR i have is fun, had to drop the front about a inch, and made a 6mm spacer for the rear shock to achieve this.

Just stay away from the imports, you wont go wrong.

[Yoda]

Hi,

Where did you get the GenMar risers? I need some for a 98 cbr1000fv. Are they available in NZ somewhere?

Cheers

[danmason]

Those imports are alot different. The power is the first thing i notice, amount of abuse you have to use to even mono the think is crazy. With standard pipes it sounds really anemic, like a GN250. Chucked my yoshis on, no better, just a loud hollow anemic noise.

VTR i have is fun, had to drop the front about a inch, and made a 6mm spacer for the rear shock to achieve this.

Just stay away from the imports, you wont go wrong.

I bought an import model, dealer said it was the same but I was not sure. He said if I take the baffles out of the pipes it would be the same as the NZ new model I tried out.
I rang the importer who confirmed my suspicions, Jap import version has

-milder cams, different CDI, restricted to 180.

I went back to the dealer and swapped for the first bike I tried and oh my god, totally different experience

Jap import models are a lot less powerful

[Salival]

I'm certainly plumbing the depths of the review forum here...

Great review though, FireStormer, if you're still around. Hats off to you. Too often if we actually own a piece of equipment we're inclined to 'talk it up', but this review is very honest and thoroughly worthy of a read if you're considering a FireStorm.

On that topic, I will be purchasing one of these this weekend. A 2000 model, so it has the smaller tank (which I'm not thrilled about but will live with). The information regarding the fuel efficiency is quite confusing - I have read as little as 19mpg, but I imagine that's around town and as I'm not commuting on it I think the extra fuel cost is worth it for the noise it makes!

Again, thanks and I hope to be seeing you guys at a group ride soon enough so you can show me how it's done!

Cheers,
Ben.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

On that topic, I will be purchasing one of these this weekend. A 2000 model, so it has the smaller tank (which I'm not thrilled about but will live with). The information regarding the fuel efficiency is quite confusing - I have read as little as 19mpg, but I imagine that's around town and as I'm not commuting on it I think the extra fuel cost is worth it for the noise it makes!

Depends on your riding style, if you ride the Storm hard then yes it will suck the gas back... ride a little more conservative then the range is better... Open the throttle... listen to that sound, feel the torque, watch the fuel be sucked backed...

Admittedly... the big V-Twin is addictive and can be hard to ride it conservatively alllllll the time.

[Salival]

I can be pretty conservative when I have to be (ie any time the reserve light comes on )

[Dino]

There is a bit of info from guys about the fuel economy here
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=80925

The best I have got is 5.3 litres - 100kms

.

[Salival]

^ which is totally respectable, really, but yours is an '07 yeah? So probably plenty more tech involved over the 2000 model!

Thanks for the link

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

^ which is totally respectable, really, but yours is an '07 yeah? So probably plenty more tech involved over the 2000 model!

Thanks for the link

Not really they haven't really upgraded much since...

[Morcs]

Only thing I don't like about the TL-S is its tendancy to not like any throttle imput mid corner shown by its desire to want to stand up - it seems to me, whilst it came out with a 190 rear tyre - it doesn't in fact ride like it should have one!

Nah. just learn to ride it. with the torque it has, you can keep the throttle relatively even through the corner, easing it on after the apex, and as soon as you are almost upright, give it a handful and ya stomping away

It also rides like it carries, like its big brother the TLR, a lot of weight HIGH UP, and I found it was more brutal in the set up to corners. The TLR is an absolute bitch to set up properly for suspension - but once done it is a dream other than the feeling the high CoG gives you.

High COG? holy shit. I sat on a bandit 1200 the other day. Felt half the weight of my TL - its not top heavy at all.

.

What you need to remember is that the TL is better compared with the SP as the VTR is classed a sports tourer in real world riding terms. However - the SP is GROSSLY overpriced new, meaning the TL always got better sales figures.

Wrong. The TLS is a direct competitor as the VTR, wheras the SP series was brought out to combat the TLR.

[Salival]

I pick it up tomorrow! Fingers crossed for fine weather and low gas prices!! haha

[ManDownUnder]

Why are the firestorms so incredibly cheap??? Is it to compete with the SV thou's out there?

They look like great bangs for bucks!

[vifferman]

Why are the firestorms so incredibly cheap???

Because Honda has so little tooling etc invested in them. There have been no significant improvements made to them since 1997 (just minor tweaks) so they're essentially selling them as run-out sale models. Sooner or later, when they become too out-of-date, they'll drop them entirely.

[Swoop]

I was of the belief that they had been dropped by Honda.

Had a VTR1000 for a short while and they are a bloody nice ride!