VFR General Enquiry Thread

[deathism]

No, in stock form the seat is not adjustable.

 

ah ok.. thanks. That's just too bad. Was eyeing a gen6 viffer. Tried one at Loois Motors. Seat was a lil too high for my liking and the weight was abit much (made worse by the high seat height).

 

Petite me, with lofty ambitions. hahahaha!

[rhema83]

just renewed the bike coe for another 10years.

definitely keeping this beauty.

 

thanks for the link. the wire harness thing is interesting.

but which mech/shop will be competent to do this? seems abit challenging..

 

Actually it is very easy to install. I could've done it myself if I had the tools. You can find very detailed instructions on VFRD with pictures of every step involved.

[ride_slow]

Some pics of items for sale:

 

PUIG double bubble windscreen (dark smoke) $60/-

 

 

Wilbers rear shock with pre-load adjuster (v.good condition, no leak, for combined rider+pillion weight+luggage =

Wilbers spring rate

 

 

Hepco Becker rear rack - $60/-

 

 

 

Uppzzz for sale

Edited January 13, 2014 by ride_slow

[ride_slow]

Double post.

Edited January 13, 2014 by ride_slow

[ride_slow]

Upzz for sale.

 

Some pics of items for sale:

 

PUIG double bubble windscreen (dark smoke) $60/- [sOLD]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297179[/ATTACH]

 

 

Wilbers rear shock with pre-load adjuster (v.good condition, no leak, for combined rider+pillion weight+luggage =

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297181[/ATTACH]

Wilbers spring rate

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297180[/ATTACH]

 

 

Hepco Becker rear rack - $60/-

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297182[/ATTACH]

[ride_slow]

Also selling off used Hepco Becker Junior TC 40 - $50/-. Condition as shown.

 

Willing to let go top box + Hepco Becker top rack - $100/-.

 

 

Some pics of items for sale:

 

PUIG double bubble windscreen (dark smoke) $60/- [sOLD]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297179[/ATTACH]

 

 

Wilbers rear shock with pre-load adjuster (v.good condition, no leak, for combined rider+pillion weight+luggage =

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297181[/ATTACH]

Wilbers spring rate

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297180[/ATTACH]

 

 

Hepco Becker rear rack - $60/-

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297182[/ATTACH]

Edited January 14, 2014 by ride_slow

[ride_slow]

Upzz for sale.

 

(1) Bagster tank bra (black in colour) - $70/ - [sOLD]

(2) PUIG double bubble windscreen (dark smoke) - $60/- [sOLD]

(3) Hepco Becker rear rack + top box - $100/- [sOLD]

(4) Wilbers rear shock with pre-load adjuster (v.good condition, no leak, for combined rider+pillion weight+luggage =

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297181[/ATTACH]

Wilbers spring rate

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297180[/ATTACH]

(5) Motovation bar end for Honda - $40/-

[ride_slow]

double post.

[ride_slow]

Upzz for sale.

 

(1) Bagster tank bra (black in colour) - $70/ - [sOLD]

(2) PUIG double bubble windscreen (dark smoke) - $60/- [sOLD]

(3) Hepco Becker rear rack + top box - $100/- [sOLD]

(4) Motovation bar end for Honda - $40/- [sOLD]

(5) Wilbers rear shock with pre-load adjuster (v.good condition, no leak, for combined rider+pillion weight+luggage =

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297181[/ATTACH]

Wilbers spring rate

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297180[/ATTACH]

[ride_slow]

Left 1 item - rear shock still available; ideal for riders who frequent 2-up riding with luggage.

 

(5) Wilbers rear shock with pre-load adjuster (v.good condition, no leak, for combined rider+pillion weight+luggage =

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297181[/ATTACH]

Wilbers spring rate

[ATTACH=CONFIG]297180[/ATTACH]

[rhema83]

I ended up selling my VFR to a keen buyer over the weekend. The bike was sold after being advertised for barely a couple of weeks, so I am glad to see that the VFR is still in demand and being appreciated. That said, the bike is not without flaws. It has lost much of its "sport" potential over the years due to an increasing touring bias. So here is my "short review" of the VFR after riding it for 15 months.

 

Engine - 7/10

The V4 engine produces very usable power and torque from low rpms. Twist the throttle above 4,000 rpm in any gear and the power comes on nicely. The acceleration is strong but not as arm-stretching as a superbike. Vibrations are almost non-existent at cruising speeds. Not to forget, the sound of the V4 mill breathing through a quality aftermarket exhaust system is awesome. The VTEC system does improve low-end torque and helps with fuel economy.

 

However, the fuel injection is seriously flawed. Instead of improving the engine architecture or exhaust system design, Honda decided to tune the bike very lean in order to pass emissions tests. The bike surges severely in low RPMs due to lean spots. I felt like I was riding an untamed horse, and couldn't even hold a constant speed or slow acceleration in the first 2 gears below 5000 rpm. Beyond that, the VTEC transition is quite abrupt. You don't want to hit 6500 rpm mid-corner. The only solution is to install a Power Commander, which fixes all the FI issues that Honda should've fixed in the factory. For an expensive high-tech sport-touring machine from Honda, this crappy FI tuning is unacceptable.

 

To add insult to injury, the engine is seriously heavy. Even the WSBK-focused Aprilia RSV4 cannot run away from this fact. V4 engines are inherently heavier than inline-4. And Honda did nothing to help. No titanium valves and connecting rods. No lightweight pistons. The saving grace is that the engine is almost indestructible.

 

Did I mention that the engine runs HOT due to the lean tuning? Be prepared to endure the heat when stuck in traffic.

 

Chassis - 8/10

At speed, the bike is even more stable than some superbikes. This makes it superb for long-distance, high-speed cruising. The chassis shows no sign of flex or stress under heavy load. The frame is rigid enough in corners, but not too hard to let small bumps transmit throughout the bike. The beefy subframe also carries the passenger and hard cases well. Needless to say, all this strength comes at a price: weight. Also, at certain speeds, the front end threatens to oscillate and requires the rider to put some weight on the bars.

 

Suspension - 5/10

For a heavy bike with 240kg wet weight, the suspensions are sprung way too soft. They are designed for rider weight of 55-60kg! That's totally unacceptable for a sport touring machine that is meant to take on loaded side cases and probably a pillion. Even when riding solo, the rear suspension squats under acceleration and the foot rests touch down easily in corners. The adjustability of the stock fork and shock is also dismal. Aftermarket suspension parts are uncommon and expensive. This is the biggest letdown.

 

Comfort - 9/10

Singapore to Hatyai in one day with no backache. What more do I need to say? The only niggle is that the stock seat is a little slippery and the pillion tends to slide forward during braking. Nothing a seat rewrap cannot fix.

 

For all its flaws, the VFR is still a wonderful bike to ride. However, my injured right wrist doesn't like the heavy weight. Also, I have been reaching the handling limits of this bike on the track and I don't want to crash such a beautiful machine. So, farewell to my VFR. Now I'm on the hunt for a good late model Fireblade.

Edited February 24, 2014 by rhema83

[sino74]

just renewed the bike coe for another 10years.

definitely keeping this beauty.

..

Hi bro ..

When is your COE expiring and how much you pay to renew your COE?

Mine expiring next year ..

[lemont97]

Hi bro ..

When is your COE expiring and how much you pay to renew your COE?

Mine expiring next year ..

 

i just renew mine COE. @$1952.. ending 29 Feb 2024. Looking at the trend.. i rather lugi 1 1/2 year of COE for another 10 year of head/heart ache. My COE by right end Aug 2015.. Mar COE is 2.5K!!!

 

my advise. if can still see 1K ish COE. just Hoot and dun care of lugi.. wait longer u may need to pay more in the end.

[Vampire87]

Hi bros, I dunno if someone had asked this b4 pardon me if I asked it again. I'm new to VFR, anyone know what's is the cost of a brand new fuel injector for it? BTW mine is a year 98 VFR800 currently parking at bikeshop waiting for injectors that had been ordered. Just wanna know the market price of the injector compare to the shop that quote me

[waikiki69]

Hi all, I just bought over one VFR after MIA from bike scene for over a decade. Been riding for few days now but still can't get use to it cos never ride a sports bike before. The power also kinda intimidated and executing U Turn.. I'm avoiding that for now. My wife also seriously objected me ridding such a fierce bike at my age.. I'm 42 btw.

 

So after much consideration I decided to put it on sale. You may refer to the previous link below and SMS 83389616.

http://www.singaporebikes.com/used_bikes/23391/honda_vfr800/

[Jenga]

Excellent review bro and many good points raised. I can add a few points which I noted coming from a 1997 VFR750 and currently riding the 2001/2002 VFR800.

 

Engine: The 750cc engine without VTEC for me runs a lot smoother and I don't see notable differences in fuel efficiency (and no I do not always just whack my bike lol). As such I am really not a big fan of VTEC with its kick in effect which unsettles the bike at times when you may not want it unsettled really. The 750 design is also not as hot but that may be a skewed comparison as I was riding it in a cooler climate.

 

Suspension: I cant find much difference although my VFR800 came with a non stock Ohlins rear shock which although somewhat worn out still performs reasonably well. Would agree that both 750 and 800 VFR are rather heavy on their shocks.

 

Chassis/comfort: no further comments, great bike to ride long distance but in city traffic its rather heavy on the wrists.

 

Brakes: This one I would like to point out because the VFR800 (although mine is not ABS) has great brakes - something that you only notice when you go back to riding the older bike and realize you have to squeeze a lot harder and yet you get less stopping power. So thumbs up for the linked brakes which give stable and solid braking even on pretty wet roads (read: 10cm water due to heavy rain and clogged up drainage systems)

 

Taking this bike to the track would be scary I think. Its simply too heavy and touring biased to be able to work nicely on twisty sections even though you'll get very nice exits with all the torque from the V4. Hope you find a nice Fireblade!

[vfrT]

I read rhema and Jenga's opinion on their experiences on the 5th & 6th gen VFR and must say that my experience with my 5th gen has been nothing but completely GREAT!

 

I've also ridden the 6th gen as well as the Crossrunner, both with the Vtec engines and do not encounter any of the said "problems" relating to heat, weight and handling issues. If you think the VFR800 is hot, swing your leg over the RC8 and you'll know what HOT is. I believe heat is a consequence of HP output, the higher the output , the greater the heat. The VFR put out only 100hp and I feel its heat management is among the best for a faired engine.

 

I've had three 5th genners since 1998 and still has one unit. Among my bikes, this is my fave.

 

One need to know that the VFR is NOT an all-out sport bike nor a tourer. While it is relatively heavy in steering and physical weight, riding technique and (limited) geometry tuning of the ride height can do wonders for its handling.

 

I take this bike to the track and to Chiang Mai with the original suspension & BT023 and find it adequate for both needs.

 

I've owned and ridden bikes such as the RC8, R1, and Triumph GT etc, but the 5th genner VFR still does it for me.

 

Can't wait to get my hands on the eight genner.

[Jenga]

Just to be clear here: I love my VFR800 and wouldn't consider any other bike. Even though I haven't gone through as many bikes as vfrT, I have had the pleasure of test riding a few bikes from different classes and there is simply nothing that compares so far. I simply made a further comparison between my 1997 Gen 4 and the 2002 Gen 6.

 

I am curious about the Crossrunner, if you could share, how is the feel/handling on that bike as compared to our VFR?

[vfrT]

J

 

I am curious about the Crossrunner, if you could share, how is the feel/handling on that bike as compared to our VFR?

 

Hey Jenga.

 

The crossrunner is "Adventure-risque" styled as you well know. The power output is massed lower in the rev range and feels torque-r as such. It feels stronger so to speak at rev up to say 5000rpm. I rode it for two weeks in the European Alps with a pillion and fully loaded. With this weight and the steep incline as well as the sharp bends, the Crossrunner is underpowered; and needs to be revved more to keep the engine on the boil.

 

In fact, I managed to stall the bike and dropped it in a very low speed battle against gravity in one such corner as I forgot to downshift from 2nd when I was caught up by the scenery. On flat level roads or highways, it is very comfortable and capable.

 

Handling is the key difference btw the VFR800I and the Crossrunner for obvious reason that the Crossrunner is set higher up.

 

My riding bias tends towards the sporting side and so I prefer to the VFR800I much better. But if I were to look fro an Adventure style bike, and my riding is more in this region, I would plumb for the NC700X which is much lighter, manageable, cheaper and frugal on fuel - although I must say I've not ridden that bike before.

[vfrT]

J

 

I am curious about the Crossrunner, if you could share, how is the feel/handling on that bike as compared to our VFR?

 

Hey Jenga.

 

The crossrunner is "Adventure-risque" styled as you well know. The power output is massed lower in the rev range and feels torque-r as such. It feels stronger so to speak at rev up to say 5000rpm. I rode it for two weeks in the European Alps with a pillion and fully loaded. With this weight and the steep incline as well as the sharp bends, the Crossrunner is underpowered; and needs to be revved more to keep the engine on the boil.

 

In fact, I managed to stall the bike and dropped it in a very low speed battle against gravity in one such corner as I forgot to downshift from 2nd when I was caught up by the scenery. On flat level roads or highways, it is very comfortable and capable.

 

Handling is the key difference btw the VFR800I and the Crossrunner for obvious reason that the Crossrunner is set higher up.

 

My riding bias tends towards the sporting side, so I prefer the VFR800I much better. But if I were looking for an Adventure style bike, and my riding done more in this region, I would plumb for the NC700X which is much lighter, manageable, cheaper and frugal on fuel - although I must say I've not ridden that bike before.

[Jenga]

Thanks for sharing - I have been riding with some of the NC700 and 400X riders but the parallel twin of the NC700 is no match for the VFR in terms of torque and overall power. I suppose the curse of having the V4 experience is that there is no way back to lower power / torque bikes. If I wanted fuel economy, I might as well go back to my first 2B bike, the wonderful CBR150R that could do 45-50 km on a liter lol

[CKC]

VFRT bro

remember me kelvin who rode a red VFR800 vtec, haha me now riding NC7X.

Yes NC700X much lighter, manageable, cheaper and frugal on fuel but cant compare to vfr in terms of power. Miss my vfr but wasn't regret in buying the nc either, they both hav their own characteristics.

as age catching up "on me" sitting up-right on long trip to Thailand have made a difference ever since.

BTW Jenga

You cant compare a V4 engine to a parallel twin, if you want power then you have to give up on fuel saving.

vfr 22L abt 350km compare to 14L abt 350km both at 100km/h......

anyway both are great bikes but to each own usage.

Buy what you like and love and not what other said how good it is.

[rhema83]

To be honest, I also loved my VFR a lot. I even thought I was going to ride it till the COE ran out, especially after I did so much to make it a better ride. But in the end, the negatives I mentioned (especially weight and FI issues) and my desire to take the latest-and-greatest Honda Fireblade to the track got me to switch.

 

Surprisingly, my stock '13 Fireblade has better fuel economy than my VFR. I can get 5.3-5.4 L/100km (translate to 18.5-18.8 km/L) whereas I got about 15-16 km/L on my VFR, riding the same roads (TPE-CTE). The riding ergos and pillion comfort are also not bad at all. The only and biggest drawback is that I don't have my panniers to store my raincoat and helmet.

[IceZ]

There is always goods and bad...just appreciate what you have now...

Please don't compare an (sport touring) orange & (sport) apple leh...

Heavier means more stable on the road right? haha... Cheers.

[rhema83]

There is always goods and bad...just appreciate what you have now...

Please don't compare an (sport touring) orange & (sport) apple leh...

Heavier means more stable on the road right? haha... Cheers.

 

Of course. I knew what I was giving up before I switched. I was just pleasantly surprised by how technology has allowed a superbike to catch up with a sport-tourer in terms of day-to-day practicality (e.g. fuel efficiency, comfort, etc).

 

By the way, it is not necessary for a bike to be heavy to be stable. What it needs is a good steering damper (e.g. HESD) and long wheelbase (easily achieved these days). I hope Honda can implement some of the good technologies from its superbike on its high-tech sport-tourer. The 2014 VFR was a good effort but I think there is room for improvement.