Anyone ridden a Honda VTEC bike?

[noggythenog]

I went to JT's in Swansea earlier to clear the head a bit & talk to so eone other than females


Mooched about at various bikes as you do & i am still attracted to the MT07 and it feels like a BMX when you sit on it so i can imagine it is flickable......but it doesnt ooze quality like some other bikes.


I spotted a VFR


I used to think that VFR's were exotic & superbikes and the cats tits..........when i was a teenager.................nowadays with a licence then i get the feeling they are regarded as somewhat reserved or boring. Perhaps it doesnt help that mostly when i see one it is being ridden boringly, these VFR owners they dont seem to need to give a foc about proving themselves either that or there's an inbuilt drip from the handlebar that infuses diazepam....but ive never seen one ridden hard.


I just got curious, im always curious about different bikes so i looked up VFR's on the net and as i recall the VTEC model isnt very popular because of the VTEC kick basically it seems.


What are folk worried about here?, that the engine will kick in. Mid corner & catch them by surprise......youd need to be pretty damn unlucky for that to happen & it still only does that if you are still opening throttle........it isnt a switch......ive had my car steady in the rev range yet mid vtec if that makes sense.......it isnt NOS.......


I owned a Honda Civic Type r VTEC and it was a fantastic car and i used to love that rush when the VTEC kicked in so i find the distaste for the bike surprising.


My FZ1 has a sudden kick at about 7k revs..........surely this should get the same VFR dislike?


What about all the nostalgia about 2 strokes and their power bands?


What about all the talk about engines being characterless these days.....is VTEC not adding some pizazz?




Its just general bike chat really im intrigued that a major manufacturer could have got things so wrong or was it just not at the right time like with many marques?


Always liked the looks of them, could it be the best of both worlds, large ish capacity, good comfort, good fun maybe?.....i know it would be reliable......did 80k miles in my car and the only issue was the windscreen becoming unbonded through cornering...cant grumble at that

[Skippernick]

I've ridden one and i do like the look of them, I'm so vain, and it is true they are docile under 6 thou revs and then go off like a rocket. But it was ok. I would have one. The most annoying thing i found was that my left heel caught on the single sided swing arm and went up and down with suspension.

[noggythenog]

Good shout skippernick


So you had no concerns with power delivery then




But ergonomics were a concern by the sounds of things.............yet i always hear that they are tourers.......actually that also surprises me as ive always seen them as having clip ons or very slanted bars...........but the ZX9 is a supposedly comfy sportsbike too so perhaps there is something in it.......albeit any bike where you are down is gonna limit vertical visibility.

[Mick-H]

I've had 2 of the 750 VFR's and in 02 I had the choice of either a VTEC or a Fazer 1000, the Fazer won. 
Main reason for not staying with VFR's was the change from gear driven cam's back to chain driven, the gear driven cams are what made the bike so popular in the first place and not sticking with them lost Honda a lot of customers.
What people were crying out for was a 1000cc VFR with gear driven cam's and if Honda had listened I'm sure it would have been a MASSIVE hit, as it is VFR 750/800 riders didn't and haven't really taken to the Vtec either in 800 or 1200 form.
Don't mean they're bad bikes just not true VFR's.
 

[bri h]

i had a look at one before i got the fazer and was put off by the servicing price and frequency. bit to salty for poor old me.

[noggythenog]

Intersting......so it isnt jus the vtec.....actually so far it seems that it isnt the vtec but actually a load of other factors that they just mis judged & paid the price for the silly foccers


So does the older 2000 model have gear driven cams then?, seems a popular model even though it is getting on.

[Punkstig]

Vfr is on my list as a practical commuting, getting the shopping, couple of trackdays bike along with an older triumph sprint, I always have and still do love my thundercats but always got a bit fed up on track with lack of speed compared to most other bikes on the straights (never had a problem with being quick round the corners, but that's the rider not the bike!)

[Mick-H]

Intersting......so it isnt jus the vtec.....actually so far it seems that it isnt the vtec but actually a load of other factors that they just mis judged & paid the price for the silly foccers
So does the older 2000 model have gear driven cams then?, seems a popular model even though it is getting on.

Pre Vtec 800's and 750's from I think 1986 onwards had the gear driven cams. They're a lazy bike to ride as in the power is very linear and smooth not buzzy like an inline four.
I loved both of mine but needed to change as I wanted needed a more upright riding style (joys of a bad back) I did look at putting higher handlebars on but that would have meant cutting the fairing down and as the bike was a minter it wouldn't have been right to do that plus I like being able to see an engine on a bike and after having had a Fazer in the past I knew that that was the bike I wanted to go back to.
And I'm very happy that I did.

[slappy]

I had a VFR750 for two years,very practical and great for touring and commuting, maybe not as exciting as some other bikes but I never found it lacking. Traded it in for a Thundercat just because I fancied a change, the Thundercat was comfier, felt faster,more mpg and was one of the best bikes I ever owned.

[JoeRock]

Main issue with the originals Noggy was that at motorway cruising speeds (about 80 ish), that was when the V-tech was kicking in. Meant as you were riding along on some bikes it was kicking in, out, in out etc. Solved on the later ones though, and they're meant to be a very capable bike.

Would rather the 9R though - hell of a lot more sporty, sacrifices little to no practicality other than a fuel gauge and centre stand!

[JoeRock]

And most dedicated sports tourers do have clipons instead of flat bars (Trumpy ST1050, VFR, Ducati ST series etc). At higher speeds you get a very good balance between your ass/wrists - instead of being sat upright with all your weight on your lower back, you tip forward, and then the wind gently lifts a bit of weight off your wrists.


I've done 300 plus miles on the ZX-9R, only issue is the seat is a little firm. Tried similar on the FZS, although the seat was comfier the riding position wasn't as good for me, and neither was the lack of wind protection.


Definitely go and try a VFR - it's not what you were originally looking for, but if you like it there's a load of other cracking bikes similar to that!

[JoeRock]

To be honest, save your money, go find the newest, tidiest ZX-9R you can (ideally a 2002-2004 model, without grab rails at the back) - take it for a ride and enjoy!

[flesh]

Some years ago I was looking at either a VFR, CBF1000 or a CB1300. Did a couple of hundred miles on each one and hated the VFR with a passion. I found it a bit gutless to be honest. Maybe it was due to the fact I had just sold my Fazer 1000 and XJR so was used to a bit extra oomph but even my FZS600 winter bike felt more powerful  .
It did not float my boat at all. It handled "ok" but that was about it. Also thought the CBF was very over-rated.
I ended up with a CB1300S which a had for a few years.

I know loads of people rave about VFR's but personally I would try before you buy........