Hondas VFR launched yesterday

Well I nipped down this morning for a bit of tyre kicking
Its surprisingly thinner than it looks when you sit on it.
Was impressed with the single side swing arm that's also holding the shaft
drive (yes I know done before but it looked nice n neat)
A bit too much plastic around the tank for my liking, but the red one they
had all kitted up with boxes looked pretty good.
Apparently a 3 year warranty is standard (salesman wasn't sure if this was
unlimited mileage)
All in all, a bit boring and stale sat upon it, but hopefully a test ride
will liven up the want factor. I'll wait for the spring to do that though.

 

Do you really hate motorcycling so much that you'd sell a Blackbird and
replace it with a VFR?

 

hehe - why make such an obvious touriung bike with such a shit range?

--


Nige,

Land Rover 90
Yamaha R1
Range Rover Vogue

 

Honda know that the typical owner won't be able to travel for more than
100km before stopping for a cake.

 

The early 800s I had would normally do 160 miles on a long run before
needing some more juice.

Not really looked at the new VFR, but if it's anything like those, the
point is they're not just a tourer - they really are something that
will do it all, so long as you are realistic in accepting in order to
be able to wear certain hats, some (but not all) of the others, have
been slightly compromised.

Bloody excellent real world scratcher, believe it or not - the linked
brakes were actually a major plus for this IME.

 

On Sat, 13 Feb 2010 07:56:42 -0800 (PST), JackH

snip>

Bwahaha. Real World scratcher? I'm fucking glad I don't live in the
real World if a VFR is an excellent scratcher in it.

 

It looks fucking utterly gash too.

 

You think what you like.

For me, it was an excellent scratcher - unlike some of the sports stuff
I've had like the R6, it didn't spit its dummy out and have a go at
spitting you off when you hit potholes etc due fairly pliant suspension
etc.

That, and I can ride a VFR all day long without my wrists complaining
etc, whereas the R6 used to become unbearable in this respect after 10
miles of scratching.

The linked brakes meant did a brilliant job of keeping the bike
balanced when you dragged the rear through bends etc, due to the way it
applied light pressure to the front as well - that, and if you ever
lower yourself to slinging a leg over one, see how much abuse you need
to throw at it to get it to lock up the rear.

Said brakes also helped around town once you got used to them - using
just the rear when pulling up to junctions / lights etc, meant you
could invariably keep your balance, and your feet on the pegs when
stationary, for a bloody long time.

When out with a group of other lads on more sports focused stuff, it
always held its own and then some, so either they were either really
shit riders, or the VFR was something which worked well on the road
despite being sneered at by the 'clitisti' such as yourself.

Funnily enough, I've never dropped one at low speed either (1)

(1) In front of all my mates or otherwise... I can therefore only
imagine how acutely embarrassing it must be for clumsy fucktards who've
managed to do this. :'(

 

They did that on the 800...

It only squatted in any real sense, when you operated the rear.

Different riding styles, maybe.

 

Maybe not good for racing but very usefull for less experienced and/or
clumsy riders who do not understand coordinated braking and need to
stop in a hurry.

 

On 13 Feb 2010 17:51:04 GMT, "JackH" <>
wrote:

snip>

Clitisti? Very good, I like that. I shows that your grasp of the
English language is so poor you have to make words up.

I'll assume that you're referring to my crash in France last year and
just point out that you really are a nasty piece of work if you have
to use someone wrecking their bike to score points.

 

I'm not particularly clumsy or inexperienced on a bike... but I found
them to be a benefit... eventually

I didn't like them at all when I first had my first VFR800... it was
only after I'd had it a few days and got used to them that I saw the
benefits.

With that in mind, I suspect plenty of others who are used to
conventionally braked bikes who've had a quick go on one and dismissed
the brakes as shite might have changed their opinions if they'd ridden
one a bit more regularly.

 

it was the knee's of Mrs Vass that caused the sale, she needs something with
a longer reach (maybe)

 

oh and I still can't find anything in the current marketplace I'd prefer to
my R1

 

The only bike I've ever had with them on also had a sidecar attached. I
did find them very effective in bringing the outfit to a halt when a
pair of frog cars had a coming together in front of me on a 'D' road.
That was the crude Guzzi system where the rear brake pedal also actuates
one of the front calipers. Presumably the VFR type are more
sophisticated.

I'm sure they wouldn't suit my solo riding style at all.

--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

In that case these type of riders should consider a bike other than an
800cc V Four sports touring bike or a CBR1100X Blackbird to learn their
skills on.

I'll treat this as another one of your ill-informed posts then.

 

I don't want to adapt my riding style to conform to what Mr Honda
decides should be the way I ride a few minority market motorcycles. I'm
quite happy with brakes working the way they do on the majority of
other motorcycles and can do with one less thing to think about when
I'm in a panic braking situation. ABS is fine, but you can stick linked
brakes where the sun doesn't shine.

That's why I won't buy or recommend a VFR800 or a Blackbird to anyone.

 

Or a Pan European...

 

If someone otherwise likes a VFR800 but can't get on with the brakes,
you can get a kit to de-link them...

 

<realisation dawns>

I am a nasty piece of work, many times over.