Completed Trip to Pennsylvania/New York on VFR1200

Just got back to London from a trip that went from Buffalo to Ellocottsville to St. Mary's, Penn, via the Allegheny Nat. Park, then to Watkins Glen, NY, then back to Canada. Some freeway and interstate riding to New York and back, but lots of twisty, small highways in Pennsylvania and New York. My riding companion had a 2010 Triumph Speed Triple Special Edition. Needless to say, I was more comfortable on the freeways, but he really was ahead of me in the twisties nearly all of the time. I've never done any rides like this before, and I tend to slow down a bit on "blind" corners, so I'm wondering if it's HIS experience that's getting him through faster, or if the VFR1200 is just a heavier, slower-handling bike? Or is it a bit of both?
Also noticed that I hit a dead zone in the transmission in both fifth and sixth gear at about 3600 rpm a couple of times. Is this normal? Is it the fuel injection mapping?
Truthfully, I'm sort of missing the VFR 800, as it felt a little more nimble to me in tight situations. I never ever took it on a trip, covering 350 miles a day through the forest, but I know the bike well enough to say that I think it would have been a little quicker in the twisties. Agree? Disagree?

 

No, you're right. The 1200 is no different than any bigger bike. My VF1000R is a great bike in a straight line, but in the tight stuff it is terrible. It is heavy and the extra HP doesn't help. The VFR800 is definitely an improvement gets through the tight stuff better, but the VF500 is my favorite. The 500 feels like a bicycle and has the right amount of motor in those situations. Big weight and HP are not your friends in the twisties.

 

Well, that's what I figured. My "chicken strips" on my tires are still two fingers wide, so I know I can lay the bike down a little harder, but, geez, it's hard to beat a Speed Triple that's 130 pounds lighter, fully fuelled, and has a 4-inch shorter wheelbase! Almost makes me think that I bought the wrong bike. I'm wondering what would be more ideal? I was thinking that Honda's new CB1000 would work, but with no fairing, it makes it a much more uncomfortable ride. The damn VFR800 was nearly perfect. Only 105 horsepower, 50 pounds lighter.....
What else is out there that works? Duc's Multistrada? Yamaha FZ1? Aprilllia Tuono? That Speed Triple is a GREAT setup for twisties, but man, he had a long trip with no fairing.

 

No offence but if your chicken strips were that wide, it was you, not the bike. I've done a demo on the 1200 but even allowing for the weight, I'd have no trouble throwing it around like my VFR750. I did a similar trip last week to Front Royal in Virginia and came back through all the twisties I could find and the Alleghany Mts. My bike had full Givi sidebags and a tail pack which weighed a good 30 lbs. It wasn't light, but handled fine and my chicken strips are about an eight of an inch wide.. You just need to develop some Knowledge and confidence in your bike and tires.

 

You've got history with the 800, so that would be a safe bet, but what exactly don't you like about the 1200? I haven't ridden one, so I can't compare it.

 

Your question wasn't directed at me but I'll chime in. I liked the bike when I rode it. Felt lighter handling than my 750. The one thing I couldn't live with was the gearing. Way too overgeared for North America and because of this didn't feel very torquey. Great for interstate type highways, but a pain on regular roads. Can't imagine getting into top gear very often with this bike, and hence there goes any thought of good mileage.

 

Having owned a CB1000R, I can tell you it's fantastic.... around town. Although super comfortable with more leg room and less of a stretch to the bars, those more upright traits killed you on the highway after an hour or so. I'd love to have one for commuting and my VFR for eating up miles (with and without the woman on the back - the CB1KR is NOT your significant other's friend if she's taller than 5'7 or more than 150lbs). Had an FZ-1 before the CB, too... and it was a very good machine - it's just not as much wind protection as you think, albeit more than the CB. The VFR is still the perfect balance to me - and you can lay it pretty far over, trust me

 

With time, more experience on the bike, and a little more confidence with the bike in the corners you'll be right back at the level you were with your VFR800.

Yeah, the bike is heavier and less nimble...but it's still able to corner well enough to rid those strips.

Keep at it, and you'll improve. Will you keep up with a Speed triple....ehhhhhhh probably not.

I've cornered better on my 4th gen than I ever did on my 1st or 2nd gen. But it's not the bikes....it's me. I'm more confident and have more experience then i ever did on my other past bikes.

 

Yes, I agree that it's a confidence/knowledge issue - the bike is new to me and so is riding in the forest! With my 800, the chicken strips were pretty much non-existent. I felt like I could ride it backwards and sideways with the lighter feel and the shorter wheelbase. One of the issues I had on the 1200 was that fourth gear often felt to "boggy" going into a turn, and third felt a little too revvy, so I wasn't finding my happy medium. Five mph faster into the corner to start, in fourth, then just twisting on the throttle at the apex with the bottom end torque started to work better as the trip progressed. Then bringing it up a few more mph, depending on the corner.
Had some 90-degree bends too, on the way up to Hayner Park at Renovo. Didn't like that much at all on the tight road, but it's just a matter of more comfort on the bike as well.

 

I was disappointed when I rode the 1200. I understand what you are saying about the gearing. I personally found that for a 1200 it lacked torque. Ride a 1200 Bandit and you will see what I mean. I really don't feel that the VFR1200 is an improvement on any of the previous generations of VFR.

I know what you mean about the forest roads in Pennsylvania. They are literally that, a road through a forest. You break down there, and you are literally in the middle of nowhere. Saw numerous deer, so high speeds are a risk.

I personally find that on long trips I really get the feel of the bike and how the tires are working. I don't do much radical leaning over here in Southern Ontario, because the tarmac just doesn't have any sticking power, but in the states, their roads are much grippier and you can whale through most of them.

Familiarity with your bike will come and bye bye chicken strips.

 

Thanks. It sounds like you really understand my perspective on the bike. I really think that less power and a shorter wheelbase would be helpful in the forest.
The blind corners were an issue for me at the start as well. If I can't see the entire radius, I throttle back. It's just an instinct, I guess - a good instinct for safety, a bad one for having fun!

 

Your tendency to "slow down a bit on blind corners" will keep you alive longer than not slowing down.
Most single-vehicle accidents are excessive speed in corners. Think about this . . .
your going around a blind curve to the right at 60mph and your stopping distance is beyond what you can see.
If you want to go fast around blind curves do it on the track. On the track you have turn workers who see around the corner.
Don't get suckered in with a faster rider. Ride your own pace. The street is no place for a rickey-racer.

Former MSF Chief Intructor and former 250gp racer.

 

Threw I Pilot Power 3 on the front of my VFR1200 and it is very nimble now. Chicken strips vary greatly depending upon riding style. I really break hard and push the front into corners, hence really no strips on the front or rear.