I had pretty much made up my mind to get a new 06 VFR. But now I am looking seriously at a Yamaha YZF600R (new also - 07). About 2k difference in price that I can find here. Tell me why I should get the VFR over the YZF?
Well ultimately it depends on what kind of riding you are more likely to do most. If most of your riding will shorter trips riding aggressively you may want what the Yamaha offers( note: I have not ridden an 07' but have sat on one for a spell we have on the show room floor). If most of your riding will be longer distances/touring the VFR is much more comfortable, nearly as capable in agressive twistys though obviosly a bit heavier but the weight gives it better manners in my opinion. And of course that unique V4 growl & the low thru midrange torque though I own & ride a older VFR I am amazed @ how similar the general feel/ergo's of the bike are when compared to the new models. I'm certain overall performance is drastically better but have not had many oppurtunities to put any "real" miles on a a newer one.
We can't do that. Only you can. It's your decision and only you can make it. This is a VFR board. You probably won't find many people here bashing the VFR. Just like if you go to a YZF board you won't find people bashing those bikes. What you will find here, if you look around a bit, is a lot of information regarding the pros and cons of the VFR (primarily pros). Every bike has a few quirks. Every MACHINE (be it car, truck, bike, anything) has a few quirks. YOU have to decide if those are acceptable to you and if not move on to something else.
Have you looked at used bikes? Have you actually ridden both? Without riding them, right after each other, you will likely make a decision based on reading and opinions from others. To form your own, I highly recommend you go find bikes to ride for 50 miles or so. If it is money that drives you, you can look at used bikes... the V4 engine will last a long time... look at adds with milage on used bikes and you'll see the difference in your choices. otherwise, if you must have new and the money is pulling on you, just get one and start riding.... doing nothing is still a choice. Good luck, hope to hear about your purchase and what your impression is of the new ride. Prosit!
you should ask vman he has riden both and would tell you what you wanta hear wait now hes (white knight) ? HEY vinny, sound off on this one
Biggest problem for me is simply access. Closest dealer is at least 2 hrs away and if you want to get something for anything less than retail then it's going to be anywhere from a 4 to 10 hr drive to get to something reasonable. The VFR that I have been looking at is 10 hrs away (every single dealer I have found between here and there wants pretty much retail price). Royal PITA, but I am stuck where I am for now. Taking into account what it is going to take to get one to my door is under consideration. Pretty much everything that I find used is about what you could find a new bike for. Figure the VFR will hold its value more than a YZF or even ZZR600. But thanks for the replies
There are many reasons why an '06 VFR is well worth 2k over an '07 YZF. Number one is fuel injection - that right there would rule out a YZF for me. Second is comfort - the YZF is Yamaha's 1995 race replica, comfortable compared to an R6 but a long way off from a VFR. Third is color matching hard bags as an option, but only you can decide if that's important. Fourth is better power in mid and low rpms. Fifth is better looks and being a Honda over a Yamaha - both these are subjective, but certainly factors for me. As well as being $2k cheaper the YZF is lighter and probably turns in faster, but I'm guessing it's less stable at speed. For me the choice is a complete no-brainer, but even a bigger no-brainer would be to save a couple grand over the YZF and find a clean 5th gen bike - but I'm not hung up on needing something brand new, and unlike many I have the cash to be able to buy used.
In my not so humble opinion used YZF 600Rs can be absolutely screaming deals. You can find nice ones with less than 10,000 miles for under $4000. They are relatively comfortable, handle well and have fully adjustable suspensions. VFRs handle well, are a little more comfortable, sound better, and have better aftermarket support. VFRs cost more but hold their value better. What are you going to use the bike for? If it is going to be mostly used as a sport bike the YZF 600R might be a better choice. If it is going to be used for mostly for sport-touring and commuting then the VFR might be a better choice. I had to make this very decision in 2000. I was looking for a sport-touring bike that I could take to the occasional track day. I ended up buying a left over 99 VFR 800 because it handled almost as well as the Yamaha, was more comfortable and I loved the way the VFR sounded. Go ride them both and buy the one you like the best.
