Hi Folks! I am as of this morning a very happy owner of a 2006 VFR800 ABS 20th Anniversary Edition (Complete with panniers, topbox, inner bags, tankpad, carbon top bridge cover, carbon meter panel)! I've also added heated grips (living in Sweden...) and alarm. The color of my beautiful baby is Pearl Cosmic Black, which by the way is the fastest. Looking forward to join a nice community of bikers! /Faceplant http://vfrworld.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=637
Me Too!! 5th Gen I'd just like to say, WOW?!! Why did I wait to sold to get this bike. I just purchased a used 5th Gen (99). WOW. To all those so called expert journalist that have been nit picking this bike for silly stuff over the years. All I have to say is! What type of riding are you doing? I have been researching this bike for over 10 years and I've read all sorts of stuff like the front end is soft, lacks mid range power, can't keep up with some track bikes? Well I just want to know what type of riding are these guys doing? I've just returned from my first real ride on this bike. What a dream. Does anybody remember the very first time they took a bike out on the rode and decided that this was the most fun any person should ever have? Then you start smiling from ear to ear? Well, that's what happened to me today. Let me tell you about my little 40 min ride, but first let me tell you about the area. I live in the Northern Virginia/Washington DC area. Just right outside the 495 Loop. So everyone understand about traffic, bad drivers and fairly warm weather. I enter the lovely 95N Expressway, so I'm in 2nd gear going about 30mph around a reverse "S" turn so that I can enter 95N. The bike is around 3000-4000 rpms I roll on the throttle and the bike just grabs the rode and gets up to 60/65 mph in seconds. Kind of what you'd expect from a 750CC + bike. But the great thing was when I went into 4th gear the bikes rpms didn't really drop, but the speed just kept on coming. So I went into 5th gear and rolled back on the throttle starting to cruise at 65 mph/6500 rpms in 5th gear. For all those that say the VFR isn't as nibble as a true sport bike? What is their definition of nibble? Cause a driver started to take my lane from me all I did was check my right mirror and before I knew it I was moving into another lane. Some would say that it's the rider not the bike. I happen to thinks it's both. This bike is way more nibble than my 93 750 GSX-R and just as nibble as my 93 CBR F2. Well, I decided to play a little and weave in between some cars that were staggered on the expressway. The acceleration was effortless, once again, it's what you'd expect from a 750cc + bike. Well, I get off the expressway to see how the bike handles in city traffic. Honestly, how many times do you think you're gonna drop big money on a bike and use it for straight track days. The city is where rider and bike make their money, lives and legend. So, I'm in moderate traffic, kind of stop and go traffic. This is what I remember. From a dead stop in 1st gear, get the rpms up to about 1200-1500. Bike starts rolling at about 10-15 mph shift into 2nd gear/2500-4000 rpms depending how fast I want to go and how much gas I want to waist. Now pay attention cause this is where bread and butter are made. 2nd and 3rd gear, the bike handles, sounds, responses like a dream. Thoughts and motions become one. Roll on the throttle bike picks up speed so fast I'm begin to slide on the Corbin seat. Lean to the left and right for fun, bike handles very quickly. The leans aren't really leans, they're more like the push and pull on the handle bars the you're suppose to use according to all riding/race manuals. This is where all of the usable power is 4000-8000 rpms going about 40 -55 mph. This is when I started comparing my old 93 750 GSX-R to the VFR. That bike would being to think about moving until it reached 4500 - 5500 rpms, then the power was so abrupt that it would jerk your arms out of their sockets. Trying to keep it under 30-40 mph in the city was a bear, I'd have to consistently keep shifting between gears to stay within a responsive power band. Now remember both bikes weight about the same, but the weight distribution and rider placement is way different. VFR sits up higher. The center of balance is higher, but you'd never know it due to it is still more responsive. GSX-R is about 3" longer, there's more front end weight and a lot more torquey, but it's not usable power. So I returned home and was still smiling ear to ear about this bike. This sums it up best. The VFR has truly usable power that can be used to get you out of tight dangerous places while riding in the city or on the highway with very little though and without the jerking of head and shoulders while maintaining responsiveness. The riding position is such that you can see over everything, not get fatigued and catch enough of a breeze to keep you cool. I've heard people state that the heat build up is terrible, well wether I was on the expressway or in the city the temp never got lower than 217 and higher than 223. My GSX-R was never that consistent. City about 230 highway 180's. When evaluating a bike think about how it will be used and what type of traffic conditions will it be in. Even though the 'Busa has 1300 cc's not all that power is usable. The R1 may be quick, but what happens when you come around a run and roll on the throttle and that 120 hp is thrown to the rear wheel and you break traction. The GSX-R may be just a little more nibble, but how long can you ride it before you need hip replacement. It could be that I'm just a fan of Honda's. It could be that I'm not 20 any more and it could be that I have just found the perfect bike that fits my riding style. Usable power for the city and open rode, comfort, and looks great.
