Passenger comfort - any issues?

Hello everyone. I'm new to the board and I'm looking to purchase a VFR in the next two months. I have a few questions and I'm hoping that you'll be able to give me some advice.

1. How is the VFR riding 2-up for the passenger? My wife keeps pushing me to buy a cruiser-type bike (which I do not want) because she thinks that the VFR will be uncomfortable for her as a passenger. She's 5'8" and has fairly long legs. I showed her a few pictures of a VFR and she said that she wouldn't ride on it, partly due to it not having a back rest but I think that you can purchase those?

2. With the latest generation having the mufflers routed right under the passenger area, has anyone had issues in respect to heat, getting burnt, etc? If need be I will narrow my search to a model that has the conventional type exhaust.

3. I'm not a young guy (46 yrs old) and I'm a bit concerned with comfort as well. I won't be taking any long trips and the bike will be used for commuting a very short distance, general running around the town type rides and day trips. The last bikes I owned were a 1992 CBR600F2 and a 1993 HD Sportster 1200 (it's been that long since I rode!). The F2 was great for solo rides but not so good for passengers. I actually liked the HD for short rides but the vibration made it very unpleasant after a short time.

4. I have yet to check insurance costs. Are the higher than any other bike in the 750-800cc size range?

Any other advice or tips that you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Thank you. I kind of suspected that this would be the case, given the sporty character of the bike. Was kind of hoping I was wrong, though.
I really want a VFR, I've waited for years. I'm thinking that the wife will just have to get used to it or not.
I like the idea of taking her with me when I look next.

 

Taking your wife with you is probably the only way to get a good answer to your passenger question. Put it up on the center stand and let her try it out. I've had my kids on the back for rides and they said it was pretty comfortable, of course that’s just riding around town. They didn't complain about any heat issues from the seat so I guess it didn't bother them. You do feel some heat sitting at a light from the down pipe on the right side but once you’re moving no problems. As far as comfort, the VFR is better than any of the sport bikes and not bad over all. I'm a year younger than you and ride to work almost every day. Last Saturday I did a 250 mile ride up in the mountains and had no complaints, unlike 2 of my friends on GSXR's. I've got Heli bars on mine but still have the stock seat. If you’re only going to have one bike, the VFR is a great choice.

Action

 

I'm in my mid 40's and ride my Y2K every day. In fact my personal car hasn't moved in about 3.5 months! I commute 36 miles one way when I drive it to work (I have a take home patrol car, so it sits when I'm on duty rotation) My girl rides on the back (no back rest yet) she's 5'8 and about 150lbs, I've taken another woman who's 5'6 and about 135lbs for well in excess of 100 miles round trip. Stops for lunch of course, but on coastal roads to include Ozello Trail in Citrus Co. Florida. So it's been real world 2UP. I haven't had any complaints as to comfort (only the ladies lack of riding experience, to which they got more of and now love it)
I wouldn't choose another make or year for my personal tastes, usage. Plus Yellow is the best....

 

My wife has ridden on the back of the bike for fairly long jaunts and she says it is very comfortable. I have the Sargent seat so that may help. It's very comfortable for a couple hundred miles or so she says. She has no complaints whatsoever.

 

I have a '99 VFR (5th Gen) VFR and I've taken three passengers so far. The only complaint I ever heard was that resting the feet on the footpegs makes her knees a little uncomfortable. For a sportbike it's got one of the best seats out there for passenger towing.

If you're just gonna take your wife along on short trips around I would encourage your wife to at least sit on it before she makes up her mind. Corbin makes an aftermarket seat that has a back rest.

But if you wanna go on superlong trips then yeah a FJR or a Concourse would be a better bet.

 

My wife is 5'9" and hates motorcycles.

she says it is comfortable, but we have not done much touring.
I also think a back rest would help and yes you can get them eather as a seperate mount(uses grab rail mounts) or as part of a sergent seat.

 

I have the Sargent backrest/luggage rack on my '99 and it is a mixed bag. It makes the passenger feel more secure, but also seems to encourage them to lean back against it rather than forward, which kind of throws off the balance, and doesn't make the bike feel as composed. JMO.

 

I bought mine for the 2up. I think its great & so does the missus. I wanted the sports bike & she wanted to come along. Great middle ground. Plenty of seat, good seating position. When alone, push on the footpegs, push the countersteer & it comes alive. Back rests & racks can injure ur pillions back if run over something.

 

I'm 48, 5'9", and I ride a 2007 VFR 800A, with the optional Honda side-cases and top-case (which has a back rest), as well as a Sargeant leather seat.

My 2-up riding companion is 5'9", 117 lbs., and she has very long legs. (Both of us always wear full riding gear from head-to-toe.) We've rode a total of ~7000-8000 miles together, mostly on a 2007 BMW K1200GT. Believe it or not, she likes the VFR more than the BMW. When asked why, she mentions the following:

1) Compared with the BMW, she sits higher on the VFR (thanks in part to the Sargeant seat) which gives her much better forward visibility as well as a better view of the cockpit displays including the Zumo 550 and the Escort 8500X radar/laser detector. She can also easily see what my hands are up to. (The K1200GT places the rider in a more forward posture, as does the VFR, so with either motorcycle, a rear passenger is going to have more forward visibility because the rider's torso is more over the tank, and less upright.)

2) Although the BMW had an electronically adjustable windscreen, while the VFR's Givi touring windscreen is much shorter and nonadjustable, she finds that my upper body serves as a fairly good windscreen.

3) From the first time she rode 2-up on the VFR, she was very aware of the differences in how these two bikes ride and handled. The VFR is nearly 100 lbs. lighter than the K12GT, and it's more nimble and flickable. In other words, she finds 2-up riding through the twisties to be more fun on the VFR.

On the other hand, when it comes to riding on slabs at highway speeds, the nod goes to the BMW with it's electronic suspension adjustment, front Duolever and rear Paralever suspension, electronic windscreen, electronic cruise control, heated seats, bike computer, tire pressure monitoring, etc. (That said, the K12GT's price tag was more than twice the VFR.)

4) She prefers the comfort of the VFR's Sargeant seat and the top-case backrest over the BMW's stock seat and backrest. Knee flexion is slightly greater with the VFR, but at no time has she complained about sore knees while on the back of the VFR after 200+ miles.

5) She's not had any problems or complaints with heat from the FVR's twin, under-the-seat exhaust cans.

6) She finds the VFR's V4 800cc (100+ horsepower) engine, 6-speed transmission, and chain-drive to be much smoother and quieter than the BMW's 1150cc (150+ horsepower) inline 4-cyclinder engine, clunky 6-speed transmission, and shaft drive.

That said, if you're transitioning to the 800cc V4 engine from a motorcycle that has lots more horsepower and torque-power, it might be a good idea to first become very familiar with how to best operate the VFR, solo, when starting out in first gear (particularly on inclined intersections with sharp 90 degree turns) before you take on a passenger. Keep the revs well up as you smoothly let out the clutch, lest you stall the smaller V4 engine and drop the bike with your sweetie on the back.

The V4 is a magnificent engine, and it will pull like a mule when you run it within its optimal power band, but it tends to lack low-end torque, and therefore its easy to lug and stall this engine until you get the hang of it while first riding solo. When you then add in the weight of a co-rider wearing full gear, you'll wanna be even more liberal with the RPM's in order to avoid lugging and stalling the engine.

*****************************************************

What do we both feel could stand improvement with the 2007 VFR 800A? Answer: The front and rear suspension, but particularly the front suspension, which I find to be a nightmare to adjust back-and-forth between 1-up and 2-up riding. On the other hand, the 800A ('A' for integral antilock brakes) has a user friendly, 35-click-adjustable dial for rear preload on the right rear of the bike, so its fairly easy to change rear preload by just counting off clicks, 1---> 35. For solo riding, experiment and find the number of clicks that give you the best overall ride and handling for your total weight including riding gear, riding conditions, luggage, etc. Now add in the weight of a co-rider, and experiment some more. (I really miss the Beemer's Electronic Suspension Adjustment or ESA, which is a magnificent feature for a sport-TOURING motorcycle.)

Tires: For what its worth, my new 2007 VFR came from the factory with Metzeler ME4's. I've never liked Metzelers, and I particularly didn't like the ME4's. I soon replaced them with a set of Michelin Road Pilot 2CT's, and the difference has been like night and day. (36-38 psi front, 42 psi rear).

Rider <--> passenger communication: Those who want the most enjoyment and safety while riding 2-up would do well to install a hard-wired, voice-activated (VOX, hands free), in-helmet motorcycle intercom system, for effortless rider-to-passenger communication, such as Autocom's Super Pro AVi kit. This system will also allow both riders to clearly hear GPS, radar detector, etc.

 

My girl has no issues with my FZ1, or at the very least hasn't voiced any when I've asked. 2up position/padding of a 5th gen is similar to my FZ1 (known from personal experience as I once had to ride the back of Stuka's).

I think ultimately passenger comfort comes down to how the passenger orients his/herself to the bike and rider, adapting style to a change in bikes.

Then again, my girl only weighs 115 at 5'3." She's nothing more than a paperweight....

Hmm, I don't know if I want her to read that or not. :ncb:

 

Me and my girl ride the 08 VFR 200 miles or more with a stock seat almost every weekend. We have done 287 miles in one day with several stops along the way. The key is the stops to stretch along the way. If I was to tour 2 up, I would choose the ST1300 for more comfort. I'm 44 5'11' 180 and she is 49 5'6' 150.

 

At present, we are a one bike family.
I have a Corbin Gunfighter and Lady seat on my '06. It was purchased mainly for two up riding. My, almost 11 year old son, loved to ride on my VTX1800. He is just now getting long enough in the leg for the VFR. My wife has ridden with me just three times in the last year. My eight year old daughter is still too short to keep her feet on the pegs.
What I'm getting around to is that since I have left Cruiser-world behind, two up riding hardly ever happens any more. The wife says I have a me-bike, and says I need a we-bike. I agree. I'm not letting go of the VFR. Looking toward an ST1300 in a couple of years.
I saying that the VFR just does not fill the bill when it comes to two people on two wheels.

Mac

 

As much as i love my vfr, and do use it for some long 2 up trips, I'd say as long as you never take her on a real 2 upper, it does not all that bad. If you want a sport type bike for sure, then this works as good as any of them. We do a fair bit of 2up on the vfr, and it requires a backrest( very easy to make cheaply!) and frequent stops! But there are sure better ways to go if you make the 2 up part a habit..
We did find tho, that its more comfy for her thanthe bandit/fz1 nakeds we tried as the pegs are actually lower and the seat is just as good, so no benefit there for us.
Power and handling are not a issue loaded and 2 up.
It really is a compromise 2 upper, If you really love it solo, then it will work ok. If 2 up becomes your primary thing, then keep looking elsewhere.
And don't bet on a the cruisers being the cure..most of them have brutal passenger setups..narrow seats and pegs in your ears..they require the same test rides to figure it out.
On the other hand, I found the big st bikes that are so comfy 2 up, can be a boring tank riding solo...always a problem eh??

good luck!

 

Welcome Bill220,

I'm not that young any longer either, (53 now!), but I can spend 8 hours on my bike (a 2002 VFR) and not have any problems! First few rides my wrists got sore, but I think I was holding the grips (squeezing them too hard) at first. Now I don't even notice.

Good luck - buy 2 - get one for your wife!

Theresa

 

Wow, thanks for all of the great responses!
It's decided, the VFR it is. I talked with my wife about it yesterday and she said to get whatever I wanted and she'll deal with it. She also said that she didn't plan on any extended rides, maybe an hour or two at the most.
I was trying to talk myself into a cruiser and was almost ready to the pull the trigger on the last generation Magna but I've always wanted a VFR.
I haven't ridden in probably 15 years except for a quick ride on my cousin's Yamaha Road Star last Summer. Makes me nervous but I plan on re-taking the MSF course again as a refresher in the spring.
I've been searching Craigs List and ebay, the right bike will come along, hopefully soon.

 

Awesome, kudos for taking the MSF again to refresh your memory. Good luck with the search too, be patient. I know they were kind of tough to find around my area, but just keep looking and get the one you want.

 

You're right about good used ones being scarce. I live in PA and haven't found any in my state thus far. I never even see them on the road here (I like that, though). There's a really nice 99 model in NC on ebay but it would cost me too much to get it back to where I live. It has everything I want, too.