Good or Bad?

Like many other VFR owners I have been waiting for several model years to see if Honda would come out with a "new VFR". I waited through the entire 2006 model year reading all the rumors for "the new VFR" for '07 to be launched which of course didn't happen so I bought my '06 late in the year. I then bought into the rumors for '08 and again '09. I spent allot of money for this bike so obvioustly I liked it. The issue I have with the bike is the V-Tech, I know that this is not a new topic but I do find an issue with having to drop gears to get any kind of passing power as i travel mostly highway.

To make a long story short I have been forced to look at other manufacturers with something comparable to what I beleived the rumored 1000 cc VFR would be.

This has led me to the 2009 BMW K1300S which is coming available in early spring. I have somebody coming out to look at buying my VFR but I can't seem to commit to selling it yet as I really do enjoy the bike. However the VFR's short falls are pushing me in this direction.

I would be happy if somebody could convince me that I am making a big mistake or give me some info regarding owning a BMW bike.

 

Stock the bike is a heavyweight (540 lbs), add bags (30 lbs), another 70 pounds of gear and you're at about 650 pounds gross weight. Then factor in your own weight (for the sake of this explanation) is 170 pounds, you are now up to roughly 800 pounds gross weight. The stock 781cc motor makes about 95 hp (for the sake of this explanation), that means that each HP has to drag around about 8.5 pounds, not such a great ratio. It isn't the VTEC my friend.

 

The reason I beleive the V-Tech to be the problem is because it only runs 2 valves per cyl untill 6500 RPM and when cruising at highway speeds in sixth gear the rpm's are much lower than this, so down shifting is required to get above 6500rpm. Below 6500 rpm the tourque and HP is much lower. The "95hp" is attained well above 6500rpm. 4 valves open all the way through the rpm range would infact increase power through all gears and engine speeds.

 

Interesting points...if you need wicked power/acceleration you need a different bike. Is the BMW the answer? Hmmm...I don't know the model well but I wouldn't think it is going to be that much faster. A CBR 1000rr (or some other litre sport-bike) IS going to be wicked fast. So many of the big displacement bikes (other than the litre bikes) are HEAVY too so they don't get up and go as fast as you might think. The 2.3L Triumph is the perfect example.
Only YOU know if the VFR is not fast enough. (My VFR gets around traffic pretty darn quick...sure, I wish it was faster but I wish for all sorts of extravagant things!) Ride anything else before you switch out.

 

Hmmmmmmmm...

Here's my take... I often do not ride in "cruising gear". I tend to ride in the gear that will offer me performance and the ability to react without having to change gears. On a windy/twisty road, I am often revving at about 8-9K RPMS. On the highway... well, same thing really. This often means I can be on the highway riding in 4th or 5th gear, and may never get into 6th or "cruising". I have ridden many bikes, and the VFR, in my opinion, offers the most flexibility for various riding styles. If you are looking for a purely sport ride, then you should get a sport bike. However, if you like the VFR and are just not wanting to ride non-V-Tech, drop yourself down a gear and ride at 7-9K RPMS where you can react to the road quicker.

When I first started riding the VFR on the freeway, I found myself realizing after a while, that I wasn't in 6th, so I would go there... after a while, I realized I preferred freeway riding in 4th... maybe 5th, so I rarely get into 6th... unless I'm doing 125MPH or better. The VFR is the first bike I've had where I feel like the gear I use isn't so cut and dry... it's a *choice*. Most other bikes sort of dictate the gear you should be in. So... my advice to you is play around with the gears a bit before making a decision to let go of the VFR. You may just find that you like it better than you realized. The grass is NOT necessarily greener on a BMW or other bike. Explore the true potential of your VFR....

 

Thanks for the advise, I probably don't need to be in 6th as much when on the highway. That probably comes to me from riding a cruiser before the VFR where you have to be in top gear more often.

The bad part of this is that just moments after I started this thread the guy called me and is coming to my house tonight to look at my bike. I guess ultimately it's mine to sell and not his to buy. I'm actually sitting here wondering how to get out of this the easiest way now that I'm second guessing my decision to sell it.

let me think, the VFR is paid for and the BMW I would need to double my investment.
optioned out the K1300S is around $20'000 CAD.

 

Besides Harley Davidson, modern bikes make their peak torque and HP above 6500 rpm's. The VFR was made to be revved. The person you sell it to will be glad they got it. Good luck in whatever decision you make.

 

I test rode a K1200s before ending up buying the VFR. When it came down to it, the money was the deciding factor for the VFR.

Go ahead and flame if you'd like, but if I had the cash, I'd trade the VFR for the new K1300S in a flash... Don't get me wrong, the VFR is a great bike and it is certainly less of a handful than a big bike on a winding road - but I still feel twinges of regret that I couldn't afford the K1200s at the time I was looking.

IMO Anyone who tells you the extra grunt of the 1300 would be negated by the extra weight is kidding themselves. - The bigger bike affords you the luxury to lug around in a higher gear. There's just more torque and more HP down low.

If you're the sort of rider that prefers not to have the engine revving highly most of the time, you won't be dissappointed in the bigger bike.

 

Hey thanks, it's good to hear that i'm not crazy with my logic on this one.
But don't get me wrong the VFR has been great. allot of research was done before I bought it.

It was recomended earlier that if I want "awsome" power that I buy a sport bike, this is not what i'm after. I tour on highways and need the comfort of a sport touring bike but i don't want a ST1300 or FJR etc.. these bikes have "awsome power" but are not a CBR1000 they just lean to much to the touring side for me in style and function. I don't EVER have a passenger. So from my research there are only a couple of bikes that seem to fit, Triumph sprint st, VFR, K1300s and mayby a Hayabusa as I have found many people actually use the Busa for touring (not for me though)

 

My only advice is just find one to try out first! You are spending a lot of money to find out the hard way...! And I will tell you absolutely the bigger weight CAN negate the higher HP, and very easily! I did the big fast engine bigger bike thing this summer and I hated it! Sure it handled as good as my old vfr, and it blew it away in pickup, but I hated driving the tank! Then again, you might just love the big bmw! I'd just say make sure first! Lotsa cash gone if you don't like it!

As for lugging? why would you on any bike? ? Thats why these have a tranny, and isnt that half the fun using it?

 

I checked out the weight ratings for these bikes and the VFR is 551 pounds with ABS full tank of fuel and all fluids, the rating for the k1300S is 503 pounds dry. So with fuel and all fluids the BMW would be very similar. Cleary there would be no difference regarding the weight of the so called "bigger bike".

 

The busa is a great bike for long riding it is comfortable with some minor bar changes, has good weight so it does not feel like it is being blown around and if you feeling really laze you can just use 3rd gear. Starting in 3rd is not a problem and it takes you well over the triple digits. As long as you are not stupid it also has plenty of low end power for around town.

 

Thanks for all of the great input on this one. After reading your comments and thinking hard I beleive I will be keeping my VFR. The guy who wants to buy it came out the other day and after I told him all the great things about the bike and starred at it in my garage with him for an hour I asked myself why the hell I would get rid of it, I bought it for all the right reasons, what a great bike. I guess I was just having a "brain fart".

 

Explore the true potential of the VFR...well said VFRChick.

Gotta' be honest on this one, I don't quite understand the reasoning behind considering a change especially to a K1200-1300? The only thing you'll gain with a BMW is a payment. You'll lose the sport side of it all (not completely I know). The problem with the K12-1300 isn't the weight, it's the length. If you do any kind of serious sport riding when you are touring, the K bike is simply more to toss around for only a marginal increase in touring capability.

I had a Honda Blackbird before the VFR which is nearly identical to the K12-1300 both in power and dimensions. From a touring perspective, the VFR is only slightly behind because of the cruising characteristics. Other than that, the Blackbird has not been missed. Use those gears, get familiar with the redline if you have to. These motors are made to run high. It sounds like you are really in cruising mode. If you're putting along on the highway cruiser-like, no wonder she won't get up and go for you :biggrin: 6th gear anywhere under 70 mph is worthless.

Do what's right for you. Only you know how you like to ride and what you like to feel from a bike.

 

Thanks for starting this thread and for all of the responses...there have been some great thought-provoking responses here. This thread has been much more interesting than I thought it would be...great ideas about the rev range of our VFR and how best to use it in different situations. This all points out how flexible motorcycles in general are (and VFRs in particular). We sometimes forget that there are many ways to use the power on our VFRs...there are many things to think about when riding and this is one of the more subtle ones. This line of logic is not only useful for general enjoyment but being in the right gear at the right time just might save your life too!
Kudos to all!

 

heres another angle, seeing as youre going to keep the gen 6, why not take the $$ you would have spent on the upgrade and buy yourself a second bike that maybe suits that role a bit better.

for example: a good used example of a ZZR 1100 (D model) or 1200 (ZX12), Yamaha Fazer, Suzuki bandit 1250T or maybe an ealier model K1200.

as your not time pressured to buy a bike you can be choosey and wait for the right thing to come along.