5th gen vs. 6th gen....an opinion

Just a quick note. I replaced those horrid Dunlop 205's that Honda thought would be a good (and cheap) tire for the bike with Pirrelli's excellent Diablo Strada's.........New Bike! It now turns in as fast as my 5th gen, yet retains the greater stability and suspension action of the 6th gen. I've also lived with V-TEC for 2000+ miles now and I like it. It may not be as "visceral" as the geared cams, but I like that V-TEC honk off the corners. So, I'm happy with my decision to buy a 6th gen, but, the 5th gen is still a great motorcycle that was a joy to own. Ride safe.

Mark
Never Give Up!

 

Couldn't agree more about the change in tires' effect on the 6th gen. I'm on Michelin Pilot Powers, it's an entirely different bike in the corners as compared to the stock tires.

 

N-North, this is a 2000 you are talking about; I have a Gen 4 1994 and it is like a brand bew bike (of course I over maintain and clean it). Not saying a 'new' bike isn't great, just that VFRs last. Here is a pic of mine taken this summer, as I said it looks new, rides like new and runs better with milage than when new:

 

Great write-up, but I thought we all agreed that the 5th Gen was far superior to all other generations????

 

Not in all ways for example the GEN 4 engine is the last that can be over-bored because it has cast iron liners. I also like th GEN 4 frame with swing arm support and IMO it looks better (not saying Gen 4 is a better bike).

 

I started off with an '94 Then a '01. Great bike. Mounted the Michelin Pilot Roads,and installed a Akrapovic slip-on. Loved it, but no option for OEM hard bags. I didn't like the Givis. That's probably the only reason I sold it, to get a '07 with bags. Love the '07, but the '01 was an awesome bike.

 

Concur

As a previous owner of a 1998 that I loved, and a current owner of an 05 that I also love, I have to say that I agree with this review.

Lately, I have been longing for the gear driven cam sound and the two brothers exhaust I had on the 5th gen. I think a nice set of pipes on the 6th gen will help me regain the total love I had for the 5th.

Really the only problem with a 5th gen is that they are getting harder to find in really good clean shape... and when you do they usually cost almost as much as a 6th gen.

Thanks for the write up, I wanted to do something similar, but was too lazy and you did it much better than I could have.

 

Still diggin' my '07. We had a 70 degree day Tuesday and I rode to the pool and back for my workout. No regrets. The 5th gen is a great bike, but I'm happy with my decision (of course, if I hadn't bought my 6th gen, I would still be happy with my 5th gen). This is the bike for a 44 year old Daddy with two kids under 6, bad shoulders, and a loving full-time Mommy for a bride. I don't have to ride like an a-hole to enjoy it and it has enough refinement to ride it to another state. Great bike (same goes for my old 5th gen's too.....yes,I had two of them). Ride safe.

Mark

 

one of the brit mags did a comp a year of so ago.. neil mackenze rode em all his overall favorite...the gen 3....

 

I want a 6th gen, with a 5th gen motor. That would be perfect to me