Touring capabilities

The performance aspect of the Gen6 is well covered on these boards but I'd like to know how good a tourer this VFR is? Can it handle 4-5 hours of driving per day for a lone rider? What's your experience with this?

More specifically I'm looking at doing an extended tour of Europe over 3 months next summer, the big touring bikes don't interest me much!

Thanks

Regards,
Bruckner

 

To Tour or not to tour...

Hey Bruckner

I very recently purchased an 03 VFR. Love every aspect of the machine. At 5' 8" though I am looking at bar risers or helibars because the weight on my palms is making for a numb ride after only a half hour. I've never owed a sport style bike before, maybe you have and are used to the lean...? I cleared 200 miles easy on a tank of gas...so it can keep up with the big tourers between gas stations. I've read that lots of guys replace the seat with a segeant, seems to be a popular mod.

Hope this helps!

E:

 

Elvis I'm about your size so I may be looking at a similar "up"-grade! I have heard about aftermarket seats being that much more comfortable than the stock item, again something to look at. I have no experience with sports bike, maybe one day but for the time being my sole interest is cross country riding!

Regards,
Bruckner

 

I hear you. I had an XT 600 (enduro), it was great for logging miles...and you could shoot up any road that caught your eye! The DR 650 is another good one, even better on the highway. Unfortunately the wind beats you up on those.

Good luck!

 

Bruckner,

Just took my first real trip on my 06 viffer aprox 650mi in two days. I do not have any mods yet and survived the trip without any real problems. We stopped about every 60-90 min for stretching and/or fuel. I had a very quick recovery time at each stop no more than five minutes to shake off the stiffness. I do think i might look at a taller windshield and possible a seat. The seat is not to bad, I think its better than the vtx1300 I had prior to the viffer, but I would like the optional backrest for my passengers. I think some type of throttle lock would help also. Im 5'9 165lbs and did not have a problem with wrist pain. Hope this helps

 

4-5 hours is no sweat. even 7-8 is way doabl. it'll be hard to find a better bike for what your asking. Maybe just a maybe the only other bike out there that can really compare is a Aprilia Futura.

 

Tourning not a problem ... last summer did 2500 miles to northern Calf to do 299, 36 1, and 3. We averaged about 350 miles a day. I'm 5'8" 150 lbs. and for me this bike is like an easy chair. For the seat, I have a butt buffer, a Laminar touring lip, a throttle lock (seldom used), and a small tank bag to learn on. Also rode my partners Aprilia Futura ... I understand it was their answer to the VFR ... almost like a twin sister when you ride them both one after the other. The fit and finish on the VFR is far superior. And it's a honda ... do these things break!? I thought all you had to do was change the oil, lub the chain, polish them up and RIDE.

 

I've ridden for @9 hrs. before and after a coupla hours of rest could've rode some more. I highly recommend an aftermarket seat. I've had corbins and have a sargent now. Both are a huge improvement over stock and I wouldn't be without one. The sargent is a lighter seat though. As for the clip-ons, try to use your back and legs more to keep the weight off of your wrists, and you can try raising the stockers up to the top of the forks for a little higher rise.

 

The Triumph Sprint St is almost a carbon copy of the vfr without the Honda fit and finish. The stock seat on the Triumph feels better just sitting on a demo but I wouldn't let that be my deciding factor.

 

The VFR is terrific for touring. I'd average a 6 to 7 hour riding time per day this summer - and with stop/lunch/pee/site see breaks it came to 8 to 10 hour days. All this with a stock seat. Over the winter I hope to purchase a taller windscreen - cause the bugs kept building up on my helmet - and grip warmers. I'm not interested in a throttle lock. I'm hoping to do a 10,000K ride next summer. Maybe a Sargent seat is in order? LOL!

 

I agree! I did two 10-day trips this summer. One 5,000 miles and one 3,500 miles; both mainly mountain twisties (after I got out of Florida). Performance is ample under any circumstances.

My windscreen recommendation is Zero Gravity's Sport Touring version. I have the Sargent seat that is very nice but not a neccessity. I actually thought the stock seat was very comfortable; I just didn't like the stock upholstery material. And the bucket shape of the Sargent keeps you from sliding into the tank.

My main touring mods are Convertibars and Thurn adjustable footpegs. Big bucks required (over $700 plus labor) but now my VFR is as roomy and comfortable as an ST1300.

 

I bought my 06 in July and have over 5K grinning miles on it so far. I've done two trips that were 6-7 hours straight through each way with no problems. First trip I was on stock seat and bars and I was really happy to get off the bike at the end. Second trip was with HeliBars and a Corbin seat. The second trip was much more enjoyable - I could have ridden even further!:biggrin: Next is a double bouble screen to get a little more wind off me during the cold months (I had ice on my shoulders this morning from the dew freezing on me!)

I am so in love with this bike that I might just leave the wife if she doesn't quit nagging me about riding so much! Oh, I'm 6'2" and 230 lbs. if that makes a difference.

 

Ya it's been said often here that the Gen6 is optimized for taller riders, a rather un-Japanese approach to designing a bike! At 5,8 I'll have to see whether taller bars and adjustable footpegs are in order. I'm sold to the sports/touring compromise and that exhaust noise.. is there an alternative?! I think not!

Regards,
Bruckner

 

well said, you speak for me too

 

At 5' 9" and 42 yro, find the VFR Ergo's spot on, regularly do 400-500mile with a max 700mile single day ride's without complaint on both my previously stock gen 6 and current Gen 5, the slight lean forward position is perfect at cruising speeds and the Pegs compared to pure Sports bikes is roomy, the seat is acceptable when wearing quality touring leather pants although must admit have just added a dead sheep to my stock seat for added luxury. :smile:

 

At 5'10" and 210lbs, I did a back-to-back-to-back 1000km per/day trip through the northern U.S. states this summer (Michigan to Montana). The only comfort mods I've made on my 2005 red VFR are a Sargent seat (a must!) and a Puig double-bubble dark smoke windscreen (suggested, but not necessary for touring).

What do I think of the 6th gen's touring capabilities? Simply amazing for a sport-touring machine when riding one-up.