How many older guys ride VFR?

Well it clearly seems that the vast majority of us on VFR's are middle aged! I think my wife gets it now............. I am NOT too old for this bike!

 

76 years young

I've been riding since I was 14. Started on a Whizzer bicycle used for delivering newspapers
in my neighborhood.

Have owned about 40 motorcycles and enjoyed every one of them immensely.

My two favorites was a cherry RC30 and Suzy RG500 Gamma (Walter Wolf).

While vice president of AFM I raced a pretty fast Yamaha 250 TD1C in the gran prix class.

Later as a MSF Chief Instructor I taught many instructors and about 9,000 riders in a 24 year
period in California.

Luckily I've never been down or crashed (knock on wood), and today I enjoy riding the pace on my
'98 VFR800 modified slightly for comfort.

I enjoy riding in the hills by my house (Alice's Restaurant) in SF Bay Area and occasionally going
for tour rides into Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Idaho and Canada.

Sometimes I go riding with an old friend of mine who is 91, has one eye, and rides
several bikes he owns, quite well. He must have been born on a motorcycle!

Remember..."We don't stop riding because we get old, we get old because we stopped riding"

 

"Remember..."We don't stop riding because we get old, we get old because we stopped riding"

Great quote!

 

Several posts back I admitted I was 63. I thought my riding days were likely numbered, but after reading through all the posts here, it seems likely that as long as my health holds, I'll be riding for another 20 years or more!:dance:

 

One of the many times I was searching for a VFR, I came across an ad similar to the following;

"For Sale: 1995 Honda VFR. I don't really want to sell it, but wife says it has to go. Bike is in excellent condition; wife is so-so. Will take $3500 for either."

 

Another 42 year old, had the viffer for over 8 years now.

 

65 I have an 02 VFR. Wife rides two up quite often , we both love it. We do get a few looks when we remove our helmets though.

 

my .02

After reading some of these posts I feel like a youngster at 57.

 

so them I must be a baby at under 40.

 

I am not sure how your wife is defining "old" but in my track day club there are several members who are in thier late 60' or early 70's who still run with the fast group of riders and ride like most of us wish we could.

As long as you are safe... enjoy.

 

Since you are younger than me... You are A YOUNGSTER!

John

 

A friend right around the corner from me is 63-64ish and still races his Arimachie(sp) or what ever it's called Harley/Italian race bike. I believe he took 1st overall for his class in ARMA this year. It can be seen here. He designed and builds the "Solo" race bike roller starters. He's talking about racing WERA this next coming year. That's him in the race photo of the 1st link.


DocZ International Manufacturer Solo Starter Systems

DocZ International Solo Starter

 

Wow,im 28 n my 6gen is only my 2nd bike.. i might still have a couple of bikes in store but where i come from bikes are a rather expensive luxury item so i put alot of thought and research into choosing the VFR and have not for a second regretted it.. i dont think its an 'old mans' bike n the chicks do dig it,LOL. Sure there are more powerfull,faster bikes out there but this one to me really is greater than the sum of its parts and maybe i didnt need to live another 30 years or own another 30 bikes to get it??

 

I'm new to this forum but not to VFR's. I'm 51 and been riding since about 1970. I started on the old minibikes with lawnmower engines, then I bought the first Kawasaki KX125 (73 or 74) and raced MX in SoCal for a few years during high school. Malcolm Smith's motorcycle shop was a stones throw from where I lived in Riverside, CA at the time and hung out there after school many times, he's one cool dude.

Back to VFRs: I bought my first VFR in 95, a new 4th gen which I kept for 3 years. In 98, I bought a new 5th gen which I still have to this day. I'm clearly heading in the direction of buying the new 7th gen with DCT but will keep my 5th gen as it is one great bike. I'm also sorely tempted with buying a leftover 6th gen 07 RWB just to fill the gap. Sorta makes me wish I still had my original 4th gen to keep the lineage intact.

I also have an 07 Moto Guzzi Griso. Why a Griso? It's old tech, rattles and clunks, air cooled, push rod V-twin like a Harley, but despite it's lack of sophistication it's still a very cool bike with lots of Italian flair and lot's of fun to ride, I just wish it had a bit more giddy-up. With the soon to be growing collection of VFR's, I may have to sell the Griso to make room in the garage unfortunately.

Anyway, that's my brief intro. I'm also a recent forum member of the "other" VFR forum (US), and many moons ago I was a member of the old VFR mailing list when I bought my 4th gen.

 

Dec. 30, 2009

Solomoto,

Welcome aboard to the best VFR website on the internet (and off).

Because you have a '98 VFR you are now a member of the elite '98/'98th Squadron.

Carry On ~

 

I'm 55, just bought a new 08 VFR800A. Hug the tank with your thighs and keep your elbows in and the riding position is perfect.

 

over 50 and after 35 years of diff bikes nothing beats my vfr for loong range comfort! Either my 05 or my 00.... Mind you best i ever do in one day is Winnipeg MB to Kamloops BC a bunch of times every summer, but just never get tired on this bike and I found it best when i went to stock ergos..I did the fjr thing, the awful Vstrom misadventure and After a few cruisers and some other real duds i bought, I will never go back to sit up and beg bikes..Nice bike..If i win the lottery might even try a 1200vfr..

 

The V-Strom and the FJR both get great reviews...I've been thinking about maybe upgrading down the road to an FJR or ST1300 touring bike, so I'm curious what it is exactly that you didn't like? Just the more upright position?

 

I need to check this board more often, I forget how funny and insightful everyone is! 47 years old (48 in Feb, ugh) and aside from the carcass beginning to creak and protest I still feel like a 20-something (OK, OK, 30-something). Love my ol' '98! While I often think of getting something like a CBR 1000, Ducati 848 or even a ZX14, (and may still, but the Interceptor stays) my VFR is still the perfect bike and makes me look forward to riding every time, even if just going to work. I don't however feel too old to ride. The folks I ride with mostly average in the mid-40's on up and, let me tell you, a lot of these guys can RIDE. So, until further notice, I'll be somewhere out on the road, be it just down the street to the coffee shop.

Phil

 

I'm fourty now and wanted a gen 5 since they came out and finally got one. I have every intention of getting a gen 7 in about ten years provided they live up to the name. At sixty I plan to ride what will pass for an ST1300 in the future. My wife supports my riding as she feels it's the only cool thing about me, but I think she hopes to be able to say " he died doing what he loved" sooner than later. If a church-going christian woman openly and unapologeticly wishes you were dead does that mean it's over? I don't think a VFR is an old persons ride, I always thought they were for the rider who want's a good ride for the street. As long as I can grab the bars I intend to ride and admire the old people I see still active and hope to be like them. Riding is my only quiet time and the older my kids get the farther out I'm willing to go.