My 100 hp VFR1200F

Yes, people, if you buy a VFR1200 here it's either 100 hp with papers to match or full power with papers to match. If you have a full power one on paper you'll be paying the government 2500 euro when you bring it into circulation. Any next owner will pay a large percentage of that when they in turn bring it into traffic.

It's common practice here to ride until the first service and then have your bike derestricted. Usually this is done by cutting a wire, bridging two wires and/or pulling a restrictor out of the airbox.

Not so with Honda. On the Fireblade you needed to add a Power Commander to release the power.
On this one it's even worse: you need a new ECU and velocity stacks, cost 1350 euro. Not only that but Honda needed my ID so they know who's got that particular ECU.

Obviously if your choice is to pay 2500 euro to the state (and having to cut the price drastically when you sell it) or pay 1350 euro to Honda, the decision is easy.
People fork out 3 grand for an exhaust that offers 12 hp gains so the ECU is a cheap mod.

Just thought you might like to know. I've been riding the bike with 100 hp for 5 weeks or so and judging by the performance now, I think I'll be pleasantly surprised when another 73 hp and 15 Nm is added next Friday. Which is A LOT imho...


Bef

 

Wow, can't imagine having a bike with that much horsepower corked up !! I can understand if you're a newb to riding but I'd think once you 'passed the test' then you should be able to enjoy derestricted riding at no charge !! What a bunch of :bs:

 

That is a bit extreme but I bet the 1350 euro ecm also comes with a grin to match.

 

Yeah imagine living in France where no bike has over 100 hp. R1's, Fireblades, Hayabusas. None over 100 hp...

 

That is what happens when the government knows best for you. It is possible to get the higher HP but they place a 'tax" on your enjoyment and freedom to do so. Unfortunately that is where the USA is heading. It sucks!

 

Luckily our government are idiots who make laws for revenue and then have it bite them in the ass coz everyone cheats. Imagine you get a 17k bike like this, pay 2,5k to the state and then cut at least 1,5k off the price when you want to sell a few years on. Very few of us are THAT stupid, lol!

Insurance companies are aware, but try putting a totalled bike on a dyno and besides like I said, re-connecting two wires usually turns it back to 100 hp, hehe!

 

There is a workaround here-buy a UK bike, which is full power and with the Euro exchange rate, should be cheaper. Then just pay your extra tax anyway....?

 

Oh you can get the full power here as well at no extra cost. But you'd have to pay the tax.
Just got back from the dealer on my now full power VFR. Much better! The bike makes more sense now. All the engine's hesitations I'd been feeling seem to be gone.

Although one thing: the HISS is linked to the computer so I have a new set of keys. Funny thing is, they're physically exactly the same coz I can still open my seat and top case and they look exactly the same as my spare one which I'd forgotten to bring. So it's all in the software I presume.

 

Yeah and when you are on your unrestricted R1 with your knee down on the next corner the buggers still come past you on the outside in shorts and T shirt one handed and waving riding some old beaten up piece of crap !

 

So how is that whole socialism thing working for ya ?

 

If I ever do find a true socialist, I'll ask and you'll be the first to know.
In the meantime let's just call it capitalism.

Apologies for this whole thread btw. Re-reading it I'm even boring myself.
:ban:

 

govts don't believe in capitalism

 

I wouldn't worry too much. The U.S. isn't France, even if it's moving toward bigger government. Furthermore, I guarantee you a lot of liberals (like this one) would be up in arms if they tried to regulate our bike's horsepower. To paraphrase Vincent Vega, it's just a fundamental rule: you don't f***with a man's ride!

 

Ya think? In Germany you don't even mess with your own ride. In France I don't know anyone who remotely cares but I don't know all that many French bikers. The Britons have rules sure but like France, they're a real biker country although I never found one who would admit to that.
Politicians can be media whores who give me gas with sound bites like 'everyone should wear a high-vis helmet'.
But as long as that's not law (and enforced - very important) the govt has a few things in black and white:
- any car/truck/van is bound by law to make room for bikers in slow highway traffic.
- bikes are allowed to filter (split lanes in the USA) in slow traffic. The speed difference is set by law but impossible to verify.
- bikes can park anywhere as long as they leave room for pedestrians.
- bikers have to wear high-vis vests if they break down. But unlike car drivers, they are not obligated to have one with them. Go figure.
- we have no mandatory annual check-up. Europe has been trying to stick us with that for decades but they never could prove the relevance between casualties and bike condition. Anyone who tries to take advantage of that will eventually prove Darwin right. Britain does have their MOT, we don't.

On top of all that, there may be quite a few other differences between the USA and this country. I can't speak for the whole of Europe or indeed every state in the USA.
- HD riders are not waved at. By extension coz it's hard to tell at speed, I don't wave at any cruisers.
- HD riders with obnoxiously loud pipes will get pulled over and fined.
- HD riders are fair game for the rest of us. If they get in my way, they'll remember.
- Ducati, Aprilia, BMW and KTM twins with non-approved pipes are left alone. In that order.
- car drivers don't have guns. Just don't stay around long enough to find out for sure.
- speeding won't generally land you in jail.
- overly zealous or frustrated cops can write silly yet legal tickets but my last silly one got thrown out by the judge.
- you can reason with most cops. They know the game and when they sense you know it too, they'll suggest a reasonable fine and if you're smart, you accept it.
- keep it down around schools etc. If you don't, you're not thinking it through and again, Darwin's writings will catch up eventually.
- cops again: you can get away with some pretty illegal riding. If they can keep up for a while they'll see that's not necessarily dangerous. Usually they'll back off. Not always!
- cops on bikes: don't even try to escape from these guys. Just pull over if you've been speeding and the worst they can give you is an earful if they have no proof on photo.
- wear your gear. Not only is it mandatory now, but it gives you a good impression with the cops, especially in winter. And especially with cops on bikes who aren't riding in that weather for their amusement any more than you are.
- keep the bike in immaculate technical condition. First and foremost for your own safety but also for the cops. I've gotten a large fine once for a bike I had just bought with a near-bald rear tire. That's silly money.
- keep your license plate in immaculate condition, legal position and well-illuminated. No matter how dirty/salty the rest of your bike is. Cops will give you a great deal of slack if you do.

The last one will sound like a joke but I assure you it is not:
If you're a foreigner, ie have a foreign address and license plate, carry a bunch of Euros with you and you can speed all you want on the highway. They will pull you over and you'll have to pay 380 Euro (that amount might have changed but I doubt it) and once you've paid, you can continue on your merry way. Doesn't matter one bit which vehicle or how fast you had been traveling - 200 mph for all the law cares - you can just take off and do it again.
Not fair to the rest of us I agree but if you don't have the money, you're not going anywhere either.

Edit: oh that last bit is except for big rigs. They have to keep to their speed limit and riding/resting hours. Every truck should be electronically limited to 50 or 60 mph, depending on which country it's from.