After 300 miles...

Rode my VFR1200 for around 300 miles now and here is my impression:

This bike felt a bit smoother overall after the first oil change at around 600 miles. Throttle response was much better when I rev it under neutral – as if there is no resistance anymore…
I only took the bike for the oil change and just did the visual check by myself on the fluids, bolts etc., Bike was running fine so I did not bother with the complete first maintenance with the shop (I do not have warranty anyway, it’s 2010).

I am slowly getting acclimated to sports riding position of this bike, but my shoulders still got soar after 2 hrs of riding. I no longer have pain on my wrist though – I think the clutch lever adjustment did the trick. I realized that I was wearing rather heavy helmet (Shoei Multitec) so I switched to the carbon fiber helmet (HJC FS-15). I noticed immediate difference on my upper body. When I accelerate/decelerate, it feels much easier to control upper body. Back on 919, I did not feel that much weight wearing Multitec because of the upright position of the bike. With HJC, it feels as though the bike itself gotten lighter ! I guess they make different helmet for different purpose. I will still need to evaluate if this lighter helmet will make a big impact on longer trip.

1st & 2nd gear sluggishness is still there, but I do not notice as much now.. maybe I am just getting used to it. I learned to give extra gas in the very beginning and slightly let go as it pass 3K rpm. I also learned to hold the gear until it passes 3K then shift up. If I shift too early, the shaft drive will make cluncky noise… don’t want to hear that.

Like someone said, this bike is described as “gentleman’s sports bike” and I agree with that. I think some younger riders in 20’s or early 30’s who wants to do willie may not prefer this type of bike. It’s for someone in their 40’s and want to do 2 up with his wife on the weekends and have a nice lunch at a nice place - and you still wouldn’t be embarrassed with this bike parked in front of a nice restaurant/shops. That is ME. Perfect. (for now).

 

Was the bike used I wouldn't see why it doesn't have a warranty if the bike never had an owner then it has a 1 year factory from date of sale.

 

Yah, unfortunately it was used (less than 300 miles). Hopefully Honda quality will hold up !

 

I'm not sure you typed what you meant, but you should't ever be shifting up at 3k! ...the bike isn't even making real power until 5k, shifting should be up around 6-7k if you're cruising, or 9-10k if you're riding sporty.

It's a great bike, with 600 miles on it now, you should have roughly another 149,400 or so to go until you need to start worrying about any real mechanical trouble (as long as you do regular scheduled services).

 

never upshift at 3K ??????? you must know a lot of traffic court judges !!!!

 

On a VFR1200, if you're upshifting below 3k, you are lugging the engine! It's got the torque for it, but it's really not great for the engine to drive along at or around idle. Redline on the bike is at 10k so shifting at 3 means you are never even into the powerband, or comfort zone, of your motor. I guess what I'm saying is, if you want to go a speed faster than 3k in the gear you're in ...just keep accelerating! ...you don't need to upshift (an upshift at 3k will put you at 1800rpm in the next gear ...that's BARELY above idle.

This might explain the clunking you get from when you do it!

 

hey Zen, where do you live man, Laguna Seca ???? i live in the NYC metro area and when i commute on the bike there are plenty of days when i'll make my whole trip without getting over 5K....if i rode all the time like you suggest, i'd spend a lot of time in a casket !!! don't get me wrong, when i get out of town i'll get deep in the powerband. but you can drive the VFR12 like a harley all day long without doing any harm it's a big V4, you don't have to ride it like a 600.......don't they give out speeding tickets out there ?????????????????????

 

I'm getting misunderstood here. ...I'm not saying to ride any faster!!!

The OP was talking about "upshifting" at 3k ...that means he is going from 1st to 2nd, or 2nd to 3rd at 3k RPM. ...there's NO reason for that, it's lugging the bike.

The reason to upshift, is if you feel you either need to go faster than you are, or you feel you are revving the engine too much (or both).

My point is that at 3k RPM, in either case (you want to go faster, or you feel you are over revving the engine) the answer is to NOT upshift. ...either cruise along at 3k, or give it more throttle (if you want to go faster). An upshift at 3k will put you at 1800 RPM or so, and that is not great for the engine; it's called lugging, and while the VFR has the torque to get away with it, it's still not ideal.

The bike can cruise ALL DAY at 3k (or 5k, or 7k) without being the least bit stressed.

...so instead of upshifting at 3k, just keep going, in that gear; it's better for the engine to spin at 3500 all day, than at 1800 under load.

Not talking about going ANY faster! ...just to be clear.

Besides, I've ridden in Manhattan (on my 5th gen), there's a lot of activity there and, God forbid, you should need to more out of somebody's way, you will have no prayer at 1800 RPMs, there just isn't a lot of "oomf" available; you really want to be riding more in the powerband in city traffic, so you can make quick movements if the need arises (good defensive riding).

I'm just trying to help out, not advocating riding any faster than you currently are!


...and no, I don't live at Laguna Seca ...I live a couple hours down the road from Laguna Seca!

 

"Like someone said, this bike is described as “gentleman’s sports bike” and I agree with that. I think some younger riders in 20’s or early 30’s who wants to do willie may not prefer this type of bike. It’s for someone in their 40’s and want to do 2 up with his wife on the weekends and have a nice lunch at a nice place - and you still wouldn’t be embarrassed with this bike parked in front of a nice restaurant/shops. That is ME. Perfect. (for now)."

 

I'm with the zen master. New engines, especially, should not be lugged at low rpms, and 3k is too low to shift cuz the next gear's rpm is even lower.

 

From this we can draw not to lug your engine in front of a nice restraurant with the old lady on the back?

 

i've put your theories to the test while riding this past week and....you guys need to get off of the computers and onto your bikes !!! there is nothing wrong with shifting this bike at 3K when, for example, riding thru a downtown, pedestrian filled area or a school zone... my experiment found that my casual riding shift point is 3500 rpm...nowhere near lugging this engine !! ( in 40 years of riding, i have learned what lugging an engine means, thnx Zen ) i actually can shft this bike at 2K to sneak up my block while the neighbors are sleeping without lugging this bike....don't get me wrong, i do ride the bike hard when conditions permit.......log off and go for a ride !!!! .....i bet you guys complain about the small gas tank too....hmmmm??

 

I just run mine in sixth all the time and never had a problem. Shifting is for wimps, computer geeks, anyone from NYC, fags, women and harleydoods.

 

Hey, I'm not trying to tell you what to do ...ride your ride.

But I've done some field testing of my own, and we'll just have to agree to disagree. I guess your 40 years trumps my 30 years, but to say you shift at 2k? ...ok, fine, you only do it to sneak up the street at night; fine ...but the bike drops roughly 800 RPM when you upshift at 2k, which puts you at 1200 RPM, do you know what else is at 1200 RPM? It's called "idle". That's the idle setting for the VFR1200; so you're idling up the street, but you don't consider that lugging?

For the record, my casual riding shift point is about 5500 RPM, and has been roughly the same on all the VFRs I've owned. I don't complain about the small tank (though I do wish it had a bit more range). ...and as for riding, I only got out for a little bit yesterday, but managed a quick 220 miles in the local mountains (damn front tire is bald again). ...I ride plenty.

Like I said, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, and if you're happy at 2000 RPM so be it. ...it's your ride, enjoy it. ...but you'll never convince me that 4-5k RPM is "riding hard" that's just the sweet spot at the base of the power band where that engine likes to cruise.

Here's my last attempt to explain what I'm talking about (and of course, you will do your own thing, which is great):



...of course, if you have the bike all stock, you're probably shifting right before the dreaded dip, which might make it feel better (red is stock in 2nd gear, black is with the Bazzaz Z-Bomb, or if you've done the harness mod yourself).

Look at the power & torque numbers, and line them up with the RPMs we're talking about. ...what do you see below 3K?

Ok, I'm done, get out and enjoy your bike. ...I know that's what I'm going to do!

...ok, parting shot from yesterday's spin



Enjoy your ride, that's the most important thing!!!

 

if you want to take everything that i say and apply your math to make it fit your argument, you should be in politics your figures just don't add up ...soon you will have me riding in reverse...have a nice ride

 

OK dudes. We got some pretty good wrenches, builders ect., here. Notice I do not include in this truncated disertation great riders of MotoGP calibre. We already know that if given half a chance any dude here would do a whupass on those GP fags. riding a step through Honda. No need to name names here we know who we are. LOL

Upshifting at low rpm only decreases rpm and of course the engine lugs, 1200 rpm is idling. Sure the bike with FI will run but, heres the question. If one of these high rpm high hp output engines is lugged on a regular basis, what harm is done to the engine and the rest of the components that make up a motorcycle.

Before y'all go into encylopedia mode, think Kevin Cameron. .

 

The numbers aren't "statistics" ...you said you shift at 2k to "sneak up the block..." And the fact is, at 2000 rpm, when you upshift, you drop 800 rpm, that's not an opinion, it's a simple fact of going to the next higher gear ratio at 2000 rpm. So...

2000
- 800
=1200 <--- idle on a VFr1200.

From this I can only draw one conclusion: ...you should have bought an elite scooter! (kidding).

I do wonder though, what the lowest rpm you can get the dual-clutch version to shift at in the most relaxed auto-mode?

 

At least the dude didn't buy a politically incorrect, "Pacific Coast". Most dudes from NY should come with a built in doppleganger so they would always have somebody to be in charge of.

 

I can't imagine shifting at 3K on a regular basis in any kind of manual tranny vehicle. Yes, the DCT is a manual in my book because it has actual clutches.

Down sides of lugging the engine? Well, there is the common joke of an "Italian tune up". That originated from folks ike Ferrari owners babying their cars and carbon loading the valves. Spool the engine up and let it breathe and the carbon flakes off the valves. Another down side is that as your engine gets miles on it and you run at those low rpm's, the oil pressure is low and your cam chain tensioner gets some slack. That beats up tensioners and chains.

Jose

 

It's obvious you have never run a stovebolt that would max out at less than four grand.

My heart goes out to those poor dudes that own Ferraris. I will pray for them.