I'm BACK or soon will be.

When I last left these pages I was riding a rescued VF500F, a great bike but a bit small for me. I let it go to a new home and have knocked around on a variety of bikes, that were mostly too small for my frame. They were financially expedient for someone who hates to be without two wheeled transport. Then it happened. The Honda dealer I work for took in a yellow 2000 VFR800 on trade. I had been riding a series of used ST1300s on shop rides and while these are great bikes, I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on a purchase. They just didn't seem right somehow. I kept looking at the VFR until the Sales Manager threw me the keys and said "go ride." Ride it I did. Oh MAN! It just fit. I may be old and getting older but I am still too young for a land yacht but too old for racer replicas. I need something in between, long legged enough to get me there and fun enough in the corners to play when I arrive. You have to understand that my prior VF didn't prepare me for the 5th gen. experience. The power was smooth with torque. The cam gear noise sounded sweet and the feel was wonderful. I had to sell some stuff, collect some debts and do some creative financial wizardry but I got the cash together. I pick it up on Tuesday. I can't wait!

 

Welcome back, Big Jim. I think you will find the 2k viffer to be a fantastic machine, in my totally unbiased opinion. I see you have heli bars on your steed, you might want to look up Larry at Busy Little Shop if you'd like to lower the pegs a bit and help out those old knees

 

It is killing me. I have to wait two days to get it. I am like a kid waiting for Christmas. I'll wait until I have put some miles on her before I make any decisions on mods. The heli bars feel perfect

 

Welcome back ya old buzzard. Enjoy your ride. When I bought mine in 06, I didn't even have a learners permit so the salesman drove it to my home for me. Actually I didn't even know how to drive one having never ridden a MC before that.

 

Welcome back. She is prutty :wink: enjoy and ride safe.

 

It has been a long time since I had a bike that was a keeper, a rider for all seasons. I have my Norton and it is fantastic for the short trips and local runs but I wanted something like my old BMW R90, a bike that's my friend, if you will, ready to go to town or across the nation. I think I have found that bike in the VFR. Of course, once I have the bike I'll be saving money for trips to distant lands. I hope to get pictures of us with mountain in the background and maybe an ocean or two.

 

Well I think you found the right machine there. An excellent foundation for your new friend. A friend that you can mold in almost any shape you want or need. I'm looking forward to reading your impressions of the 5th gen.

 

Kudos to the dealer you are working for for paying you the big bucks. Nothing like being able to own a 12 year old motorcycyle when working for a dealer.

 

They always come back.

 

Welcome back and I must say...you have fantastic taste in motorcycles, hehe :smile:

 

LOL, Yes, I make the big buck all right. You know that if you work in the motorcycle industry you will never be able to afford what you sell. Back when I worked at the BMW shop we all rode BMWs but they were all fixed up from salvage bikes. The up side is I get to ride lots of bikes that I don't have to own. I have spent some time riding the new VFR1200 that I could never afford. I have ridden a number of ST1300, put a lot of time an a 919 that languished, unloved, on the sales floor and I pretty much have my pick of rides if I want to try something out. They took in a Triumph Street Triple what was just a stinking hoot to ride.

I always liked my VF500DF but it was too small for me and I was afraid of breaking it since it used so many unobtainable parts. I also had trouble with the 500 in head and cross winds. Heavy winds made the bike feel like it was cutting out and the bike's line could be upset very easily by heavy gusts. Lastly, it just killed my butt.

I like the VFR crowd. They are brand and model loyal, like the old BMW bunch I used to ride with. These are not throw away motorcycles. I like to keep what I buy (like my Norton.) A good bike is worth keeping, maintaining, improving and above all riding. Since I had spent some quality time on the forum I knew what kind of riders were attracted to the VFR. All it took was one 15 mile test ride to know that this was the bike for me.

 

I'm diggin' the bike, looks super clean with a nice Tbros exhaust and heli's.

 

Been there, done that and used the Tshirt to wipe the oil off my dipstick. Sold UJMs for now the big HD outfit in Houston. A good way to stay broke..



Any faired bike in a crosswind is about like a VW bug or a Porsche in the same wind. My R100RS dances in the wind. Some of the BMW crowd are a little too anal when they get out calipers at rallyes and start measuring the width of stripes. Had an old fart tell me once that the Krauser heads on my RS only gained me three HP. Real experts..LOL

 

The VF500F was bad in the wind because of the twitchy 16 incher on the front and the faring didn't help. Add to that a lack of torque and you had a bike that acted like a two stroke in a head wind.

I love BMW riders I really do. I spent my formative years bombing about on airheads and some of my best memories and rides revolve around BMWs. BMW riders are anal to a fault but most of them will do the distance with you if you can keep up. I was sitting at a gathering of BMW riders with a young friend of mine who had no experience with the group. I started the conversation by saying "Let me tell you about BMW riders. Look around you (the room was packed.) Notice that everyone has on the latest gear. Go outside and look at the bikes. There you will find every light, rack, pack, shield and gizmo option known to man. And every rider in the room will regal you with stories of how they didn't pay retail for any of it." All the riders just looked at me nodded their heads and smiled. I know my BMW riders.

I always wanted an R100RS. That was my ultimate bike for years but they are getting rather long in the tooth. The VFR is my modern option. In years past I had to make due with a 1976 R90/6 with the late model smoke red tank, seat and "S" faring. She was a beauty and took me any miles. The single front disk with a cable pull master cylinder sucked however.

 

Did any of the BMW group have any deals on calipers?

 

It's mine, mine all mine! I did about 45 miles on her getting home but i'll take her out for a longer ride this weekend.

I noticed a huge crack in the right plastic tail piece just above the master cylinder. I didn't see it before and I am wondering if I did it. (I guess the new is all worn off now.) Second, when I was running in first gear down the road to my house (I live a rock road and it is prudent to go slow) I noticed the temperature climb to 220 degrees. I pulled into the yard and let is sit and it started to go down. Is this normal? Running on the road showed temps of 185.

 

Not surprised to hear temps like that at all - the consensus around here is that these bikes run on the hot side, and seeing temps climb into the 220 +/- range while at slow speeds in warm air is not uncommon. The VFR likes to be moving to get the air to those radiators. Temps of 185 while moving on the road are right in line with what I see on my 2000. Can't comment on the crack in the fairing as you haven't posted a close up pic yet otstir:

 

I pulled the offending faring. I was reading about some cheap replacement (non-Honda) plastic and I am wondering if that's what I have. It seems really thin. The crack looks like a stress crack and was not in any of the pre sales pictures I took. It is a used bike after all but this is really disappointing. I had to pull the ass end off it the first day. I don't know what people do that don't have a workshop and tools. I have run a bead of epoxy along the crack and I will reinforce the back side with a bit of glass fiber.