VVT Question

Discussion in '6th Generation 2002-2013' started by southwend, Sep 27, 2019.

  1. southwend

    southwend New Member

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    Apologies up front if this is a dead horse beat down. I have been researching the VFR generations for a purchase. I have been finding very nice sixth generation motorcycles more readily available at reasonable prices than any other generation. I have also been researching the pluses and minuses of each. One thing keeps popping up about the sixth generation bikes, that the VVT is not dialed in quite enough and can be a little sudden to come on and a little late to come off.

    Is this just someone splitting hairs about an issue that is not really an issue?
     
  2. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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  3. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    VTEC, YO! (it kicks in)
     
  4. bk94si

    bk94si Member

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  5. dbuzz77

    dbuzz77 New Member

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    people complain about it on here, but i'm over 60 and it's great. i have let it ease into vtec under part throttle and it's like a pussycat and i have felt it full throttle, it gives you a nice kick and the engine sound changes to more awesome. i also think bikes are different and they may cut in harder or softer depending on the miles etc.
     
  6. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    I didnt recognize the acronym.. VTEC, sure... VVT = ?
     
  7. bk94si

    bk94si Member

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    Variable valve timing
     
  8. jstehman

    jstehman New Member

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    I found it was kind of distracting at first, but now I don't mind it.

    I think Honda revised the mapping for the vtec in 06 or 07 so the transition is smoother.

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
     
  9. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Doesn't bother me at all. The transfer is more noise than anything else. If you are arriving at those higher RPMs in normal acceleration, then as stated earlier, you really don't even feel or even hear the transfer at all. Only when you crank on the throttle hard. And as far as I am concerned, it sound oh so sweet. Kinda like this.
     
  10. OOTV

    OOTV Insider

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    One of the reasons I got my used 6 Gen with such low miles (346) was the PO didn’t like the new cutover RPM of the 09 versus his previous 6 Gen, so he traded it in very early in his ownership. Prior to the numerous mods I’ve done, some exhaust related, some ECU management related (Power Commander/Rapid Bike) the cutover was very abrupt but never felt it a distraction or an issue when carving the canyons, mostly because of where I keep the RPMs.

    While cruising the freeways and on the streets, the RPMs are usually under the cutover RPM but if I’m doing the twisty stuff, I usually keep the RPMs above the cutover and stay in VTEC mode. With the smoother transition the tuning modules have brought, it’s nearly unnoticeable, other than a more aggressive exhaust note!

    For as much as I love my 6 Gen, I do also have a 5 Gen and although this doesn’t have VTEC, the gear whine from the gear driven cans also provides a nice engine note to listen to while riding. Not here to debate or say which one is better, as I love both my bikes, best to do a test ride of what bike seems to suit your fancy and/or budget and see what you think from a first hand experience.

    If my recollection is correct, the pre-2006 had a 6800 RPM cutover and the 2006+ have a 6400 RPM cutover.
     
  11. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    Don't stress about vtec - most riders love the sudden extra power it delivers when needed and the ability to blast past traffic and get back on your own side of the road in amazingly short distances.

    If you have the chance buy a 2006+ version (primarily for other reasons - below).

    Following on from OOTV's comments basically 6th gens all have 4 valves per cylinder, but the bike only uses two per cylinder at lower RPM - so as you can easily do 70mph in 6th gear and still be below the vtec engagement threshold the fuel economy and range is excellent.

    If you then need to blast past a mass of slow traffic - just drop a few gears, crank the throttle and those extra valves open up and the bike becomes a missile and will launch itself at the horizon. There is a noticeable transition going from docile to manic which once you have become used to it most riders love.

    The real handling issue with the vtec transition only really applied to pre 2006 bikes where the cut in and cut out RPMs were basically the same so you could find the bike dropping in or out of vtec with virtually no change in throttle position.

    If a rider was using a low gear whilst filtering through dense traffic at JUST below the vtec threshold they could be caught off guard if the RPMs crept just over the threshold and they suddenly found themselves picking up speed rapidly and hurtling through a queue of traffic. The answer is of course to choose gears carefully to stay either well below or well above the transition whenever you are filtering. Alternatively some people chose to fit Power Commander add-ons to smooth out the transition.

    Honda altered the engagement thresholds for the 2006+ models so they are sufficiently far apart to avoid bikes unexpectedly hunting in and out of vtec. The change pretty much solved the issue and indeed by the time they got to the 8th Gens (which also uses VTEC) it is even more refined and so carefully managed by the ECU that you would not really notice the extra valves coming on stream apart from the obvious increase in exhaust noise and an impressive pick-up in speed.

    The Achilles heel of most VFRs prior to the 7th Gens is the charging system. The pre 2006 models suffered from fried connectors, melted main fuses and wacky regulator rectifiers. Honda's improvements post 2006 appear to have largely sorted the melted wiring issues, but instead we now see loads of fried stators and dead regulator rectifiers. The solution is known - just replace the stock RR with a Shindengen RR which means the charging system is far less stressed and ensures a mechanically bullet proof motorbike is a joy to ride - my 2006 is now well past 200,000km.
     
    34468 Randy and jstehman like this.
  12. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Oh for gawds sake Skimad. What the hell is fuel economy and where can I get it. Can you get I on Ebay or Amazon.com?

    {QUOTE="skimad4x4,post: 606639, member:14280"] - my 2006 is now well past 200,000km.[/QUOTE]

    Are you chasing me? Slid past the 220,000 km mark on my annual September ride, The tech who is working on my gremlin problems says the engine runs great and he does not see why I would not get another 100,000 out of her. Except I will probably be dead before I ride that many KMs now.

    Skimad, it is always a pleasure to read you input. I am sure so many people here have benefitted from your advice. Thank you.
     
  13. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    Are you chasing me? Slid past the 220,000 km mark on my annual September ride, The tech who is working on my gremlin problems says the engine runs great and he does not see why I would not get another 100,000 out of her. Except I will probably be dead before I ride that many KMs now.

    Skimad, it is always a pleasure to read you input. I am sure so many people here have benefitted from your advice. Thank you.[/QUOTE]

    I too have had the enjoyment of Skimad's white papers... ;)

    :bruce2:
     
  14. southwend

    southwend New Member

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    Did I say VVT???
    Oops that is what I see when I open the hood on my Toyota. My avatar is more appropriate than you know. I have been looking and researching this for a long time. As usual I am way overthinking this, I am happy though to read that this image I had in my mind of some turbo like boost is not the case. After all, I am looking at a motorcycle that has far capabilities than I do. I just want a happy power band to ride the Parkway and maybe knock a few destinations off of the bucket list.
    I really do appreciate the feedback...
     
  15. southwend

    southwend New Member

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    Trying to say a better bike than I will ever be a rider.
     
  16. VFRIRL

    VFRIRL New Member

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    test ride a 5th gen and a 6th gen, then make up your own mind.
     
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