V-tech- Over all positive or negative?

I think I'll abandon the entire debate and buy a Ducati 1100 dual-spark Multistrada with the Ohlins suspension bits. Now that's a fun bike!

Back to the original poster - did you really buy a 100 hp VFR as your very first motorcycle? How is that working out for you in Red Deer?

 

Ah know just what you mean, even more so after watching this.

http://www.drsardonicus.com/Video/1100.wmv


Okay now you folks can get back on topic.

 

As we move from a dependancy on oil, technologies like VTEC will become more common. Some will work, some wont but the fact that the 6th gen has been going so long must mean there is something positive from a manufacturer POV about the VTEC. Governments will become stricter with vehicle emmissions - and the continued testing of those emmissions after purchase. Perhaps we'll see the day in the not so distant future where if all a bike had was VTEC and O2 sensors we'd be happy. Perhaps Gen 8+ will be electric and Gen 6 riders will moan at the lack of internal combustion that newcomers get to ride?

I am thankful that Honda and others push the technology and allow us to keep on riding - my personal take on VTEC is you can take it or leave it - BUT I've never had a bike that gets so much from a tank whilst being such fun to ride! Times change - there are so many good bikes out there, there is no wrong choice (except perhaps a scooter - or isn't that classed as a bike - new thread!!!)

 

I've had my Vtec for 5 years. I Love it. I wouldn't trade it for any other gen. VFR. I do Love the sound of the gear driven cams, but the overall package of my bike is more to my liking. Most of the people who do bash the Vtec bikes are just loyal to what they have. I can't blame them for that! After all, all of the VFR's are unique and great in their own ways. Carry on, Gentleman.

 

I don't know any better, but I think you've got your answer. If you love your bike and love to ride, and you don't know any different... Who cares. enjoy it. Hell, I ride a '87 700F that I repainted to look a little better, just because I love the sound of the cams and it's what I could afford at the time. Now I wouldn't trade it for anything. I might buy another bike in addition to, but I wouldn't trade it or sell it

 

Love my 02 VFR but personally would have prefered increased displacement over the VTEC.

VFRMike.

 

So would you (and others) say that if I'm going to buyt a Vtec model I should aim for a later one and not the first few years (02, 03, 04); have they got better and if so when did they start improving?

Also, does the Vtec give substantially better fuel economy?

I ask as someone looking to buy my first VFR and not being sure whether to go for a late 5th or a 6th.

Any help appreciated

 

My '06 engages VTEC at about 6500-ish, I believe this is the first year for the "retuned" engine. You can definitely feel the kick in power but it hasn't been cause for alarm yet.

 

@Moby

I've had an '02 VTEC (still waiting to sell it in the UK) and i also have an '07 VTEC and the latter is a sewing machine in comparison. The earlier model is a little rough round the VTEC entry point which is around 6700rpm but that was lowered in '06. Having said that, nothing wrong with the '02 either, it was like getting a kick up the backside followed by NYEEEEHAAAA as you roared off into the distance... Magic

 

I am somewhat new to riding, and test rode quite a few different VFR's. The first bike I test rode was an 06 VTEC. Jumped on, took it for a 45 minute spin, had an awesome time, it had plenty of power for me, and told myself that is the bike I wanted. Started reading forums and heard of this whole VTEC issue/non-issue, and thought to myself, non VTEC riders are just being a little too picky. Rode another VTEC, this time an 05, and once again loved it.

About two weeks later, I understood what people were talking about when I jumped on a 4th gen. To me, a big difference, in how smooth the power was delivered, so I purchased a 1996 4th generation bike. It pulls hard right off idle, which I love, and the power is constant and smooth all the way to redline. It made the 6th gen feel like you had to be so extremely precise on the throttle, to achieve the same thing. Not for me.

However the bulk of my decision was based on how much I wanted to spend on my first bike. I had a figure in mind, and it was something I could pay cash for. I am a brand new rider, and I feel it will take me years before I even see half of the potential of what my 96 can do. I don't feel like I have even begun to push the bike, and it probably wont happen anytime soon. Now that I know my bike, and the condition it is in, when the time comes I would rather make small performance modifications, rather than going out and purchasing the next generation, to get the same thing.

The VFR is an awesome bike, and even though moving up a generation might provide you with a little more performance, i dont think its worth pulling the trigger on....especially for a newbee rider like myself.

My .02

 

Yes, yes i did.
I love it.
So far i have put on a fair bit of miles and even rode to sturgis, also varous trips through the mountains.

Before this i logged about 12 hours on my dad Kawasaki nomad(very smooth if i was into cruisers this would be it) and then about 6 hours on hos 1800 goldwing.

I also took a riders course.

I was scared about my first ride i had visions of wheelies and the bike going and me falling of the back or anything really. But has been really nice to me.

I don't normally ride overly hard and i'm not overly squidy.

Also every spring i take a refresher course with my dad(through the goldwing assosiation) and do practice drills.(a gold wing out turns a VFR because the dang bars hit the tank.....at low speed)

Now for the bad part...i have droped the bike and it was 100% my poor judgment

I rode my bike to my girlfriends(now wife) and it snowed...not wanting to leave it out side away from home and lacking a way home.....i decided to ride.
I droped my bike 3 times all at low speed because the streets where reflective and it was hard to just stand on never mind ride on.
So i gave up left my bike at the side of the road for a few days and rode home, ego destroyed.

It was good however as i think i did well, i also learned some valuable lessons.

Keep your feet on the bike....they do nothing, there for when your stoped.
When people say don't press your front break when sliding or in a corner....there is a reason for it.
Go slow it's easier to gain speed than slow down...Most of my crashes where trying to slow down(i maybe maybe got up to 20km at most)

So was good and bad.

 

I have an '03, a '99 and and '86.

IMO, the engine on the '99 is far nicer than the '03. The VTEC really makes for a non-enjoyable power curve if you ride across the transition. If you stay above, or below, the VTEC engagement, it's fine.

Losing the gear driven cams made the sixth gen lose a lot of "soul", but improved the bike's noise emissions.

The '86 trumps them both, with the gear-driven cams and unique crank firing order. It may not be the fastest thing out there, but if I had to lose all bikes but one, the '86 would be the one I'd keep.

 

I would suggest actually riding the 6th gen models you look at to determine if it has a smooth transition or not. I think some have mentioned that their 02-05 was "smooth", so I'm not sure if 06+ are the only "smooth" VTEC models. Theres obviously quite a bit of personal interpretation too. I'd love to try someone else's 6th gen to get an idea of how good/bad mine is.

You really can't go wrong w/ either, you just need to know whats important to you. The reason the pronounced VTEC transition is annoying is because I like to get on the throttle in the corners, and VTEC transition (for MY particular VFR) is unsettling. Other than that concern, I don't mind the snap in the straights.

I personally don't find mileage to be exceptional compared to other newish bikes (not saying its poor, just saying I haven't seen that its head/shoulders above other bikes). My buddy can get ~45+MPG on his stock R1 when hes not flogging it. I don't think my VFR can better that, but I haven't tried. YMMV, and you'll get lots of varying numbers from folks.

 

I have ridden only one 6th Gen. It happens to be the one I own, a 2004 model running stock EFI. The transition to VTEC is very smooth. It isn't an issue one way or the other for me.

Molsan, Dude! Don't ride your bike in the snow unless it looks like one of these!

 

Maybe i should get some spiked tires...or grow a brain.

 

I have an '07 and the VTEC transition is very smooth. On my daily commute, I have some turns where it kicks in mid-corner and it never upsets the bike whatsoever. I just keep on it and go through the gears no matter the situation. Also, VTEC kicks in at 6400 rpm. It is my understanding that Honda made the RPM change and transition change much smoother starting with the '06 model. Therefore, I cannot attest to how the transition is for the earlier 6th Gen models. For the most part, you can ride the '07 and not even think about the VTEC.

As far as fuel economy, compared to my 5th Gen, it is the same. I get 42 mpg.

 

MD - I've heard that stated before, but I'm not sure where that comes from. I'm coming off a 5th Gen and what I can say is that the 6th handling and suspension is better and the motor is equivalent. That alone allows me to ride the 6th Gen more aggressively. I'm wondering if people think that the 6th is more on the touring side because the high mounted exhaust has better side case options??? Any ideas?

 

Funny, I too have an '86 750 that I will never part with. Overall, it is still a viable ride and the motor is not that far off from the 800cc VFRs.

 

an oppinion

If I had my way it would be with the gear setup as on the 5g etc,
it was more important to me to get a VFR new, V-Tech or not.

The V-Tech is just different, as far as cost to maintain there has been none so far, and I'm sure it will be less than the BMW K bike I came from!