only 2 more days 'till VFR nirvana

Hello VFR enthusiasts,

I ran across the site the other day and liked what I saw so I joined. I am a rider of 37 yrs., most of them on Hondas. I owned a mint '86 VFR 700 that I got used, a couple years old in '88. It was the red/white/blue model with the crinkle paint cases, gear driven cams, etc. That was a great bike and I hated to let it go but I really like to tour and it was a bit of a pain in the neck (literally) after a couple of hours for my frame. After that, a new '91 CBR 1100 was my main ride for a couple of years but again, it would hurt my neck after awhile, even with heli-bars.

At that point, I made a drastic transition from Hondas to BMWs, which I had always admired but until then, they had a somewhat antiquated feel to me, being accustomed to the feel of a Honda. My first beemer was a '91 R-100 GS. I learned to ride in the dirt and always missed being able to go off-pavement without abusing the bike when I traveled out west. So the GS was a perfect fit. Since then, I've owned two more GS's, a '97 R-1100 which I traded 3 yrs. ago for a '05 R-1200 GS. This is a fantastic bike that does everything well and can even go off-pavement if you're careful.

So everything was wonderful in my motorcycling world. That was until I looked on ebay a few days ago and saw not one but two '07 VFRs new in the showroom up for auction. My mind began racing, my heart pounding. Oooh, it's red/white and blue, just like my 86! Honey, come and look at this!

Now, I have a very understanding wife who also loves motorcycles and has even owned a few of her own, though she no longer rides. What then ensued was the usual bantering that has gone on between countless husbands and wives in the past: "But I was going to pay off our car this month", "How much will the insurance be", etc. To be honest, she didn't really have that many arguements against but they were pretty good ones. What finally got her was when I said "Honey, in the long run, we'll save money. With the GS AND the VFR, I'll have my two dream bikes. This will guarantee that I won't want to trade in the GS when they re-design that one again. At 48 yrs. old, these two bikes will probably last me the rest of my riding life".

When a friend who is a service manager at a local Honda shop told me he could get me one new-in-the-crate, that pretty much cinched it for me and for Sandi, too.

So Saturday, I'll go and pick up my beautiful new bike. I can hardly wait to hear a V-four sing again.

I'm looking forward to sharing info. with 'yall and enjoying my new ride. It's a keeper.

Ride safe,

Taylor Christiansen

 

Your gonna love it, All day comfort and sportbike agility right out of the box. Woo Hoo.

 

And the RWB is one of the best looking of all. Enjoy!

 

Merry Christmas!

 

of course VFR is the best, and the RWB is the bestest of the best.

 

congrats on the new bike !!!!



ain't she pretty???

 

yet the RWB is beautiful but noting beats the fast(est) red of 07..... welcome enjoy your new toy

 

Welcome STRGZR! I am so pleased to see someone newer to the Forum than me (I joined yesterday)! Congratulations on the new ride coming home with you in a few days!
Since I am doing my research for a 07 VFR and I notice there are several RWB fans replying here, I'd like to ask your opinion. I seem to like the monotone look the best but there is a RWB 07 with ABS at a dealership here. I just wonder if the 3 colors take away from the styling of the bike. The styling seems to show up a bit better on the solid red for instance. Your thoughts? Also, I notice they want MORE $$ for the RWB bike! And does anyone know when the (silver) 08 bikes are to appear?

 

New guy here too, and I am waiting for an 08 silver. My dealer told me February most likely for deliveries. Just my local experience though.

 

Why I like the RWB VFR

In response to Nungboy,

Motorcycle styling is a very subjective thing. One persons "appliance-like" appearance is another persons joy to behold. For proof, just look at all the cruisers out there... For me, the RWB version marks this machine as a limited edition. It's an expression of Honda's corporate pride. With the VFR, they have a lot to be proud of, in my opinion. The paint scheme is not too busy, as some sportbike designs can be. I think the paint job accentuates the design of the bodywork rather than detracting. It draws attention to it.

But then I've always liked stripes on my bikes. I really liked the Blackbird but to my eye, it always looked a little bland, except in red, maybe.

Mine came new in the crate with ABS for $11,150. If any of the VFRs become collectibe over time, this one surely will.

 

unless the RWB one at your dealer is an ABS bike & the other color is not.....
find another dealer.... my dealer had same price on RWB & red

 

Thanks guys. Well, they wanted $12,500 for the RWB w/ABS...the red did not have ABS but allowing for the lack of ABS they still want more than the list for the RWB version...so I figured Honda wanted more for the "special edition RWB" but now that I think about it, I believe that the Honda website shows the same price for red ABS and RWB ABS. Just the local guy digging for a bit more profit? Naturally, if I wave cash under their nose, I assume they'll bargain a bit on either bike. Here is a question: they are the "Super Sized" Honda dealer in town (I forget the actual term Honda has for the elite dealer)...would I tend to get a better price from them or the small dealer in town?
But, I agree, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Thanks for the ideas!

 

The service manager, who is an old friend of mine, at the shop where I bought the bike, arranged my purchase. He said the price I got reflected a $400. profit for the dealership. So now you know how much your big elite dealer is trying to stick it to you. After all, these are leftover bikes that Honda has and would like to unload.

 

Yup! If you don't think they make money on us and if you believe their sob stories...you are wrong. I was involved with an import car dealership...they don't make all of their money on the sale of the actual bike or car...they make even more on a quarterly or bi-annual basis. It is based on the total units sold, their survey numbers (that is why your "Excellents" on the surveys matter so much), and the current promotions. In other words, they make money on you coming and going...and then they want your service business and accessories/parts business, extended warranties, etc. Hey, everyone needs to make a buck of course, but lets at least have some honest negotiations. Bottom line: walk out if you are not getting the deal you want. If they REALLY want you, they change their tone...just like in Mexico at the cheapie shops! No different, really!

 

Please don't tell me you're dealing with Arizona Honda!!!! Try these guys locally - 1. Musselman's Honda in Tucson, I used to deal alot with these guys and they are really good people. 2. If you don't have an aversion to traveling to SoCal I suggest you drop a note to OTD Motorsports - they always seem to have the "Good Guy" price and I've heard great things about these folks for quite some time. I tried to deal with OTD when I bought my machine, but I absolutely had to have the Pearl White, and they didn't have any. I ended up going all the way to Portland, Oregon, but hey, I got what I really wanted for a great deal. Keep looking and you will be rewarded. Welcome to the show and Happy Holidays!!!!!

 

Here is a rare shot. 2 RWB's!! One mine (the one with the tail bag) and the other one belongs to fellow VFRW member jackinthebox4. We should get a BUNCH of RWB's together for a ride sometime.:biggrin:

 

For me the RWB didn't grab me looking at pictures of it. It was when I went to the dealership and saw it in person that I fell in love with the colors.

 

I fell in love with the RWB the first time I saw a pict of one in a magazine, but when I saw it for the first time at the dealer, I couldn't believe how much better it looked up close. It was like someone hit me in the head with a brick!!:brick:

 

Is that a Seat Sak Elite? I just ordered one and can't wait to get it, if it is.