2007 VFR 800 R/W/B with ABS? Fill me in!

Was hoping some of youse with this bike (or any 6th gen with ABS maybe?) can offer up your humble opinion on riding with ABS. I've never ridden a bike with it, and I'm looking at buying this bike with ABS, and thought in my mind I was sold on it, solely b/c I'm running out of room in the garage and figure this might be my last bike for a bit, so I might like something with a little extra margin o' safety that I don't usually have.

At least till I sell something else to make room for more. (PS I never sell something else to make room for more.)

Then I went to bike night last week, and there were quite a few guys who suggested I run away from ABS, ASAP.

Rather than listen to a bunch of opinionated riders who I've never met or seen before, I thought I'd listen to you guys...a bunch of opinionated riders who I've never met or see...wait a minute. Than didn't turn out right. What I mean is...THOSE riders are guys who I've never...um...YOU guys are riders that...

You get the idea. Fill me in.

 

I would always opt for ABS if I had the choice. My VFR is not ABS but the price and the timing was right when I bought it a few years back. Nothing wrong with ABS on the VFR, not sure why anyone would not recommend a proven, reliable safety feature.

 

Seen you are in So Cal and riding thru a lot of traffic I think ABS is a good option to safe you from hard brake without lose controll or fish tail into adjacent cagers.........:crazy:

 

Simple - its a potential life saver and worth every cent - BUY IT.

I know it works amazingly on my VFR and made that tiny difference between me being involved in an almost certain high speed fatality and a bloody close shave when a SUV choose to use my side of the road on a blind bend. Yes there are a tiny few riders who just might have the skill to stop even quicker without it, but I am not one of them. I know my limits and my instincts which were anchors on full and take avoiding action - a combination which ABS allows you to do. I was astonished how despite a very damp greasy road, there was no real sensation of any fuss happening despite my deathgrip on the brakes. The ABS linked brakes just instantly delivered as much braking as the tyre contact would handle and still allowed me to steer a few degrees of turn to avoid the idiot. I would pay ten times the extra!

If you really want to know more, then you may want to check out a couple of videos which show precisely why you really want an ABS equipped bike

ABS vs. No ABS - YouTube

Honda Fireblade: ABS v non-ABS - YouTube -
(NB the system on the Fireblade is essentially the same as fitted to the VFR.)


Skimad4x4

 

My 06 is ABs and I love it. I am a 750 mile per month rider or more and I ride in all weather conditions. You probably wont even notice the ABS until you need it, so I say got for it and buy what you want. Don't listen to people that dont have the ABS system. It is great for helping to stop the heavier bikes. Lighter bikes dont really need the ABS. So for there bikes maybe the best ting is not to have it.

 

Any bike with ABS has an advantage over one without. Unless you are one of those 1%ers who have exceptional experience in riding in foul weather. In my 100,000 miles, I think mine has "maybe" prevented a couple collisions, or near collisions. Down side....no stoppies or whatever the fug you call those where you stand your bike on it's front tire. ABS are also linked.

 

Well, how is it in normal, dry weather? I usually sit out those 3 rainy days per year here in SoCal. Truthfully, it rains so rarely here I don't ride those days, so I wouldn't need it for those. I'd need if for the other 360 days a year here.

 

So in my thinking on this vfr800 purchase, I thought I'd see how much a valve adjustment is @ a dealer. I know it has VTEC and FI. I will proudly add that I have not had any bike in a shop for over a decade. I do all my own stunts. And my own bike labor.

I got a quote of $750!!!!! For parts and labor! Basically it's a full, 8 hour job. Parts are (possibly) new valve cover gaskets (x2), and shims. Honda recommends NOT swapping out/reusing shims on the VTEC, according to the tech.

The interval is the same as my other VF/VFRs (16k). But still...it's a honda, not a ducati. No wonder a few of the ones I'm seeing are right around the 12-15k mark on miles. "Got a valve adjustment coming up. Time to sell it."

Apparently the trouble comes from the fact that both cams have to be taken out, an adjusting tool dropped in, and the cams reinstalled, valves checked, then adjusted, then the cam comes out, the tool comes out, and we move to the other cylinder to repeat the whole thing.

PS Adjusting tool? Huh? What is this?

Also hearing a lot of talk/reading a lot of views on the whole VTEC pro vs. con thing. I know a lot of folks don't like the abruptness when 7k hits and the power comes on. Lots of folks add a Power Commander to cure the harshness of the VTEC hit, and apparently it makes it a hell of a lot easier to ride.

Apparently it's one intake, one exhaust valve open below +/- 7k for fuel economy, and then above 7k it's an entirely different animal with full on valves working. I've never ridden one with VTEC...is that about what you experience with yours?

I do like the idea of fuel injection though. No choke or carbs gumming up from sitting too long in gas issues would be nice.

Do you find yours heavy at all? Also, do the bags stick out further than the mirrors? Thinking about CA lane splitting in advance with bags on?

 

If anywhere, SoCal is a place where you would reap the most benifit. Especially due to the lack of rain. THink of he problems that the cagers have sliding all over the place when you do get a slight rain. Your ABS would make stopping, one less thig to worry about.

As far as driving on dry good roads, you won't notice any difference until you make a panic stop. With the ABS, there is no lock up. You can get better braking power without ABS. It is called thresh-hold braking. That takes an incredible amount of practice and gives you a very slight advantage over ABS. If you have mastered that on a bike, then I would say you were one of the 1%ers.

I had someone in central Cali take mine for a ride when I was down there. He had much greater riding talent than I. He put the bike through its paces trying to prove or disprove that compplaint about the bike becoming unsteady in a corner whenthe Vtec kicks in. A non issue as far as he was concerned.

And yup, they are very top heavy. Even without the bags. Throw saddle bags, trunk bag, large tank bad and a 75 litre back pack and you just have no idea.

 

You have a PCII on yours, Randy?

 

No. Engine and electrical (except lights) are all stock.

 

My '07 is a non-ABS model and even with a few occassions of being hard on the brakes, I never locked up the front or rear. However, if I could have ABS for the same price, then I would probably take it.

I know they say to do the valves at 16K, but I'm not even thinking about it until maybe 32K. I think there are more people than not taking this approach.

The whole VTEC thing is a myth as far as I'm concerned (at least on the '07). I know they changed the RPM engagement starting in '06, but I am in corners frequently when it engages and there is no difference. Also, the hit depends on how much throttle you're giving it.

 

FWIW: I have the 2007 Candy Red with ABS. I would have bought the bike either way, but I was thankful to see it had ABS. Mine sure stops extremely well, and I love that. I can't really say I'd own a bike without ABS, but if I have the choice, I take the one with ABS, even if I have to pay a little more.

 

Hey guys...need a couple of questions answered on this again. Good news: I found a bike, and I had it checked out.

1) is the red stripe a decal? One small section of the red stripe has some damage, and I THINK I can just replace it. Easy to do with a hairdryer/heatgun? Or is the red stripe clearcoated over on this bike? Oh...it's on the nose fairing, not the tank. The short 8" section near the front of the bike.

2) Fill me in on the bags. Owner says one of the "strings" inside one of the bags broke? I'm guessing this helps keep the bag level when opened? Is this a replaceable part from the Mothership? Not really sure if it broke in half or at one end, but would love a few fotos of this thing so I can see what it is if anyone has the bag handy?

 

1. I can't really answer about the decal since I'm not familiar with that. However, I had to replace the decal "Interceptor" on the tail section, and I used a hair dryer to remove it. Pretty easy, just take it slow and it peels right off.
2. The strings in the saddle bags are pretty lame IMO, and mine also 'broke' - that is, it came untied or unraveled or something like that. Anyway, I just taped it back together and re-hooked it and it works fine. Yeah - it keeps the open part of the bag from dropping too far and possibly breaking the hinges. If you wanted to, you could easily replace the strings with something else that's more durable.

Maybe include a pic of the decal to get better answers about that.

 

I have an 03 w/ABS, luggage, and a PCIII. If you can handle the price, buy the bike!

The string keeps the bag lid from dropping down too far when opened fully. You can simply tie a new one, or if the screw that holds the end in place pulled out (has happened twice to me), you can rescrew in a new spot or replace with the next size up. No big deal at all.

Buy it!

 

These bikes are not cheap to maintain, as I am finding out the hard way. I don't have ABS, but more and more bikes are coming with it, some as an option, others as standard, even in the sport bikes. I thing BMW has ABS regardless. It adds a pound or two. All of the 6th gens have a linked braking system, unless modified. The valve checking I'm putting off. Not the fact of cost, it's because from what I've read here, there are a number of people that have without any incident or problem. People like Randy would have to have it done almost every year... Every mechanic that I talk to, and those that I trust, all said not to worry. But, if it used, you don't know how the previous owner treated it. Maybe once, then check it again on the 2nd interval, if you still have it, just for piece of mind. As far as the string goes for the saddle bag, maybe finding another sting would work, and look a little bit better than duck tape.

 

I just checked my bike and the decal does appear to NOT be clear coated. It actually looks like that's the case on all of the bodywork except for the tank. My red decal on the lower fairing has all kinds of chips in it from stuff coming of the front wheel. Now that I know it is that easy to replace, it looks like I'll be doing it over the winter.

As noted already, the string in the hard cases seem to come undone pretty easily. I've only had my cases for a year and one of the strings came undone. Yes, it is to keep them from falling all way down when they're open.

Good luck with this find and let us know if you get it!!!

 

One more thing about the red sticker on the front cowl. The sticker seems to include the white stripe above the red and go all the down to the edges which includes the white underneath the red stripe. Basically, the cowl is blue and that entire section is a just a sticker. The complete section is just an upside down triangle in shape. Retail is $31 per side. Mason City Honda has it for just $24.80 with free shipping.