Paging ex-Viffer owners

[sagerat]

Ural Ballast Babe and I were sitting in the parking lot killing time before doing Christmas shopping when we got to yacking about bike's I've owned (see list at left for current crop plus I've had an '82 CB750F Supersport and an '02 Viffer) and bikes I yearn to own (today's list, kids, includes Suzuki Wee Strom, Royal Enfield Bullet, Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 and I reserve the right to lust for others  ) when she stunned me.  UBB said "sometimes I miss the Viffer because I loved seeing how much you enjoyed it."

Well, let's see:  Best headlights on any vehicle I've ever had, regardless of number of wheels; handle excellently above 10mph; 50-55 mpg on the hwy and 40-45 mpg in town and 39-42 mpg if I got too enthusiastic with the happy handle; fairly comfy although a skoosh cramped for my size; valve adjustment interval of 16,000 miles; and as reliable as an anvil.

The few drawbacks, were lousy handling at parking lot speeds and my love/hate relationship with softbags as they never were truly waterproof; riding position was fairly comfy but not as comfy as on the GS, and the Beemers and Ural shaft drives have spoiled me vs. chain maintenance.  Still, in the eternal roundrobin of "if you could only have one bike" a Viffer scores pretty high.

I'd be interested in the thoughts of other ex-Viffer owners.

[Bjorn Toulouse]

I'd be interested in the thoughts of other ex-Viffer owners.

I bought an '02 this past January. I was a very happy guy. I put 3700 miles on it during day trips to the twisties in SE oHIo of 3-400 miles each. When the new owner rode it out of my driveway in October, I was a very happy guy.

When I bought it, I thought it was going to be "The Bike"....I was wrong.


Rex

[JrGman]

What didn't you like Rex, was looking for something more suited for longer rides than my '05 Hayabusa and had always "heard" the VFR was well liked by owners?

[Dr. Lost]

I have logged 27K miles on my '02 VFR I bought new.  I'm totally jonesing for a new ride, the KTM Super Duke is my current obsession, but noting I would consider replacing the viffer with can do what the viffer does.  If I bought a Super Duke, I effectively can't tour on it (no bags) :-(.  I only tour a couple times a year but I look forward to those tours all year long and when I go I like to have all the "tour goodies" that I can throw on the VFR in an hour (Bags, bar risers, corbin seat, DB windscreen, harder compound rear tire) and still be able to carve twisties with ease.

I have a K1100LT that I ride some if I'm slabbing, riding two up, in cold temperatures or other wise need to haul "Stuff" and I suppose I could tour on that full time but what fun would that be in the mountains of West Virginia or hills of southern OH when I could be on a VFR?  If I did pick up a Super Duke and ended up using the LT for all touring duties, I would be pissed that I was on such great roads on that big barge of a bike.  I mean the LT handles OK if I feel like flogging it but it's not the same.

I would love more power and less weight but I find I value available hard bags & weather protection too much to go with such a purpose built machine like a Super Duke.  So this winter the viffer gets a catless header, stiffer front springs, gold valves and an Ohlins shock.  ::sigh::

[Bjorn Toulouse]

What didn't you like Rex, was looking for something more suited for longer rides than my '05 Hayabusa and had always "heard" the VFR was well liked by owners?

The riding position was too much for my arthritic neck and shoulders. 300 miles Sunday, Aleve for 2 days following.

In hindsight, I was never really comfortable with the VFR. Every time I rode it seemed like the first time.

The Tiger 1050 is the exact opposite, less than a mile out from the dealer, on the initial test ride, it seemed we had been dancing together for years.

The VFR is a slick motorcycle, it just wasn't the right bike for me.


Rex

[Jetpilot5]

Great bike.  I owned my 99 for five years and 41,000 miles.  Replaced the regulator rectifier once and other than that it never skipped a beat.  I was finally seduced by bikes with more power.  I'm one of the many that are waiting for the 1,000cc version that's never going to arrive.  My K12S is as close to a VFR on steroids as I've found so far.

[sagerat]

Have the Viffer drop about 50 pounds and I'd be happy with that 800 motor.  Although to be honest, if in its current porkey configuration that engine had enough oomph to make me do stupid things occasionally.

And I love that V4 sound.  

[Jetpilot5]

No question, plenty fast enough to get in trouble, and they do sound amazing when you wick it up.

[kebrider]

My thoughts:

 - I missed my 01 so much that I bought an 07.
 - A couple of free mods that take 10 minutes turns the bike into one of the most refined bikes on the planet.
 - From track days to touring it does it all reasonably well and asks very little from the rider.
 - It has an effortless feel in a variety of riding situations that relaxes me when I ride.

To complain it is underpowered and overweight, while valid complaints on the track and in all out sport riding, is somewhat missing the point. Its heavy in a durable way and underpowered in an understressed way.

The motorcycle equivalent of the 5 series BMW.

It is the definitive Gentlemans Express.

I have owned many many bikes and I missed my VFR more than any other model when it was gone.

KEB

   

[sagerat]

The motorcycle equivalent of the 5 series BMW.

Hunh, that is an interesting comparo and one that had never occurred to me.  I figured the Viffer was more like an RS as the /5 is fairly low tech.  And while I felt mine was overweight, I never felt it was underpowered.  

[FiremanBob]

This thread has me jonesing for a viffer.  I'm thinking of downsizing from my V65 Sabre to get lighter weight, more sporty handling, less top-heavy, comfortable fairing including hand and leg coverage from wind and rain, and hard luggage.  All my research so far points in the VFR direction.

[sagerat]

I put 15K on mine in about three seasons, so I can tell you Viffers are comfy rides and I enjoyed the 225-250 mile range, although I once stretched it 258 miles before the low fuel light began to flash.  Good thing as I was in the Mojave Desert at the time and running out fuel would've made me buzzard meat.

I also liked the outside air temp gauge.  So they really do make a great everyday commuter as well as solo sport-tourer.  I looked into adding heated grips and hard luggage to mine, but went with the GS, instead.  Still, part of me still misses that red Honda.

[todao]

I put 12K on my 02 VFR over about a year.  I liked it and although it endeared itself to me while I had it, I have never regretted selling it. the position was great but I just wanted more power.  I liked the linear power but eventually got tired of it.  But now I have the ZX14 so you know where my priorities are.

If Honda had listened and bumped it up to a 1200 and found a decent replacement of the XX, I would've definitely considered.  but the rumor goes around every year before new  bike launch time and it never comes.

to me the ZX is everything the VFR was (weight, comfort, great styling, sporty yet not too extreme) and all the things the VFR wasn't (power EVERYWHERE and then some, updated styling, a real sport touring mount that never requires a downshift).

My first Kawi after many Hondas...

[tpierce (MP)]

Can current VFR owners reply?

I've got just over 13,000 VFR miles since mid April of this year.  I love the bike, as it seems to be able to fill all my needs.  I have to spend a good amount of time on the highway just getting to the good twisties around here, meaning i have had many 500+ mile days on her.  As others have mentioned, reliable as gravity.  Mine does have a warranty until 2011 (ty previous owner...), and will go in for the recall sometime when it starts snowing.  The thing looks great (i always get compliments on it, people love the SSSA, the exhaust, and the fact it isn't another GSX-R or Hyabusa...), sounds awesome (Staintunes...), runs great, hauls all my shit (OEM hard bags, a nice tank bag, and still room on the rear pillon to tie down stuff), and is nice and smooth.  And as for he power concerns, it has always done fine for me, even 2-up loaded, it just may need a little more VTEC time  .  It has no problem breaking every speed limit in the country, very quickly.

I can't think of another bike out there, particularly in it's price range, that can do all that.

[bizarro]

I had three vfrs, a 2000 and a 2001 800, and a '95 750. Of the three I liked the 750 the best. I don't know the specs well enough to say whether it was really that far down on power or if it weighed less or more, but it was certainly more comfortable and I felt it handled better despite having older brakes and suspension. I suppose it mostly came down to character for me. The 750 was looser, funkier, older, more worn-in and homey somehow. I rode it to the first WCRM in '04 and had the ride of my life. Still, I don't think I'll ever go back to a VFR. My riding has changed a great a deal since then and so then has what I want from a bike. These days I really don't want or need something that is all that fast or that can cover great distances comfortably because I have neither the time nor the money for that, so I need a commuter workhorse that can also double as a fun weekend bike for near-home rides. The T does that and also makes me laugh because it's such an anachronism at the same time. I owned many of Honda's offerings from the last ten to fifteen years or so and they just don't make a bike that appeals to me at this point. Of course, if I had the money for another RC30 I would buy one in a heartbeat, but honestly, even if I did, I'm not sure I would. I could have a Speed Triple, a Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport, and a project bike for less probably. VFRs, like BMWs, are great bikes, and they are the perfect bike for some, but not me anymore.

[Nitro]

Sure they are a great bike..If they fit you..they have been a good bike for me, had a 05, currently a 00, after mistakenly selling the 05 and buying a  #$^ camel, ugh!...then back to a 00 as it was available.  vfr 800 so far best compromise  bike I have found for the long trips in 30 yrs riding..

  Lots I have tried that  didnt  do it.  But lots more out there I need to  (will) try! ..so it goes...

[samuidave]

OK, I was jonesing for a VFR since 1984 when they hit the showroom nearby.  Eventually, in 1999 I finally got one, a 1997 model.

Long story short, it was a disappointment.

After hearing how it was the ultimate all-round bike, a single trip from Vancouver, BC to southern California and back (roughly 15,000 kms) was more than proof for me that this bike was not what I needed.  Almost fortunately, it was stolen.

It was a little too smooth for my tastes, almost sterile

This may sound funny, but growing up on two strokes since the late 1960s leaves a guy like me enjoying the rawness of a motorcycle.  And The VFR did not fit me at all. It was very short in the top tube length (mountain bike terminology, not sure it is correct)  too, meaning from where I sat to the handle bars was way too cramped -- and I am only 5'10"!

Though much heavier and slower than the VFR, a BMW R1100RS was a better all round machine.  In fact, the earlier R1100S felt very much like the VFR I owned.  

But even better is any Yamaha FJ1100.  I have owned a FJ1100 '84 (crashed by friend), a FJ1200 '89 (sold because I did not like it as much as my older '84), and currently own a FJ1100 '85.  

To each their own  

[bizarro]

Those FJs are sure sweet. Kitkat has a smoking modded FJ that'll rip the lungs off of most bikes on the road these days.  

[Bjorn Toulouse]

 Its heavy in a durable way and underpowered in an understressed way.    

Dood, you must write ad copy for a living! What an excellent piece of gobbledygook!


Rex

[ol Rocket]

My '97 felt like it was carved from a block of steel.  The Triumph doesn't seem as well constructed, at least, as together as the Vif.  I had Gen Mars on the Honda and really the riding positions are fairly similar.  But I'm with the others who were seduced  by more power/torque.  Now I feel like I can let myself go physically and gain 20 pounds and be OK on the bike .

I also remember, Peter, how excited you got the first time you scraped a peg on the Viffer...