39 replies to this topic

[Baileyrock]

Do you really think a literbike would be more flickable than a VFR? I used to have an '03 GSX-R1000, an SV1000S and an '03 Z1000, and none of them were very flickable.
I don't mind swapping out the VFR's shock, and I'm okay with modding the fork as well. Speaking of which, if I recall correctly, the earlier VFR800s had a 41mm fork. The CBR F2 and F3 had a 41mm fork. I was able to take the uppers and innards from an F3 fork and bolt them to my F2's fork lowers, thereby converting the F2 damper rod fork to a cartridge fork with adjustable rebound damping. So I wonder if I could do a similar mod on a VFR.

Only the newest Liter bike handle decent IMO, the last GSXR1k I road (05) was a PIG IMO and other than teh motor I was very happy to get back on my 02 VFR!
No 5th or 6th gen VFR would ever be consider quick steering, but slight tweeking and decent tires like Pilot Powers make a Huge difference. With suspension redone to my weight (200lbs) and teh rear raised/ forks dropped my 02 handle pretty good. I live in teh twisties and have over 84k miles of twisties on it.
You need to test ride both a 5th & 6th gen VFR and know that if they still have the stock round profile OEM type tires on them they will feel slow turn-in wise.
Excellent overall bike though, check one out.
I'm sure if you post up for some member to swap rides on an hour ride would be happy to try your 675 out!

BR

[VFR Capt.Bob]

Yes you should buy either one of them if you are looking for a great street bike. One you can sport ride all day in comfort. Power wise it is a 750 derived motor and I find the power is all about quality and not about outright quick reving race winning neck snapping stand it on the rear wheel for 3 blocks kind of volume. I love sport riding on a sport bike but am spoiled by the VFR comfort to where the ride home is always a real bummer on the CBR. I would also consider the Triumph Sprint ST as a contender if power is more important than handling. The one thing I learned from riding my newly purchased CBR954 is that you have to rev the VFR out to keep up with the more powerful bikes. Sounds like duh! but honestly the motors midrange can make you complacent to the point where you don't exploit all the over rev past the torque curve. So I'd say yes either the 5th gen in excellent shape or a 6th gen would be a great addittion to what you currently ride.

[timmythecop]

VFRs will NOT go around corners...............................

[thefleshrocket]

Only the newest Liter bike handle decent IMO, the last GSXR1k I road (05) was a PIG IMO and other than teh motor I was very happy to get back on my 02 VFR!
No 5th or 6th gen VFR would ever be consider quick steering, but slight tweeking and decent tires like Pilot Powers make a Huge difference. With suspension redone to my weight (200lbs) and teh rear raised/ forks dropped my 02 handle pretty good. I live in teh twisties and have over 84k miles of twisties on it.
You need to test ride both a 5th & 6th gen VFR and know that if they still have the stock round profile OEM type tires on them they will feel slow turn-in wise.
Excellent overall bike though, check one out.
I'm sure if you post up for some member to swap rides on an hour ride would be happy to try your 675 out!
BR

I haven't ridden any recent liter bikes--all of the ones I've owned were '03s--and it would make sense that a newer liter bike would be a noticeable improvement over one of the older models in flickability. My '03 GSX-R1000 had a monster motor, great brakes and was rock stable while cornering, but it took a pretty hefty push on the inside clip-on to change direction, and that's something I don't want again. That GSX-R was a surprisingly comfortable distance bike--I've slabbed a couple of 450-mile days on it as well as one 900-mile day and I didn't feel half bad afterward--so if a VFR800 was less flickable than that Gixxer, I'd probably do well to just buy another one of them! (Which I don't want to do.) There is a guy in a group I've started riding with who has current-model CBR1000RR and has offered to let me try it out in exchange for some seat time on my 1125R. I figure that ought to give me some perspective on how modern liter bikes handle--he says it is surprisingly nimble.

I'm a huge fan of the Pilot Powers. I have the 2CTs on my 675 and 1125R, and the regular Powers on my F2. My 1125R came with Diablo Corsa IIIs stock and no matter how much I tinkered with the suspension, the bike just didn't want to turn cooperatively. Fortunately, the rear Corsa was toast after 2400 miles and I threw on a set of 2CTs. With no other changes, the bike became a far more willing partner. I would definitely put the 2CTs on a VFR (or any other sporting bike I'd purchase).

Are there any forum members in the southern Illinois area? I kinda doubt it (not too many sportbike people around here, and I don't think I've ever seen a VFR), but I'd be happy to trade bikes if there was.

[thefleshrocket]

I really don't see why someone with a whole stable full of bikes would be looking for an all-around bike like the VFR.
I like the viffer because it's my only bike and it has to fill a lot of roles, and rack up a lot of miles without worrying about maintenance.
I would imagine that buying a 5th Gen VFR, upgrading the suspension and adding a SC would tread heavily on your 1125 & 675 riding time, as in you wouldn't ride those anymore.
What is most surprising is the wife w/2yo allowing so many bikes and even the possibility of another?? Do her the favor of selling off those inferior machines once you have the supreme VFR!!
what did you expect from a VFR forum?

Ehhh, each bike I have has a different character. Some days I appreciate the torquey motor of the Buell. Other days, I want the super-nimble 675. And other days, my old friend the CBR is more my taste. A VFR would hopefully fill the void of being about as comfortable as the CBR (which is surprisingly comfortable) but noticeably more powerful (after being supercharged), albeit not as sporty as the 1125 or 675.

Each bike has its own type of riding that it's suited for. On the super tight, sometimes bumpy and very twisty local backroads, the nimbleness of the F2 or the 675 are paramount. For faster, more-open stuff, the 1125R (or a supercharged VFR, presumably) would do well.

It is kind of surprising that my wife is as tolerant of my bike habit, but I pretty much give her free rein to buy whatever she wants (within reason), so it's only fair that she return the favor. Also, all of my bikes have been cheap--the 675 cost me $5100, the CBR I've had for literally 16 years, the Buell cost $5300 (brand new, no less--this was in the fire sale after Harley pulled the plug on Buell), and the DRZ cost me $2000. I've got about as much money tied up in bikes as I would in a halfway decent used family sedan. I've been talking about wanting a Ducati 848 for a while to soften my wife up to the idea, and if she's willing to consider a $10K used Ducati, surely I can get away with a $3500-$4000 VFR and a $5000 supercharger upgrade. :)

[thefleshrocket]

Yes, I definitely think that a liter sport bike is more flickable and quicker handling than the VFR (800...I haven't ridden the 1200 yet). I rode my '07 at Road ATL one day and a CBR954 the next. The 954 handled way easier through the corners - even though it was not my bike and I was not used to it at all. The VFR can get the job done, but it takes a lot more effort. However, if I ever tried to take the 954 on a 400+ mile day (not uncommon on the VFR) in the mountains of western North Carolina, I don't know if my back, wrists and knees could handle it.

Could this be due at all to different tires? Or due to the 954RR being modified to make it a more track-oriented bike?

I've never ridden a 954RR, but considering that it was based on the 900RR which was Honda's "liter-bike power in a 600-sized chassis", it wouldn't surprise me that the 954RR was especially flickable for a liter bike.

[AussieinUSA]

There is a guy in a group I've started riding with who has current-model CBR1000RR and has offered to let me try it out in exchange for some seat time on my 1125R. I figure that ought to give me some perspective on how modern liter bikes handle--he says it is surprisingly nimble.

Do it and you'll want one, 08+ 1000rr's are remarkable machines, fast, light and extremely nimble, you can't compare to a VFR on any level as they do 2 different jobs, ones for ripping up pavement, the others for wearing it out.

[Baileyrock]

My '03 GSX-R1000 had a monster motor, great brakes and was rock stable while cornering, but it took a pretty hefty push on the inside clip-on to change direction, and that's something I don't want again. That GSX-R was a surprisingly comfortable distance bike--I've slabbed a couple of 450-mile days on it as well as one 900-mile day and I didn't feel half bad afterward--so if a VFR800 was less flickable than that Gixxer, I'd probably do well to just buy another one of them!

My VFR was much More flicable than the 05 GSXR 1k!

[thefleshrocket]

There is a guy in a group I've started riding with who has current-model CBR1000RR and has offered to let me try it out in exchange for some seat time on my 1125R. I figure that ought to give me some perspective on how modern liter bikes handle--he says it is surprisingly nimble.

Do it and you'll want one, 08+ 1000rr's are remarkable machines, fast, light and extremely nimble, you can't compare to a VFR on any level as they do 2 different jobs, ones for ripping up pavement, the others for wearing it out.

I'm sure it's a great bike, but I will probably never buy a Japanese I4 again--they're just too "me too". If I had the budget and desire for a current liter-class bike, I'd either be looking at the BMW S1000RR or the Aprilia RSV4R. (And getting that one past the wife would probably require selling just about all of my current two-wheeled toys.)