Member Contributer Yokel Posted June 12, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 12, 2012 Hello gang, Well, it's been a solid six-months since I've bought the 1200, and 4 months since I've had the bike exclusively. Figured it's time I share my experiences with the 1200 for the good of humanity. Mid-November was when I pulled the trigger on the 12. My buying experience was pretty funny so I'll share that story. I rang up the local dealer everyone hates here in OKC since according to the interwebz they were the only show in town that had one. "Hey, you guys have any 2010 1200 VFR's in stock?" "Yup." "Great, on my way." After I showed up: "Well, it's down in our warehouse near the Texas border in a crate. We can get it up here tomorrow and put it together and stuff if you wanna go ahead and do all the paperwork." "Why not?" So, in short, I hadn't even SAT on a 1200 VFR before I'd already done all the pencil-whipping to be an owner. In fact, I'd never SEEN one in the flesh. I had, however, spent hours on this website, devoured every piece of data about the bike from tradepapers and everything... I guess I just am a sucker for people's opinions. The next day, went back to the dealership and rode it away. I did weasel in a agreement that if I brought it back in 72 hours with less than 100 miles I would be in the clear if I didn't like it. 300 miles later I got it home. I live 10 miles from the dealership. I purchased this bike based on the ergo's. I've got a bad disc in my back, and this riding position is just sweet for that. Having my spine flexed to absorb bumps really makes riding it easier. I was immediately aware of the power limitations in 1st and 2nd gear, but that's well-documented so I won't go into that. The pipe with an actuator valve on it was a novel concept... one I didn't really care for. Luggage was next... got a full set of Nelson-Rigg soft bags. I couldn't make myself pony up the money for the factory set. In hindsight I wish I had. One month into ownership I parked the bike in my buddies shop and dismantled the whole thing to get to the factory wiring harness to do the 1st, 2nd fueling fix. 8 hours into it, I was looking around at the plastics, wires and fuel tank and had a wonderful "oh !*&(#" moment. Fortunately, it buttoned back up just fine. That experience made me really appreciate the fairing. It's quite a setup. In March I sold my pickup. I had put maybe 200 miles on it since I bought the bike. It needed some top-end work in the motor and I just decided I'd sell it and go until like August or October with just the bike. Grocery shopping is comical. In April I took 2 trips over to the Ozark mountains of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas. Riding daily for a commute here in OKC made me like the bike a lot... Vacationing on the roads in the Ozarks made me fall in love with it. Obviously, the sheer thrust this machine has is wonderful here in the southern plains... just head for the horizon. I never really appreciated the handling until I got to the mountains though. This machine loses 75 pounds when you get it moving. That's a good thing considering the rider carries around an extra 75 on a daily basis. In short, after 2 oil changes (running full-syn now), 1 set of tires, a new pipe and some other assorted goodies, I am still finding myself going outside to look at the bike. I'm still crazy about the styling. I still find myself enjoying that V-4 lope when I pull off the highway and the engine idles down. I still love that people think it's a (BMW? What IS that bike... never seen anything like it!) beautiful machine. It's been through toad-choking rainstorms, hail, stupid windstorms (yeah... 60mph gust-front. That sucked.), grocery shopping... I've strapped a ridiculous amount of crap to this machine. It kinda goes with being my only transportation... (Read: Landscaping mulch, a shovel and some rakes, a bicycle, spare tires... Yeah, that happened.) It's never missed a beat. I have never enjoyed a machine as much as I do this one. It does most everything well, some things exceptionally so. Like anything else designed by people it's got its shortcomings. The paint's too soft for one, and given how I use it, I may just break down and do a full re-paint next year. The silver on the footrests is pretty well gone and the tank's getting scuffed up a bit from my tank-bag. Fuel range is pretty bad, but that really doesn't bug me. The back of my right leg and the soles of my feet get hot when the weather's warm (loved that in the winter though). The vinyl on the seat is JUST starting to pull away on the bolster of the saddle in the back and I've had trouble finding a shop that's willing to try and re-upholster it. Getting to anything under that fairing takes some time, but I'll take that for the curves it gives to the eye. The stock suspension is garbage. I'm going to start replacing that piece by piece soon. Aside from that, really, I'm quite pleased. I probably treat this machine harder in daily life than most folks would over the course of their ownership. I don't wash it very often, I load it up with crap that most people would consider STUPID to put on a bike... It's my do-all. I do make damn sure that's it's top-notch mechanically and check everything on it (fluids etc,) daily. In all fairness, I'd give it an 8 of 10. With a few farkels and some parts swapped over, I expect I'll like it even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrurknee Posted June 12, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 12, 2012 WOW! Only an 8! I have two Y2Ks which are both 10s. I would consider trading you straight up for ONE of 'em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Yokel Posted June 12, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 12, 2012 WOW! Only an 8! I have two Y2Ks which are both 10s. I would consider trading you straight up for ONE of 'em! Seeing you ride that bike and how you were taking it easy I'd say Honda custom built that y2k for you Ernie. Hahaha! Would have been 10/10 but the paint's SO soft and the suspension is really underwhelming. Part of that is my fault for being fat, but there ya have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 yes it grows on you that's for sure it's a really neat package the ridding position for me anyway feels like I'm doing my back stretching exercise for my l4 & l5. I have another ride that I mix in but I don't get the smiles per hour that I do on the 1200vfr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileyrock Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Nice write-up, thanks for sharing! BR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quikbrew Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Yokel Glad to hear that you're enjoying the bike so much. Had mine almost a year now and done over 14k miles. Like yours, mine gets used every day in all weathers...but I don't think I've carried quite such a variety of items!!! Had plenty of problems with mine, including the entire front brake set-up being replaced, and there's quite a few things taht annoy me, but I still love it - it's a great bike. Not perfect (far from it), but still the best bike I've owned in many years of biking. I think the closest thing I owned to it in the past was an Aprilia RST 1000 Futura. Anybody else had one of those and think the same? Enjoy (your) summer...we're still waiting for it to start here...looks like Silverstone MotoGP is going to be a wet one...Valentino will be pleased though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjadoc Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Nice write up, enjoyed that while you enjoy te bike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiN Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I've strapped a ridiculous amount of crap to this machine. It kinda goes with being my only transportation... (Read: Landscaping mulch, a shovel and some rakes, a bicycle, spare tires... Yeah, that happened.) too funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hvrnaut Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Yokel, You're really using your bike well beyond what I've ever imagined! I did do a little over a year with a motorcycle as my only transportation after a,... ahem..." change" in my marital status, years ago. Not an easy thing to do in the midwest winter, but you've bested anything I ever attempted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Glad to hear you love your 7th gen. I like the looks well enough, but the issues many owners have with their bikes, even if just mostly annoying, would make me think twice about buying one. I've strapped a ridiculous amount of crap to this machine. It kinda goes with being my only transportation... (Read: Landscaping mulch, a shovel and some rakes, a bicycle, spare tires... Yeah, that happened.) too funny. I've carried new tires on my 6th gen. a few times, and my trumpet case on a regular basis. Sure beats driving to rehearsals and gigs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Yokel Posted June 19, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 19, 2012 Yokel Glad to hear that you're enjoying the bike so much. Had mine almost a year now and done over 14k miles. Like yours, mine gets used every day in all weathers...but I don't think I've carried quite such a variety of items!!! Had plenty of problems with mine, including the entire front brake set-up being replaced, and there's quite a few things taht annoy me, but I still love it - it's a great bike. Not perfect (far from it), but still the best bike I've owned in many years of biking. I think the closest thing I owned to it in the past was an Aprilia RST 1000 Futura. Anybody else had one of those and think the same? Enjoy (your) summer...we're still waiting for it to start here...looks like Silverstone MotoGP is going to be a wet one...Valentino will be pleased though Eeesh, sorry to hear about the brake woes, Quickbrew. I've been pretty lucky with the lack of mechanical gremlins and ease of living with this bike. Remind me about your summer when mine is 115 farenheit. blech... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Yokel Posted June 19, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 19, 2012 Glad to hear you love your 7th gen. I like the looks well enough, but the issues many owners have with their bikes, even if just mostly annoying, would make me think twice about buying one. Should be worth noting that in all reality, TimC, the majority of things us 7th gen guys are grouching about really aren't that big of a deal... unless you factor in the purchase price on the 2010's. The VAST majority of gripes seem to have been fixed in 2012... but for what I shucked out for my 2010, I can take some brainfarts on the part of Honda engineers. Best bike in the world for 12 grand new, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Yokel Posted June 19, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 19, 2012 Yokel, You're really using your bike well beyond what I've ever imagined! I did do a little over a year with a motorcycle as my only transportation after a,... ahem..." change" in my marital status, years ago. Not an easy thing to do in the midwest winter, but you've bested anything I ever attempted. Ha! A kindred spirit! Yeah, I've really been abusing this thing... I swear it's grinning when I look at it now. I might be drawing plans for a bicycle rack for the 7th gen... Someone needs to devise some kind of old-school horse-saddle kind of holster for garden tools. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hvrnaut Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Yokel, You're really using your bike well beyond what I've ever imagined! I did do a little over a year with a motorcycle as my only transportation after a,... ahem..." change" in my marital status, years ago. Not an easy thing to do in the midwest winter, but you've bested anything I ever attempted. Ha! A kindred spirit! Yeah, I've really been abusing this thing... I swear it's grinning when I look at it now. I might be drawing plans for a bicycle rack for the 7th gen... Someone needs to devise some kind of old-school horse-saddle kind of holster for garden tools. Just a thought. Too funny! I've had my serious doubts about this machine, but in the end, I think it's going to win me over. Your comments about it's minor shortcomings are right on target. It is a great bike. The fixes in 2012 would have taken care of it all, for me, although I prefer the bike in red! Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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