otmaximus Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Yes My 94 VFR is officially retired from routine commuting service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grayv3 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 WOW!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandyRedRC46 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 AWESOME!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RollinAgain Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 That's great!! What major work have you had done to her over the course of her life? Any plans for another bike? Rollin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 Love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer rangemaster Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 IIRC he has 3 more. Lucky guy. I only have one. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 That's great!! What major work have you had done to her over the course of her life? Any plans for another bike? Rollin Lemee guess: Changed oil, spark plugs, tires, coolant, bulbs and r/r, checked valves. Nothing else. Nice work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otmaximus Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 Vfrcapn, you hit the nail on the head. Even has the original clutch. Time to send another letter to American Honda. I have 4 other 4G VFRs. Another 94, a 95 and two 97's. But the buy-in price for all 5 is still lower than what most people spend on one new bike. Someday I'll pick up a 96 to round out the 4G, but my stepdad has 2 bikes in my garage, so there's no room right now. Paul in SoCal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MBrane Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 Much like my trusty Super Reverb amp was retired from gig duty some years ago, but is still alive & well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 Vfrcapn, you hit the nail on the head. Even has the original clutch. Time to send another letter to American Honda. I have 4 other 4G VFRs. Another 94, a 95 and two 97's. But the buy-in price for all 5 is still lower than what most people spend on one new bike. Someday I'll pick up a 96 to round out the 4G, but my stepdad has 2 bikes in my garage, so there's no room right now. Paul in SoCal Wow, original clutch. I'd love to have stable of 5th gens but would prefer one of each gen, my '99 is just hitting 90k. Got a few more gens to add! What's your annual mileage? How often do you change the oil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otmaximus Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 My commute is 70 miles each way, so it works out to about 30,000 miles a year. I change the oil every 2000 miles and filter every other time. In the winter, I stretch it to 2500 miles per oil change. I've been doing this commute for about 10 years, I'm hoping to change something up soon, its starting to wear on me. But without the bike, I would have made it maybe 3 years. The 4G does it for me, I dont know what to say. i remember seeing the 92 or 93 in magazines when it came out, I loved the red and grey color scheme. But when it came time to buy one, the shape, size, weight, just the overall look of the bike did it for me. Whats killing me though is the rear tire size. Most places dont carry the 170 anymore, although they will order it. I like just being able to walk in to Cycle Gear, grab some tires off the rack and drop off my wheels. I am tempted to swap to the wider wheel from other generations, but then i need to get 5 off them. Paul in SoCal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman11 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 That's amazing! I can see the clutch lasting that long if you do long commutes like that. If you are not hard on it, it will last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Polarbear Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 My commute is 70 miles each way, so it works out to about 30,000 miles a year. I change the oil every 2000 miles and filter every other time. In the winter, I stretch it to 2500 miles per oil change. I've been doing this commute for about 10 years, I'm hoping to change something up soon, its starting to wear on me. But without the bike, I would have made it maybe 3 years. The 4G does it for me, I dont know what to say. i remember seeing the 92 or 93 in magazines when it came out, I loved the red and grey color scheme. But when it came time to buy one, the shape, size, weight, just the overall look of the bike did it for me. Whats killing me though is the rear tire size. Most places dont carry the 170 anymore, although they will order it. I like just being able to walk in to Cycle Gear, grab some tires off the rack and drop off my wheels. I am tempted to swap to the wider wheel from other generations, but then i need to get 5 off them. Paul in SoCal Are you sure you cannot just ge tone or maybe two 5gen instead of 4-5??? Just kidding. That being said, it's amazing to see how long those bikes can go. Congrats. C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer socalnative Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 Wow, that mileage is great, but I think commuting over 100 miles a day in so cal for 10 years may be more impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 Congratulatiions and thank you 4th gen for being the bestest VFR..... I can believe the clutch life. I had mine (97) out while fitting the clear clutch cover. 77,000km and the springs measure like factory new and the friction plates have at least 3mm. Only the metal plates had a bit of blueing. All this while I tend to let the revs rrrrriiipppp...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer auggius Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 Amazing! How many miles do you have on the other bikes? Are they all stock? I can't imagine they've all been farkled the way some do their one and only. It would get very expensive 5x! IF I were to get another VFR, I would add a 5th gen, maybe a 6th but not a 7th. Earlier ones are harder to come by and I would rather ride than fix bikes. I wonder what the 8th gen will look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otmaximus Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 The clutch is showing its age, if I go WOT in 5th or 6th gear, it slips quite a bit. I haven't gone crazy with any of the bikes. This 94 has a Lindemann rebuilt shock and RaceTech forks, a Micron high-mount pipe, fuse and ground blocks for voltmeter and heated jacket/gloves, and its geared really tall for gas mileage: an 18T in front from a 5G and I think a 41T in the rear. Plus a 45L Givi trunk and a ZG DB windscreen. I installed a Factory Pro shift kit years ago. Galfer SS brake and clutch lines too. I have Fumoto oil drain plug valves on all my bikes (and my truck). It makes oil changes a breeze. I plug the bikes into a battery tender every night, basically whenever its not being used, and batteries will last me about 6 or 7 years. Paul in SoCal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer auggius Posted August 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2013 I don't do oil changes as often as you but the oil drain valve seems like a handy mod. The website only lists car applications. Which one did you get? So do you rotate among your 5 bikes for commuting, or do you have specific purposes for each one? e.g. sport, touring, track, 2up..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted August 18, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2013 I forgot to mention - this would be a great writeup for a motorcycle magazine (such as Veefer800Canuck's and Choco's articles). I read an article about a dozen + years ago about a CBR900RR that had hit the 250,000 mile mark - very similar story. Just normal maintenance. Its frame had cracked, and the owner had drilled a small hole at its end to stop the progression of the crack. I wish I'd saved that article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otmaximus Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 F-109 Regular valve. Now that the OG 94 is retired I'm going to rotate one each day. I dont do track days, I was raised on the credo "If you want to use it, dont abuse it." The old 94 is best for 2-up since it has the trunk, my girlfriend can put stuff in it. My 95 has triple softbags (covers the rear seat), and the other 94 and one of the 97s has the rear cowl, so those are for solo trips. My 2nd bike is the other 97 and thats the slickest, the smoothest engine and tranny, but its also been the most unfortunate. On this bike I was hit on my way home from work about 4 yrs ago, and I hit a pallet on the freeway and bashed both wheels about 3 years ago. So really they are all for commuting, and any of them are used for weekend leisure trips. I took the 95 this morning for a ride with my stepdad out to a casino for lunch buffet. It has a D&D pipe, probably my favorite sound. Paul in SoCal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer auggius Posted August 18, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2013 Thanks. Found it listed under BMW and Porsche. Turns out the same plug can be used for my DR350se and my wife's bike, '89 CBR600. Still amazed that you have 5 of the same bike though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Lorne Posted August 18, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2013 You've clocked more miles on a VFR than I but I do question the need to change oil every 2,000 miles. And extending the interval in winter has it backwards. At least you don't use WD40 for chain lube ;-P My commute is 70 miles each way, so it works out to about 30,000 miles a year. I change the oil every 2000 miles and filter every other time. In the winter, I stretch it to 2500 miles per oil change. Paul in SoCal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiki01 Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Congrats on the milestone! Truly impressive. Although I don't think I can personally come close to that kind of mileage, it's great to see what the 4th gen is capable of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otmaximus Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 Dont forget, we're talking Southern California seasons. Summer is more brutal on oil in my experience, part of my commute will be through 100+ degrees, sometimes in the 100-teens. When it comes to chain life, I get about 20K miles on a chain, give or take. They funny thing is, it doesnt vary much whether i put it on and forget about it, or if I lube and check the tension weekly. Its always about 20K miles. I've heard stories of 40K miles on a chain (I think OEM), but I've never come close, with DID. I usually use the teflon multi-purpose spray from Lowe's. Thats one of many tips I got from VFRD. These are just my experiences, I'm not recommending or preaching. (Shhhh...dont tell anyone, once in a while I use WD-40) As they say, YMMV. Paul in SoCal You've clocked more miles on a VFR than I but I do question the need to change oil every 2,000 miles. And extending the interval in winter has it backwards. At least you don't use WD40 for chain lube ;-P My commute is 70 miles each way, so it works out to about 30,000 miles a year. I change the oil every 2000 miles and filter every other time. In the winter, I stretch it to 2500 miles per oil change. Paul in SoCal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DucatiTerminator Posted August 21, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 21, 2013 The clutch is showing its age, if I go WOT in 5th or 6th gear, it slips quite a bit. I haven't gone crazy with any of the bikes. This 94 has a Lindemann rebuilt shock and RaceTech forks, a Micron high-mount pipe, fuse and ground blocks for voltmeter and heated jacket/gloves, and its geared really tall for gas mileage: an 18T in front from a 5G and I think a 41T in the rear. Plus a 45L Givi trunk and a ZG DB windscreen. I installed a Factory Pro shift kit years ago. Galfer SS brake and clutch lines too. I have Fumoto oil drain plug valves on all my bikes (and my truck). It makes oil changes a breeze. I plug the bikes into a battery tender every night, basically whenever its not being used, and batteries will last me about 6 or 7 years. Paul in SoCal What made you choose the Fumoto over the Stahlbus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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