mcrwt644 Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 When does a VFR cease to be a VFR? With all the suspension upgrades, wheels, brakes, different guages, when does a VFR cease to be just that? a VFR? Just a friendly debate is all. I get upgrading suspension and braking, but when is enough too much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted March 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 10, 2014 When you install a inline 4 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I like the idea of this thread. IMO, it depends on the individual. The VFR roots are in racing and pure sport riding. However I have very little interest in that. Nor do I have much interest in pure touring. I love the all around nature of the VFR. So in my eyes, anything that takes it too far in one direction is when it ceases to be a VFR. Ohlins shock or RC51 forks for a sportier ride or Helibars and footpeg lower blocks don't change the bike so much that it is something else entirely. Someone who strips the bike down to it's bare essentials for weight savings and uses it either as a track bike or street fighter isn't riding a VFR anymore. Someone who adds so many farkles that it is a small Goldwing is no longer riding a VFR either. They both are riding a V4 platform then. Is that a bad thing though? No, I don't believe so. I think it speaks volumes about the versatility and character of the V4 design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer mk2davis Posted March 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 10, 2014 When you don't have gear driven cams. Now that I've stirred that pot . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted March 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 10, 2014 the heart and soul of the vfr is the motor. i saw an 86 750 motor stuffed into a 4 wheeler with street tires and shocks. it was a street legal set up for a guy with no legs.. i still think of it as a vfr. i wish i had pix ,but that was back in 1997.. When you don't have gear driven cams. Now that I've stirred that pot . . . i agree!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Uhmmm....for me personally,......when it loses gear driven cams and SSS.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrwt644 Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 I'm pretty happy with my current ride even if only after a 15 mi shake down ride today. God I missed that. First thing I noticed was the V4 rumble and gear driven cams. I figure an R6 on the street is a far cry from one running in the AMA circuit, much like the NASCAR Camry and the one in the driveway next door. LMAO...no more gear driven cams, omg, made my day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted March 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 10, 2014 Uhmmm....for me personally,......when it loses gear driven cams and SSS.... the rc45... had a "normal swing arm" on a few.. soooo?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 the rc45... had a "normal swing arm" on a few.. soooo?? But wasn't that a RVF and not a VFR? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted March 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 10, 2014 the rc45... had a "normal swing arm" on a few.. soooo?? But wasn't that a RVF and not a VFR? just because they spell it weird for the people across the pond doesn't mean its not a vfr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrwt644 Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 so, a vtr, rvt, and rc51 are the same bike? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer YoshiHNS Posted March 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 10, 2014 Engine and frame make a VFR to me. If you put an RSV4 into a VFR frame you'll have a monster bike, but my first question will still be 'why didn't you get an RSV4 frame too?' If you put anything else in a VFR frame, you now just have a frankenbike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted March 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 10, 2014 the vfr 800 has the same motor (detuned) as the rc45 . every person i know in the motorcycling world conciders them part of the VFR family .they are not the exact SAME bike. but they are the racing VFR. you realize that honda factory teams used to race them right? they raced the vf 500,the vf1000r ,the vf750, the vfr700 and 750 .. then split to the rc30 for race ... rc36 for street so yeah VFR is the clark kent mode of the RVF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I agree that the RVF & VFR are in the same family, but they are distinctly different bikes. Hard luggage on a RVF would be a bit ridiculous, don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted March 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 10, 2014 Which "gen" is the RC45, then? My personal view would be that the engine defines the VFR. So long as you keep that, you have a VFR. Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Phantom Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Mine is probably a good example of the extreme end of the spectrum that mcrwt644 is describing, in fact it's probably easier to say what VFR parts are left than to say what non-VFR parts I've fitted: frame (modfied) engine (modified) tank (but might end up swapping to a 3rd Gen tank - at least it's still family) swingarm (might yet be swapped for an MV Agusta F4 swingarm) wiring harness (modified and might yet be ditched for a bespoke wiring harness) And even what remains has been altered. Shock and entire front end are different, all bodywork other than tank is different, exhaust headers are different, both wheels are different, even the rear hub/eccentric is non-VFR Why? Because it's my bike I love the sport/tour personality, but had the most fun exploring the sport side when the thing was on the road - so that's the direction I took the bike in. Am I destroying the very aspect of the bike that makes it one of the all-time motorcycle classics? Yep, sure am! I've got another one that is being set up as the tourer And at the end of the day, I will still have the soul of this bike - as John states, the engine is the key. BTW this is a good time to shout out to the guys that have inspired this madness. In no particular order - SAFE-T (actually yes Rick should be first), JZH (well maybe John should be first), Veefer800Canuck (Rob should be... this is getting too hard now), SEBSPEED (ohhh FFS), zRoYz, vfrcapn, Douglasthecook, Hobiedog, vfroem, swiffer, Kel, gll429, VIFFER93, kgsmotorcycles, flyguyeddy, Redmarque, FINNRC36, FotoMoto, mrmatt, Darth Bling, AB-OZ, tok tokkie, VFRrider... lots more, you know who you are. Gee there sure are a lot of us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Uhmmm....for me personally,......when it loses gear driven cams and SSS.... the rc45... had a "normal swing arm" on a few.. soooo?? ..........aaand that's when I personally started not to like the RC45 as much as I did when it had the SSS........ Very much like how the Super Chicken VTR1000 totally disappointed me when it did not retain the Hawk GT's SSS...... Remember, Honda had been using the SSS as a direct design derivative from their Elf/France developed GP bikes in the early 80's (pretty much rolling R&D labs for innovative ideas for their race and street bikes). and have brought the design to their street bikes with licensing royalties to Elf/France, even before Ducati 916s had them. So consider it as a "signature" design element for Hondas that had it and taking it away from bikes like the VFR AND RC 45 will be a BIG thing..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted March 11, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 11, 2014 Uhmmm....for me personally,......when it loses gear driven cams and SSS.... the rc45... had a "normal swing arm" on a few.. soooo?? ..........aaand that's when I personally started not to like the RC45 as much as I did when it had the SSS........ Very much like how the Super Chicken VTR1000 totally disappointed me when it did not retain the Hawk GT's SSS...... so i guess you hate all 2nd gens too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Uhmmm....for me personally,......when it loses gear driven cams and SSS.... the rc45... had a "normal swing arm" on a few.. soooo?? ..........aaand that's when I personally started not to like the RC45 as much as I did when it had the SSS........ Very much like how the Super Chicken VTR1000 totally disappointed me when it did not retain the Hawk GT's SSS...... so i guess you hate all 2nd gens too? Hate?? Uhmmm....who said I hate any VFRs??..... I see the SSS as a positive development in the evolution of the VFR. The 2nd gens could not help not having it as it might have been too early, but as the moment the VFRs did get the SSS with the 3rd gen, it would be blashphemy to take it away from the bike, as there's no real good reason to do so......Uhmmmm.... just like the already well developed chain driven cams.... Kind of a "Devo" move for Honda, IMO.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted March 11, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 11, 2014 Any VFR has a V4 engine and a sporty look to some extent The best VFR is also RED and has NACA ducts.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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