DavidEW Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I know there's been talk all over the place about how to fix the crappy transition but it seems to go in circles. I've been waiting to buy an 06 or higher because of the supposed better transition however I've come across an 03 that I love and is a good deal. I live in LA so I have some good tuning shops here - if I was to take it to Dynojet or someplace, did whatever I had to for the exhaust system/intake and got a PC5 etc etc can it make enough difference where it would be as good if not better than an 06? I'll wait longer to find a newer one if I have to, it's just that this one is avail now and the right color, accessories, etc. Thanks- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted April 24, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted April 24, 2014 Buy the 03 I have had mine 74,000 miles it's not that bad .. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RollinAgain Posted April 24, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted April 24, 2014 The VTEC transition on the 06 and newer is supposedly better than the older 6th Gens but I still found it very annoying and very noticeable on the 2007 that I previously owned. The mods you mention above should help assuming that you are willing to spend the extra money to have the fuel system remapped. I still to this day wonder why Honda ruined a perfectly good engine by adding the VTEC with such little overall benefit. Rollin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 The 03 drops in and out of vtec at 6800 rpm, the 06 plus goes in vtec at 6400 and goes out at 6100 rpm, that makes crusing in vtec ranges less an issue on the 06+ with dropping in and out, including getting into vtec alittle earlier. Personally it wouldnt bother me if vtec was in the 5,000 rpm range. Smoothness seems to vary from bike to bike, a purely stock bike can be smoother than a pc5 bike and vice versa. I think the lash on the vtec valves themselves aides with smoothness as they tighten. I had a friend who had his valves adjusted and that included a couple buckets on the vtecs, and he swears his vtec engagement became harsher. As for recalls, 06 plus hasn't had any recalls, so all retrofits installed are factory direct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Boy Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Don't listen to all the gear winers out there about the VTEC. Go test ride the '03 and decide for yourself. Not all VTECs are created equal. A few have more of a hit than others. I had 88k miles on my first '02. New it had a very slight hit that could be felt, not a problem at all but smoothed out completely when I did the first valve check and replaced the stuck open thermostat. After that VTEC could only be heard and not felt. The stuck thermostat did make the hit too noticeable before I fixed that. I now am on my second '02 and at 15k miles it is as smooth as could be through VTEC transition. Both bike completely stock. I would test ride until you find a deal on one that works well and leave it stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsmitty902 Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Personally I like the transaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted April 24, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted April 24, 2014 When I bought my '09', it was actually the VTEC "kick" that hooked me! While on the test ride and accelerating up the freeway on ramp and it kicked in, whoa! I thought this bike is awesome! I have since installed a PCV, and although it has lessened the jolt of the VTEC, it's still there and still gives me a smile when it kicks it. Even though I have nothing against the VTEC, I did buy a 5 Gen just so I could enjoy the gear driven cams too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superfunkomatic Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 The VTEC was more noticeable when the bike was new. Now with nearly 50,000 miles it's not that noticeable at all. It got smoother as the bike was broken in. Take one out for a spin and try it - there's much ado about nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted April 24, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted April 24, 2014 Don't listen to all the gear winers out there about the VTEC. Go test ride the '03 and decide for yourself. Not all VTECs are created equal. A few have more of a hit than others. I had 88k miles on my first '02. New it had a very slight hit that could be felt, not a problem at all but smoothed out completely when I did the first valve check and replaced the stuck open thermostat. After that VTEC could only be heard and not felt. The stuck thermostat did make the hit too noticeable before I fixed that. I now am on my second '02 and at 15k miles it is as smooth as could be through VTEC transition. Both bike completely stock. I would test ride until you find a deal on one that works well and leave it stock. I wouldn't really call it a Vtec hit as much as a love tap. When you look at the dyno charts it could be more closely associated with the Heimlich maneuver as the engine is choking and power is dropping rapidly just before omniscient Honda allows the other valves to open and bless this power plant with additional oxygen. The sound and fake fury of the Vtec transition has never bothered me as much as the craptacular fueling in a steady state between 3k and 5k RPMs. It almost makes some early 6G's un-ridable as the surging and stalling feel when trying to maintain a steady throttle can be sketchy in tight maneuvers. When it works properly though it not annoying, except for the two CCTs that now have to be maintained. I do wish Honda would steal the "single-chain-spinning-the-intake-cam-with-the-exhaust-cam-drive-by-a-gear" from the intake that Aprilia now uses. That would something that "winers" could all get behind. David, ride the bike, see if you like it and pay attention to the steady state fueling between 3-5K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidEW Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 Well looks like this one is a winner - vTech didn't kick in nearly as jolting as another bike I rode and didn't notice a bad stumbling in low RPM. Guess it is different for each bike. I'm gonna pick it up. Looks like the only pressing thing I need is the biggest touring windscreen - has anyone compared them? Puig, Zero G, etc etc. I want the one with the most air protection possible because I do a lot of phone calls when I ride as well as music and want as low wind noise as I can get. On that note I also need to find a super quiet helmet, but that's another forum I'll ask in. Thanks all- 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted April 27, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted April 27, 2014 Well looks like this one is a winner - vTech didn't kick in nearly as jolting as another bike I rode and didn't notice a bad stumbling in low RPM. Guess it is different for each bike. I'm gonna pick it up. Looks like the only pressing thing I need is the biggest touring windscreen - has anyone compared them? Puig, Zero G, etc etc. I want the one with the most air protection possible because I do a lot of phone calls when I ride as well as music and want as low wind noise as I can get. On that note I also need to find a super quiet helmet, but that's another forum I'll ask in. Thanks all- Your height will have a lot to do with which windscreen will be the best for you. I have the GIVI touring windscreen (on my 6 Gen) and it works well for me, I'm 5'8" BTW. As for the quietest helmet, look at Schuberth. Although I don't recommend making phone calls while riding, the Schuberth C3 I have with the SRC system works really well if you happen to answer a phone call while riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidEW Posted April 30, 2014 Author Share Posted April 30, 2014 I'm 5'11". There seems to be a lot of differing opinion on the touring windscreens that has the least amount of buffeting. I don't think I can drop the cash right now on a Schuberth but read great things about the HJC RPHA MAX helmet as being really quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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