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2014 Vfr800F - Diary


Guest NobbNibble

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Here is the next question that I have. Is there a helmet hook or something of the like? My last 2 Triumphs didn't have any thing of the short and it was annoying!!!! I saw that your bucket fits in the Pannier but if you don't always have them with you (like commuting I wouldn't use them) it would be nice to leave it with the bike.

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There is a tool in the bag (a cable with a vinyl cover) that loops through your helmet D-rings and locks under the back seat to secure it to the bike.

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Seat cowl comes with the bike, also included is the pieces to cover the holes if you remove the passenger grab handles. I think a 12 volt outlet is going to be added to mine sometime soon. Not sure if I will add a quick shifter, Im liking the way this one shifts, for the price I dont think the quick shifter is worth it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

3600 Miles

Hi All, apologies for the delay on the latest update, I wanted to wait until I had a good run with the bike, in literally as many varied conditions as I could muster and the weather would allow. Suffice to say some of my impressions have changed and so has the bike!

So over the past month and a bit, the bike has been ridden for all purposes, Work, Pleasure, Pleasure with Pillion, Work with Panniers fully loaded and a bag on my back, Dry sunny days, Torrential Rain, slippy roads, lumpy roads, races with a Yamaha R1, emergency braking situations (x3), Traction Control kicking in and some life-saving ABS moments!

HANDLING

First things first - The bike still handles like a dream - quite literally it's one of the most well balanced bikes I've ever ridden, from Yamaha's to Suzuki's to Harleys and the likes. It still handles bends and roundabouts like a dream, and the confidence it gives you in the turns is incredible... so much so I've pegged-out on 3 occasions (not clever I know, but just an example on how a relatively new rider like me can be lulled into a false sense of ability given this bikes exceptional handling and balance).

ENGINE

Second thing and most importantly is that the switch in the VTEC is now very noticeable - for some reason as the bike gets more run in, it's now very clear when you go from 2 to 4... There is a noticeable lurch forward and it is no way near as smooth as it was when in the first 1500 miles... This is such a shame, we'll see what happens at it's 6000mile service.

The sound on the STOCK exhaust has become a great deal more "mature" and sounds sweet now. There is the initial startup tin sound, but after a few minutes it really develops a nice bellowing grumble that it didn't in the first 2000 miles or so. In fact it's so good, that I'm considering not putting any new exhaust on it, I genuinely don't think it's needed... that said I do own a Harley and nothing beats that for sound!

Mine has developed a very concerning slip-out-of-gear issue from 3rd to 4th and it's sporadic, but always during harder acceleration. I've also had instances where the bike display hasnt a clue what gear it's in and just spins the number view, until the engine is restarted... very strange and will be looked at.

BRAKING (ABS & TC)

So this is a part of the bike I've become very familiar with.

ABS works and it works bloody well. I've had instances where cars have pulled out on very uneven and sometimes mud laden roads and I can honestly say, if it weren't for the ABS, I wouldn't be in a position to write this blog! ABS performs flawlessly, even in the wet, it just wont let the bike slide - thank god! Interestingly though is that ABS works even more brilliantly on the back brake... I've had instances on wet roads mainly where my use of the back-brake has been interrupted with pressure back on the brake through my foot, removing pressure applied... Quite clearly I am over-using the back brake (need to sort that out), but also the bike is preventing a rear-wheel skid, which when in the Rain is another God-Send...

TC - I've tried so very hard to get TC working and it finally happened twice in one week (just recently)... One instance was on a right hand bend at dusk; came in a little hot on a sweeping right-hander, and hit a manhole cover that caused a sideways slide of the bike towards the hedge - I felt it and immediately attempted to feather the throttle to power traction through the rear wheel to get me out of the slight slight - clearly I put in more power than was needed - instantly the bike applied TC, reduced power ( you can clearly feel it ) and when traction was found, away we went - all intact.... Pretty sure this was another example of the bike saving my life, due to my incompetence! You really do have to try very hard in the wet to get TC to kick in, but I had managed it once when hitting surface water and pretty much causing a split-second aqua-plane.. the TC kicked in, traction found and away we went...

ECONOMY & OTHERS

So I haven't touched the MPG calculator since I purchased it and we're showing 46.4MPG average over the life of the bike. I am getting 200 miles to a tank under a mixture of hard and cruise riding and as high as 240 or so when sensible most of the time.

The HeadLights are exceptional at night - they really do light up the road, better than any bike I've owned.. I know there are other good ones out there, but many will be hard pressed to do it as well as the VFR does!

One of the Panniers developed a crack on it's mounting bracket, Honda say it's not their fault, I beg to differ, so that battle continues. Also one of them dont close well, again perhaps another shoddy build issue, that battle also continues.

Pillion reports it's generally comfortable, but on some roads a little teeth chattery - this can be easily fixed on the adjustable suspension and once sorted, it's like riding on a cloud :-)

Some of reported that the display is hard to see in bright sunlight - well I can tell you that is rubbish.. it's fine in all lights and I love the way it changes from a gold background in day, to the blue lit background at night - very nice touch :-)

SUMMARY

All in all a solid, dream bike that is still a dream to ride and that can keep up with the best of them when ridden by someone who is capable enough to get the best out of the bike. I would still buy one now that I've put over 3600 on mine :-)

BIT OF FUN ON A CHARITY RIDE-OUT RECENTLY:

post-30411-0-44048400-1405719353.jpg

Thats all for now, no options available yet still waiting - when they are fitted, I'll take pictures and send details!

Cheers

Nobby

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I just got home from a dealer, I-90 Motorsports in Issaquah, WA. They have a red one deluxe right there when you walk in. I was all over that bike. I love the looks of it. They had a white one in the showroom, but it was sandwiched too tightly between some other bikes so I couldn't give it the once over as well. Good review, and you have other bikes from which to compare, by the way, how did your little race with the R-1 go?

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Hey Nobby great writeup .. thanks for sharing your experiences. Mine just clicked over 2000 miles this week mostly motorway and it gets around 53 mpg even pressing on a bit. If it's any consolation mine also has a kind of lurch between the 2V to 4V thing and I was't too sure if that was part of the package as it was like this from new. I hadn't really heard it reported before but I'll get the dealer to check it out at its next service (8000 mile I think). Please post up if they cure this for you.

All in all I am also finding the G8 VFR a great machine, hasn't used a drop of oil since its 600 mile service, handles superbly - I've scrubbed the back tyre completely but not pegged out yet. Talking of which, my back tyre has squared off a bit from the motorway meandering but still has a roundish profile. No idea on tyre life but I guess 5000 mile +.

For me it ticks all the boxes as a spots tourer. Well done Honda

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Aye - it is a shame..

1st Service is due at 6000Miles, so we'll see what happens then... Such a shame because right up until 1000 or so, you couldnt really notice the difference...

The Race with R1 on a supposedly relaxed Ride-Out was awesome fun.. The man on the R1 clearly has no fear, is nuts, or a very capable rider - or all three.. This is the sort of guy that signals he'll be doubling around a "Roundabout" (Not many of those in the states - the UK government built them specifically for Bikers to practice on and you have to go to Europe to get left hand practice!) will come back and knee down all the way around... Anyhow it was fun, but I didnt have any issues keeping up on turns and twists, but in the straight I lost ground... obviously.. and then in some corners his line was too dangerous, so I backed off... all in all good fun and impressed with how the VFR fared..

Cheers

Nobby

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Thank you so very much for sharing your experiences. Its fantastic to get such thorough first hand feedback from an actual owner that uses it in so many varied ways; great idea to write a diary like this. I am looking forward to getting my first vfr (have a cbr650 now which I am enjoying but still learning about). I think these (vfr) bikes are awesome and look forward to hearing more about your experiences.

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G8 VFR owners manual shows first service 600 miles, next at 8000 miles (pg. 50). I think that this lurch or 'dip' in the delivery can probably be mapped out. Looks less pronounced on the Akra. power curves. On the fence for the exhaust. I'll see how things progress deeper into the milage.

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Not much of a "lurch" on mine, however I have owned 2 vtechs before, so maybe I am used to it, but really, what do you expect, its not like a vvti car system, this is either on or off, there is bound to be a notable transition.

It is possible to Tune it out with a PC5 and I have done it on the others , but on this bike I cant be bothered, its not that bad.

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Good diary, and I am enjoying reading it!. I have the same bike, in the same color, which I bought at the end of May and its always good to compare experiences, so here goes;

1. I had the extras (panniers, rear hugger, tank pad) fitted when I bought the bike. There are also bar risers available from Honda that will improve comfort for some people.So far all the extras have performed well, but I do find the panniers too small as I can't get my helmet inside either one!. But I just came back from a tour of Wales and they were adequate when loaded with kit. The fitting system is very neat, but after living with them for two months I am not sure if I would recommend them at the cost Honda charges today.

2. My bike came with Dunlop Sportsmax tires as standard. I have never had Dunlop's on any bike I have owned, and I generally dislike manufacturers OEM tires, but these tires have impressed me from the start. I was leaning over and pushing the bike into corners straight after scrubbing them in, and the dry grip is impressive. I also tested them extensively in the wet during the recent tour of Wales and found the confidence they generate welcome on some very challenging riding roads. I will change them to another manufacturer when they need replacing, and whilst I am a big fan of the Michelin Pilot Road 4 I may go for something a little more sporty to make better use of the bike's excellent handling.

3. My gear indicator display keeps disappearing and the re-appearing!. It happened a lot during the first 600 miles, but it happens a lot less so now. The dealer could not trace the fault at the first service. This looks like it may be a common fault, so Honda should be able to fix it in time. Also my first service cost Ā£100, so yours was expensive!.

4. It is a sporty riding position!. Took my body about 1,000 miles to adjust as I came from an upright riding position on my last bike, but it's very comfortable now. You have to re-learn how to lock-on to the tank with your knees in order to take weight off the wrists, as with all sports bikes. It's also safer as it takes the weight off your arms so you can counter-steer the bike more effectively when you really need to get around a corner!. I initially though the screen was too low and was planning to make a change when alternatives became available. After riding for over 1,500 miles I now find it very good and will not change.

5. The V4 is a great engine. I love the sound, but there is a lot of engine vibration which gets into your wrists on a long journey. I get a numb throttle wrist after 200 miles in the saddle.

6. Seat is hard.Ouch!. I put an Oxford non slip mat on the rear passenger seat to cure the sliding around, and that now keeps my passenger in place!.

Overall it's a great bike. There is nothing I hate, and lot's I love about this bike. It has a few small "niggles", but it's standout features more than compensate.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi

Great write up.

I collected my 2014 VFR two days ago, this is my first VFR and I am very impressed. The handling of this bike is amazing, I don't say that lightly - I traded in a 3rd gen ZX10R on this bike.

Not sure about the performance yet as I'm keeping it in the midrange until it's first service. The brakes are as good as the ZX10R (very good indeed) and the headlights are superb.

There is one major problem with my bike, the self-cancelling indicators are dangerously bad, cancelling seemingly at random after anywhere between one and ten flashes. I don't know why Honda decided to waste money on the solution to a problem that didn't exist, but I think the best thing they can do is admit they made a mistake and offer to remove or disable this potentially lethal feature.

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Hi there, I am new to this forum and relatively new to the 2014 VFR having taken delivery of mine at the end of May. There is a question I would like to ask regarding your experiences with starting the VFR 800. I owned 2 crossrunners before purchasing this bike and all bikes do something similar. 9 times out out of 10 the bike starts on the press of the starter button. On the odd occasion however, I press the starter button, the starter motor cranks the engine, but then it stops for half a second before the engine then fires up. On the weekend I stalled the bike, left the bike in gear and started the bike with the clutch lever in. The engine fired, stopped for an instant and then fired up. I am pretty sure the display went out for a fraction of a second as well. I only mention this issue because all 3 VFR bikes that I have owned did the same thing. Is this just a battery thing or has it got something to do with engine compression.

Otherwise, I really enjoy riding the bike. I am not totally used to the sporty riding position but the engine note and general feel of the bike is great.

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Hi there, I am new to this forum and relatively new to the 2014 VFR having taken delivery of mine at the end of May. There is a question I would like to ask regarding your experiences with starting the VFR 800. I owned 2 crossrunners before purchasing this bike and all bikes do something similar. 9 times out out of 10 the bike starts on the press of the starter button. On the odd occasion however, I press the starter button, the starter motor cranks the engine, but then it stops for half a second before the engine then fires up. On the weekend I stalled the bike, left the bike in gear and started the bike with the clutch lever in. The engine fired, stopped for an instant and then fired up. I am pretty sure the display went out for a fraction of a second as well. I only mention this issue because all 3 VFR bikes that I have owned did the same thing. Is this just a battery thing or has it got something to do with engine compression.

Otherwise, I really enjoy riding the bike. I am not totally used to the sporty riding position but the engine note and general feel of the bike is great.

WELCOME and check all your connections especially the battery connections ..

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I just put a down payment on an 8th-gen Deluxe and should have it in a week or so. I've been doing a lot of reading and paid a couple of visits to the showroom and can offer a few thoughts in advance of having a new VFR of my own between my knees.

They say it's "lighter" but coming from my fourth 4th-gen, it's a good 15 pounds heavier. And it's a good bet their weight numbers are the regular version not the Deluxe so add weight for the center-stand, ABS/TC bits, etc. And what do the panniers I ordered weigh?

A rear tire hugger is now available. I'm having it installed before the bike ever leaves the shop. I was more than sick 'n bloody tired of trying to get the area around the shock clean on my recently deceased 4th-gen (see Classifieds if you're wondering what happened) and gave up entirely a long time ago.

Those who wonder why the placement of the protective sheet around the gas tank obviously have not put 50,000 miles or more on a 4th-gen, where the paint is mostly worn away at the seat contact area.

Here the OP says his bike was fitted with Dunlops but the bike on the showroom floor here was shod with Bridgestone T30F tires, which I never even heard of until I saw them on that bike. They're not even listed on Bridgestone's web site! But I've never really liked Dunlops on VFRs so I'm hoping to see the Bridgestones.

I very much need a Powerlet -type of electric socket but declined to purchase the Honda option because according to the installation instructions it's designed to be installed under the passenger seat. How that will be useful to anyone I don't know but maybe I'm lacking imagination.

The fancy-pants self-canceling turn signals seem to be a love 'em or hate 'em thing and most are hating them. I'm in NYC so the easiest solution is to "do like the Romans" and not use them. It's not like anyone else here does. And usually the signal is interpreted as an instruction to the driver in the next lane to hit the gas pedal to close the gap anyhow. :angry:

Looking forward to having a new ride..!

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  • 2 months later...

The Self-Cancelling indicators are actually dangerous and work so shockingly bad, that I am looking for the wire to snip that disables this feature. On roundabouts, it'll self-cancel when you really really really don't want it to, mid way through the roundabout.

Interesting, I read opinions such as yours several times now from UK riders.

I had no problems at all in roundabouts, so I wondered what was going on, until I read in which way, apparently not thought about by Honda, you people use the indicators over there.

Here, we only use them right before leaving the roundabout, and they work perfectly for this. The function might benefit from a localization feature or some way to prevent early cancellation (like tapping the switch 2x).

don't see any reason why I would ever go back to the original stock seat position.

Well, the lower setting reveals that sticker on the tank. I wonder if something could be done about that. I also don't like that I have to bend my knees more. On the other hand, I'm only 1,74m, so the lower position is more stable for me when parking etc.
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  • 2 months later...
  • Member Contributer

Hi all,

my 2cents :cheerleader:

ive just changed from the stock bridgestones to pr4's ( i wanted the pr4GT's but would have had to wait 3-4 weeks, bridgestones were slick 9000kms done had to change now !!)

my vtec transition was un-noticable till about 3000kms, from then till now it seems to depend on the gear im in, i know in 4th and accelerating progresively the transition is not nice if youre not expecting it with a corner coming up, now that im used to the V4 and know the feel/sound i just adapt, unfortunate though, but suportable considering the +'s . when accelerating hard it is quite smooth .

The indicators/turn signals are an absolute HORSES ASS in france !! with the french laws of the rode ( when over taking, indicator must stay on till overtake is completed, day to day is fine but : if your on a duel carrigway over taking trucks for 40kms it has to stay on, nobody told honda me thinksssss ) thousands of trucks from all over europe cross france to and from the uk/spain/portugal/etc ..... each day.

in roudabouts it sucks too and is dangerous for a biker not to use .

that said i still love this bike and it is a keeper .

thanks for the diary Nobbnibble, you really helped me make up my mind last year .

cheers .

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