Shinigami Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Having been knocked off my immaculate 03 Intercepter on May 30 by a hit and run (and quickly caught) cager, I've thought long and hard about a replacement while healing up (knee panel failed on my Vanson suit, ground the knee down to patella, had complications and recent surgery to solve them). The obvious question was, buy another G6 or go for an 8, or go for something else? Pulled the trigger on the G8 DLX in red. On the way home took it up my favorite close canyon road. I am blown away at the handling improvement. This bike is nearly as nimble as my 07 600RR. If feels lighter and quicker than my 03, a bit more taut and less plush, but overall a lot more nimble feeling. 1/4" chicken strips on the rear riding The Pace. Power seems down from the 03, but I hope that will sort itself out with a few hundred more miles to get the engine loosened up a little, and a change to synthetic in a couple thousand. The sound is great. Fit and finish are good, but there's a panel on the right of the display that doesn't quite line up. Brakes are powerful and very linear. Will let the pads bed in a bit more before I try e-stops. Lights are excellent. Every bit as good as the HIDS I installed on my CBR, but instant on and a great pattern. Ergos are great, you really notice the width reduction. I'm 6' with a 28 inseam, so the rest feels the same as before. The OEM Dunlops aren't bad at all. We'll see how they act on a faster road in hot conditions. Airflow hits the chest leaving the helmet in clean air. Love the extra space under the rear cowl. The new key design is excellent. Shorter and stronger. I bent the old one a couple of times. Wheels are gorgeous. The bike looks elegant to my eyes. Tank is a thing of beauty. Kind of hate to put tank grips on it, but need them. Will definitely be looking at an Akra can, but the stock can is OK. Fueling is good, better than the 03 in tight slow speed maneuvers. Never had an issue with VTEC activation on the old bike, but this one is definitely smoother. It's nice to have the gear indicator. Shifter is really excellent. Feels super precise. Some irritating small details- the gas filler cage SUCKS. No pump "condoms" here so you have to meter fuel carefully to keep from spraying. The whole instrument panel flexes when you push selector buttons. Feels cheap, but looks great. Hit the horn button a couple of times due to the revised location and layout, sorted it out fast. Neutral stuff that could be better: The signal cancellation feature is 90% good. I never felt it cancelled too soon. But unnecessary. Prefer the feel of Driven D2 grips to the OEM'S , and miss my Pazzo levers. The OEM levers aren't too bad though. Probably can't solve the grip thing, not sure if the heating elements will work with D2's yet. The bike runs about as hot as the 03, so fairly hot. All in all, feels like an old friend, but much improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choco Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Thanks for sharing your impressions, and congrats on your new bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted August 21, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 21, 2014 Picture or it did not happen!!!! Congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raoufhakam Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Picture or it did not happen!!!! Congratulations! +1 ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixbeans Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Agree with your impressions 100%. You've captured the new bike's overall improvements better than any review to date, including mine. Enjoy! Sixbeans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 Here you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 And a few minutes later, this driver pulled over to have a look. The bike does get a bit of attention from civilians. Crossed 100 miles this afternoon. Do find myself enjoying the handling even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer mello dude Posted August 22, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 22, 2014 Thanks for your riding impressions. I have sat on the bike in the showroom and I'm thinking if ever I decide to let go of the 5th gen, (yeah, right) ..the 8th base model will be it. (used) Although being the tinker foole I am, I will have to go the Carver route and stick a 5th engine in it. (Yeah, I'm a whackjob.. ) No Honda chain drive cams or vtec for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted August 22, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 22, 2014 Thanks and let the mods begin !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I made the same transition from the '03 and am really enjoying the new bike. My only complaint is that the ride is not as compliant. I'm hoping I can get this adjusted out.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 I agree it's not as plush. But it's a lot more nimble. Now at 280 miles the power situation seems to have worked itself out pretty well. I was quite impressed today on a particular canyon approach road known for major chatter and bumps. The ’14 handled them with better compliance than either my (professionally set up) CBR or my old 03. Averaging just over 40mpg with brisk canyon action over the past couple hundred miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vtwindr Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 almost 1000miles in now, I knocked up the rebound on the front 1/2 turn and rear 1/4 turn and that seemed to improve things but after a long motorway ride today I was getting bounced about on our crappy UK roads so when I got back I have gone the other way and taken it down 1/4 turn on the fron and 1/4 turn on the rear to see if I can soften things out a little . I weigh 180llbs so we'll see how it goes tomorrow. First ride in bad weatehr and in teh dark tonight. Those headlights are amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted August 30, 2014 Author Share Posted August 30, 2014 Ok, now at 700 miles and doing a 9 hour ride tomorrow, through 12/Escalante in UT. Additional observations: Power delivery is seamless. Averaging a bit over 40 mpg with rather spirited riding, significantly better than my 03 (and about the same as my 600RR). Butt dyno says power is equivalent to my 03 now that it's broken in. Low speed fueling is better than the 03 making slow speed tight turns a little less dramatic. Dialed in a couple of turns to rear preload and the ride is less compliant, so back to original settings (it really is rather good out of the crate). Tires are working pretty well for cheap OEM'S. If the sun is behind you at around 50 degrees elevation you get a blinding glare off the instrument panel cover. The bike seems a little less stable in crosswinds than my 03, it was rather less settled that what I came to expect on the old bike. Almost a little twitchy in a stiff crosswind or truck turbulence. Now that I've gotten used to the changed position for the turn signal, it's a little difficult to get on my CBR and not touch the horn button... Also, the self canceling turn signals name made me a little lazy. They really do work well. As this is my first ABS bike I have owned (though I have ridden others such as the S1000RR), I have been practicing e-stops. Had to get onto gravel to experience full intervention, and performance was quite good. Tight fast twisties that would have my pegs touching on the 03 (hero blobs ground off long ago) fail to produce any contact with the new bike's pegs even at slightly higher speeds. Chicken strips are gone from the rear tire, completely. This tells me that I have found the practical limits of the tires but the new suspension has clearance in reserve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DriverDave Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 Nice update. FYI, those tires are not cheap oem. They are actually the new Dunlop Roadsmart 2. It appears Honda had a special version made just for them that they call the d222, but it is in fact the Roadsmart 2. I ran the original Roadmart several times on my 07 and it was a good sport touring tire...about the same as the Mich PR3. I just got home from a seriously spirited canyon ride with 3 600 sportbikes that all had Pilot Power 3 tires and they were all amazed at how fast my bike was through the twisties. I also have no chicken strips at all and keep waiting for a peg to touch the ground, but still nothing. My first couple tanks of gas averaged 47 mgp with spirited riding, but this tank is only showing about 44 mpg. As of today, I'm at 996 miles. Still very happy with it, overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted August 30, 2014 Author Share Posted August 30, 2014 If you look at the Sumitomo Rubber Japanese language website the D222 VFR specific tire is a single compound version. Looks like a Roadsmart 2 but is not one. Checked with my Shore D Durometer and confirmed one durometer value across the tread width. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogman Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Yes they look like roadsmart 2s but are not. A rider here expects them to be toast by 5000Kms. I have only done 1500 on mine. They do perform well though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DriverDave Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I stand corrected...I had done some research months ago the led me to believe they were the same. Oh well, since my first replacement set is already paid for, I'll probably get PR4's when the time comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 I am debating running PR4 or Roadsmart 2 when the time comes. Had PR4's on my '03 and was happy with the results, but it seems to me the turn in is a lot snappier with the Dunlops on the new bike. I know, different bikes... but geometries are identical. Got caught in a cold rain on my 300 mile loop today at high altitude in a very technical section in a UT canyon, and the D222 OEM tire was fine, never any "moments". For me the determining factor will come when the OEM tire is past 60% of its life. Past Dunlops have been very disappointing in terms of front tire cupping and other oddities around that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DriverDave Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Funny you would mention that, as I had the same problem with PR3 front tires getting really bad near the end of their life. I also had several front tires-PR3 and Roadsmart wear down on the right side before the left. Only thing I could think that would cause that was the fact that right curves are generally tighter than left. On my 07 I never got more than 6k mi out of any tire...front or rear: PR2, PR3, Roadsmart, Angel ST. They all got between 4k and 6k. And they all generally made it feel like there was something wrong with my bike at the end of their life (mostly the front tire). I have a friend with a Busa that always rides extremely fast. He used to run PR3's all the time. He now has a set of PR4's and says they're even better than the 3's in every way (and he really liked the 3's). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 I used to run a Pilot Power or Power 2CT front with a Pilot Road 2 rear on the 03 as my preferred combination. Never ran Road 3's. Same experience as you, with respect to mileage. Worst ever was original Pilot Road, numb feel and terrible front tire pyramiding. I didn't have a chance to get to the later stages of wear with the PR4's as they were only about a month old when I got hit on the 03. But the first couple of thousand miles were very good indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choco Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Try Angel GTs, you won't regret it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 Had a late evening rude last night and was really impressed with the performance of the led headlight system. Really excellent. Had seen a thread with a reference to a dead spot in front of the bike- didn't have this issue which makes me wonder if the aim might have been off on the bike in question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DriverDave Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 That was me. There's a pool of light for about 3 ft in front of the tire, then a noticeable dark area for a good 20 ft and then the bright arc of light beyond that. I adjusted them down a bit, but haven't been out after dark to see if it helped yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rectaltronics Posted September 1, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted September 1, 2014 Had a late evening rude last night and was really impressed with the performance of the led headlight system. Really excellent. Had seen a thread with a reference to a dead spot in front of the bike- didn't have this issue which makes me wonder if the aim might have been off on the bike in question. I noticed this and wrote about it in a review that I'm putting some finishing touches on right now. The upper cut-off seems to be where it ought to be so I'm not adjusting anything, but I'm seeing a very identifiable triangle of illumination on the ground that extends to about six feet beyond the tire, then the illumination dims substantially, and picks up seriously again on the ground around fifty feet out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DriverDave Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Had a late evening rude last night and was really impressed with the performance of the led headlight system. Really excellent. Had seen a thread with a reference to a dead spot in front of the bike- didn't have this issue which makes me wonder if the aim might have been off on the bike in question. I noticed this and wrote about it in a review that I'm putting some finishing touches on right now. The upper cut-off seems to be where it ought to be so I'm not adjusting anything, but I'm seeing a very identifiable triangle of illumination on the ground that extends to about six feet beyond the tire, then the illumination dims substantially, and picks up seriously again on the ground around fifty feet out. I didn't actually measure mine, just estimated, but it sounds like you're experiencing the same thing. Glad I'm not the only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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