TheGoldTooth Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Bike: 2014 VFR800FD Interceptor DLX with Quick Shift Pedal, Rear Tire Hugger, and Centerstand Luggage: Givi V35 Monokey Saddlebag Set Givi 3D603 Tanklock Tankbag Kriega US-20 Drypack Mods & Accessories: T-Rex Frame, Front Fork, & Rear Axle Sliders MotoPumps 1.25" Billet Bar Risers Knight Design 1-3/8" Lowered Foot Pegs, Silver Anodized, Rubber Tread Denali SoundBomb Mini Horn Kaoko Throttle Lock Impressions: I recently took my VFR on its first long trip, a 5-day, 1,437 mile excursion (nearly all of it on I-95) from Pennsylvania to South Carolina and back to see the total eclipse. Two days down with an overnight stop in Williamsburg VA, a day for the eclipse, and two days back with another Williamsburg overnight stop. The bike (and, I like to think, the rider) performed admirably despite the appalling traffic going south (returning had nowhere near as much traffic) and the heat. The distance I traveled each of my four days on the road varied between 306 and 401 miles and averaged 360 miles. I encountered no rain on this journey. The Givi luggage is superb. The cases attach to the mounting bars with a loud and confidence-inspiring click; it appears impossible that one could ever drop off by accident even on the most brutal roads. Also, they attach and detach very easily. Prior to this trip the Givi tankbag (containing a bottle of water which made it heavier than usual) had on one occasion detached itself from its base when I hit a stiff bump in the road, so I ran a safety strap from the bag to the frame in case it ever happened again. On this journey it didn't. The bar risers and the lowered foot pegs make an amazing difference to my comfort on the bike. Without them I'm sure a week later I'd still be in curled-up, bent-over agony. Because of the horrendous traffic I had no opportunity to use the throttle lock on the way down, but on the return journey it more than paid for itself. It's so nice to be able to take a hand off the throttle to flex fingers or hold them in the breeze for a while to cool down. On a couple of occasions I was very grateful for the much improved volume and sound of the replacement horn. The mechanic who installed it had to cut a little off an OEM plastic grille to make room for it (he checked with me first to make sure I approved of this mutilation), but it was a worthwhile trade for the increase in safety the new horn provides. I left South Carolina at 5:15 a.m. and rode for the first 1.5 hours that day in the dark. The lights on the bike provide excellent visibility, especially the high-beam, which provides more light than I've seen on any bike that didn't have add-on illumination. If US drivers had the lane discipline of Europeans the trip would have been much improved, but of course I had to navigate around the left-lane- and center-lane-hugging morons who given their intellectual limitations really have no business driving at all. With all the aggravation, dangerous driving, road rage, and traffic problems they cause it's astonishing they're not treated more harshly by the police. We can live in hope, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer GatorGreg Posted August 28, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted August 28, 2017 Nice write-up, those lowered pegs look very comfy! Where did you go in SC? GG Jr. and I drove his car to Columbia for the eclipse - it was amazing and well worth the drive. I think it was about 950 miles round trip from Orlando - about 6 hours each way. We stopped the night before at a hotel in Augusta and then drove about another hour to Columbia in the morning. Here's a vid I made with some pics we took - the full eclipse hits at about the 3:45 mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoldTooth Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 10 hours ago, GatorGreg said: Where did you go in SC? Because I was late to the game hotel rooms were either unavailable or v. expensive, so I found an Airbnb in Holly Hill, SC (in the middle of the path of totality) that worked out splendidly. There was a thin layer of cloud which didn't affect my view through binoculars but which turned the sun in my phone pictures into a glowing blob. I deliberately didn't take a proper camera because I wanted to experience the moment in real time without having to futz with f stops, shutter speeds, etc. One thing I should have mentioned is that I replaced (with about 300 miles on the odometer) the OEM tires on my VFR with Michelin Pilot Road 4s. I don't know whether it was the TC saving me from a low-side or just the quality of the original tires, but I once felt the rear slip when modestly leaned over and that prompted me to look into replacing the tires. I've had no reason to regret the purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bent Posted August 28, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted August 28, 2017 Nice and WOW! That's more interstate riding than I've done in my entire life on a bike....literally. I absolutely refuse to ride on interstates for the reasons you wrote. Twisties, that's where 90% of my riding is and I consider that to be no comparison safety-wise for me. I can get almost anywhere without having to get on a four lane slab populated with morons. It's bad enough in a cage. Good move trashing the OEM "tires". They don't speak well for Honda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinigami Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 I originally planned something similar. Then I decided to look for airports in the path of totality. Using miles, I got on a plane at 0940, landed at 1020, had breakfast and a bloody mary at the airport bar, walked outside the terminal, looked up, watched totality, got back on the plane and flew home. As opposed to 4 hours outbound and 10+ coming back, with the record traffic on the roads in question. Total cost, $22.00, for breakfast and the drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tayedrummer7 Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 Kudos on your trip, which model of the throttle lock did you go with? I'm looking at going for Florida to SC at the end of the month.Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoldTooth Posted September 6, 2017 Author Share Posted September 6, 2017 On 9/2/2017 at 4:27 PM, tayedrummer7 said: which model of the throttle lock did you go with? This one: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/kaoko-throttle-lock-honda-cbr-vfr-vtr-f6b. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tayedrummer7 Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Thank you!Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2015vfr Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Do you have a picture of the horn install location? I will be putting one on my bike in the near future. Any issues or concerns with the front wheel/fender clearance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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