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My first VFR!


rtho782

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3 hours ago, rtho782 said:

Basically all the things, but for example it's the first time the final drive oil is changed, and the coolant.

 

image.thumb.png.19d6572a8f252745a166d955038c58a3.png

Really? Oh. 

 Hmmmm....just my opinion but I feel like 24k miles is a bit early to replace the coolant.
Does the Brake fluid look dark? 

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32 minutes ago, slowbird said:

Really? Oh. 

 Hmmmm....just my opinion but I feel like 24k miles is a bit early to replace the coolant and brake fluid. 

Coolant maybe but Brake and Clutch fluid definelty replace it, never greater than every 2 years, the more frequent the better. There seems to be no end of brake system horror stories caused by not replacing the fluid by two years max.

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1 hour ago, slowbird said:

Really? Oh. 

 Hmmmm....just my opinion but I feel like 24k miles is a bit early to replace the coolant.
Does the Brake fluid look dark? 

I'm guessing Honda (and all other manufacturers) have to cope with a very wide range of behaviours and riding conditions and so come up with a generic set of rules which are lowest common denominator safe.

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17 hours ago, Grum said:

Coolant maybe but Brake and Clutch fluid definelty replace it, never greater than every 2 years, the more frequent the better. There seems to be no end of brake system horror stories caused by not replacing the fluid by two years max.

Really? Interesting. I haven't heard of any horror stories related to not changing brake fluid.

It is a good idea though. I agree with ya there. They are what stop us afterall

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1 hour ago, slowbird said:

Really? Interesting. I haven't heard of any horror stories related to not changing brake fluid.

It is a good idea though. I agree with ya there. They are what stop us afterall

The LBS system is shared with a number of other Hondas. The ST1300 and Goldwing get used for big miles and there are plenty of tales of woe, especially around the behaviour of the secondary master cylinder. These can seize or jam, and that in turn holds the rear pads on against the disc. There is at least one story of a Goldwing's rear brake actually catching fire from the heat generated (and there is enough torque that the rider hadn't noticed...), and plenty of examples of the rear brake causing excessive pad and rotor wear. So don't skimp on the brake flushing, that is a lot easier than a SMC rebuild or disc replacement. 

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4 hours ago, slowbird said:

Really? Interesting. I haven't heard of any horror stories related to not changing brake fluid.

It is a good idea though. I agree with ya there. They are what stop us afterall

 

 

If a prior owner left it long enough....

 

IMG-20190813-WA0009.thumb.jpeg.ff2e4c7c833d9cbbf2c4a490f52213fe.jpeg.6538a4a633591fa34f036962bd0d44b7.jpeg

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Agree on the flushing... once you've got it cleaned up, a flush and bleed every year is much easier and will keep things in top shape, including that SMC.  I like the LBS myself.  Don't forget the clutch at the same time.

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To be honest, while it seems to have a relatively comprehensive service history, most of it is not by Honda (although the last one at 21k was), and given that I've just got it, I'd rather go over the top on the servicing and establish a baseline.

 

Future servicings I might even do myself for basic stuff like oil and coolant changes, I'm not too bothered about future value, as I was saying to the wife the other day that this is my last motorbike, it's the one I've always wanted, and once you have a 1200cc shaft drive sports tourer with 170hp, what is there left to upgrade to?

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It's a good find at 21k.  Nothing much to worry about, just change all the fluids to fresh, ensure the routine maintenance is all done and good to go for many smiles.  Yeah, I'd almost like to have a VFR 1200 but I'm liking the 800 well enough as a stablemate to my CBF1000 (a 2009 I got at 20k kms.).  Not even broken in yet.  Kinda bummed the VFR800X didn't make it to North America, or at least Canada, or I'd have one right now.

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4 minutes ago, raYzerman said:

It's a good find at 21k.  Nothing much to worry about, just change all the fluids to fresh, ensure the routine maintenance is all done and good to go for many smiles.  Yeah, I'd almost like to have a VFR 1200 but I'm liking the 800 well enough as a stablemate to my CBF1000 (a 2009 I got at 20k kms.).  Not even broken in yet.

If we all had garages big enough (and wallets!), we'd all have a lot more Honda's in there, along with the odd Duke/Suzuki/Triumph etc. A Honda in-line 4, along with a Honda V-twin would complement my garage wonderfully except there's not enough room (nor is the wallet big enough). :beer:

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or build your own NR.....

 

 

P8060880.JPG

 

 

2016-08-01 10.01.56-2.jpg

 

 

:beer::beer:

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  • 2 weeks later...
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2 hours ago, rtho782 said:

Not done much to it recently, but fitted Helibars today, and a denali soundbomb airhorn (there really isn't much room under the fairing is there???)

 

Did you take any photos of the Denali installation? I looked to fit one but could not find anywhere.

 

I also cancelled fitting my Helibars because it appeared I would have to destroy the heated grips to remove them and the controller started breaking apart, so I stopped quickly. How easy were yours to remove?

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So I got the split Denali horn with the intention of putting the compressor on one side and the horn on the other. Got the compressor all fitted on the left side, screwed into a threaded hole in the frame, then took the right fairing off and found the ABS system etc.

 

I then managed to fit the horn in the gap on the left with some relays and tie wrapped it to various things and thought I was all done, went to out the fairing back on and discovered there wasn't enough clearance for the compressor.

 

I then moved the compressor as well and it is all held onto the frame and a bolt in the previously discovered threaded hole in the frame with like a billion tiewraps.

 

It's not very neat but it is pretty solid and the fairing itself holds it in place. It's definitely very very loud (I had one on the old bike so the roadrunner meep meep was not enough), and while not ideally located I'm confident it's not going anywhere.

 

Next time I take the fairing off I will take some photos!!!

 

As for the helibars, my grips are not the OEM ones, but only the left one actually needs to be removed and I found isopropyl alcohol easily had it off, and I then fixed it back on with araldite rapid as it was what I had to hand.

 

The right (throttle) grip is actually glued to the plastic throttle thing not the handle, so that just slid off when unscrewed.

 

We went out for a 100 mile round trip ride today and I'm much much happier with the riding position, way more upright, and way less weight on my arms.

 

I'm only short with short arms, so for someone who already has long arms it might not be as much of a game changer.

 

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Thanks for that. I didn't have any isopropyl alcohol or anything else that appeared to work so I stopped. Perhaps I should reconsider selling the Helibars and give it another go - I do feel the weight on my wrists far more with the advancing years.

 

My mistake, I thought you were talking about the Denali Soundbomb mini horn that doesn't have the compressor. I have one on my Crossrunner and it is loud enough for me but I think I would still struggle to get in fitted beneath the fairing of the 1200.

 

 

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https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/341272 this is the one I had on my old bike, the split one I have on the VFR is the same but, well, split....

 

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/341273

 

I can't recommend the helibars enough, I'm 37, but only 5'7" with pretty short arms, so I did find I was leaned over more than I wanted to be before (although I still enjoyed riding!)

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29 minutes ago, rtho782 said:

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/341272 this is the one I had on my old bike, the split one I have on the VFR is the same but, well, split....

 

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/341273

 

I can't recommend the helibars enough, I'm 37, but only 5'7" with pretty short arms, so I did find I was leaned over more than I wanted to be before (although I still enjoyed riding!)

I take it no issues stretching the brake & clutch lines up to fit?

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1 minute ago, Skids said:

I take it no issues stretching the brake & clutch lines up to fit?

None at all, the instructions are really good, really clear, I mean, I don't have a clutch but other than that!!!

 

The non-DCT ones actually raise the bars very slightly higher than the DCT bars.

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36 minutes ago, rtho782 said:

None at all, the instructions are really good, really clear, I mean, I don't have a clutch but other than that!!!

 

 

Good point, well presented! :rolleyes: :laugh:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finally had my 24k mile service today, by a Honda dealership.

 

They inspected, but did not replace, the final drive oil. The owners manual states this should be replaced at 24k, but their little sheet, which seems to be a generic honda sheet not a vfr1200f sheet, states 32k miles. The owners manual does not go beyond 24k for anything, but they did tell me they inspected the final drive oil and it was fine.

 

Am I being paranoid? I kind of feel I want to talk to Honda UK about this as I'm a bit worried now...

 

They also couldn't tell me when the next service is due which I find very strange.

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Errrr, consult another Honda dealer and see what they say. If they want your business, they should be honest with you.

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Forget the final drive oil...

The garage saw fit not to bother replacing this bolt on the rear hugger, when I assume they had the plastic below off to check the final drive oil.
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I noticed this because the rear hugger therefore flapping about had done this to the tyre with it's bolt...

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Definitely not going back there!!!

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I think you have cause for a claim there, though don't hold yr breath. I took my 08 VFR800 for a 16k service to a Honda dealer and they dropped one of the oil collars from inside the cam cover. Fortunately it dropped into a small oil well so didn't try to chew up the cams.

 

How did I notice this? I didn't...my mates riding behind me complained of oil splattering their visors when riding behind me and of some smoke from the exhaust. I also had to keep topping up the engine oil - unheard of in a modern VFR800. So I took the cam covers off and found that the oil collar was missing. I managed to find and extract it with a magnetic stick.

 

Wrote to the company with photographic evidence and they couldn't have cared less. I managed to find the letter I sent them and here are 2 of the photos I sent to them.

Untitled.jpg

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