Another 100,000-mile 6th gen!

[TimC]

I finally hit 100,000 miles on my VFR’s odometer this evening.  I’ve been looking forward to this for a few years now.  I’d have hit 100k sooner had I ridden as much the years of 2016 to 2018 as I normally have, but those years I only averaged about 1,500 miles per year.  Blame a busy schedule and having lost some of my joy of riding for a while.  Thankfully I got my mojo back last year!

 

Not to wax poetic too much here, but this is a special day for me and this motorcycle.  I know I’m far from the first person to hit six figures on a VFR, but this doesn’t happen every day, and I’m unsure whether I’ll ever put this many miles on a single bike again, so I’m going to celebrate with this post.

 

I bought this 2004 VFR from its original owner, a guy named Joe in Olmsted Falls, OH, in August 2006.  It was bone stock, very clean, and had just 4,225 miles on it.  I knew the bike was going to be in perfect condition when I saw the cars in his driveway and garage – a spotless new VW GTI and newer Honda Accord.  He had bought the VFR new and mostly just ridden around with a riding buddy, but the friend had either moved or gotten rid of his bike, so Joe put the VFR up for sale.  It was exactly what I wanted, though I had hoped to find a bike with ABS.  (Thankfully, I never needed the ABS to save my bacon.)  We agreed on a price, and a few days later I picked it up at his house.

 

I’ve had fantastic experiences with my VFR.  I’ve ridden and hung out with great people over the years – friends really too numerous to mention, but among them (and in no particular order) are (Kanadian) Ken, Flip, Marty, Jim (Bent), Dale, Katherine, David (Skuuter), Timmy, Nicole, Balint, Micah, Dimitri (Rice), Terry (MaxSwell), Monk, and Travis.  I’ve participated in some fun group rides, and even lead a few rides myself, but most of my riding has been solo.

 

Among my VFR trips have been:

• A few VFRD memorial rides in Franklin, NC, plus one or two trips to the Dragon on my own
• A couple rides down to VA, including just this past weekend
• Tours around all the Great Lakes, including one weekend tour with my friend Ken
• A few trips to ride the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, including just last month
• Riding the length of the Blue Ridge Parkway, along with hitting a few short sections of it over the years
• Many weekend trips and long single-day rides around Ohio and the Midwest

 

All of these are treasured memories.  The bike only left me stranded once, and that was when the stator fried in the middle-of-nowhere Kentucky, around 40,000 miles ago.  Other than that and some problems with a couple relays, the bike has been near 100% reliable.  A huge shout-out here to my buddy Flip, who helped me with those relays and many other maintenance items over the years, including replacing a cam chain tensioner a few seasons ago.  (Thanks, man!)

 

I have to say how remarkable it is how long some motorcycle components will last.  I'm still on my original clutch, hand grips, turn signal bulbs, high beams, mirrors, hoses, fuses, windshield, and footpeg rubber inserts - though the windshield has definitely seen better days and the footpeg inserts are very worn.  (I have the parts to replace the inserts, but haven't done it yet.)  I modded my bike to my liking over the first few years of ownership, but have done little to it over the last several years except basic and routine maintenance, plus that CCT I mentioned above.

 

While I'm mentioning important people, I especially want to thank Miguel, the Moderators, and the entire VFRD community.  This has always been a favorite destination for me on the web, even during the years I wasn’t too active on the forum.  I’ve made good friends here and learned a great deal about maintenance and repairs, riding techniques, and what kind of oil to use in my VFR!  😉 

 

This moment is a little bittersweet, as the bike was slightly damaged in a deer collision this past Sunday.  It could have been much worse, of course, so I’m also seriously counting my blessings.  The damage is repairable, and while the bike has plenty of life left in it, it also needs a bunch of routine maintenance.  I’m set to pick up a new bike this weekend, and I’m still trying to decide whether to keep this wonderful machine, or sell it to someone else who would love and ride it for years to come.

 

Regardless of whether it stays or goes, I’ve absolutely loved my time with this VFR.  I never thought I’d have this bike this long, as my wife and I don’t tend to keep our vehicles more than a few years.  But I still love my VFR.  It’s been a very special motorcycle to me - not just a prized possession, but a good friend, too.  And no matter what I’m riding in the future, I’ll always look back at this bike with very fond memories.

 

 

[Grum]

Great write up TimC. There is no doubt that fantastic VFR is embedded into your soul. 100,000 mile a great testament to VFR reliability, if only the charging system was a tad more reliable.

Fond memories of my first VFR, also a 2004. Loved it, sold at 55,000ks, one cooked stator its only issue. A check on its Registration tells me someone out there is still enjoying this bike, how I'd love to catch up with that bike again.

Photo - Ready for Sale! 

 

[MaxSwell]

That's a great write-up Tim. You honor the machine, VFRD, and mc riding.

I'm sure you've got quite a few more K miles ahead of you.

Good Show!

[Philois1984]

I only have 34,000km on my eighth gen so still a long way to go to hit 160,000km. I am more worried about me lasting the distance than any concern with the VFR. Enjoyed your write up TimC congratulations. Interested to see what your new machine is going to be ?

[Tiutis]

Congrats! 100K is definitely celebration worthy! Way to go; it must have been hard to keep maintaining and sticking with your “old” machine throughout the years while seeing other new bikes on the market. Congrats for sticking to one bike and keeping up the love for the bike and motorcycling. 

[Skids]

Just run in then! 😆