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I was surprised to see so many of you donate at the new year to keep vfrd up and running, it put the budget over the top and I have some reserve for this year. Nothing has changed as far as I can see for the coming year, in terms of how much expenses are for VFRD, I found a better server last year and upgraded and it actually was slightly cheaper to run that the old one, but it performs much better. They even have a better backup system then the old server had, the automated routine is so much easier to managed, set it and forget it. I am amazed at how tech improves each year. Thanks for the many group rides, rallys, local events you have all done together in 2021, keep the rubber side down, stay safe and keep on riding - vfr or no vfr! I still have the Veefalo, last year I upgraded the suspension front and back, rebuilt the Ohlins and put in new fork cassettes that have both compression and rebound adjustment. It feels good, now this winter it will be time to change out the coolant, clean up the road grime, and do some maintenance. It needs new shoes, brake pads, and some extra lovin. I also picked up a 2008 KTM Superduke last May. A used KTM and spent alot of time fixing that up too. Now I can have my buddies fly in and ride with me on my spare bike. I have a little 150 Honda PCX too that I ride around town, its a hoot - its the perfect Urban assault vehicle/Grocery getter. I still love to ride motorcycles - and I love VFRD too. Too bad that pesky work thing keeps getting in the way! HA

Hello Gentlepeople, I worked with Roy for five years until he retired, and I helped him move from Sydney to Victoria. He was, with out a doubt, the grumpiest SOB at work. He was also one of my favourite colleagues. There was only three or four people at work that he would put up with for more than a few minutes. I think he tolerated me slightly more than most of the rest because I ride. (Suzuki GSX 1400) I doubt Roy ever thought of me as a friend, But he'd often seek me out at work for a chinwag, and he was always receptive to my odd technical questions after hours. I very much enjoyed chinwagging with Roy. About motorcycles, and work, and co workers, and Video games, and just random stuff. And he was just so damn knowledgeable. I can see from a few of his posts here that he was a valued member of your community. (Even tho he did go out and buy an S1000. Which was a glorious machine. I can see it eventually becoming a german equivalent of his frankenviffer) A couple of years ago I was prepping to go to Jindy to meet up with the GSX forum for a weekend zooming around the mountain. I'd never been and I knew it was his favourite playground, so I asked him for some sage advice. He said "It's full of idiots looking at the scenery. Don't ever cross the line for the perfect corner. You get collected" I will miss Roy, even tho we weren't "friends" as such. I learnt a lot from Roy, even after 37yrs* of experience, there's always something to learn. I just hope I can be half as good a rider as Roy thought I was. I hope you don't mind, But I'm going to have a wander through Roys comments and have a bit of a reminisce. *37yrs is a teensy bit of a lie. I got my first motorbike at age Five, started competing at 12, been road riding since I was 16, but got my license at 30. Damned australian police and thier hard on for licensing. 😉

1990 VFR750F. Bought two days before xmas, 2021. From the OfferUp ad: 1990 Honda VFR 750 $1 Description Needs 1 small part. Make offer or trade. Well... shit. DON'T need another bike. But I gotta inquire. Message the dude thru OfferUp: "Is the title in your name? When was the last time it ran?" Response: "It just needs one small part" "Yeah. I read that. Are you the titled owner and how long since it has ran?" "Yah, I got the title. A few years. Started dumping fuel out of this part when I was trying to start it" OK then, we got some info to go on now. I call him and we talk and he seems like a decent dude. I tell him normally I would just come out and look and talk to you in person. But it was a pretty good trek to check it out, so I tell him that and ask, "so... what do you think you wanna get out of it?" "I don't know, five hundred bucks. I'd probably take 400, I just wanna get back some money I put into it before it got parked." It's on. We make arrangements for DEC 23rd, my first day off for the Holidays. It's a ferry ride over to Kingston with a trailer, so a $30 tab there. Then down the peninsula to Port Orchard. Couple hours easy. Get there and it's a beauty day, so I'm able to roll it out of the spot you see in the above pic. First thing... Fox Twin Clicker. Good start. The 8 spoke wheel is probably worth what I'm paying anyway, so no risk really. It's all there. Tank is off, but it is drained and 100% clean on the inside. Fuck yes. Original Honda key, owner's manual and tool kit. Asked about a seat cowl and he just looked puzzled... "never mind". New chain and sprockets (chain is pretty rusty). Essentially brand new (5 years ago) Michelin Pilot Power tires. Steel braided lines up front. 70K miles... doesn't really matter on these engines. Look down at the shiny oil filter and pop the dipstick. Oil looked like it just came of a bottle. Cool. It got ridden home from the shop and pretty much parked. Notice the drain plug and adjacent oil pan has been drilled... that actually makes me happy. It means somebody might have gone thru the front end to match the rear shock at some point for a track day or few. The forks feel like they have real springs in them and somebody updated to the later fork caps with pre-load adjustment. He shows me the "one small part" it needs. "I think it's some kind of fuel separator or something". I am playing dumb. "yeah? huh." It's a plastic vacuum valve with a broken nipple for the emissions that is gonna end up in the trash anyway. "Fuel was coming out of that broken off part". I know it's just dirty carbs at this point. "you said you'd take $400?" "yep" Exchange money and title / bill of sale and load it up. Not pretty but hey. Every piece of bodywork has issues, but that tank is really nice. Oh yeah, a Corbin... whatever. Decide to make it a big round trip and drive around thru Tacoma (over a toll bridge) and back up thru Seattle. I left around 9am and got home around 3pm. Pretty good day. At least it was a beautiful day for driving. Here's back home after a quick strip. So the winter plan is to clean the carbs and get her running. The carbs are already out and while not great they are not terrible. Very doable. I already have the PAIR system and emission crap eliminated. I bought a 2003 rear wheel to replace the 8 spoke for personal use on my 95 (likely). Then go thru the systems and make it ride-able. Brakes front and rear are sticking and need to be serviced. Hopefully the pistons aren't pitted. Flush the coolant system. I'm sure the fork seals are gonna start leaking the next time I just look at them. I have a plan for adapting a slip-on (D&D), I think it's gonna work perfect. Stock 1993 shock on the way (w/ rebound damping) so I can remove the Fox for rebuild (it still passes the critical seat-bounce test we all learned on showroom floors). New inner / rear fender to replace this hacked unit. Try and go thru the bodywork to make it mount better and look more presentable. Gonna modify the passenger peg brackets to remove the peg portions.

So I did a thing today. After adding a 2nd bike to the stable about 3 months ago, I added a third today. Gonna have to put some thought into re-organizing the garage. Indian FTR R Carbon.

Got it home safe and in one piece. The right hand strap slid off the throttle grip a couple of inches after 250 miles. Had to redo the strap for the rest of the 100+ miles. All original with the factory tool kit, rust free California bike

As much as I hate to say it I think the current 8th gen will be the last of the V4 Sport tourers from Honda. With electric bikes coming in and Europe practically wanting to ban motorcycles outright the future looks bleak. ADV bikes are not for me. These VFRs just make all the right noises. I'll be honest I can go out and buy any bike out there but the VFR checks off all the right boxes for me from looks to engine to handling. Its an all day sport bike for me. These 8th gens are keepers and I'm glad I snagged one. One of my last rides last year was with an Aprilia V4, Ducati V4 streetfighter and Panigale V2. We rode for 3 hours in the twisty rural roads and the VFR performed like a champ. I know for sure after that ride my body was the least fatigued. LOL I'm not saying I will never sell it but the question is what could I buy to replace it. Currently nothing out there for me. Looking forward to the 2022 riding Season. Cheers.

Clearly beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but is this a great example of the last V4 ( especially for those of us not lucky enough to own or afford an RC45)

This was just following a polish from a wonderful Forum member from the VFR owners club in the Netherlands. Fantastic work. And i imagine this is what she looked like coming off the showroom floor. My god. @jroberts427 special tag just for you 😉 PS added a cheeky Swiss alps pic as well.

Goodbye 2021! Last ride today... Looking forward to 2022

Return of the Michelin Man In 2021 I enjoyed 3 consecutive sets of Michelin Pilot Road 2 Tires.. Set 1; Installed April 7 replaced after 6552 miles; Set 2; Installed July 30 replaced after 6711 miles; Set 3; Installed October 27 ...LIFE TBD...riding these into 2022. Feel after 6000+ mi... It seems that most tire reviews start with a glowing report immediately after installation. I say HORSEFEATHERS to that . Just about anything short of cardboard pizza boxes is going to feel better than those worn out, squared off buns you just removed. What readers really want to know is how do those tires feel in the last 1/8th of use ( ie 7/8 to 8/8 )? Did the rider feel confident enough to ridem’ hard to the very end or did You “tiptoe through the tulips” just to get by ? I consider myself to be a “post aggressive” street rider which means only wicking it up when conditions allow. Any aggro street riding always includes ( repeatedly ) uttering the phrase ‘This Is Not A Racetrack”. I’m also at times content to ride stealthily and try to not draw attention to myself. The beauty of the VFR is that it can pretty much handle the whole gamut from banging through the gears @ redline to 4000 rpm short shifting. I’ll focus on the last 2 weeks in the life of set 2. October in the Carolinas is usually a fine month for any outdoor activity. The temperature is moderating and aside from diminishing daylight hours you can encounter perfect weather. I had a 3 day weekend and endeavored to ride back to my hometown in northern AL. It’s a 480 mi ride and my favorite route is a mixture of Interstate, Unlimited Access 4 Lane and “Knotty” 2 lane highway . My well worn path home includes Hwy 64 from NC into TN and then Hwy 72 in AL. The TN portion of 64 is especially choice as it follows the contours of the Ocoee river. If you are lucky and traffic is light, the 10 mile 2 lane stretch along the curviest part of 64 is a treat. Throw in some 18 wheel trucks and a slow moving RV or three and it’s not delightful at all. Well the planets aligned Friday. I pretty much had the aforementioned section to myself. It was sublime. The PR2s had around 5000 mi on them ..they steered and gripped perfectly. It had been almost 3 years since the VFR had traveled this route... time had been kind to it. Suspension upgrades, scrubbed in Michelin tires, a well paved twisty road with light traffic make for great VFR memories. It wasn’t a race but, my time from home to Alabama was a new personal best. Heading home Sunday morning early start. Ccccc..COLD...maybe 48 degrees at dawn. I figured after the sun got higher the Temperature would make it to 60 but, I think the max for the day was only 55. No glamour here..just hightailing it east on Hwy 72 at 5 to 10 over the posted speed limit. Interstate through Chattanooga and then slicing east on Hwy 64. Brrrr. Heated grips are good. Trying to keep the speed down between Bryson City and Waynesville. NC State Troopers are lethal...about writing tickets. VFR vs GS The easy way home would have been to take I40 into Asheville but, I wanted some variety. NC Hwy 209 is a twisty ribbon of blacktop that would also get me to Asheville in a more circuitous and entertaining fashion. Let’s Go ! It had been years since I sampled 209 ,the last time aboard my SV650S . My VFR was on a maiden voyage here. I found it to be just as fun as before. Somewhere between Spring Creek and Hot Springs I looked in my mirrors and there was a BMW GS a few feet off my six. Game On ! Accelerate Hard in 3rd or 4th gear up to redline. Brake hard for the next switchback. Repeat repeat repeat.... Aside from the occasional cager crossing the line in oncoming traffic it was a hoot. When we rolled into Hot Springs NC the GS rider peeled off to meet with friends. We had already exchanged helmet-off pleasantries and he complemented me on my smooth technique in the curves. I pretty much grinned all the way home after that. Flat Rear Tire I really like these PR2s. I was starting to think they were perfect, immortal even. I was wrong. I had the last week of October off. One tenative plan was to ride to Louisiana and back but, the forecast called for colder and wetter conditions than I wanted. Oh well, as consolation I’d take day trips on the sunny days. I was on a new road outside Asheboro NC. It was a narrow farm road, not new but new to me and it was checking all the right boxes. Elevation changes... check. Occasional direction changes right over a rise in the road...check. I was having fun at a relaxed pace when suddenly I thought I heard the chugging sound a tractor makes. The bike felt strange as I went through the next series of turns. Hmmm. I stopped, put the side stand down and had a quick tire inspection including a swift kick to the rear tire. I guess this was the denial phase. After accelerating away it was quite apparent my VFR did not want to change directions. Yes, the rear tire is probably flat. Less than half a mile from the quick stop I halted at an intersection put the bike on the center stand . You know how you look for a nail or sometimes it’s hard to see ? Not this flat. There was a large hole in the center of the tire. Whatever it was that made the hole was not in the immediate vicinity. That was no tractor chugging sound I thought I heard ! WTF did I run over ? At least the hole looks repairable. I’ll spare you all the gory details. I carry a traditional tire repair kit and a (nifty) electric pump. This usually helps to ward off the evil flat tire spirits ..I made repairs. Got the job done before dark. Checked the air pressure a few times on the way home and made an appointment with my trusted shop to install the next set of PR2s...which were sitting in my garage. Darn it, really wanted to break the 7000 mi mark on a set of these. Maybe the next set will be luckier...and you can ride them hard to the end. Forget the Pizza Boxes ! Summary I would recommend Michelin Pilot Road 2 Tires highly. They are predictable, durable*, ride well and are cost effective. These tires once broken in have excellent feel. About 1000 miles in on the first set, I figured I had a winner and ordered two more sets ! Alas my enhanced work/travel schedule this year limited my riding but, I will buy more in 2022. Actually I just ordered 2 sets today ! *Not immortal.

Hi everyone, It's been a while since I was on here, which kinda matches with my use of the VFR these days. Ever since getting my own shed, a Deauville for the regular commute, a bargain of a VFR 800 VTEC just before the pandemic hit, a small camper, a dog, and general house jobs, along with working full-time, it's not been easy to find the time that I used to devote to it. That said, it's not been forgotten either. It's still a beautiful dark green 1997 model which has seen me through thick and thin, working away as a daily commuter to college, then to another part of the country (was the central character in a long letter I wrote to Bike which earned me a subscription and a set of Pilot Road 2s for it!). It's benefited from the expertise shared on this forum and with the odometer well past 90,000 miles, I'd love to see it approach the big 100,000 with some grace. No more cold, salty mornings, or being drenched in winter rain. I started my quest yesterday evening and soon realised that not only had I neglected the VFR, but I've neglected my own spannering skills too. As they say, if you don't use them, you lose them. Taking a look at the list of jobs to be completed, I remember that I need to check the charging system, when I put it away the little LED on the dashboard was telling me that it wasn't all that healthy. There's no longer a chain on it, that was left behind on the motorway during it's last outing, thankfully without causing any damage. Does that count as one of my nine lives? The rapid deflation of my rear tyre on the VFR 800 on the same stretch of motorway probably counts as another. Taking the rear bodywork off, I was disappointed to see the fuel lines and other bits and bobs covered, here and there, in mould which might very well contain a cure for Covid. Who knows? I say disappointed because this is no way to treat a 25 year old bike which one has professed to love. I'm a tidy person, it's not my style to tolerate mess, and yet, here it is in it's most organic form. The one thing I did manage to do was keep the battery charged and the bike will start, but with gummed up carbs, a sniff of throttle kills it. I attempt to take the tank off but the fuel hose from the tap doesn't want to budge so I remove it from the fuel filter at the other end. I have a jug with me to catch the fuel as it comes out but completely forget to turn off the fuel tap itself. It even takes me a second to just put my thumb over the hose to stop it pouring out. I'm very out of practice. Thankfully, I have a little bit full of cat litter and sawdust for situations like this and scatter that around but it's already after eating through a good bit of the floor paint. Ronseal, apparently, doesn't do what it says on the tin, anymore. After cleaning up, I removed the tank, the airbox cover and air filter, grab my can of carb cleaner and give the trumpets a good spray. Again, the bike starts and the fuel pump ticks (it's an aftermarket one, much louder than standard) but even after liberal spraying, it won't manage to reach past 4000rpm. My guess is the high-speed jets in the carbs need a clean, the whole thing needs a clean really. However, after 15 minutes of spraying carb cleaner, running the engine a bit, and breathing air which is now composed of half-burnt petrol, I have to stop. It's been lovely to hear the v-four fire through the unbaffled Delkevic end can and good to think oil has been pumped around the various passages. It's no victory though, and those carbs will need to be pulled off. The whole bike needs a spruce up. Still, there's less winter ahead than behind us, Spring will be here soon, and with it renewal, and longer days. Can that sense of renewal apply to this old 25 year beauty? It's up to me. I really hope so.

Refinished calipers by Sebspeed. All new seals and one new (rear) piston will be installed prior to mounting.

Happy New Year VFRD! My resolution is to ride (many) more miles in 2022. That was my resolution last year too--I didn't do as well as I wished. Anyway, last ride of 2021 today, photos below. It was less than 50 degrees F when I headed out! (insert image of Canadians rolling their eyes here)

Here's a different photo from my May 2007 CLASS event at Sears Point, this time cresting the rise at T2 with the main grandstand in the background. Ten years earlier I'd done a CLASS school at Laguna Seca, both are fun but Laguna Seca is pretty special. Fwiw, at the time I'd owned the '92 VFR750 about 3 years and the clocks read 72K kilometres, and has just installed a pair of Michelin Pilot Power 2CT/ photo used with permission, credit: Ian Donald - http://iandonald.com/

Couldnt help myself. Started wandering through the swiss photo album...

Rolled my VFR out into fresh snow for an obligatory photo op !

I’ve had mine checked twice and no adjustment has been required. I wonder if the bikes with tight valve clearances were put together like that.

It has them.... they are slid in and rotated forward under the seat in a tray (very likely). Pretty cool feature.

This thread really shows how a decent low-mileage bike can still need a lot of work to make it "up to date" on maintenance. If you took it to a shop, all that work would have been well over $1,000 especially with a new set of tires! If I ever grab a 5th or 6th gen, I will keep that in mind

Bought this 2015 the day after Thanksgiving (2021). The next day we did a 200 mile trip with some friends. Modding it now.

I can agree to few statements there, however, most of it is too stereotype (at least for me) When I put the helmet on, everything (stress, problems and so on) disappears. It is only me, engine, tires and the road. The twistier, the better. The pure focus on the ride and being in sync with the bike is pure relaxation, it is hard to explain. End of story. No, there is nothing sexy about carrying a helmet and leathers when not on the bike. Ooh, let's not forget the grease on the finger tips and nails from wrenching (always trying to find the perfect bike settings)

Looks like your post help get it done! Thanks for the push. I haven't been on much lately but still appreciate this site and want it to be around for us in the present and for new members in the future. Cheers!

Thanks fellas. It is indeed red, but the front uh, forehead fascia has been replaced with carbon fiber look. One side of the tail has a small crack, so those may end up with a carbon pattern too. I only have messy garage photos for now, way too cold in WI for a proper ride. But it really brings something extra to the space.

I have used Chinese rotors in the past with great success.... 5mm thick, stainless steel, machined perfectly flat, have slots to dissipate the heat. They look much like the EBC's but of course are not EBC. Never had a problem with them. Roughly $150-200 per set.

A friend/fellow coach at a track event where it rained...a lot.

It’s Coors Light. Might be best to leave it behind 😂.

You "J" guys need to add a pic so we can tell you apart. lol Currently, it looks like one guy having a conversation with himself. 🙂

Oil checking is measured in cheese rolls....... 🙂 Cycling on saturday morning between 6-8AM is measured in sausage rolls... T'was kinda kinda foggy this morning..

I've been transporting bikes for decades with a soft tie and strap on each grip without any issue (pulling up to tighten). We even hit a deer once and the trailer was up in the air. The bikes did not move. If the straps get wet they stretch out, so monitor that. If it makes you feel more comfy, put two on each side. (Also tie the back down in a similar fashion. On my 5th gen I use the rear peg mounts.) Ensure that the soft ties aren't trying to turn the grips when tight. I usually set the right one so that a little throttle movement is used to keep pressure off of that whole assembly. Make sense?

Here in Oz we rate jobs by how many six packs (beer) you need to complete the task, looks like in the Netherlands they use the sausage roll rating 😂

I checked my original 1990 vfr valves @ 15k. I never went back in. Now at 242,000 miles, I’m thinkin about checking them again

Nice work. These bikes are such under-appreciated jewels (even after the great 'rona bump in bike prices). Great design and well put together, which makes maintenance enjoyable and riding even more so.

Exactly how I read it. Whoever he is though, he needs to change his vocal style.....sounded more like, well, someone you wouldn't want to leave alone in a room with your kids. 😬

I took his post in the context of a little tung and cheek. He was making some valid points while having fun with telling his viewers how fun and cool it is to ride a motorcycle bug splatters and all. Think he was having fun with some of his stock footage. Not sure he meant it to be dissected into a negative breakdown session. I could be wrong.

Thanks for posting, I enjoyed the vid. If I were new to motorcycles, and watched this video, my thoughts might be: Good thing it never rains when you ride a bike. Do the Japanese make motorcycles? I guess not.

When people ask me why I do this, my reply is "if I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand".

I ride because it's necessity for my ADHD. Otherwise, I'd have to be on lots of drugs.

I was getting grumpy with his reasons! lol For me it is putting on the helmet and focusing on something I'm (still) good at. I like the solo time in my head, even if I'm leading others. I have made many friends through riding, but am about as far as one could be from being a social motorcyclist. When I meet people who do it to look or (pretend to) be cool, I avoid them...long term. I love the coaching/teaching aspect, but i'll eventually age out of that...and it won't be easy for me! I also truly enjoy working on them, which most people I know hate. It'll be interesting to hear what others think.

Hey gang. Here we go again as year end approaches, still short on the op budget. We don't want to lose the forum, so if you haven't so far, please chip in with donations to keep us going in '22. Happy new year to all.

Not sure I'll ever get over how cool this motorcycle is. Sorry, no action shots.

If you are flexible on the date, the Spring Memorial Ride is mid May(19-22) out of Franklin. There are a few of us who usually meet the weekend before and ride "all the good roads" before the event. If you look in the South forum, there are some routes from previous PreRides. You might also see if @VFRpwr has some input. He has a treasure chest full of good roads. The FallRide will be late September out of Little Switzerland.

Happy Holidays, all. I appreciate this forum and all of the great info I get from it. A few holiday shots:

I'm selling my Staintune stainless exhaust from my 5th gen. It is in very good condition, no dings, chips, scrapes or rash. It comes with the mounting hardware including the left side passenger grab rail spacer. $400 plus shipping

Tapered head bearings are definitely smooth as butter. It’s one of those little things one wouldn’t think they’d notice, until they have them.

Of the three Bearings suppliers mentioned in that thread, Pivot Works looks pretty decent. Boss Bearings offered 2 Brands: Boss and Bike Master WorldWide Bearings seems to specialize in Ceramic. Thanks for the lead, bmart!

Hi Cogswell, Thank you for your donation of 50.00 USD. We look forward to improving the forums with your donation. Thanks VFRDiscussion

My man, after 15 months of ownership, I still treat my VFR like a newborn puppy. My phone is filled with pictures and I would gladly share them. If theres a topic to shamelessy dump your beautiful pictures then I will gladly do so. I have many pictures of trips around the country, Germany and the swiss alps so.... 😉 And god the colour is an addiction for me. definitely not saying the other ones are ugly, but man... it sparkles, even after 21 years of sunshine and wear.