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Bearing in mind that I didn't drink at that time (a shocking error of judgement I have long since corrected), I never visited but I would guess that is a photo from that bar in the Mission which was/is a local hangout for SF motorcyclists? I knew where all of the City Bike news stands were (in case they were all gone from my usual) and I recall once picking up a wad of back issues from Brian himself a few years after I had moved away to Europe. I did do the Sunday Morning Ride a few times, and corner-worked for the AFM at Sears Point for a season. Good times... Ciao, JZH

Groetjes (Greetings) Hi there chaps and chapesses. I’m an English expat woman living in The Netherlands and in Just over a week I’m swapping my Triumph Speedmaster for a new (2017) silver VFR800F. The bike has surprisingly sat in the dealers for three years but is brand new. Ordered it with bar risers and a large top box. I’m very excited. This will be my second Honda in all my years of riding. The other Honda was an SL125 from 1975. (Showing my age now 🙁). My other bike which is a keeper is my Suzuki VStrom 650, on which I rode solo to the Nordkapp last year for Cancer Research UK.

I'm V happy for you Dutchy. Having a job does so much for one's selfworth. I hope you find it rewarding and actually liking the work.

Thanks all for your replies! Duly noted. Attached is the gist of my route. Spain to Bulgaria. 🙂

it was always folded.......in the middle.

I always put a 14mm, 12mm, 10mm and 8mm socket along with 3,4,5,6, and 8 mm allen wrenches/hex keys. Those alone will take apart most of the bike

A little something from close to home. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Speak with Honda UK. Trll them you've bought a second hand Vfr1200 which has not had the safety recall work completed and that you believe they should honour their undertaking.

I will lift a glass in your honor this evening.[emoji1634] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

5th and 6th Gen yes. 7th & 8th......Nah! Well, maybe the tape cos it has hundreds of uses.

Here in the states, we spell it socks, except those nutty folks on the south side of Chicago. I never knew there was such a thing as the Socks Police! 😁 So...what does a Socks Cop actually do? Translation: What's a SOx Compliance Officer Benelux?

Very entertaining thread😀

Well this sucks! You've been my roll model for living without work.😀 Hope it doesn't get in the way too much. Congratulations Leon!

Or Kermit through a blender/liquidiser..

I would very much like to make this ride. I will try my best. Thanks, Bill Mersch aka MisterBill Stay safe and healthy and WEAR A MASK.

Congrats, Dutchy!! 🙂

...I hope you'll be taking the bike to work...

Nice one m8!

Or as the Scots say..... Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye! I just accepted a position as SOx Compliance Officer Benelux for a Japanese multinational Very very happy, albeit that my riding and wrenching time will be curtailed. Each plus has a minus eh?

This post makes me think of Rage Against the Machine’s first album cover, both in name and image. Top marks to Grum for quality of advice and patience in the face of adversity.

Hi everyone! So I want to share with you some updates that I made with my VFR. 1. Windshield - In the very first week after buying my VFR, I inadvertently managed to fall and break the windshield. I did not change it for a new one, but I decided to glue it and slightly change its shape. Then I covered it with a matte film on both sides. The whole work took about 2 hours. I love the new look, it sets the tone for the whole bike, and it looks a lot more aggressive than with the stock glass. As for aerodynamics, I can say that now, after 130km/h,you just have to cuddle a little lower against the fuel tank, then the wind won't blow you away, I don't feel any discomfort. 2. Brake and clutch levers - I didn't like the standard ones, they were big and harsh, especially the clutch. I ordered adjustable handles and it became much more comfortable. 3. Damper - For my little experience, thank God, I have not come across wobling, and I decided to postpone this meeting as much as possible. I ordered a Savage damper, let it be just in case. 4. Phone holder - unfortunately I didn't find any options that I liked or that were comfortable to use, so I had to use some wit. I had a large soft waterproof case for a mobile phone for a long time, I sewed (a master in the workshop) two double-sided Velcro for clothes to it and that's it - the holder is ready, it is very convenient to attach to the steering wheel, waterproof (it seems) and can be easily removed if necessary. There is also an input for charging the phone. 5. USB charging and battery charge indicator - there is nothing special to describe, the only thing - service guys was screwed it to the left fairing without my OK , I would prefer to do it next to the dashboard. 6. Heated handles - alas, it was not in my kit, but the previous owner took care of it and installed Oxford. They warm perfectly (tested by Russian frosts 🙂 ) 7. Hagger (front and rear) - I thought for a long time whether I needed it at all, but an inexpensive original version turned up, and I decided to order it. The installation was not the most convenient, it was necessary to break a hand and a few fingers on purpose several times in order to tighten these bolts, but as a result everything went well 🙂 8. Exhaust - I rided with the original one for a year, but during this time I watched all the clips on YouTube about replacement options. I wanted to replace it not even because of the sound, but because of its appearance, since, in my opinion, the Japanese committed a crime by hiding such a beautiful wheel behind a piece of chrome can. As a result, I ordered Coffman (thanks for the review of Red On Vfr) I really really like the sound, the view is also beautiful. 9. Wardrobe trunk - this is Givi (famous Georgian name by the way 🙂 ) and I inherited it from the previous owner. 2 helmets fit, so I'm happy. 10. License plate fastener - the standard fastener (I don’t have its photo and, perhaps, it differs from the one that is sold in USA and causes much less irritation) - I was very pissed off it and in my opinion it spoiled the whole view of the rear of the motorcycle, and in addition until recently in Russia, motorcycle license plates were issued only in XXL size - it was ugly. In general, I had thoughts of completely modernizing the tail, cutting off both the number holder and the excess plastic intended for attaching the side trunks, which I do not have. There were even thoughts of buying and delivering a tail from the СBR ... But then common sense rebelled, and I decided not to engage in nonsense. I just unscrewed the standard fastener, bought a corner shelf holder at a hardware store, bent it at the angle I needed and assigned a small number plate to it, got it much better than it was and I calmed down 🙂 So, I apologize for such a large number of letters for such a minor tuning, but I was inspired by your forum and wanted to share not only specific actions, but also related emotions. If you have any questions, I will be glad to answer them. As motorcyclists in Russia say - rovnikh dorog! (I wish you a smooth roads!) 🙂 P.S. you can see photos below:

Thanks for the announcement! I'm going to put this on my calendar and try to attend, but it will likely depend on the weather that weekend. Since I'd be riding down, as long as it's not too cold already I hope to make it. 👍

The RED wire already has a Fuse! Fuse A 30 amp! So if you aren't even going to check for a faulty Ignition Switch(or its wiring) as explained, then you need to do as previously suggested.......Take your bike to a reputable Motorcycle Workshop and get it sorted. We've given you every guidance possible via a keyboard, Service Manual, Drawings, Explanations, What to test and how. Sorry, but we can't perform miracles! Maybe someone else can help you, but frankly, I'm done! Good Luck!

Dutchy will be deeply saddened by this. He's probably going to hit the bottle to drown his sorrows. Don't worry Dutchy, 93 will be back better and stronger next season.

And here is the actual VFR

All good stuff Dutchy. I also take a portable phone battery charger and plug adapter if you are visiting different countries. Spare bulbs can be handy too, plus we always take paper copies of insurance and bike docs plus breakdown and I put copies of these on my phone too. I put a copy of emergency contact details, clearly labelled in the clear top of my tank bag in case Mrs Skids and I are unconscious etc - we also wear medical tags with details of our blood groups/allergies etc. You can get them so they're secure and present the info in different languages. Mrs Skids carries the spare bike key too. And of course, these days you'll need face masks, hand sanitiser and surface wipes. Where are you planning to go?

Apart from the OEM toolkit (not the best quality but it will do) Duct tape Surgical gloves (keep the grease of your hands) Head torch (so you can use both your hands in the dark) Tiewraps Multitool spare brake lever (you have a DCT so no clutch needed) A metal/wooden plate for under your sidestand; affix a long string to it which you tie to your handlebar. This way you just reel it in when you leave instead of having to bend down Maybe jump leads Paracetemol (if the problem does your head in) Fluo jacket (if you get stranded in a tricky spot) Spare bulbs and fuses Credit card Duct tape If you fit your side cases, topcase and tank bag, why not bring a multimeter some engine and shaft drive oil tyre repair kit (for the good it just migth do) tyre pressure gauge fuel hose so you could syphon some off kitchen sink

Joe @v4dreams.com has a photo study in dealing with the carbs, I rebuilt my RC24 carbs recently and that was a major part of my toolkit

Returned from 4700km ride through outback Queensland (Sydney, Coffs Harbour, Moree, Roma, Augathella, Quilpie, Windorah, Longreach, Emerald, Miles, Inverell, Port Macquarie, Sydney) and spend a couple of hours debugging the Viffer. Luckily the Covid-19 restrictions post dated the ride. Whew. The country folks were well organised and kept everyone under control. Changed the oil and filter and cleaned up the chain. Used Honda HP4 10W30 for the first time in 53,000kms. Have been using Motul 7100 10W40 for the last 47,000km and wanted to check if the Honda recommended grade cooled the motor a little. The HP4 was like pouring cooking oil into the bike. It seems pretty thin. It’s a semi synthetic so maybe it was the wrong call. I have been using Dunlop Roadsmart 3s from the first change and easily get 20,000kms out of a rear. I’m a 68 year old so my boy racer days have vanished, maybe that is why the tyres last. Plenty of good and bad reviews for the Roadsmart 3s, but I like them. I had to replace the water pump at 43,000kms after noticing coolant loss and a persistent drip. Easily done and everything is back to normal. Have seen the issue on other bikes. I run a DID ZVMX chain with AFAM sprockets and standard gearing. I have replaced the whole lot a couple of times. Some guys seem to run their final drive a lot further, but I have found damaged O rings a couple of times, so I replace everything. I tend to do a weekly ride near the coast and might be picking up sand that cuts the O rings! I get the parts from the UK for about 20% less than in Sydney. Pretty p$&&ded off that Honda aren’t bringing the VFR into OZ anymore, when you can still get them in Japan and, I think, the UK. The Kwaka Ninja 1000SX has killed it in OZ, but they won’t do 400km on a tank and who needs 1043cc. Rant over!

[MEDIA=youtube]nW_ldJtdrME[/MEDIA] [MEDIA=youtube]1geV9PeSkMg[/MEDIA] one of my long trips ended in disaster and the loss of my beloved stormshadow vfr that i had brought brand new in 2011, and put about 10k into modifications over the years my self, after a surprize seperation from my wife of 19 years, not by my choice, i found my self alone a week later in a small 1 bedroom apartment, i was loanly and decided to do something spontanious, it was snowing in all the usual mountains i ride, so thought why not go west inland into the middle of australia. i took 2 weeks off work, jumped on my 2011 vfr800 the next day, threw my camping gear on. i didnt have much preperation. ive done many of these trips, so have all the gear, even have a stock pile of 24 hour ration packs from outback cuisine i loaded up with. first day i rode south to Yass, where i couldnt find the MyASS sign its famous for. then to the dog on a tucker box which was recently vantalised, but had been just restored. the 2nd night i got to wagga wagga where i found a nice little camp ground thanks to wiki camps. this has saved me so much and always discover something new. i passed by griffith, a town, some 20 years earlier, i was posted to when i first joined the armed services. i found this air irigation tower, to get the smell out of the boar water in town, i had taken a photo of with my bikes at the time still there. i took this photo in 2001, rode along the sturt highway, now into desert country, hot and straight flat roads now, camping at mildura at this nice little river. although the road to get in was a bull dust road, so soft and slippery. as i rode from mildura to broken hill, theirs a 320km stretch, i was told there was a road house with fuel half way along, so didnt need to take any fuel cans as my range is about 280km on the vfr. of course i got to the roadhouse, and their pumps were broken. a passing caravanner sold me 10l of petrol to get me by. there were lots of feral goats, that were smart and ran off the road. the odd Emu and Kangaroo. but otherwise, very remote, in the high 30s temp wise. see the odd 3 trailer road train and a few caravans plodding along. not much out there at all. i did find this tree, covered in bra's in the middle of no where. night 3 onto broken hill. and then onto a town called silverton, where they filmed mad max 2. stayed at the silverton pub for the night, as i needed a shower, the next day, to the mad max 2 museam. apsolutly great. unfortunately the bike wouldnt start, i had 12v, but no charging, madmax him self, helped charge my battery up, and it was enough to ride back into broken hill. i went to the only bike shop in town, to be told our mechanic is on holidays, why dont you freight it back to sydney. so i unloaded, and found a cheap motel for the night. as i was looking around for freight companys, i was approached by a little dirtbike shop who said they could fix it. they gave me a little cb125 loan bike, so i checked out the town and surrounds, they air freighted in the parts, which unfortunetly, took 5 days as i stayed in the motel. they put in a lead acid battery, a electro sport stator, and a new r6 regulator kit. as i needed to get back to work, as it was almost 2 weeks now. i wanted to go. so i left late in the after noon. . 3 hours later, the dash went blank, i pulled over, and then smoke billowed out from under the seat where the battery was, and eventually fire came out from under the seat. i used every bit of water i had, but in a desert with nothing to stop the fire. i had to step back and watch it burn. about 30 minutes after it started, a guy passed by, who didnt have a fire extinguisher, but could call the 000, unfortunetly, it was a 3 hour drive for the firebrigade, and they said they wouldnt come as nothing out there could burn. the guy, luckily for me owned the white cliffs hotel. and said he could take me there and i could get a room for the night. loaded up my panniers and top box, and tank bag. and off we went. the next day one of his staff members was heading back to broken hill air port, so took me there. i hopped on a plane and flew out. at a very expencive rate. life is full of adventures, they say bad luck comes in threes. when i came back home i discovered my electricity to my unit had been shut off, even though i had arranged to get an account with AGL - energex said there was no account listed and disconnected it. turns out, a hand written didget was written wrong on my meter. so they didnt corespond.