LoopRider

Not sure why they need the sign, all 127 kms are twisty!

1984 Honda VF400F - 1989 Honda VFR750FK - 2010 Honda VFR1200FA.

Chain Driven Cams v Gear Drive Cams v Uni Cams. Chain drive v Shaft Drive. Carbs v Injection. 90 degrees V v 76 degrees V. 90 degrees crank v 180 degrees crank. 16 inch wheel v 17 inch wheel. 400cc v 750 v 1200.

Maybe I can convince the wife a Red VFR800 would be a better match.

... and then last in the day rode I my Gen 7 on the same roads. My F has sharper steering and once past 4500 rpm seems quicker. It seems just as comfortable and effortless. Hmmm. More Hondas less Triumphs maybe ... I love first world dilemmas ...

Rode 4 VFRs in the day, two of theirs and two of my mine. Final conclusion, I want more VFRs! This Crosstourer exploits the best of the VFR engine. Just effortless in 2 or 3rd gear. So much smooth torque but with character. Ride it like an automatic in those two gears. Up to about 4500 rpm it feels much stronger than the F and feels lighter in the corners as well which is strange as it weighs more. However the X is no slouch and felt much stronger for overtaking than the new 800. A nice bike, I am thinking easily a 1000 km a day machine. It has me thinking whether I want to trade ...

Rode 4 VFRs in the day, two of theirs and two of my mine. Final conclusion, I want more VFRs! The Gen 8 is better than I expected. It has handling in the corners nearly as good as a Triumph Street Triple with the suspension feeling even more composed than the street Triple. The 8 Gen engine still reminds me of the 1st Generation which I rode back to back. Both pull from low rpm as if they were a refined V Twin. The Gen 8 though has an excellent second 'character' as it moves past about 8000 rpm and then it feels faster. No whirr of cams though. Pity about the exhaust pipe though, too discrete, the sound of the Gen 1 is much nicer, however I am sure the right Two Brothers pipe would fix that. The Gen 8 is way more stable at any speed than the Gen 1, not that it is bad, just 25 years later, things are very secure. The power delivery is more progressive on the Gen 8 than a Street Triple however less than the 1st Gen. I am thinking it might be a better bike for my wife than the Street Triple which she finds a bit abrupt on the power. The Gen 8 is very confidence inspiring. Quickish steering but stable at speed, nice mix! The seat on the Gen 8 seems firmer but I only rode each 50km so not sure what long term comfort is like. I am thinking this is a very good bike, but not a replacement for my VFR1200F as I first thought, more a replacement for our Street Triple, thanks to the seat height options. I need a demo longer than 45 minutes though!

Head south and then east as if you were going to Matamata, then take Taotaoroa. Road and on to Whitehall, sublime motorcycling.

Mid winter and the water level is up. Some dedicated guy skiing, the temp gauge says 14 degrees C.

At the head of the Karapiro Dam, having come from the straighter lanes around Cambridge, the roads start to tighten up.

This is an easy 70 km loop from Hamilton, all curvy back roads doing the west side of Lake Karapiro until at the south bridge which can take you east and you can finish up through Taotaoroa and Whitehall. Very little traffic, just watch for mountain bikers and kayak wielding SUVs.

A mild winter, folk are swimming down there!

Long shadows give away the time of the year. '82 GSX makes good company.