adamv

Are you talking about the ZX1000? If so - isn't there different ergonomics between the Ninja 1000 and the H2SX? I thought they were a very different bike, not just the weight/supercharger. Unfortunately https://cycle-ergo.com/ doesn't show the H2SX, but from my understanding the H2SX would be close to the VFR's natural seating position where the Ninja 1000 is more upright. (About half the forward lean angle as that of the VFR)? The H2 is so neat. Take away the supercharger (aka bring the price down to what I can afford, because the supercharger isn't really something I'd want - I'd probably lose my license 😉 ) and it'd be a serious contender. Not only with ergonomics, but it also has the centre stand as well - what would be a true VFR replacement in my books - albeit without having seen one yet. The Ninja 1000 (ZX1000 I believe) was designed with almost the opposite in mind. ie: It's as though when Honda and Triumph said sports tourer they said let's take the following from each category: Sports Handling Tourer Centre Stand A little more Weight (due to center stand) Inbetween Seating position / Ergonomics (Comfortable but sporty) Whereas when they built the Ninja 1000 and Suzuki they did a negative image: Sports: Weight (Aka remove center stand) Tourer More upright seating position Adjustable windshield. It's almost as though the designers of the Kawa/Suzuki 'Sports Tourers' still wanted to mix sports and tourer together but did exactly the opposite of what the previous sport tourer engineers originally did. (With the exception to the H2SX which seems to be more towards a pure/original 'sports tourer' in my books). Although it seems many people who own the Ninja 1000 are ex-VFR riders and they love the 1000. The H2 definitely seems like a more natural progression though - I just can't afford the price tag. 😞 Still haven't committed yet. I've kinda been hanging out hoping that there'll be a rumour of a next Gen VFR model coming out or until I can save enough pennies for the H2SX. Somehow - I think that neither day may come yet.

Maybe I need to move to be able to keep riding the bike I love! 😉

Thanks all for your replies. I've found someone who's going to be able to help me out. Going to get the brake lines flushed, the seals checked, and I'll get new pads and rotors on the front while I'm at it I think just to make sure all is well and good.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Doesn't look like we have much that comes close to the characteristics of the VFR. While I like the V4, it's more the handling of the bike that I prefer. (Lean angle, cornering characteristics etc more than the engine type). Looking through the suggestions on paper (mainly using cycle-ergo.com): The FJ-09 is a very upright bike. I haven't ridden on one, but I have on a MT-09 and I think it's almost sitting straight up like you're on a tourer as opposed to leaning forward like you're on a sports-tourer. The Ducati Supersports seems to have a lean angle similar to that of the CBR1000RR, etc - so seems to be more of a sports/race bike. Too forward for my aging body I'm afraid. (The VFR hit's the sweet spot). The Motus seems to be a little closer in regards to lean angle (at least according to cycle-ergo.com). I haven't seen one before, but may have to check this out. Likewise with the Aprilia Tuono. VTR??? They were discontinued before the VFR was weren't they? The BMW R1200RS appears to have a little more uprtight position than the others. (Back at 19° but still might be worth checking out). Thanks for the suggestions. From what I can tell, regardless of what bike I purchase, there's nothing out there that comes close to resembling the type of ride style that the VFR offered. (Except for other discontinued bikes such as the Sprint ST1050). I guess scooters and Adventure Tourers are where much of the market focus is going these days which at least for me is a real pity.

Interested in new at this stage, and are just wondering what options are closest to what I've previously experienced on a VFR.

What does someone who has ridden VFR's, wants to buy a new VFR but it's no longer an option move to? The Sprint and VFR appear to be the only two bikes in their class. The next thing remotely close to them that I have been able to find appears to be the GSXS-1000F or Ninja 1000, of both which have very different handling characteristics and seating positions. Beginning with a lean angle that is almost half of what the VFR's is. Have I missed some options along the lines? Does anyone have any suggestions / recommendations of what one should consider when buying a new VFR is no longer an option?

Thanks very much for your generous offer, but unfortunately I'm in regional Victoria. (so not even in the same state) :-) To answer the other questions - Reservoir levels look fine. I'm going to see if I can find someone who's mechanically minded (unfortunately we only have this one shop in town), to look at bleeding the brakes, and maybe at the same time check to see if we're able to inspect the seals. The seals are the suggestion that intrigues me the most at this stage along with bleeding the brakes. If the seals were creased or damaged, but not broken, under certain conditions (temperate, atmosphere, etc) - maybe they let some leak out on the very odd occasion which causes this. Anything else such as a brake in the line and I'd be expecting the problem to be getting consistently worse. But as said, I'm no mechanic. Are the seals exposed when changing the brake pads? As mentioned, the shop swears they didn't touch the fluid in the line, and whilst I've lost confidence in them I still doubt (and hope) that they would outright lie about something like that.

Hi Guys, Thanks for the reply. When you're mentioning the seal (being folded, etc) - is this something that if I took to another mechanic they would be able to easily identify if it has been crushed / folded, or is it something that you can't really tell when you remove it (because you have to damage it to remove it, etc), and it just has to be replaced and see what happens? Also would this be a costly thing to get another mechanic to do? (To replace the seal, and/or reset the pistons). Primarily I would very much like to have a positive identification on what the cause is, in part to go back to the original shop and inform them, but moreso to know that the issue is resolved and I can have peace of mind. Thanks Adam

Hi, I'm looking for some suggestions. I recently had my VFR serviced. During the service, they replaced the rear brake pads. After the service, I took my bike for a ride, and felt that the rear brake was a little spongier than normal. I figured that it may just be me or maybe that's the effects of having new pads on. About 40 miles later, going through some mountains I went to apply the rear brake, and then pedal just went down - right down well past where it normally does with no resistance at all - and there was no braking at all. (I was only applying rear brakes - I didn't notice or feel any braking from the linked/front wheel at all). After pulling over, I could use a single finger and push the brake down a significant way without any back pressure. If I pump the brakes, the pressure slowly builds up and the brakes come back online. I reported this to the shop who said that they only replaced the pads. They hadn't replaced the brake fluid, and that there's nothing that they have done that should have caused this to occur. They had another look, and ended up replacing the rotor telling me that the rotor was on it's way out (wearing thin) and that's most likely the problem. It didn't make much sense to me, as if the rotor was thin I'd expect it to be consistent with issues, but I'm no mechanic, so left it in their hands. I took the bike riding again, and found the brake still a bit spongy, but it was working again. I did notice a vibration through the rear brake on occasion if I applied the brake lightly. My mates said this may just be due to the new disk, and to hit the rear brakes hard to wear them in, which I did. I only noticed the BRRRRRR vibrations a few times. (This is a NON-ABS model). I then went and toured around 2,500 miles without having an incident with the rear brake until this weekend, where it did the same thing as straight after the service (just goes straight down again with no pressure). I'm not sure what to do. I'm no mechanic and have very limited understanding on the workings of bikes. The shop swears that they haven't touched anything in the brake lines and that they only replaced the rotor and the pads, and they have been unable to find anything wrong. Has anyone experienced this before, and/or do you have any recommendations on what I can do or where I should look? Cheers Adam

I don't think it's necessarily a cult thing. Everywhere I go I hear similar desires in a bike that isn't made, effectively a VFR with a combination of: - No VTEC - A little more HP (Make it a 850/900 if needed)... - Back to Gear Driven Cams Desires listed normally include a combination of the above - over and over again. Honda isn't just not listening to you - it seems like they're not listening at all. But even though these requests are out there, maybe there is simply too much money to be made in other markets.

I've been waiting for a couple of years now, hoping that Honda would take a new interest in it's Sports Tourer / VFR range. I'm now told there is a 2019 model (yay) - but it's only available in Japan (sigh)... I'm not sure how much longer I'm willing to stick around. I thoroughly enjoy my VFR, and would love to update it to ensure I continue to have a reliable bike and would like some added safety features, ABS, traction controls, etc would be nice which I don't have on my 09 Gen 6 model, but I'm getting tired of hoping for something that may never come. So I'm considering jumping ship. At this stage the Ninja 1000 seems to be the best option (as much as I hate the name. Interceptor is so much cooler 😉 ) but unlike Honda, Kawasaki seem to have a genuine interest in their sports tourer customers/market and continue to release new models with improvements. I don't mind sticking around if Honda were going to release something again - but from what I can tell, they seem disinterested in us and are chasing other markets such as the Adventure Tourer range, etc. Am I doing the right thing? Am I mad?

Yes - definitely issues with the 20S: Check out Sena's own forums: https://support.sena.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/216721806-drum-sound-Sena-20s https://support.sena.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/216698186-A-lot-of-Static-Noise-in-intercoms ... after years the issue still hasn't been addressed. Has no one here experienced this issue with the 20S? (Poor audio quality / static and popping when connected with more than 2 riders)? I've been using the SMH-10 for years without problems. Love these intercoms. Had to get a new intercom, so opted for the 20S instead. (I wish I had have come across the links above prior). 1 on 1 communication is brilliant, but add a 3rd connection to the mix, and it goes from perfection to shocking. Sena appears to be silent on the issue. I'm not sure what to do. The original group have started off with SENA intercoms (almost all have SMH-10's at present), but if this is the direction Sena are heading with their quality - I'm not sure what to do. Jumping ship would be very costly to the whole group, but continuing to spend more money on a system that's got problems that are being ignored is another thing altogether... Is there anyone here that's familiar with these issues with the SENA, and can comment whether the same problem plagues the 20S-EVO, and the 30K, or if the issue was resolved in these units? I'm hoping that the problem is isolated to the original 20S, and all other units are fine - but I'm extremely hesitant to spend anymore money or recommend Sena until I've had some clarification. Thanks & Regards Adam.

Thanks for all the information. I'm going to get the Road 5's for my next tire, and see how they compare. I've gone from Angel GT's to Road Pilot 4's - and was impressed with the increase wear. Will be excited to see what the new technology does with the 5's!

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has purchased any of the new Michelin Road 5 tires? I have the Michelin Road 4 on my bike at the moment. Extremely impressed with the wear and grip. Still got plenty of tread, but I'm looking at replacing them as I'm going on a long ride in the twisties (4,000kms) and want to make sure I have good tread for the whole trip. I was going to purchase another set of Michelin Road 4's, but then saw that they have released new 5's - and was wondering if anyone could comment as to any difference between the two on VFR's? Cheers Adam.

Wow - that's not entirely comforting news. How badly did the grip drop off? (Or what sort of rider are you - a track rider, or was this noticable on just 'spirited' riding on public roads?

Hi, Coming from someone who is good with a keyboard, but hopeless with tools, I was wondering how difficult it is to remove and replace fairings on the 6th Gen. I'm curious from two different angles: 1) To remove and replace fairings so I can change my own oil filter, coolant, etc, and 2) To remove and replace all fairings if I decide to become adventurous and buy some after market fairings for a custom paint job. Is it something that just requires a bit of patience and time, or is it easy to get wrong, stuff it up, break something or otherwise should be done by someone who has a bit more experience in the workshop?

They definitely seem like different fairings but I'll take another look. Does anyone know if the fairings have the model numbers molded on the inside? If so, it might be worth me taking the fairing off my bike to check if there's different numbers.

Hi, I'm looking at getting some replacement fairings due to some damage on the left side of my bike. However the bike I have purchased is an American Interceptor model (2009). I have a friend who purchased a 2009 VFR800 here locally in Australia brand new through Honda. I noticed the other day that the fairings are a little different. It seems as though mine exposes more of the plastic under the fairing on the right hand side at the top, where as his is a narrower gap between the fairing and the tank / body of the bike. They appear to be from two different molds. Does anyone know if the VFR Interceptor (American model) uses different fairing types to the Australian version, and if they would be compatible or not? Otherwise - can anyone recommend a solution for me to replace my left hand side fairing. I'd be happy to consider ordering OEM from Honda, but if the Australian version is different to the American one I could be in a bit of trouble. Also - does anyone know if it's fine to order OEM for one fairing and if the colors should still match - or if I have to replace a fairing do I have to buy a whole new kit to ensure the colors match? Thanks Adam.

Thanks Blazerdman - so basically ignore the PR4 GT's, and go for the straight PR4's. Thanks for the confirmation.

Thanks Blazerdman - maybe I've misunderstood. My question was more along the lines of whether I should get: 1) Pilot Road 4, or 2) Pilot Road 4 GT (So when I mention GT I mean the pilot road, not the Angels) :) Where does the PR4 and the PR4GT sit with the Angel GT. Which would be closer to what I've had in the past? I'm having second thoughts and seriously considering the PR4's for my next tires (probably due in another 1,000 kms which will only be a few weeks away) and am wondering which PR4's I should go with?

After reading a thread in the 5th Generation I'm thinking of changing my tire choice. I've been using Angel GT's on my 6th gen, and have really liked them. However it seems that most of the talk lately has been on the PR4's, and that I might get a little longer life out of them. I was just wondering - what do people recommend - should I be going the GT version, or the standard PR4's for sport touring? I'm around 260lbs and with my luggage that will probably go up to just under 300lb in total.

I switched from Q2's to Angel GT's. Have been running these for the last couple of years and absolutely love them. I don't ride track, but enjoy spirited rides on the road. (Enough to be wearing out my spacers on my pegs). I've only had these slip twice - both times in road works - my fault. They handle great in the wet. I'm a heavy bloke (110kgs) and had luggage on the bike as well, and I can ride as hard as I want. I don't know if the PR4's are any better or how they compare. I'm a little bit like "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and since I'm scraping pegs I can't see myself asking anymore of my bike than it's already giving. Just wondering if there's a reason Angel GT's are hardly mentioned. Are they old tech now. Do the PR4's beat them? Or is it due to a different style of riding?

To be honest, I've never altered it - and are not really familiar with what I should be expecting from it. All I know is that the bike rides comfortably since I first got it (my first road bike, so I have nothing to compare it with), and I go by the motto "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" (or more precise in my case "if it ain't broken, don't break it" ;) ) I do however find that the bike is more comfortable when I have a load on it, and that bumps are rather hard when it's just myself. I'm assuming that the rebound setting is how quickly the shocks reset after taking a bump. Out of curiosity which way would I need to alter this to reduce the tire wear?

Thanks for the clarification guys. Does this mean that I need to change my tires over before they get to the wear line because of this, or are they still fine to continue to use?

Hi All, Just wondering if someone can assist me with what I'm seeing. I've had this tire for only one month (but admit I have travelled 2500miles / 4000kms in that time). The rear tire is wearing where the leading side of the tread has worn away and is almost a smooth curve down to the tread center - where the trailing part is still sharp and cornered. I've attached a photo to try and give a better explanation as to what is happening. My normal style of riding is to enter a corner with as minimal braking as possible (although I do use engine braking to slow down a little), and then hold power or increase power as I'm going through the corner and exiting. I try to run the rear tire at between 40 to 42psi, and the lowest I've ever tested it before pumping that it's gotten to was 39psi. These are Pirelli Angel GT's. This would be the 2nd set it's happen to. I don't know much about tires and most of the riding I've done has been self taught so I don't know if I'm riding wrong, if there's something with the suspension, if it's due to the couple of slips I've had in gravel on the road (nothing significant, just the rear wheel giving way and then re-gripping again) or if this is just normal use, and / or whether I should be changing tires before getting down to the wear marks because of this? (I want to know I can trust my tires). Cheers Adam