Redbike

Thank you for your comments. The bike in now back form the dealer. The lubricated the rear suspension preloaded, what was blocked but did not do more. After discussing there with them their next trials to do/I should do to check the cooling process and quality I asked them: look, should I wait till next summer and try to overheat? When it is in red or boiling or the fan motor is damaged to to constant running in the summer, what should I do? Call some trailer or leave the bike on the road? Or just ride between my home and the dealer on this short highway? Who will repair the engine? I forced the service guy at least once to come down with me and look that radiator with his mobile light. I think it was the first time he really did it. I told him, I think I will have to do my own repair alone, however I got +1 year guarantee last month when I bought this bike here. The also sold it with Honda inspection. I read up the section from the repair manual, where Honda suggested if the radiator is 20% bad , replace it. Then he went to his boss and they said, yes we should go in the direction to replace a radiator. It did not mean, they will do it. I should order the radiator for online shop, what will be cheaper and come back when I have it. They could give me some support. About the thermostat, what they checked only via the OBD, they found ok. However I looked with thermometer the radiator gets also warm 55-60C° parallel to the hoses at the pump how they warm up. I read again the manual, the thermostat should start to open 80-84C°. At 95C°its lifting should be 8mm so to open good flow. Thy did not checked these parameters. They only looked, the OBD showed 98C°when the fan started and could cool back till 95C° idling the bike in the service, what they found ok. I told them, it is only part of the function if the fan runs well and it was only a idle RPM process when the engine generate low heat. On the other side it is normal to warm up the engine to fan operation in the garage. But when driving on the road in this early winter time the heat transfer should be more sufficient. If the radiator lamella is closed and can not transfer heat, or the coolant system is closed and works with high pressure drop, or a weak pump, or a not tight cap or finally a semi closed thermostat could weaken the cooling system. But unfortunately to check all these in today digital world is too much to ask. I hope if I buy a new cooler, it will solve this topic.

Hi, Did you have these radiators to replace the old on in your bike? Did if work fine? If I am right the bike on the picture is DCT... Does it have beside the bigger radiator and its different inner plastic frame around also different coolant hoses and mounting parts? The fixation points I see on the top side are compatible between the manual and the DCT versions? Or should I consider also to replace some of them if upgrading to DCT radiator in my manual bike?

Hi, The end of the story at the Honda dealer: their opinion is "this bike has so big motor it needs a bit higher RPM to run the coolant around. At 3000rpm when cruising in the village will be to low and not enough for the pump to circulate the hot fluid through the radiator. Therefore it is normal that the fans will run times to time even in 10 C° ambient when the speed is only 50km/h". Heavily damaged radiator lamellas in 20% and side bent or even closed lamellas in 50% are still ok in their check. Also how the radiator is warming together with the motor already from 55C° they defined as normal operation. They commented "my complain is not valid since the bike has two cycle cooling system so it is not a problem that the radiator gets warm before the thermostat should open at 80C°". I graduated at the technical university but it is a bit of high science for me. My opinion is that the engine should warm up alone till the thermostat opens at 80C° and this process can be monitored at the coolant pump hoses and on the radiator front surface with thermo camera, too. What I did myself. Earlier the radiator can get warm coolant only through the air bleeding hose, but it will only warm up the radiator cap region. This effect I could also see from lower temperature stages. But to get running the engine on 95C°cooling system in this early winter condition makes me worried about how it will operate in +35C° next summer? Or should not be a problem? I would not like to boil the engine or stop the bike there while ordering a spare part(radiator) and get an appointment at a private service (+2 months) who are willing to replace it. I also understand but cannot admit the opinion of the Honda dealer, who sold the bike with full maintained+1 year guarantee for me what was their marketing item but will not contain any high cost repair tasks. I took the bike there now 3th time for 2-2 weeks with service complains like cooling, rear suspension, breaks and bearings. But they made a small effort to repair any.

Is here anybody who replaced the radiator in a manual bike for the DCT version? Would it fit if the plastic skirt is also replaced with it? Or are the other items to replace with it, too?

Hi, Thanks for the hints. Could it be possible to install the DCT radiator on the manual bike? I saw the inner lower cowl should be also replaced for the DCT variant, which has bigger window and also a protection net.

Thank you for your comment. My bike is manual. This morning I checked the warm up process from 8C again and scanned some point on the bike with thermometer. I found the the big black water hoses from the water pump are getting warm pretty parallel. Also the left upper corner of the radiator is warming too. Around 60C the thermostat seems to open and the radiator gets hot, as well. I read the thermostat should only open from 84C. The fan is on times to time when cruising on the streets today in the city in 10C, as well. I tried to straighten the lamelas, but cant work. 50% deformed. 20% destroyed.

I checked the radiator is also warming up so early when the waterpump hoses are just 50C. When they get to 60C the radiator is full surface warm too. Its cap corner is warming from 30C. I read in the manual the thermostat should open from 80C, not earlier. When looking the radiator I was not happy. Is it a must to replace? Its middle and lower zones are the weakest.

Is it worth to check if the radiator cap is full ? I have driven 250km after they changed the coolant. I checked the reverse tank yesterday and it was toped up to max. and clean inside with that green Honda coolant.

Hi How does the normal cooling process work with this 1200F model2010? After having RC36 and RC46 for 10+ years my new bike starts the fan much earlier. Actually we have 15C outside and ridding alone on local roads and a bit highway (no city use or traffic jam) when driving for 3-10min in a village the fan would start, specially when I stop at a junction or at the gate when I got home. This behaviour is the same if riding with my friend (+90kg) My RC46 had side panels but could do more even in the summer. How will the big VFR12 works in hot days? I got the bike right now from the Honda dealer shop after oil, filter and coolant change. I have driven it just 300km, has not to much experience with it. The Tempr. bar display shows 2-3 marks bellow red when driving at least 80km/h. I shows 2 marks bellow when the fan starts. This morning I checked the temperature of the coolant pie on the left side connecting to the water pump and also the radiator with a laser termometer. I found in 2-3 minutes in warm up the pipe is already 60C and the right upper side of the radiator is also warming. Is it normal? I read in the service manual the thermostat should start to open to the radiator at 80C, not before. But I know, an early thermostat should only expand the warming time but not to generate more heat. Bit problem could be, the bike is stock but the radiator shows some wear/deformations on part of the lamella. Worth the open them a bit with a thiny flat screw driver? How to clean it in smooth way? (I asked the shop, but they couldn't do too much) How can I get access to check the coolant level in the reverse tank? Thank you for your advices! Peter

How is the normal starting process of your bikes? Is it normal if after ignition on and the petrol pump has already finished its pumping up process in 3-5 sec but the exhaust valve servo motor and also some other electric device under the petrol tank, remain still loud like the music of some old PC games? The make this noise later when the engine is running, as well, how long I don't switch off the electricity. They have some wear for now or the new bike also preforms like this? 443282046_VID_20210930_1634161.mp4

Thank you for your comments. Yes, the km stand I see only like a cosmetic feature when speaking about a 11years old bike with slight wear on the front disks and 2mm rear pads etc. I can imagine it has more run than my actual 800vtec-2006 with no wear on it. But I hope to go out with family it will fit better with the hard languages. I don't drive really sporty specially with my passenger, so its overweight won't be critical. Also I try to avoid the down-town and any offroads, but I was looking for a bike with massive power and vfr like technology. The CTX1300 was over my budget, why I could have changed my sport touring way of thinking, so not to buy a Kawasaki I just selected this Organic looking big Vfr12. I hope I will like it.

Hi Guys, Could you give me some advices what should be important to check beside the normal signs of wears and damages, and of course the H factory call back before when looking for a used bike? Possible:18k km in a 11 years old bike??? Does it have any specially weak component? How can I recognise the valve clearance issues - if it was not real maintained? How often to maintain the front forks and sealings? Should it come with the replacement of the steering bearings (what is actual)? How is it charging the battery on idle and higher? What petrol does it like, 95 or only 98/100? How to open the 100ch engine setting to normal, how it came from abroad? Can a dealer really do it just setting its program, how they promise? Then is it like a 174Le model w/o handicaps ? The bike I found has a Givi high shield. I will check if it is ok. Except this, the bike is stock.

Thanks for the wishes 🙂 Well, with passenger or sporty style with more open throttle these vibrations already started from 4500RPM(from 106sec on the printscreen). This measurement I did without passenger. Left picture (sensor bellow the driver seat) shows this dominant vibration with high amplitude-yellow color in this waterflow diagram till 111 sec when I closed the throttle when reaching 8000RPM. On the rear seat this frequency was also dominant. + the 20-50Hz range showed the bending motion of the subrame far from the bolting point at the tank. But both position the 200Hz frequency I highlighted like the main symptom, what I found should be from the motor firing operation at this RPM. I did this investigation to help the dealer service center to find the root cause and solve it for my big-big happiness. But the service leader told me, has no idea they could offer me max. to retighten the subframe, if it helps... I was a 50 years old child having this loved Vtec, what I also 3D CAD modelled for myself when first came to the market. The 1200, however it won't be this nice Red, must perform without issues not to change it to some BMW boxer....

Hi Guys, and thanks for your many comments and suggestions. As I wrote, I bought this bike 7 years ago (38k km) in a pretty clean concition, New Spark plugs, filters, oil and tyres also the steering bearings and the front fork sealings and maintanance were performed in the first week. Then I changed the chain set (DID 530VX). That time I felt sometimes strange vtec operation. Then I went to our local CFR specialist, who is more than a Honda technician. He made new maintanance, injector cleaning, valve clearance+vtec system check since sometimes he also felt this higher freq. resonances when riding alone, too. Then he changed the clutch basket to try. Finally at least the strange vtec operation was away and single mode drive resonances all above 4500RPM decreased to a ridable level. When not being dinamic, it was ok. But picking up my friend for a shorter ride, he said it was not a confortable ride since vibro massage from the seat. He likes the bike (it is a red VFR) so we just went out on it some times in the recent years. I also used the pick up my daughter or my son for a 100km trip in touring mode. They had no complain. But when changing a bit to sporty mode with a bit of acceleration, the engine changed to a shaker mode. I also felt it from all the consols and the seat. I am mech. eng. in the field of NVH and looked the vibrations with my private stetoscope and finally with a new digital stetoscope, as well. The problem was, the resonances are comming much more while driving. I also checked the chain and clean it in 500kms. Then I got a Head acustic system also with 2 acceleration sensors and decided to make a telemety check. I fixed the sensors bellow the seat on the metal subframe and put the data logger in the tank bag. First I checked the starting process vibrations, then idling or reving in the mainstand and then on the sidestand. I started for a short test run alone. I switched to 3 the 4 gears and made a test. When downloaded and analysis the sensor results I found, my feeling has really phisical parameters behind. The vibration (vertical) amplitude was first linear then from 4500RPM progressive parallel to the RPM. From 6000RPM the mentioned vibrations came to the level to be over all the others motor resonances, wind noise and the traffic in the road. I made a frequency filtering, and I found the high resonance were the double on the actual motor RPM. So it is like the firing process. Opening my repair manual I made an Excel map to calculate the gearbox, engine, valve system, oil and coolant pump's speed and possible excitations. I also collected the gear pairs rolling contacting frequencies to see the root of the 150-200Hz high amplitude resonances when driving up the 8000RPM. I found only the engine firing. I went the to a service specialist who performed a digital trottle housing vacum check and adjustment and we also verified the relative engine speed of each cylinder in their firing process. The bike has pretty massive and rithmic sound on idle and mid. range RPM, what we can hear and his result showed the same, too. He made some small 10 rpm adjustments, but kept it mainly just constant. He wellcomed the results, best VFR bike in the last years. However I told him, on the way I could feel the same 80kW electric shaver bellow me when driving him. Then he has some idea, some bad past repairs of the gearbox bearings or imballance??? No way to find them and repair with a feasible solution for this old but new looking bike.... Then I called the remaining 3 honda dealers in our contry. To close the topic I thought to drive to see them after each other. The first checked the bike acustic and the connctions of the frame, and said it must be a good one. Shaking on the road must be complex and not worth to repair. The second said would retighten the frame bolts, what I did with my troque wrench. No loose parts, 100% stock model. I did also a test run with other VFR owner. His bike was vibrate but moderate and not like a shaver. For now I have 49k km in the bike. Fuel consumption one signal for 50km = 5-5.5L/100km. When driving on the highway to the dealers, I looked it was running pretty easy at 130km/h. Single mode, only wind noise, some exhaust and the running trees around me. I said this mad bike wants to make me crasy??? Then switchnig back to gear 3 or for, I made some acceleration in 5-7000RPM. The vibrations were there. In 4 valves mode it became constant. But driving in 6th gear the bike dropped the RPM and in 2 valves mode had no problem (I drive with 100 oktane benzin) Some in the Hungarian forum said to buy loud exhaust and enjoy the tones. The moderator said to look the cluch for wear and clearance. I can not do it at home, and the technicial did it 5k earlier so I did not want to pay more. A few rider said their bike is silent but not to many complained. But my engineer brain see different. Finnaly I said: my loved bike from my childhood was RC36. I had it and now also this RC46. This one is like a new, what I could not afford. However I should not drive it when only looking for those agly root causes. It is not a joy. I did not want to tell to sell a V4 800, but now I did. Also the last dealers offered to change to some inline 4 and touring bike. My friend comming on the GS1250 pushed to the direction of boxer, preferably touring enduro. But I felt, I have to stay on the v4. I asked the last dealer to show their vfr12f what I checked, too. Yes, it has engine but I could not find the shaver in that during the test run. I felt it was the best news what I have to conservate. So I told him, I want the switch the bikes. I hope I will write only cool things about this big brother! Many greetings. Peter (I linked the vibration test results- I preformed during the test run on my seats)

Please give me you ideas, I am fustrated since I don't know, if it is the normal behaviour of these bikes. I have my loved 2006 model for six years and mainly facing with this issue from the begining. (for now 49k km) Despite all the maintanance, From 4500RPM constant vibrations can be felt from the motor through the seat, foot pegs, handle bars and tank. This vibration-like a big electric shaver is getting even stronger from 6000RPM and more in the 4valve operation. When riding alone till 140km/h even on the highway for some hours, the bike has only a normal V-engine vibration, and it runs rather easy with minimum throttle and 5.5l/100km fuel consumption. But when I am with a passanger or accalarate a bit more in 3th or 4th gears, this electric shaver vibration is over everything else. Is it normal for the 6th gens? Its frequency is rising like the motor RPM, and last time I made an on the road vibration measurement fixing two acceleration sensors on the subframe bellow the seats, where I could see the vibration is like the motor firing speed. I would also mention, parallel to it, even with warm engine I can hear some noise from the motor in Neutral, This noise is not very loud but it is like a roller when running dry. Also our old washing machine did it before the bearing was replaced. When running at idle speed. With clutch in, the noise is completly off, with clutch out it comes back again. I is normal? Can you hear this king of noise from your bike? Or should it come from the transmission bearings, gears? Or the clutch? But when the clutch is in, so its bearings are rolling, I cannot hear it. Yesterday I checked a vfr1200f from a mate. That bike was rather used one but completly silent while idling in neutral. I could only hear the firing noise, but no more.

Now...after a year I had a chance to replace the clutch basket. with keeping my inner parts in it. The mechanic said, it is now almost like an S4 engine, however the new basket is also a used one. He couldn't find anything else, however checked the valve system, the chain and tensioner, and cleaned the injectors too. Next he remounted my clutch basket and that rattling vibration from 4000RPM was coming again. So I might need a new basket? By the way, a second symptom, the mechanic checked the tempr. of the exhaust ports with camera during the possible root cause detection. He found the rear cylinders are running on 270C while, the front 180C. Does any of us have experience with it????? Is it normal difference? After valve clearance check and injector cleaning the tempr. difference was still there. Then he mixed the spark plugs and then the other electric components. This tempr. difference is now slightly less, but still exists.... and it is not due to the wind speed. (The coolant was changed two years ago according to the manual, the thermostat and the radiators works well. 80-95C on roads. The fan starts at 102C and cools down till 96C. Fuel consumption 5-5.5L/100km.)

Did any of us finally find the root cause and could eliminate the vibration??? Unfortunately my 6.gen's vibration manner did not change so far. However I managed to find and ask the best expert of these v4s in the local VFR club. He checked the bike in the service and made a short test ride speeding on the local road. But he found it OK. He said: could dismount the engine and verify all the components with high effort, and change the complete sealing set. But hardly can imagine if finding any trouble.... But I still feel, mainly on the main roads or on the highway, I would say: when sitting on a 240kg electric shaver! High freq. vibration comes from engine, frame, bars, pedals and seat when cursing at 5000RPM or higher:( I try to get another bike for a comparison test run, and his rider has to check both bikes. I have no idea, and I am sad.It is a common issue, or I feel it too dangerous. Last weekend I made a test run on the highway. 80km at 7-8k RPM in - 4. gear. I also added Liqui Moli injector cleaner for this ride, but no improvement till now. ..might come later? The vibration was rather serious all the way, made me thinking about safety. I can't imagine if Honda did accept is for serial. In chopper/touring mode, of for a short dynamic run its hard to find but it is an issue when speeding in touring sport mode. (my tyres, chain set, oil are renewed but did not help)

Could you tell me which controllers would be the "Number 3 is OEM controls & some add-on fuel/ignition controllers"? I can find only those simple ignition controllers and the power commanders.

Ok, but how could you prove the friction will be enough not to loose the bolt later? 2Nm is not to much, what I found in the repair manual. The required safe torque should be adjusted if we use some compound. But on the other side the bolt's clamp load will increase, and how far it is from Alu, the thread can be plastic overloaded. I work in the car industry with these kind of fixations, and I would say these bolts of the cowls are not too robust design. My bike is 10 years old, and these Alu bolts, rubber bushings and plastic pins are getting old a bit:( However my bike in mainly in the garage and have to work on the bolts max. once in a year. I wonder, how the rear plastic fairing and fixation can withstand the vibration from the v4 engine and exhaust, what is massive feeling on the seat and the pedals, too.

Healtech offers this ignition cutter interruption time-RPM adjustable system also for VFR800. That nice flame from the mufflers and pop, wouldn't mean long lift for the catalytic converter. That 60ms, I would repeat 100x on an afternoon ride, can make trouble. Not speaking about the petrol when washing the engine oil from the cylinder in those interruptions-->contamination the oil and increase friction of the piston. I spoke to their local dealer, who first offered this QS for my stock VFR, but when asking about this possible issue with the catalytic converter, the dealer preferred their home made injection cutter device instead. But its weakness:non RPM adjustable, so they could set its interruption to one engine speed:(

Not so critical...knocking the helmets, but by Clutchless-throttle off shifting makes it smoother. I thought some QS could be more professional.....and I like the GP Hondas how smooth they are speeding out from a corner:) Of course with QS my VFR would never be the Repsol bike and I would like to do it moderate dynamic. But I have problems with the http://www.healtech-electronics.com/products/qse/ How the catalizator will suffer when getting some unburned petrol in the ignition cup gear up 100ms??? A local dealer sad, Yes would be better their self brand and cutting injection instead. But they have only a simpler, constant cutter system. They will set it to the bike on the pad, but now RPM wise like Healtech. And they could not set the lever force limit either. Since they are not so cheap, and I would shift up 3000-6000RPM, I would prefer some adjustable controller like Healtech.

No. I did it Cold...as Haynes and an other Honda VFR 800 repair books said. First I simply drained the old coolant opening both drain screws and the radiator cap. Then I plugged in the drain holes and filled up full with anti calc water. Then I drained the water through both holes filling some extra water, while the old coolant color changed to transparent water. Also drained and cleaned the reservoir tank. Then I drained system complete. Then I filled up full with new coolant also the reservoir tank. Then I warmed up till 100C with some throttle pulses. Later I checked and filled up the radiator cap and the reservoir to max. Then I warmed up till 100C in 10km. Later I checked the radiator cap and filled up to top on side stand again. In sum, I filled in 3L Motocool Expert. I checked the coolant quality-->-30C, on the bottle it was -37C. Haynes said: new coolant must be replaced in two steps. I did it once after washing with water trough. 2. loop would have gone closer to -37C, but I think complete draining would be only possible by removing the radiators and coolant pipes...

Finally I drilled the side cowl screw head after checked the dia of a new screw. It went OK. Then I could easily unscrew the thread from the cowl holder with a clamping tool.

Can you help me, if the ignition cutter type QS, like Healtech, can work well on my stock gen6. 2006 VFR800 bike? Or the catalizator would suffer from the unburned petrol during up-shifting? Or injection cutter QS would be better? In general, riding in touring mode with passenger 3500-6000RPM, this kind of shifting process can smoother the torque pulsing? How the gears can accept it w/o clutch in long time? Some riders shift up simply w/o clutch and closing throttle. Is it healthy for the gearbox? I also tried it, but 3-->4 was difficult. Or was I slow or RPM was not enough?