St. Stephen

Got a Cycle World in the mail this week, which made me remember that I still get motorcycle magazines. Also made me think it has been maybe a couple of months since I've seen Rider, the only monthly left standing. Web site doesn't show an issue beyond March. Anyone more informed than me?

Haha, true, but every once in a while it does happen. About seven or eight years ago I saw you, Gloryracing, heading east on 14 out of Big Flat, with your significant other on pillion (and with Push Mtn. Road on your mind no doubt). Heading west, my head snapped around as I waved. I couldn't believe my eyes, two red 7th gens in NE Arkansas!

The funnest car I have ever owned was the first year Honda CRX. Red, of course. A true go-cart for adults (and for me also). Stock photo below but that is exactly what mine looked like. Check these specs: 1488cc inline four 1764 lbs (!!) 5 speed 2 seater 86 inch wheelbase With such light weight, extremely low to the ground, and normal rubber it could generate incredible g-force! Loved that car. Two years later I was offered a position which came with a company car, so we sold it. Aaaargh. But at least I did buy a VFR that same year...

I think I have been hearing about this car for a year or two, finally a photo! ...and Jim shows his hand!

I echo Miguel's comments. I owned a 2010 VFR1200F from 2010 through 2017. Not the DCT but I have ridden the DCT version belonging to another VFRD member. My comments: It is ~600lbs. The weight is low, but it is not light. Greeeeat motor, can't beat a Honda V4, ~140hp. If you are going to work on it yourself beware, the plastic is a real PITA to get off, and twice as annoying to put back on. The bike loves sweepers, rails through turns. Never left me stranded, very reliable. The DCT works very well, as advertised. You can go fully automatic or paddle shift with the levers on the left handlebar. I prefer manual clutch and gears, but your taste may vary. The only time I felt the DCT was inferior was at parking lot speeds where I wished I had a clutch. Anyway, I traded that bike for a Ducati. You may want to do the reverse! Oh, and the device Miguel mentioned that tricks the ECU into thinking it is in 3rd gear or higher is from Bazzaz.

No, great point. I am rolling on the floor laughing! While I can confidently say that I would not miss putting up the kickstand as the OP may have, I sympathize. I am much closer to him, or her, in skill level than to you, Grum, Seb, JZH, etc. When the experts on VFRD start their response with "once the forks are out of the triples," or "when you have the clutch plates on the bench," I know that you guys think it is Step A, but for me it is Step D. Or much further down the alphabet! Anyway, one of the reasons to stick with VFRD is that you can count on folks like Grum to help you out. Thanks.

Great post Cogswell, and once again thank you Miguel. As someone who is "between" VFR's for the first time in more than 30 years, this is still my go-to forum. So great to have so many knowledgeable and passionate members, and so little nasty behavior (which actually is sometimes entertaining here because it so rarely happens). I do go to my Multistrada and RC-51 sites for help, but VFRD is best of class. Great look and feel, no ads, member supported. Instead of another Veefalo we should all pay for Miguel's health insurance! Well you made me look, and I was really surprised to see I joined in early 2005--I was sure it was less than 10 years ago! Everyone in the photo below is a VFRD forum member. Just say "egg" to any of them and they will immediately remember this moment. Thanks again Miguel.

Skids, Marvelicious... My solution is a high-viz motorcycle! Seriously, I do believe that the dark colors and low profile of the typical cruiser (and cruiser lifestyle apparel) makes them much harder to see than the red bikes I have ridden for decades. And while I always felt the "loud pipes save lives' bit was BS, a rationalization for just being noisy, when I moved to California and started lane-splitting I did find that a blip of the throttle would sometimes get the attention of a driver looking at their phone and drifting over the lane divider. Of course that happens at pretty low speeds. I do believe and agree that assuming invisibility is the best strategy any time the wheels are turning. High viz safety bikes:

A zinger from Dutchy, no way!! 😀 In return for making me laugh I've posted a photo for you below, taken exactly one hour ago. BLS, thanks for the tip. I'll give the Motul paste a try, anything to eliminate the "flings."

Agree that kerosene will not hurt an O or X ring chain. I use WD40, which I believe is mostly kerosene. Here is a quick video on the subject from Ari Henning, who I respect tremendously on these matters: I disagree with Dutchy that cleaning is only for looks. The biggest enemy to O-ring chain life is dirt, which eventually grinds down the rubber seals. Chain lube is important in moderation, but not for the seals. I hope I'm not turning this into an oil thread! 😬 My chain maintenance array:

I like your musical suggestion Auspanglish, but I was immediately drawn to the video. That's Mike Parsons towing into Jaws in 2003 on what was allegedly a 60 foot day, the opening scene of Billabong Odyssey. Love it. I am always aware of how much riding a motorcycle is like riding a wave. Lean into the turn, scrub your speed, movement in three dimensions, breath the fresh air as the adrenaline pumps. Yeah, pumping Peahi is way out of my league, just like doing a sub-1:30 at Laguna Seca, but, well, wow! And all the better to do it with a great soundtrack. Thanks.

Yeah, the more I (selfishly) think about how this summer will play out the more I miss track days! Oh well, at least the PCH is missing all the usual rental mustang convertibles and giant RV's. Actually I heard from crazybro mid-February that Brian F got a Multistrada. Been meaning to catch up with him. gll429, I apologize for this temporary hijacking of your thread, but I'm pretty sure you've got something like Texas Hippie Coalition cranked up to 11 right now. 😎

Technically you are required to have the front and rear reflectors, left and right sides of the bike, here in the U.S., but of course no one has ever been pulled over for such an infraction. I removed them, front and rear pairs, from my RC-51 as soon as I got it home, see below. Have not yanked them from the Duc, but VFRD member crazybro advised me that some quality dental floss will separate them from the front fork tubes with no drama! YMMV before: after:

Jim, I always knew you were a metal guy, at home and at work!

I'd think that your implant would be sophisticated enough to suggest a playlist, but, if you're talking shop time I'd suggest any complete BNL live performance, Scarlet/Fire, all of Brothers in Arms, Eva Cassidy Live at Blues Alley, then Spirit of Radio.

Along the same lines, I took this last summer, Laguna Seca WSBK: edit: Corkscrew ;-)

Hard to imagine anyone on VFRD who won't love this story:

Thank you Miguel! Really appreciate what you do to maintain and improve VFRD, it is a great site--visuals, content, and some great contributors. All this from someone who is currently "between" VFR's. How's the budget for 2020? Please let us know if we should throw some money in the pot.

4corsa, I agree. The 8th gen is a re-packaged 6th. Looks great, but certainly not a new bike.

I do enjoy being a contrarian, and now I'll combine that with some optimism! so: - Honda has not been selling the same re-skinned bike for 20 years. The 2010 VFR1200F was all new. I bought one sight-unseen, kept if for seven years and almost 50,000 miles, and loved it. Honda can do it again. -Honda will spend over $30 million this year developing a V4 hypersport. And they'll spend even more on the project next year. RC213V. -We (U.S.) are just not on the sharp end of motorcycling anymore. No WSBK round this year, unit sales down 5%, cruisers still big market share, MCN shutting down, CW a glossy quarterly--that can warp our opinion. We should not base our read on Honda's V4 future on what we see at the local dealer. I think we'll see a special V4 that most of us will like. But it will take some patience.

News to me, thank you for posting JZH. MCN (U.S.) still actually tested bikes, and had some good writers, particularly Glynn Kerr and Mark Barnes, who I always looked forward to reading. Ironically, I always viewed Rider as the lightweight in this category, but now they're the only monthly left standing!