The mailman

Welcome! Yep, looks like a CBR front end and a 6th gen tail section. Somebody spent a lot of time fabing brackets to get that to go together.

Signal, I'm 6'-0" and had the stock screen on my 6th gen. Airflow was smooth for me before, I was just looking for more protection from wind/rain/bugs/road debris and the Givi ST offers that without any additional buffeting I've heard other members describe with other screens. I felt the wind hitting me mid-chest with the stocker and this raises that up to helmet level. I don't feel any ADDITIONAL pressure or noise with the Givi, this one just takes away the blast from my neck/chest area. I had also removed my stock screen on my 4th gen and replaced it with a taller screen from National Cycle (which I don't they still make) and that worked wonders for me on multi-day rides. For some reason, I can't capture just the photo but here is the link for the Givi and there is a thumb nail of the 3 screens. The shortest is a stock replacement and the tallest is the ST that I purchased. I would estimate a 3 inch gain over stock with the ST. http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/zero-gravity-sport-touring-windscreen-honda-vfr800-2002-2010

My new Zero Gravity ST windscreen arrived yesterday and ten minutes later I was on the road testing it out. The instructions had a bunch of extra steps that I still don''t understand why they included them. All you need is a phillip's head screwdriver. Four screws off and only two go back on. THAT'S IT! You're done. Tons more protection from the new screen and I stand by my choice of a screen as my number one mod to my last VFR for touring.

I don't like 'em but I deal with them much better now that I've learned to just expect the loose feeling and ride it out. You're in trouble if you are all leaned over rocketing through a curve but with regular speeds you should be OK. Just a little unnerving at first. Wet weather or HOT weather just makes it worse but use the force Luke and ride it out!

I am also 6'-0" and the 6th gen stock screen IS perfect for me as well but only during what I call "normal days". However, after 4 full days into a 2 week ride, I don't want the full blast on my upper torso - even if it is smooth. That extra bubble of calm air makes the following full days much more enjoyable. I also bought the "barn door" - biggest, tallest windscreen I could find for extended rides. It is so simple to swap them out and go back to the "cool n sleek" look of the stocker when I get back home. I even re-installed the stock fender on the rear to keep the rain/road debris off of my tail light and trunk for long rides. You would be amazed at how much water and crap can get into the area under your seat near/on your tools etc. with the fender eliminator installed. I have the Competitionwerks fender elim. and while it looks cooler to have your plate tucked up between your cans that leaves several open holes that allow a surprising amount of unwanted stuff to wind up under your seat, not to mention constantly blasting your 6th gen tail light and most of my long distance rides find me on a fair stretch of gravel connecting old county roads/highways. I can add the full fender, the taller windscreen, soft saddle bags, and my trunk in an easy 45 minutes. Removal and return to sport mode is just the same but a taller windscreen is my A-1 favorite touring addition.

The number one mod on my last VFR that let me ride all over the country in comfort? A tall windscreen! I am anxiously awaiting a new one for my current VFR to arrive on my porch as we speak. (ok, we're not speaking but...if we were.) I'm heading out on a 4500 mile loop in 3 weeks and that is a MUST before I leave. Relief from the constant wind/debris/rain will buy you many, many miles on a long day or 14! My trip with my VTX1800 buddy? ----> Denver area to Lake Itasca, MN to the headwaters of the Mississippi River and we're following the river all the way to Venice, Louisiana where it dumps into the Gulf of Mexico, then back home to Colorado.

I'm 51 and have been on bikes for about 30 years now. I learned on a borrowed brand new '83 VF750F. That is one of the first "super bikes" to hit the market. I survived the so called training but only due to sheer luck. The owner watched me ride back and forth from our cul-de-sac to the next for about 20 miuntes and said I was ready for the world! My first bike was an identical '84 model and while the Air Force required the Basic Rider Course to ride on base, it was the next 5 years of riding on the street that really brought motorcycle skills to a peak. I agree with you, especially at your stature, that a small bike is just not a great choice however I think a 1200 might be over stepping things a bit. I've been up and down the bike cc scale and have decided that the 800 - 1000 cc makes more sense than anything else for and EXPERIENCED rider. (unless your talking about heavy weight cruisers but that is a whole other story) Go find a decent used bike in the 750 - 800 range and just get use to being on the street. Every crack in the road, every low manhole cover, every section of crosswalk paint in a corner, every low speed parking lot maneuver will demand your attention. Weather, level of rest, a tiny bit of sand or a twig where you put your foot down, drivers that just watch their hood ornament, and gravity are all forces out to get you. Get use to battling those and then step up. As far as buying/selling/buying in one season - That won't happen because you can't pick up on all of the skills needed in 5 months anyway. I know you've got dirt experience and that IS a bonus but the road just isn't the same as your buddy's backside property.

You know it's dangerously wide if you're on a motorcycle and next thing you know, you're IN a boat! DANGEROUSLY WIDE = ------->

You don't give any info on the bike. Is it pristine or did it get run over by a semi on the highway? Does it even run? Fairings? Mods? That's like asking how much a horse is worth. Is it a Derby winner or a swayback plow horse?

Sounds like the last time my battery failed. (It was way over due) I met a bunch of Harley friends at a gas station about 10 miles from home for pre-ride fuel/food/route talk. After I fueled up, I just wanted to fire it up and pull clear of the pumps for the next guy. I got dash lights and nothing else - well I DID get a major razzing from the HD crowd. We waited about 30 minutes for everyone else to show up and the other guys agreed to give me a push start before they left and I was just going to head home. Some of them actually wanted me to continue on the ride and said they would push me at each of our stops.....no thanks. I was headed home to start searching for a new battery. Just prior to a bunch of leather chap wearing guys in fringed jackets got ready to push me, I hit the starter for grins and it fired right up. An hour and a half later, I had a new battery and no more issues. Fortunately there were no stator/RR problems, just a 7 year old battery.

No fumbling with it in my jacket pocket - It's as simple as touching my lower jacket. I know it's in that pocket, no gloves off, no unzipping pocket, and I don't have to slow down any more than I would to go over the curb any way.

Love your ride reports. You always have a good group of riders, lots of happy faces, and lots of photos! Beautiful country!

I'm another one that just keeps an opener in my lowest jacket pocket. I just tap my jacket and the door opens before I even get to my driveway. Nothing left on the bike, nothing to fall off, nothing gets too close to hot parts. I also just tap my pocket walking out of the house in the morning and it's open before I get to my bike - same for post ride, just tap my pocket and no messing with my key pad on the garage.

I've carried a second helmet in my trunk with no issues. I do usually put an old towel in the bottom just to give it a bit of padding vs. bouncing on a hard surface. As far as my phone goes, I've always wanted my phone on my body. If I get tossed in a ditch, over an embankment, or off the side of a mountain, I want my phone NOW! - not after I'm able to crawl back up to a roadway and find my bike. I'm so OCD about this that my phone ALWAYS goes in the same jacket pocket so I don't have to think about where I put it this time while little stars are swirling around my head.

On my 4th gen as well as my 6th gen, I would suspect the most obvious gain is the loss of weight. Both stock pipes felt like boat anchors compared to my after market options. I'm not sure about hp gain on either but it takes a lot of power to push another 10 pounds of steel down the road.

My closest local Honda shop is now a Doggie Daycare after 4 or 5 different owners tried to make a go of it selling just one brand of motorcycle over the years. The next closest Honda shop doesn't have much besides the bikes themselves however, what they do have, they WILL PRICE MATCH on-line sites. I found that out when I was looking for a new tank bag. They had one but at $40 over a website price. I talked to the manager and explained that I would like to support local business but not at a cost of $40 to me. I was willing to meet in the middle. He said he would just match the price and off I went with my new bag. Now the manager knows I will be back to shop his store the next time I need something. Getting to know people pays off sometimes.

Welcome to VFRD! NW AR is a great place to ride but you already know that. Nice big triangle from Fayetteville to Hot Springs to Mountain View/Blanchard Springs area. Lots of twisty bits. Enjoy the new wheels.

Excellent find! - and yes, a kickstand buried in the grass can lead to a never ending search for body work. If you've been on dirt bikes, you have some clue what you're doing. Just be cautious for a while and then ride the wheels off of that thing!