Bent

Local Honda dealers don't pay "mechanics" much so they get what they pay for.

I'm watching this thread closely but I have a local independent shop that does a perfect job every time with never a scratch for $30 per tire/wheel if I bring them in. The owners are the mechanics and are straight up people. Right now, my time is worth more than $30 per hour. If any of this changes, I'm going to do my own.

Angel ST rear would have lasted longer than the front so didn't make sense. I'm going to put another brand front I have sitting in the basement with most of the tread left then switch completely to another brand for front and rear at some point. Pirelli makes good and long lasting tires but are over-priced compared to some others that compete well with Pirelli. Tires are like oil. Everyone likes what they use. Had enough of it. I've mixed brands many times and know what to watch for in handling.

White wheels are a bit feminine. I like girls though, LOL....

Nice ride in the twisties last Sunday. I have a habit of looking at both tires before I put the bike up. Back tire has a screw nicely inserted in the tread. Pull it out (difficult to do) and it was a straight through angle. Pirelli Angel GT with about 50% of the tread left. New tire due in today. Chunking the old tire. Could have patched it and have done that many times with no issues. Considering that the bike is going to Western NC this Fall (some serious twisty country), it will go with a perfect tire. Oh well, another day, another tire.......

Bronze is fine with me. Doesn't show dirt well and I'm not anal about keeping wheels clean anyway.

People are going to do what they want to do or not do for their own reasons. The rest of it could almost be copy and pasted to an oil thread. Everybody has an opinion including me. I just don't need any lectures on whatever my decision is on things like this. Kind of entertaining though.

Ordered a new rear Angel GT last night because I did a perfect job of running over a screw of a type I've never seen. It inserted itself in the middle of the tread. Not going to repair the half worn Angel GT due to how and where I ride. fattireshire mentioned 8000 miles of aggressive riding on his Angel GT. I'm lucky to get 3300 miles from an Angel GT so aggressive riding is a relative term. I have never gotten 8K miles from any kind of tire on any kind of bike. A lot of it is where I live and ride along with a heavy throttle hand and hard cornering. If it wasn't for very technical twisties where I live, I wouldn't own a bike other than my TREK. Some things are relative.

And if so, what to they attach to on the bike?

Nothing today. "might" ride it tomorrow, likely aggressively in the twistie parts. It's my "mind-flush" machine.

Yes, that was a good day of riding for sure with you Katherine and others. When we can remember one ride for that many years, it was good. I'll give you an update later today. Told my wife that today I quit hurting from all the riding this weekend, LOL!

Respect your opinion but mine is that the 8th gen Standard (less the junk that is useless on the Deluxe except ABS). has very significant changes. It's still a VFR (duh) but, by far is the best one yet after owning a 1999, 2006, and not the standard 2014. The '14 with a slip on (much better very low rpm torque improvement), is the best VFR in twisties due to a significantly more useable torque/power band. The electrical system doesn't have the legendary "will leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere" problems. LED lighting is significantly better and it does everything well with a compromise. If one doesn't like the compromises then buy about 6 bikes necessary to not have compromises Just deal with 6 bike's compromises, lol. Only bike owned I'll review is a long gone 2006 R1200RT. Totally reliable sport / touring labeled boxer. The bike had loads of torque and was slightly quicker than a VFR. It would actually handle twisties on par with a VFR (they are what they are) but the riding position was designed to be uncomfortable for anyone with less than a 32" inseam, which is me. The only reason I extricated it from my stable was due to horrible riding comfort. The shaft drive has no disadvantages IMO, throttle response was good, and suspension was very good and comfortable. Could not get over the height of the bike and seating discomfort. It was made to be an all day distance bike, which it is, just not with me on it.

Thinking seriously about a long weekend trip to Bryson City and area this Fall. Typically stay in a quiet "cheaper" motel. Used to stay at the Franklin Inn, in Franklin in the past before it was bulldozed. Any recommendations for Bryson City? The Sleep Inn is out due to high price and the owner. He and I tangled pretty badly once. He won't do it again with me and I don't need to go to jail, LOL.

Agree. My 8th gen. is my third and by far, best VFR. Have had a 1999, a 2006, and now standard 2014. I've run them all hard with 10W-40 synthetic (I don't care what Honda recommends on the 2014) and none used any oil. The way the 8th gen. has been ridden the last three weekends, it's a wonder it doesn't use some oil but none is used. Shoulder finally seems to be healed from rotator cuff surgery and I've come back with a vengeance in the Smoky Mtns. Age doesn't help though. I don't see how VFR's don't use oil but have no idea on the BMW.

Is it a problem? These are two completely different machines?