TimC

Thanks for the correction! Very interesting that they're stored under the seat when not in use. Dare I say genius design?!

Congrats on your VFR and welcome to the forum! 🙂 You wouldn't want to use the passenger grab handles to tie down the bike anyway. I don't think they are metal (I know they weren't metal on at least the 5th and 6th gens) and could be prone to snapping under a lot of pressure, especially being over 30 years old. Good luck with the trip!

If I remember correctly, I'd always read that out of the various engine configurations a V4 was the most expensive to build. (Probably the most complex, too.) Makes sense to me, and I'm sure it's one reason they continue to be rare. These days it seems only higher end Ducatis and Aprilias get a V4. If there are other makes featuring this engine I'm unaware of them.

I don't think heated grips are too special on BMWs. Lots of bikes have them. I wish I'd had them on my VFR. I only mentioned them because it is an electronic doodad. 😉 Also, I agree with you -- they do nothing for the front of your fingers subjected to wind chill, but they do make riding in colder temps a little more comfortable. If I did more cold weather riding I'd buy heated gloves or handguards. And the point from @DwhiteSchrute is well taken. My 6th gen. was 16 years old with just over 101,000 on it when I finally sold it over a year ago. No rust, and most of the non-wear components were still original. We'll see how my BMW fares the next couple years, but I doubt I'll keep it anywhere near as long as I had my VFR. Here are a couple photos for @bmart -- one from the day I bought the bike, and one on the Skyline Drive from last September.

Speaking only for my BMW, a 2020 R nineT Pure, it's been mostly a gem. This has the older air/oil-cooled engine, and is a fairly simple bike for the most part. No advanced electronics other than ABS, automatic stability control, and factory grip warmers. I've put 12,000 miles on it in 16 months since I bought it new and have had just one issue - a bad front wheel bearing, which was covered under warranty. (3-year warranty is standard, by the way, compared to 1-year on most Big 4 bikes.) It did use some oil the first 10K miles, but that's not unusual for this engine. Other than the bad bearing, I've had zero issues, but again, this is a pretty simple bike compared to most newer BMWs. I've very active on an R nineT forum, and there are no common issues with this model. In fact, they're very reliable. But my Beemer is no VFR. People don't generally put the miles on this bike that we've put our VFRs, though I'm trying. 😉 But seriously, it's hard to beat a VFR, period. I really miss my 6th gen. sometimes. I don't see how the NT can replace a VFR. It's just not the same.

Awesome. I've wanted to join you all the last couple years and it just hasn't worked out. I was hoping to do a ride to that region this year regardless, and right now that weekend is open for me. Hopefully it will stay open so I can attend the 2022 ride with all you hooligans! 🙂

Everything I've read says gas starts to go bad after 3-6 months. 3 months is probably the longest my bike will ever sit at a time, but I'm still a fan of adding fuel stabilizer when the bike is parked for at least a month or two. I've also read it's not good to just start the bike in the garage and let it run for a while each month it's parked. Going to ride it is different, but we're not supposed to fire up the engine and just let it idle up to normal running temperature. My standard practice has been to add fuel stabilizer to a full tank when I park my (fuel injected) motorcycle for the winter. If there's a nice enough mild winter day to go out and ride, I'll go out, but will also try to refill the tank before I get home, and add an appropriate amount of fuel stabilizer for the number of gallons I just added back to the tank, since I don't expect to ride again for another month or more.

Congrats on your new FTR, and what a beauty! 🙂 I've liked the FTR since it came out, but the first gen. was just too tall for me. Now that they're a bit lower and have put standard street size wheels (and tires) on it, it's a more attractive option. If I didn't already have a naked standard I'd consider buying a new one. Would love to read a review if and when you have time to write one.

Lots of good reasons on that list, and many of them true for me. 🙂

Happy New Year to all my VFRD friends! 🙂 I managed to get one more ride in on 12/31, too. It was overcast but warm enough here in NE Ohio, around 50 degrees. It was a nice way to end a pretty good year of riding for me. Everyone have a terrific and safe 2022! 👍

Congrats on your 7th gen! 🙂

We've already seen one consequence of hybrids and EVs here in Ohio. Two years ago the state legislature increased the annual registration fees by $100 for hybrids and $200 for EVs. The increased fees offset the loss of gas tax revenue from people who buy less gas. The gas tax helps pay for transportation infrastructure, so the thinking was since hybrid and EV owners don't buy as much (or any) gas they have to be taxed some other way.

Since I don't own an EV, I have no idea what it costs to recharge at a public charging station, or if there are differences in pricing when it's a normal charger vs. a supercharger. I think many EV owners just build charging time into their trips if they need to charge en route, especially during long trips. Bring a book, play games on your phone, or walk to the nearest restaurant and get a meal while you wait for your car to charge. Not as quick and convenient as gassing up your vehicle, but not the end of the world either. One of the car review channels I watch regularly on YouTube is TheStraightPipes, which is run by a couple slightly goofy guys (Yuri and Jakub) from Ontario. Usually when they have reviewed EV cars they've chosen a public charging station to test with the car, and sometimes there are compatibility issues. When it works they say how long it took, how much life they got the battery up to, and how much it cost. My impression is that yes, it takes some time, and that it isn't cheap. Whether it's more or less than buying unleaded gas/petrol I have no idea, but I don't think we can say fueling EVs is a radical savings from buying regular or even premium unleaded. Maybe it's cheaper to charge at home, but on the go be prepared to pay like you were hitting the gas station.

My only real problem with electrification is the lack of manual gearboxes. No need to shift an EV, which is one reason I haven't considered buying one. "But the instant torque," people will say. Whatever. I've never been into drag racing or pure speed. I have more fun rowing my own gears and going fast in the corners, and ICE are fine for that. I can't see new ICE vehicles being banned here in the US, or at least not for a couple more generations. The auto industry lobby is too powerful to allow the government to ban the sale of gas- and diesel-powered cars and trucks. Yes, it could happen, but I don't think we'll see that for many years, probably long after we're all dead. And even then, it would only apply to new vehicle sales, not existing cars, trucks, and motorcycles. All that being said, EVs are the future, whether we like it or not. The infrastructure is being gradually built, range is improving (in cars and trucks anyway), and prices for new EVs are now affordable for the average consumer.

I was hoping to catch some of the race on TV but didn't. I don't really follow F1, or much other racing either really. But I'll add that few people on this side of the pond follow F1. NASCAR yes, but generally not F1 and Indy Car. Regardless of league, it's frustrating feeling like the guys in charge are putting their fingers on the scale to help certain drivers win. Do it often enough and fans will feel the whole thing is rigged, so why bother watching the races, let alone attend one?