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TimC

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Posts posted by TimC

    It was too cheap!

    in Sixth Generation VFR's

    Posted

    9 hours ago, Lorne said:

    The tire in this embarrassing pic is an original Pilot Power. We'd just arrived at the Port Angeles ferry terminal in Washington State after a morning ride up from Seaside, Oregon. The night before we'd inspected the bikes and checked the chains, oil level, and tire wear. My rear's wear bars were getting pretty thin, but no worries as it was only about 350 km more to get back home. Was a bit of a shock when my pal Tony spied the rear's condition.

     

     

     

    That happened to me with my 6th gen. several years ago during a trip to the Skyline Drive in Virginia.  My rear tire looked fine when I was leaving home.  When got to my hotel in Front Royal, VA, I was alarmed at how thin it looked.  I think the tire wore much faster than usual due to a combination of abrasive road surfaces, a loaded bike, and hot weather.  I looked online for any local motorcycle shops where I might be able to get the rear tire changed the next day, but there was nothing close.

     

    I had planned to ride a little of the Blue Ridge Parkway that trip, but that tire was already getting thin, and when I got to the BRP a warning side said 'Loose stone' (chip seal) for the first 12 miles.  No way I was risking that, so I turned back toward home.  By the time I got home I was showing cords in a couple spots.

    Fuel Additives

    in Maintenance Questions

    Posted

    I used Sea Foam for years in my 6th gen, adding the prescribed amount to a full tank of fuel after most oil changes, which was usually a couple times per year.  I don't know how much good it really did, but I never had any fueling issues during my ownership with the bike.

    Hello VFR lovers!

    in Official Welcome Forum

    Posted

    Welcome to the forum!  I hope you'll share a couple photos of your VFR here. 🙂

     

    I'm actually a former owner, but stayed on the forum because of the great people here.  Plus, you never know, another VFR might appear in my garage someday.

    • Like 2

    New whip

    in OTHER Motorcycle Talk (non vfr)

    Posted

    That's an amazing car.  Congrats!  🙂

     

    In the last week or so, I test drove a couple used Cadillacs - a CT5 Sport and a CT4 Premium Luxury.  Both were with the base 4-cylinder engine.  I liked both, but love the looks of the CT5.

    That sense of exquisite oneness

    in Eighth Generation VFR's

    Posted

    19 hours ago, vfrcapn said:

    Definitely do, usually after a few continuous days of riding. Life intrudes so much now those days are few and far between.

     

    Same here.  By the 2nd or 3rd day of a trip, the bike feels like an extension of my own body.  Sadly, it doesn't usually last upon returning home, but it's very cool with when you feel you're one with the bike.

    Should have known better..... And non VFR bike's updates

    in Europe

    Posted

    19 hours ago, keny said:

    Had a ride today on twisty bits, really like the ZR7S! I can't believe so many bad reviews I have been reading of it, mostly it's performance.

    For my ride style it's perfect. I like torque in low rpm, as I only rev the engine out now as then on straights as going out on a faster road from a small one. Ok it's no power house at high rpm, but fast enough for me. Actually it feels like a V4 more than a I4 it is.

    Handling is sweet in the twisty bits, and ride position is sweet also. 😎

     

     

    It's been a long time since I owned my ZR-7S, but I seem to remember it did have a decent amount of torque down low.  When I first test rode a 6th gen. VFR, I was surprised how it bogged down when I tried to accelerate from a higher gear at low rpms.  I was still a relative newbie at the time, with little experience on different bikes and different engine types.  Interestingly, I'm on my 3rd bike now, and on my 3rd different engine type - in this case a boxer twin.

     

    I've seen the ZR referred to as a 'parts bin special, but to me the ZR was a nice UJM throwback.  You could get it with a fairing (ZR-7S) or without (ZR-7).  When I bought that first bike, I had been seriously considering a new Yamaha FZ6, but didn't want to sink so much money into a new bike, not knowing if I'd even like riding.  Ultimately, for me that Kawasaki turned out to be a terrific introduction to motorcycling!

    • Like 1

    Should have known better..... And non VFR bike's updates

    in Europe

    Posted

    2 hours ago, keny said:

    Well end of a era, again perhaps, bye to the bandit 600

     

    Hello to a Kawasaki ZR7S 

     

    Congratulations on the Kawasaki!

     

    A red ZR-7S was my first grown-up motorcycle.  It was really too big a bike to start on, but I did okay.  I sold it after about five months and bought a VFR.  I wonder sometimes what my riding life would have been like had I kept that Kawasaki.

    • Like 1

    New Helmet questions...

    in Clothing & Wearables

    Posted

    I agree with everyone above - your new helmet will break in over some time and miles as the pads compress to your exact head size and shape.  It will a little uncomfortable at first, but the new lid and you will get used to each other.  I've found this to be true with my last couple new helmets.  Worst case, you can buy and swap in a thinner pad set.

     

    That being said, every time I try on an AGV it seems a little smaller than the same size helmet from other brands.  So your new helmet might be just a bit smaller than your most recent one you've been wearing for a while.

    NC mountain ride Sunday 4/14

    in USA - South

    Posted

    Sorry, you lost me at non-mountain ride.  😆

     

    Just kidding.  Looks like it was a gorgeous day to ride, and what a great sound!  I got out for a little while on my Beemer.  Better weather has finally arrived in NE Ohio, and now I finally have a little time to ride, too.

    Considering a VFR... help

    in Eighth Generation VFR's

    Posted

    17 hours ago, johnnie903 said:

     

    The reason I looked at it was, I had been told by a few people that it was on the sporty side of sport touring. I was thinking it would be similar to the Ducati Supersport. I guess that is what I think of when I think of a sport touring bike.

     

    I considered a Ducati SuperSport when I was looking for a new (or used) bike to replace my 6th gen. VFR.  A local shop had a nice, low miles SuperSport S in stock, but it already had an issue with a bad fuel tank sensor.  Combine that with a couple other well-known issues with the bike (at least in the first few years of production) and it was a no-go for me.  Plus, it was just too similar to my VFR, and I wanted something different.

     

    Also, the OEM luggage for the SuperSport is only semi-rigid, with zippered closures, and not waterproof hard cases like the VFR's.  That made the bike less attractive to me for use as a sport-tourer.

     

    The other criticism of the SuperSport is it's underpowered for what it is.  Personally, it's more fast enough for me, but I'm not that fast a rider, so middling performance suits me fine.  (I was always happy with my VFR, by the way!)

     

    But I had a seat on a new SuperSport at a local Ducati dealer a couple weekends ago, and now it's just too sporty for my aging (and out of shape) body.  I'm sure would have liked it a few years ago, but I'm glad I passed on it back then when I was bike shopping.

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