Search the Community

Hello to all! This year we will be returning to the Microtel in Franklin NC for the 1st Spring Memorial Ride. (Formerly known as the Texasmac Memorial Ride) The dates are May 18-21 2017. Rates are as follows Thursday 75$, Friday and Saturday 85$, and Sunday 69$. Please note that unlike previous years, the hotel will not be holding a set number of rooms. As of this week there were 41 available. In order to get the special rate please make sure you identify yourself as a VFRD member! THE CUT OFF IS APRIL 19th! All I've worked out so far is the hotel. Please keep checking back as I do intend to set up an Eventbrite registration in order to allow folks to register and pay for shirts, food, and beer. Hope to see you all there!! -PRB

Alright folks, I have taken into consideration the few folks that voiced their opinions these last few days, and have also talked to some folks privately. The event will be October 6-9th 2016. That is a Thurs-Sun event. A couple had expressed interest at moving the event into September, but for two main reasons I chose these dates. 1. The leaves! Early to mid September is hit and miss on the gorgeous mountain leaves, these dates assure good views to be enjoyed by all. and 2. This weekend is Appalachian State University's bye week for their football season. The other weekend in mid Sept. was a home game. In theory traffic and hustle and bustle around Boone should be drastically better than a home game weekend. We will be returning Greene's Motel as before. It's no palace of luxury but the price is right and the location is pretty spot on. I want to make sure everyone can afford to attend, so as usual I intend to keep costs very low as much as I can. There is great coffee for cheap right next door at a gas station, and I think they have some in the lobby of the motel. There's no continental breakfast unfortunately. However Ihop and Waffle House are up the street and there is a mini fridge in every room if you'd like to being yogurt or some snacks etc... I will be opening this up to a small forum based out of Charlotte as well, very similar to VFRD. Our own 007 actually introduced me to the group. Great guys, I think the entire forum is about 50 people, and maybe 10-12 of us are actually active. ,Mainly BMW's, FJR's, Concours's, some Ducati's, and even a couple VFR's. I have spoken with Miguel and and working to eventually get this ride its own page in the VFRD rides section. He is very busy with the site right now, so look for any updates here in the USA-South section. Reservation information: Please call ASAP to book your room. let them know you are with VFRD. All rooms have 2 double (or full?) sized beds in them. Greene's is looking forward to having us back and they have willingly blocked off 15 rooms for VFRD until AUGUST 15TH 2016. The rate is 59$ for each night, with a minimum 2 night stay. The rate jumps back to 69$ a night if you don't reserve by the deadline above, or if you stay Friday or Saturday ONLY. There are other hotels in the area, but in the fall they tend to jack the rates way up, but feel free to make an alternate plan if Greene's doesn't work for you. Everyone is welcome regardless of hotel choice or motorcycle type/brand. T-Shirts: I will be using the same performance fabric shirt from last year, but in a new color and with a different design. I will update sometime this summer with ordering information, so stay tuned. Thanks for all the help and suggestions, look forward to a successful and safe riding season. If you have any questions please contact me, thank you! -PRB

I previously owned a 2007 VFR and I am thinking about possibly picking up a new leftover 2014 VFR800. Today I visited my (somewhat) local Honda dealer so that I could see an 8th-gen in person. The dealer had the bikes packed in like sardines, so it made it difficult to look at and sit on bikes. Also, I am only interested in the red model and they only had white. This is my brief opinion of the 8th-gen VFR given the above conditions. -Fit and finish on the bike seem very good -Sitting on the bike, the seat felt kind of thin (I don't remember if the 6th-gen felt that way) -The reach to the handle bars does feel farther than I remember (I would probably opt for risers) -I left feeling neutral about the bike. I didn't feel like "wow this is awesome". It was a nice bike though. -Would I buy one? If I could find a good deal, maybe. I still browse the used 6th-gen classifieds. Does anyone live near the bay area in California that owns an 8th-gen that I could take a look at?

Okay yes, I realize that changing gearing does not change the engines output. But, here is your chance to save the VFR from the chopping block. I LOVE the triple in my Tiger 1050 because it has torque. I don't play in the gear box nearly as much, it feels smoother, and I can pull out of the corners with less effort. Yes, it has 20 something pound feet more torque. However, I am curious if changing gearing on the Viffer will allow me to better use the power available, maybe to mimic what I like in the Tiger. My concern with this approach is to get the effect I want I may be running 6K RPM+ on anything above 60 or so MPH, which, while I'm sure the engine can take, I would rather not abuse the bike. What works for you guys? Thanks, as always, for the advice! PRB

Good day to you all, names Robert, just call me rob . live in the south west of France, real vinyard country and i just traded in the love of my life ( KTM RC8R 2012 mod ) which i bought in March of this year New from KTM (2 yr warranty/assistance included) on which i did 7000 kms (4375 miles) in 5 months traveling 80 kms (50miles) per day to work . KTM had made me a good deal, 12500€ (16533$) instead of 16669€ ( 22074$ ) the prices here in France . i had been searching for a VTR SP2 but they are a collectors item here already and prices are Mad !! i had a suzuki SV1000S 2005 before . her name was Katy and unfortunately cost me way too much to run, insurance alone was 2000€ (2648$) per year and with 145kms (90 miles) per tank fuel economy and 1 ltr of 22€ (29$) engine oil every 1000kms (625miles) she was slowly but shorly killing me ........... ( the best fuel economy i ever got was 180 kms (112 miles ) before reserve light. ) So i walked into my local honda dealer in the little town of Cognac near to where i live yesterday and traded her in for a Red 04/2014 VFR 800 with the honda saddle bags and 2000 kms (1250 miles) on the clock, warranty and assistance till 04/2016. i raised the seat height hoped on and rode the 40 odd kms home . WoW , is this thing smooth and comfy, i find the accelerator a little snatchy in first and i have to get used the gearbox/change, but i am impressed to bitssssss ..... This little gem just seems to ooze quality, from startup to switch off. ( i just wish that beautiful rear wheel wasnt hidden behind the bloody exhaust . and with a quoted (dealer) easy 350 kms ( 218 miles ) per tank , and 1200€ (1589$) less insurance per year this seems to have been a very good idea . ( No 1ltr of oil every 3 weeks iether ) Lol the display just seems to have it all, or at least checks all the boxes i need for day to day use . the honda dealer said i should hold off on buying the AKRA end can 900€ (1191$) here, because arrow/leo vince and Devil will be selling some soon. at around 4-600€ (529$-794$) just with regards to manouvering the VFR compared to the ktm in my garage, the VFR seems to me to be longer and lower, ( i'm 1.76 m tall ) which adding to the little extra weight the VFR carries makes me a little nervous when parking her . the KTM was really high and light, easy to throw around . ( on the KTM in the highest position with he tail bag a Tarzan vine was need to get my leg over ) The RC8R was like a scalpel in corners even with Bridgstone BT023GT's on her, and surpisingly enough the VFR is amazing too, it just seems to be able to do it all, on country roads speed limit 90 kms (56 mph) i dont even get anywhere near the Vtec 7000rpm kick in . i didnt even notice the VTEC at 7000rpm, i did however hear the exhaust tone change to a rather amusing shrill !!!!! made me smile .... i do miss Katy, but at least here in France the RC8R is a rich mans bike and im not rich for the moment. i could be falling in love with this VFR .............