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I felate the 98-01 VFR800!

Gabe

Gabe

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Oct 26, 2002
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Where's Cleveland Heights?
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Name
Gabe
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AMA #: 1006675
I enjoyed doing this story. Tell me what you think...and can you think of some other Best Buys?

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/02/md-best-buy-1998-2001-honda-vfr800i/
MD Best Buy: 1998-2001 Honda VFR800i

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Good story about a good bike!

Boy the Honda VFR1200 sure disappeared off the radar in a hurry, eh?
 
I think more attention should've been given to the electrical problems. "Oh, all Hondas had that problem then" is a weak cop-out. Try saying that when you're stranded 500 miles from home. The electrical problems alone are why my friend sold his 5th gen. He actually kept a spare rectifier with him at all times because they failed so much.

Another best buy would be the CBR600F3. It only had that same electrical problem :laughing
 
oh god i love my '99 which i bought from the original owner just this past july after totoalling my '07 bought new rwb vfr.....it really is an awesome all arounder and i was lucky to find such a low mileage jewel.
i would so love to put an ohlins rear shock and sargent's seat, and powder coat the rims though i will admit!:thumbup
vfrs are killer! total awesome all around motos although i do also love the triumph sprints.....just sayin'.......
 
Two thoughts:

1) Needs to be yellow. :x
2) I had one of these as a long term loaner, and absolutely fell in love with it. Will own one someday soon.
 
Fun article! Great job.
 
I always like the VFR, but having never ridden one, I can't help but wonder - does nice/comfy equal boring/dull, i.e., lacking fire and personality? Some people say the same about the first gen FZ1 - nice, fast, but lacking personality. Well, riding is very personal, reading reviews are fun, but I guess you just never know a bike's true personality until you've owned one and lived with one for a while.
 
Gary856 said:
I always like the VFR, but having never ridden one, I can't help but wonder - does nice/comfy equal boring/dull, i.e., lacking fire and personality? Some people say the same about the first gen FZ1 - nice, fast, but lacking personality. Well, riding is very personal, reading reviews are fun, but I guess you just never know a bike's true personality until you've owned one and lived with one for a while.
Click to expand...


It's just a motorcycle.

The rider provides personality.
 
TheRiddler said:
I think more attention should've been given to the electrical problems. "Oh, all Hondas had that problem then" is a weak cop-out. Try saying that when you're stranded 500 miles from home. The electrical problems alone are why my friend sold his 5th gen. He actually kept a spare rectifier with him at all times because they failed so much.

Another best buy would be the CBR600F3. It only had that same electrical problem :laughing
Click to expand...

Well, John lost a reg/rec and an ignition box...two failures in 86,000 miles. Not bad when you consider my Ducati has a major electrical failure every 860 miles...

Yeah, I think any CBR might be a good candidate for this series...hmm.

hophead said:
oh god i love my '99 which i bought from the original owner just this past july after totoalling my '07 bought new rwb vfr.....it really is an awesome all arounder and i was lucky to find such a low mileage jewel.
Click to expand...

So do you like it better than the '07?


cycle61 said:
Two thoughts:

1) Needs to be yellow. :x
2) I had one of these as a long term loaner, and absolutely fell in love with it. Will own one someday soon.
Click to expand...

I'm not a yellow bike guy...ick...

Gary856 said:
I always like the VFR, but having never ridden one, I can't help but wonder - does nice/comfy equal boring/dull, i.e., lacking fire and personality?
Click to expand...

Sometimes the nice/comfy aspect is what gives a bike its personality. The VFR is bordering on bland, but the cool gear-driven cam V-4 saves it, I think.

Thanks for all your nice comments, guys!
 
I miss mine sometimes...tooo damn big for me, and wrong ergos, but damn good build quality and a great engine. With a Yosh pipe on it, it'd sing like Diamanda Galas herself once you hit 4,000 rpm.

Mine never had any 'lectrical problems, but I did install a bypass harness put together by one of the VFRDiscussion.com guys.

Took it to trackdays, took it to the corner store, took it to Montana. :thumbup
 
nothing boring or bland about that motor. Common electrical problems have been found, patches devised, really no excuse.
 
Gabe i like the gear driven cams on my '99 and as well as it handles, my '07 handled even better, best handling bike and stock suspension i have ever had!

i have never got how people call the vfr "boring"....so many magazine articles parrot that same bullshit. I think it is one of the coolest motors i've ever ridden, that and the triumph triple are my two favorites, hands down anything but boring! i love the vfr growl and torque curve!:thumbup
 
I loved mine, but man it was a heavy beast around town and the electric problems were endless. Shame that Honda has really lost their direction.
 
Loved mine, yellow, had it for five years. Should have kept it. Never had a problem.
Anyone need the power commander?
 
I heart my 97 vfr.

+1 on the yosh comment at 4k rpm. It produces a sound so beastly it should be caged!

I have owned 2 vfrs and the current one is plagued with eletrical issues however as i am finding out there are many work arounds and fixes.

Only bike I use around town, go to casinos and do multistate travel with while being able to hit up the mountains. I don't get the boring part but i think since the bike doesnt do light speed everyone thinks it is boring. Personally i got up to 145 mph on mine and that was plenty fast.
 
I've always wanted to give one a whirl but it seems to be a shadow of the RC-30 era it came from. That doesn't mean I wouldn't go for one if I found one at the right price. :teeth :ride
 
I see a VFR in my future. I love the '07s with the anniversary paint job. That generation had the coolest styling of the series in my opinion.

Sport Rider does a "Best Buys" feature now and then. They've featured the F3 and F4i, SV series, the RC51(?) and some others. I feel that the F3s and F4s are good all-around bikes, and good beginner bikes.

How about these candidates?
"sporty"
Hon VTR / Superhawk
Suz TL-S (a buddy had 60+k on his)

"naked"
Kaw 1200ZRX
Yam FZ-6 and FZ-1
Suz Bandit
BMW R800 / 1200 R
HD Sportster (883, a borderline inclusion)

"urban"
Suz DRZ400sm
Suz DR650
Kaw KLR650

"starter"
Kaw Ninja 250 / 500
Suz GS500
Yam TW200

And the bike near and dear to my heart, the GSXR 750
 
Nice story, Gabe. I love the sound of gear driven cams! :love

Other best buys? You mentioned one in story, VTR1000F Firestorm/SuperChicken. Used ones seem pretty cheap. :dunno How about late 90's - early 2000's ZX6 / ZZR600 Kawasakis. Used 1200 Bandits seem pretty cheap for what you get.
 
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