850 miles in 16 1/2 Hours

[R.W.]

Just picked up a Mint 99 VFR with 6000 miles Monday night in Oakland and thanks to the wife wanting to do a mini vacation I decided to ride it back Tuesday morning from Oakland to Seattle. Left at 6:00a.m. and arrived 850 miles later in Port Orchard Washington at 10:30 p.m.

I might have turned into a puss over the last 5 years because I'm feeling the effects of it right now! My right hand still feels like it is on the throttle and walking to go get the papers this morning I was felling it. I know it will take a little while to get in VFR shape after being on the Road King for 3 years but I can't wait to go carve up some canyons!!!

My Butt was really starting to talk to me about 200 miles into the trip and I had to invent ways to move the pressure around my size 38 Ass. About half way thru the trip I really didn't know if I was going to make it. Even tried to revert back to my 10 years of TaeKwonDo training and get myself to that mental state of blocking out the pain "didn't help". But to borrow the rodeo term I just told myself to Cowboy Up and kept pushing on. It probably didn't help I was on the boring I-5 from Sacramento to Tacoma but everybody knows that is differently the fastest route when you are trying to get to someplace in a hurry.

First impressions, I'm glad I picked the VFR instead of the Blackbird or ZZR 1200, It had more power than I thought it would have and was pretty flick able in the canyons. Maybe one day they will make a VFR 1000 and I'll be first on the list. One thing on the way back that I noticed is my ex Harley boys don't wave to me know more WTF! I guess I'm not in the club no more.

850 miles and no tickets, Not that I didn't deserve one, the only place I thought I had one is Olympia, the cops are out in force in that town. Well now to start doing research on the Modifications like Seat, pipe, heli bars,etc.

[jambman]

I did 825 miles on my 2000 in about 17 hours last summer. Convinced me to go the Sargent seat route, otherwise it was a great ride with very little discomfort.
Remember, luxury is just the absense of sensations.

[R.W.]

Originally Posted by jambman

I did 825 miles on my 2000 in about 17 hours last summer. Convinced me to go the Sargent seat route, otherwise it was a great ride with very little discomfort.

I thought I read where they don't make the Sergent seat no more for the VFR's from 98-01 ? Is that true?

[jambman]

I just bought one for my 2000 last month. Two piece design for use with and without the rear fairing. Adds storage space under the fairing....enuf room for my rain suit.
Sargent service was fast and I'm really pleased with it. I've purchased from Corbin in the past and Sargent is, imho, a better product and service.

[reg71]

Take a look in my gallery and you can see my bike with a Sargent and helibars and givi shield. Makes longer rides a bit easier. I was hoping you'd e-mail when you were going to be in Oakland, I was gonna try to ride up to mee you. I had even thought of telling you you could use my seat and windshield and then mail them back and I'd mail yours back... Oh well. Maybe next time..

Originally Posted by R.W.

Just picked up a Mint 99 VFR with 6000 miles Monday night in Oakland and thanks to the wife wanting to do a mini vacation I decided to ride it back Tuesday morning from Oakland to Seattle. Left at 6:00a.m. and arrived 850 miles later in Port Orchard Washington at 10:30 p.m.

I might have turned into a puss over the last 5 years because I'm feeling the effects of it right now! My right hand still feels like it is on the throttle and walking to go get the papers this morning I was felling it. I know it will take a little while to get in VFR shape after being on the Road King for 3 years but I can't wait to go carve up some canyons!!!

My Butt was really starting to talk to me about 200 miles into the trip and I had to invent ways to move the pressure around my size 38 Ass. About half way thru the trip I really didn't know if I was going to make it. Even tried to revert back to my 10 years of TaeKwonDo training and get myself to that mental state of blocking out the pain "didn't help". But to borrow the rodeo term I just told myself to Cowboy Up and kept pushing on. It probably didn't help I was on the boring I-5 from Sacramento to Tacoma but everybody knows that is differently the fastest route when you are trying to get to someplace in a hurry.

First impressions, I'm glad I picked the VFR instead of the Blackbird or ZZR 1200, It had more power than I thought it would have and was pretty flick able in the canyons. Maybe one day they will make a VFR 1000 and I'll be first on the list. One thing on the way back that I noticed is my ex Harley boys don't wave to me know more WTF! I guess I'm not in the club no more.

850 miles and no tickets, Not that I didn't deserve one, the only place I thought I had one is Olympia, the cops are out in force in that town. Well now to start doing research on the Modifications like Seat, pipe, heli bars,etc.

[WhiteKnight]

that makes my butt hurt just reading about it. lol

[Vlad Impaler]

I'm not sure the blackbird would have treated you too badly either. That bike would be on my radar screen if I was in buying mode.
I hear you about I-5. Good thing the heat has subsided some out there or that trip would be a real killer. Olives, olives, olives, olives, olives, rice patch, rice patch, rice patch, rice patch, burnt grass spot, grass, grass, grass, burning grass, burning grass............yeah I remeber it well.

[R.W.]

Originally Posted by Vlad Impaler

I'm not sure the blackbird would have treated you too badly either. That bike would be on my radar screen if I was in buying mode.
I hear you about I-5. Good thing the heat has subsided some out there or that trip would be a real killer. Olives, olives, olives, olives, olives, rice patch, rice patch, rice patch, rice patch, burnt grass spot, grass, grass, grass, burning grass, burning grass............yeah I remeber it well.

It was real close between the Blackbird and the VFR, I test rode a Blackbird and it was a lot of fun especially when you grabbed a hand full of throttle, but it was a very long bike and it feels a lot heavier than the VFR. But my first love is going into big long sweeping turns with my foot pegs scraping the ground. " Like that stretch from Monterey to Big Sur on Hwy 1 "

Don't think I wasn't noticing the temperature range in the Central Valley, I had a week off and I knew I would probably find my bike on Craigslist in San Francisco. If it stayed in that 100*-113* range it would have given me an excuse to go HWY 1 and 101 back. I don't miss the Central Valley summers!!!