Is the VFR1200 Dead in the United States?

That would be me Badbilly. My 03 HD Superglide is 124 C.I. and the 2012 ZX14 was a project bike done with Brock Davidson to see how fast the bike could go in the 1/4 mile with no internal engine modifications (answer 8.801 at 160.5 MPH) at a meet in Indinapolis.

I ordered the Zbomb for the 2013 VFR because I got conflicting information on another VFR forum on whether or how much the 2012 & 2013 VFR's are still restricted with the traction control. The gear indicator thing doesn't bother me since I started riding long before they became commo0n. There were more folks saying the restriction has been only partially removed than those saying it was fully removed. I decided the Zbomb was cheap and I will find out for myself on a dyno as well as seat of the pants. Since the bike delivery is still over a week out and the Zbomb will be here this week I will try it first with the stock pipe. The high mount Akrapovic pipe was backordered (4 to 5 weeks). I think I will probably install a power commander with the Akrapovic slip on, have it dyno tuned and call it a day. I expect it to be a fun ride but nothing close to the ZX14 in either the habndling or acceleration department.

 

Go for it. When you get the new pipe and the power commander dialed in. let us know.. The handling aspect of the 1200 might come as a pleasant surprise. Not all that bad. Not a ZX for sure but both bikes are better handlers than that other monster..

 

I know the VFR12 is a better handling bike than a FJR, thats part of the reason I bought one. The FJR when pushed hard would wallow a bit particularly if fully loaded. I doubt my personal limits are high enough to get the VFR out of shape unless it is from doing something stupid. If we are honest the handling limits of most modern bikes are higher than 99 + percent of typical street riders like me.otstir:

 

I had a line on an FJR but it got away from me. Older model with some road rash but really low miles. Rats!

Granted, the FJR is a big rig but the monster is your HD...

Your take on riding skills is not only on target but square in the bullseye. If half these dudes could ride as well as they think there would be racetracks every five blocks just to accommodate them.

Bike parking at the local track near Seattle (PIR) is right on the long straight. Nice iron and a lot of dudes talkin shit while the fast guys are going by. Kind of like the fat dudes at a ball game spilling a ten dollar beer and shoving a seven dollar turkey hot dog down while quarterbacking both teams at the same time.

 

The 2003 thru 2005 FJR's were 30 pounds lighter and faster than the later models. The final gearing was lower on the early FJR's so in combination with less weight they accelerated harder. My 05 FJR was definately faster than the 08.

The 03 HD Superglide weighs 15 pounds less than the 08 FJR. The custom built engine also puts out about 18 more HP and over 40 more ft/lbs of torque.

 

My dollar meter cranks up when relatively small gains in HP and small amounts of weight are employed. The real figure would be how much did it cost to get that HP and torque figure out of that HD engine and is it reliable? I have a hot airhead BMW that is pretty, handles nicely and goes like stink. It is also unreliable. Conversely, after sorting out the all too well known and infamous R/R problem, I have an enginewise, bone stock twenty-two year old VFRF that I would and could ride anywhere excluding underwater..

 

The Harley world for performance is a different place than the one you are probably familiar with. To start with you are starting with a stock engine that makes maybee 75 to 80 RWHP. In my case it was a 88 CI twin cam motor that made 68 RWHP. The aftermarket for performance parts is huge for these bikes, far larger than the current aftermarket for all Japanese bikes combined. Probably 98 % of this aftermarket is for simple upgrades that modestly increase HP & TQ (exhaust systems, aftermarket air filter assemblys, drop in cams, fuel controllers or jet kits. The other 1 to 2 percent of the market is for guys that are willing to spend serious money to get a lot more. When you are taking a 68 HP engine like mine was and turning it into a motor that makes 145 HP and 144 ft/lbs of TQ. it costs a lot of money. Is it reliable, well yes, if treated with respect. I built the motor in 2004 and it has not had a mechanical failure yet. On the other hand I know better than to let it idle in traffic in hot weather for a long time. I also don't run it wide open for mile after mile anywhere. This motor was proffesionally built and every stock part in it was either massaged or replaced except the engine cases.

Why bother modifying a HD when you can buy a modern sport bike that will run a lot faster and do it reliably?

I did it because I like Harleys as well as sport bikes, I had the resources and I wanted to do it. I knew the small community of HD specialty shops who could do this level of specialty work. Anybody can go fast on a modern sport bike either stock or with a few aftermarket bolt on parts. It is a real challenge to take a motor that comes from the factory with 68 HP and get a reasonably reliable 2.1 times the original output.

I like to make stock stuff faster. With the newer Japanese bikes you just don't have to do very much, the basic design is already for a high output motor. :smile:

 

Just because the bike is Japanese doesn't mean you are going to just ride it stock. :wink:

Still stuff to do on them. Airbox modifications, full systems, ECU flashing, lots of tuning.

 

That is the most amazing transformation of what can be done to a HD that I have ever seen! I take back everything bad I have ever said about Harleys and harleydoods. So help me Willy G.

 

Nice looking Yamaha. My point was that modern Japanese sport bikes do not need radical modification like my Harley to make them fast. They are already faster better handling bikes than 99 percent + of the people who ride them can fully utilize off the showroom floor. I count myself in that 99 % as far as utilizing all the handling potential of these bikes. That doesn't mean a lot of us, including me, don't modify them anyway to make them faster or handle better. Hell the only stock 2 wheel vehicle I own is a Yamaha Vino 125 motor scooter I use as a pit bike.

 

So on the much modified HD no suspension modifications or improvements to compensate for what is a substantial HP and torque increase? From the POV of my 91 VFRF. The rear monoshock was not all that good to begin with and it wore out fast. Back then no one had come up with a way to rebuild the stocker. I still agree with the fact that most of us cannot even begin to outride even UJMs but it sure is nice to have suspension so much better than OEM on the older machines.

No mods so far on the 1200..


On your pit bike if you could fit even a replica 2 or 371 blower on that puppy, think of the cool factor in the pits..

 

Well I was just trying to make a point that many of us see the need or want for mods to get the most out of it. Not so much for peak HP, but to get more power under the curve, better accel, etc. Suspension as well. Most can't even set sag on stock suspension so more mods. Then many of us fix the stock deficiencies.

The 6's and liters, most of them are made as race bikes first then punted over to the emissions department, which adds cost before production release. Then we buy them and have to spend money to get them back to the point where they were in the first place.

You could have also bought a metric twin and wouldn't have to go to the lengths you did. It's all relative and no matter what you own you want to mod it. At least I do

 

I have seen much of what is offered by HD and the aftermarket. Some like the doo rags for twoyear olds, and TP baffle me, there are tons of goodies and farkles in the catalogs. Some with so much stuff that an entire clone can be assembled from the available parts. Quality stuff too in many cases for the serious builder with means. Raced a factory bike one season and I have in my custody a KRTT that will end it's days in a museum of motorcycling in either Seattle or Tacoma if and when the powers that should be get their shit together. Close friends in the biz as real harleydoods, sales management and builder/rider of fuel drag bikes.

It's the noobs and Bozos that outnumber the real guys that are in my sights. Pardon the metaphor but my weapon of choice is really words and short of that, a BB gun..

 

Just traded a GL1800 for 2010 V12 w/honda bags and top case and a Corbin Seat. Love the bags and top case, but the Corbin Seat did not impress. I love the bike, still no mods. The engine is fantastic, and the DCT is great once you learn to finess it. Also great in city traffic and "lane spliting" in California! I highly recommend the 12!

 

I absolutely agree badbilly. I bought and modified a HD Dyna I never bought into the lifestyle stuff. Am not into the bar to bar riding scene, I ride it and my other bikes on KY backroads and four to five times a year to the deals gap area in the smoky mountains and in north georgias.

The HD required extensive upgrades to the suspension, brakes and frame rigidity to ride safely.

 

No apehangers and fringe on that puppy I bet.. Cool!!

 

No sputtering/stumbling issues with mine. (used with 13,500 miles) Have put 2,000miles since purchase.

 

degaspar if you are ever riding in Niagara and want a tour of some amazing roads look me up. Happy to meet up and be your guide in my backyard. alex@henleyhonda.ca

 

I am out west Lancaster way, and also have a DCT. Any suggestions on your riding style with the DCT, or how you "finesse it", would be helpful.
This is not my first motorcycle, just trying to get as much info as I can with mine, now that I have had it 2 weeks or so. (2012 model).

 

Dct reflash

You might want to follow the discussion on the vfrdiscussion.com site (seventh generation vfr's) concerning a ECU re-flash now available from an American company Guhl Motors. This is a re-flash to remove the power restrictions for both the F & DCT models. This stage 1 re-flash does not change the stock fuel tables. There are two ECU's out for field test now, one DCT and a F model.