VFR vs. SV, Triple, Others?

Hi there! This is my first post here because I am curious about the VFR.

Hypothetically speaking...Let's just say you have a very capable, upright adventure bike you really enjoy for longer distances. And hypothetically, let's pretend that the SO has given not-quite-a-blessing-but-more-of-a-crack-of-an-opening-in-the-doorway-peek into adding a possible second bike to the stable.

In this scenario, you're an older guy (nearing 50), so you want something comfortable. You ride the Adventure bike for longer distances ((overnights, etc), so you're looking for something for less than 3 or 4 hours, fun on back country roads, and capable of eliciting an ear-to-ear grin. It should be easy to throw a leg over and maintenance should be relatively easy, maybe even fun, if you're into that sort of thing.

You've owned an SV1000, so you're not averse to trying something new, but you like that torquey experience. Pretend you've set a budget of around $3K and have theoretically found decent examples of the VFR (5th Gen: 1998-2001), SV (650 and 1000), and Triple (higher mileage Speed, and decent Street).

You might be wondering what others might have experienced on these bikes (especially the VFR - you have heard you meet the nicest people on a Honda). Maybe you're curious which bike they would choose now (or why they chose the VFR in the first place)? Would they add something else to the mix, possibly?

...hypothetically speaking, of course...

 

Consider the weight of "one's" SV 1000. 6th Gen outweighs it by about 100 lbs.

Even with all the comfort mods on my six gen it still get's a little uncomfortable after a few hours.
I'm 53. Getting in shape would help.

 

If you get the chance to ride a 5th gen you'll be sold.

 

....because....

 

Hi and welcome, Great question, Nice one to introduce yourself with. Me.. I have a 5th gen now, had it not been for great timing I'd probably have a Tuono in it's place. I've had other vfrs from the past, as well as other bikes. I'm not so much about Honda, but about the build and what it can do for me. What got me on the V4 craze was, as funny as it may be, I was a fan of V4s from the get go from way back before they where mass produced in bikes. I had a V4 Wisconsin ditch pump that intrigued me from the 60s era, that had me get an old grouser tractor with the same v4 , those beasts of an engine where started by cranking them over by hand, up draft carbs with magnetos, let me tell you those where an awesome engine, then had the fun of installing one of these air cooled flat heads in a boat, so I'm very familiar with the V4 platform. It was that like that got me into the VFRs when Honda not only built a V4, but then installed it in a sporty chassis, OOo Baby, from that it's history. with enough power through the whole range, great sounding to boot, in a chassis that can tackle just about anything you can throw at it.. note: to a degree, Though the first gens hand a 360 crank the 180 of today just sing, especially the gear driven ones ;0 Overall they are a great do just about anything motorcycle, the only short coming of sorts is their weight , a tad porky but ounce on the move it all but vanishes. IDK there's just something with the VFR that has me. I've moved away from em thinking ya ok this is it. Duc 1098 for example, only to find my self back, more than once so the only cure is to have more than one bike, if and when. an Aprilia Tuno.. maybe a Duc Monster, those too are great, but for this conversation they are out of the price point you spoke of. as well as the Africa twin Honda just released this year to the US market Ooo, so back on point I'd look for a 4th gen try it out for size. but be forewarned , once bitten it we be hard to go back.

 

I think RVFR summed it up pretty well. The VFR has a very loyal almost cult-like following. After having multiple bike syndrome badly for a number of years, getting out of bikes, then deciding to get ONE again, I could have bought any new bike out there new for cash. I bought a new VFR because it is a known for me and they just do a lot of things well with, to me, minor compromises. As far as comfort on one, get in good physical shape and, at least for me, they aren't a comfort issue at all in stock configuration. If you like to ride twisties, they are capable of keeping up with a lot of lighter, more powerful bikes IF you're a good rider. If you're not a good rider, you owe it to everyone to become one.

As far as your budget, that will likely be your biggest challenge. You'll need to like to work on motorcycles. Or, you could just sell the wife's car and get a new Duc........; )

 

The Honda 919 is also worth a look. I put 33,000 on one, years ago.

After the 919, i procured a very nice, slightly used 08 KTM 990 Super Duke. If you re coming off an adv bike, you'd be right at home on the 990. I can ride mine all day long. But you're not going to get one for $3k. Ill never sell my Super Duke.

 

Thanks so much.

one of the "issues" I see with the 5th Gen VFR is the rectifier. Most seem to just do a quick and cheap upgrade. Are there any other known issues with that generation of bike?

The Tuono and the Duke are nice, but probably best not to press my luck at this point.

Also, I am in decent shape and improving, so I think that is less of an issue.

I see comparisons to the 1st Gen FZ1s as well. They have more power and less weight, but I am also looking for a bike with character. I had a Tiger 800 and thought I would LOVE it. I hated it, and the only thing I could point to was that it had absolutely no soul. It's hard to define, but you know it when you find it. It's one of the things that keeps drawing me to the VFR.

 

The rr fix is an easy one, but don't go cheap. Check out roadstercycle.com, Super Mosfet Kit. I changed mine many years ago and am consistently 14.2. Oh put a volt meter on it too. I have had many bikes. The 5-gen is a very special machine. I bought my 2000 new after seeing it bike of the year a few times and Motorcyclist said "we honestly love this thing."

 

I have to say with a slight chuckle, the RR issue on VFRs being it achilles heal isn't once figured out that big a deal now a days, Yes some cop out , and some go over the top. Thing here is a happy medium with just a good quality RR and the hook up connectors, which there are many options on that one, so in short I wouldn't sweat that issue so much having it be the reason to pass on a VFR. Yea a super duke is bad ass, but again as noted, you are not going to find one for $4k

 

Fish, I don't know you. And you don't know me. So don't take this personally, Because its not personal.

Number one, I wouldn't be shacking up with some woman that I wasn't married to. A good wife is worth her weight in gold. Unfortunately Ive not found that woman. But I sure as hell wouldn't be taking orders from some shack up honey. Nor would I have the gall to give orders to one. Buy what you can afford to pay cash, and the shack up honey, if thats what your "SO" is, can deal with it.

For all their fearsome reputation, a 990 Super Duke (not the R), by todays standards, mine is a 9 year old bike already, is a pretty easy going machine. Valves are shim on bucket, just like a Honda. At 20,000 miles i had mine checked, and they were fine. They make only aprox 110 hp, 65 lb ft tq. But theyre light. Very roomy riding position, narrowish. They do pulse a bit, and mine, with the twin hi, FMF exhsust is kind of noisey. All of which can get tiring. The VFR is more civilized. The rr prob is so easy to fix, its hardly worth mentioning.

 

The old FZs were good bikes, after they were re-jetted. Physically, they're just a little too big for me. A freind of mine had 2 of them. They were both used. The second one had been re-jetted, and had the suspention gone over. That was a very fine piece of equipment. He is smaller than I am. But he'd sling that big ol bardge around like it was his job. He totaled them both.

Another friend had the second gen, fi model. It was smaller, much better looking. Maybe the one i rode didnt have the suspention set up properly, but that one didnt handle very well. It was gutless down low. And the riding position didn't suit me.

A good old 919 is hard to beat....

 

Wife and I have been married 23 years...TODAY!!! So, we work these things out in stages. I used SO for thee sake of hypotheticals...

 

Saw your post on adventure boards but did not bother posting there but since you posted on the VFR board, I'll chime in.
Buy Vfr if you want a bike that might potentially rival your adventure bike for those long trips. The beauty of the VFR is that you can load it up and go tripping for more than 3-4 hours. You can easily find a 6th gen with side cases and many goodies set-up for touring. Now, you won't be riding dirt with it but for trips that you know you have paved roads, you will opt to go on VFR.
If your plans are really just to get a second backroad roads racer, street triple is the way to go. Ear to ear grin for roads that to not exceed much above highway speeds. Not sure about maintenance but it should be easy since its got no fairing and if you have stands in the garage.

 

Ive never heard of anyone ever calling their wife an SO.

 

Since you already have a comfortanle LD bike, I'd buy a nice Superhawk/VTR 1000

If the budget was more then a speed triple or KTM Superduke etc will be a consideration too

 

Some guys called their husbands SOs. Some chicas called their wives SOs. Some harleydoods probabably call their bikes SOs.

 

This thread took an interesting detour...

 

Thanks so much for the thoughtful insights - really appreciate it!

 

I wonder if his wife knows she's been relegated to SO? Again, none of my business.


I know a guy with a Super Hawk, that needs some work. Ok, it needs a bunch of work. Mostly suspention. But it runs like stinking blink. Souther Indiana is a little ways away, but the price is right. If you re interested, let me know.

Back to Gen 5 Interceptors, In my csse the used bike i bought needed the thermostat replaced. That cost $30, but took me every bit of 6 hours to do. The RR was $156, and took only an hour and a half. The exhaust header, if stock, will be a rusty, ugly mess. Thats another $350, and 4-5 hours. Those little chrome pipes from the oil from the oil cooler to the engine are probably corroded, also. Those are $100 X 2. Foot peg return springs, rusty as well. But thos were cheap and easy. Then there was the chain, and tires. But honestly none of it was hard, and i dont mind spending money, for a good cause. The end result is really, really, good! Love my old Interceptor.

I'll bet you could get that old Super Hawk for $1500....