2010 vs 2012 VFR1200 differences

Discussion in '7th Generation 2010-Present' started by tdmp, Mar 12, 2021.

  1. tdmp

    tdmp New Member

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    I'm the current owner of a 6th gen VFR 800 and previous owner of a 4th gen VFR 750. I have been eyeing the VFR1200F for a while now and thinking I'll be making an upgrade this year. I've have been researching the various VFR1200 years and it seems the 1st gen VFR1200Fs were the 2010 model years and then the 2nd gens were the 2012 + model years. I haven't read about any changes after the 2012 + model year.

    Going through ads, it seems that most of the VFR1200s for sale are 2010 model years (mostly red) with a 2012 here and there. A list of "upgrades" to the 2012 model years include "Honda Traction control, increased torque between 2000-4000 rpm, larger fuel tank, revised seats, new colors and Honda accessories".

    My question is for those of you who have compared the different models. As someone buying used, are the upgrades enough to make it a "better" bike over the the 2010s? Comparing stock bikes with condition and mileage being similar, would a back to back ride between different years even be noticeable?

    I understand the fuel tank increase was small. Trying to figure out if a 2010 with an aftermarket ECU and seat would essentially be as good or better than a stock 2012 in terms of comfort and ride-ability. Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2021
  2. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

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    Although I haven't bought one I also looked into this exact subject.
    In summary, I wouldn't buy a 2010.
    The changes to the 2012 are useful enough to make it more capable. Getting the Ghul ECU upgrade & a exhaust are very recommended.
     
  3. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    This link explains the reason I would definitely choose a 2012+ over a 2010 model even if the earlier models are significantly cheaper...

    https://www.visordown.com/news/general/honda-uk-recalls-392-vfr1200fs-over-engine-seizure-concerns

    So Honda knows that their quality control was not ideal on a batch of engines installed on the early 2010 VFR 1200 models which it seems reached dealers in many countries around the planet.

    That recall basically entailed Dealers "inspecting" potentially affected models to determine whether or not any swarf had been left lurking inside the engine. I am sure that most dealers carried out those checks as required. Where swarf was located, the engine was then replaced with a brand new engine made after the quality control problem was identified and fixed, with the old unit returned to Honda to ensure it did not get reused in another motorbike. If however nothing was evident at the time of that "inspection" the bike was simply returned and the owner told to go forth and ride.

    Sadly that approach almost inevitably left gaps. Not everyone used Honda dealers to service their bikes - so those may have been missed. Inevitably some VFR1200s were shipped away from where they first registered before the recall notices were posted out, so some recall notices never reached the owner as they were no longer in the same state/country. Finally how certain can you be about the competence of the person actually carrying out those checks. Sadly a lot of boring workshop activity can get delegated to lesser skilled staff officially working "under supervision" who are then expected to seek advice if they spot anything of concern. Add in the Friday afternoon "I want to go home on time" effect and that "inspection" could be fairly cursory - perhaps amounting to little more than inspecting the state of the used oil drained during an oil change - which could completely miss swarf jammed inside the oil galleries only to break loose months or years later.

    Indeed there have been a couple of threads on this forum posted by 2010 owners who only found out about the swarf problem when their engine subsequently suffered a catastrophic failure. Whether any price differential is worth that risk is something only you can determine. If you want peace of mind go for the 2012+.
     
  4. tdmp

    tdmp New Member

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    Thanks, I had not heard of this. The article states "“All registered owners of possibly affected machines will be contacted by Honda shortly and advised to contact their local authorised Honda Motorcycle dealer." So it sounds like Honda would have a record of which machines were affected. I wonder if this is something Honda would disclose and if it had been "inspected" if the VIN number was provided to them?
     
  5. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

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    note this happened 10 years ago and is still affecting users of 2010 bikes.. I wouldn't risk it, as I'm not aware of any problems with the 2012..
     
  6. raYzerman

    raYzerman Member

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    Yes, you can go to any Honda dealer and they can run the VIN for recall status.
    There was a driveshaft recall too, and a punch mark was put on the first digit of the VIN plate. Don't know what if any marking was used for the engine thing........
     
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  7. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    Let me be clear the 1200 is a fantastic bike and, if I could afford to buy one, I would not hestitate to buy a 2012+ model.

    But personally I would not consider a 2010 model unless the seller has evidence to show that it was one where the engine was replaced by Honda during that recall work. Presumably an engine number change may even show up on the registration papers.

    Sadly despite the best efforts of Honda to contact all affected owners, a quick search on the 7th Gen section found a couple of threads (below) which seems to confirm that some affected engines slipped through the net. The big worry is that just because an engine has been running perfectly for many years with no obvious signs of problems, if there are still pieces of metal swarf lurking somewhere in the oil ways they could dislodge at any time, and potentially wreck an engine.

    https://vfrworld.com/threads/engine-failure-at-4800-miles-usa.58406/

    https://vfrworld.com/threads/vfr-1200-dct-catastrophic-engine-failure-at-17000-miles.50988/

    Take Care

    SkiMad
     
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  8. dogFM

    dogFM New Member

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    In Europe the indicators and tail light used LED for 2012 and after (I think)
     
  9. glory racing

    glory racing New Member

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    Even though this is old...Absolutely no reason not to consider a nice 2010 model. The changes to later years produce minimal real world riding advantages. I have now purchased 2 vfr1200's. Excellent piece of machinery that simply did not sell well when launched. Oh...both were 2010's and I'm over 140,000 miles.
     
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