Are you happy with your 2010 vfr 1200

ZenMoto, thanks again for letting me ride your bike when we met.



I finally did get one. A blue '12. PM me if you like, meet at newcombs?

 

Not only a blue one- a blue DCT one! Lovely job congratulations on your new ride

 

Hey, any time. ...I dig the blue, congrats!!!

 

jon I am in Tulsa, since leaving the lot on Friday with the bike I have run 170 miles including my commute to work this morning. Still super happy, but I do need to make a couple of changes soon. Need an aftermarket seat and taller windscreen. Also feel like I need to upgrade something in the front forks. I am getting a lot of travel. Feel like I should mention that I am 6'3" 300lbs, so I can't complain too much, still handles me better than any other bike I have ridden.

 

Hello @ Tulsa! Been through there a few times many years ago... geez, many decades ago! Glad you're enjoying your bike, I'm 6'2" and 225, and also pondering future suspension upgrades. An Ohlins for the rear (or Vitron if you want to go a bit cheaper) is likely for the future, possibly some different springs in the front. There's some shops in the UK that do good rework on the dampers, because they sell more VFR's over there- hard to find that kind of service here. Even before I picked up the bike, I'd ordered a Corbin seat- I've been a fan of them since putting one on an NT650 back in '92. Have one on my VFR800 and ST1300, too- mandatory for me!

Now, Corbin's are one of those things that people either love or hate, for some reason- probably depends on what kind of support and shape you prefer. Maybe if there's a dealer that sells them or other brands near you, you can try one on some kind of bike. A big part of their claim to fame is eliminating the high spot that can create pressure on your tail bone- another is the wide range of materials and colors they offer. Worth checking out, I expect. Sargent seems to be popular with a lot of folks, but I believe with them you have to send your OEM seat pan in- Corbin manufactures a complete seat, good quality. I'm expecting my new one in this week- here's my ST and VFR800 with the Corbin seats. Also, there seat design seems to be good to help keep you from sliding forward- the stock VFR1200 seat isn't worth warm spit in that regard.

 

Well my 1200 is bone stock.

 

I have 25,000 miles on my 2010 VFR 1200f. I have had her 3 years now and I still grin every time I get off her. Just an awesome piece of equipment. Great road manners, handles good and it has the best brakes of ANY bike I have ever ridden...including race bikes.

Took some tweaking of the stock machine to get her just right for me (but i have tweaked every bike I have ever had)...Power Commander, Helio Bars, Corbin Seat, dropped foot pegs, throttle lock, Zero Gravity smoked windscreen, GP shift...but after that...personalized just for me and fits like a glove.

I love the bike. I have always traded up every couple of years as love the latest and greatest stuff...but...haven't seen anything that comes close to this bike so I reckon I will just keep putting the miles on her.

The V4 just runs like a scalded dog!! If that motor can't get your adrenaline going...well...you must be dead!! I mean she is awesome! And handles very good. Maybe not quiet as good as a CBR1000RR...but not too far behind...

 

And it looks very nice! Mine isn't, but this pic is before I started working on it.




I've been busy, considering that's it's not hit the 30 day anniversary yet! So far, Bazazz Z-Bomb (to de-restrict 1st and 2nd), Helibars, Knight Design Pegs, 3rd party levers designed for RC51 (controls are in common with the VFR1200F), Center stand, ST1300 knee pads, Pyramid CF rear hugger, Honda secondary wind screen (mounts to the top of the first, provides additional wind flip up), the Honda rear luggage carrier (just being used with a tail bag), and I've done the flapper mod and disconnected the exhaust flapper control valve (always open, now), and OEM bags (just the side bags- don't like the idea of the rear carrier so far from center of gravity). Probably will eventually get an Akropovic exhaust- the low mount is compatible with the Honda bags, and the stock one is a bit too Jetson's for me....

Now I just need to find more time to ride- my weird assignment on special project team has me away from home from 5 in the morning until 8-8:30 at night five days a week.

 

Red is not my color, but it is hard to be picky. I was looking at an 07 800 anniversary edition when this was offered to me for the same price. So of course I took the newer bigger model.

 

This will be a really stupid question, so get ready. I got a used 2010 VFR 1200 and don't have any complaints about anything but the bike came to me with some mods done. The question is, where do I look to see if there's a Power Comm. on there? Under the seat or do I have to remove any body parts? If it's body parts, I'll just keep wondering as I'd never try to take that puzzle apart.

 

I totally agree with you.
Ride it and enjoy it, do not think about it or do not tray to be bigger engineer that Honda team.
Maybe restriction will do good to you as it may preserve you bike and make it longer lasting bike.
I am thinking if, with 6 gear box I would ever get over 120km/h or if 1st and 2nd gear is not that aggressive, shell I be late somewhere because of it.
Who would ever need much responsive gears on this type of bike. Contrary, he should have gone to different Honda department not to VFRs.
Besides, I have ridden one recently and it flies like crazy according to my books.
The thing is, I am on two wheels over 35 years and I am still riding, no issues. I guess it is because I did not ask my previous bikes for that extra kicks.

cheers and safe riding folks...

 

well, these are very reasonable points of view... but truth to tell, I consider the VFR1200 to be my "hooligan bike", and so a little tweaking or opening up of the performance envelope, especially when it can be done for low cost, doesn't seem out of order. OTOH, I probably wouldn't do something like that on my more "reasoned" bike, an ST1300.

When a $60 tweak will allow me to de-restrict the 1st and 2nd gear behavior on my manual shift VFR, I think that's a very reasonable tradeoff. The ironic thing is, it was as if it was a tipping point, when I came across the Bazazz Z-Bomb on Revzilla, I said to myself, "I should pick up one of these just in case..." (this was before having bought my VFR1200 or even having decided to- actually, I think it was the tipping point in activating a more serious online search for one at a dealer at a good price somewhere nearby where I live)



After all, the difference is not inconsequential...




But I appreciate the notion, too, that we don't have to wring every last bit of performance out of these bikes, and that "as-is" its a very fine road GT. But, in this case, for the price of a nice dinner out, better is the enemy of good.

In aviation, there's a well known saying that there are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots- this saying can apply to a lot of other areas, such as rock climbing, and I think motorcycling, equally well. But, when going in to a sandwich shop and the young lady commented that it was sort of rad that I was riding a bike (as I carried my helmet in, wearing one of my riding jackets), and her comment made me realize that at that time (a week ago) I was just a week away from when I got my first Honda- 50 years ago. So, while I think white lining here in CA with moving traffic is well beyond bold, I don't really think de-restricting 1st and 2nd is- it's just plain fun! :tongue2: :VFR1200F:

 

Is it known if the programming for the Traction Control assume the stock 1st/2nd gear power curves, and adding the Z-Bomb causes the TC to "make mistakes"?
Or a similar possible problem, does TC change its behavior based on gear, and so the Z-Bomb will give you a 3rd gear TC pattern when you are in 1st?

 

Can you please advise if there is any side effect to the engine if we put Z-BOMB and
Wow there is an immediate feel of kicking up 1-2 gear.
My worry is: what in two, three years will this engine sustain well with this mode (not to say abuse) if so.
Thanks
B

 

Remember: All the "de-restriction" is doing is making the same throttle/torque relationship available in 1st and 2nd gear below 6,000 RPM that is available in 3rd and above in this same RPM range. Instead of the torque curve staying flat or declining slightly from 2400 RPM to above 5,000, it follows the same curve as in the higher gears. Now, this "restriction" mode doesn't reduce the torque and power above 6500 RPM, so it's not like there's more stress on the engine or transmission when you get rid of the lower RPM restriction.

What it DOES do is make the throttle response more immediate and stronger in 1st and 2nd gear in the lower RPM range- if you like throttle on wheelies, they're yours. Look at that torque curve- the unrestricted torque curve has a very big climb between 3,000 and 4,000. Take it up to 3,000 in 3rd or 4th and wack on the throttle if you will, but be sure you're holding on- it may startle you!


If you're concerned with overdoing it in a corner, well, you can do that even in 3rd; initial reviews of the VFR1200 commented on how the bike on the track would leave big black stripes coming up through that lower RPM range in 3rd on the track in fast corners. Obviously, in lower gears, even more mayhem is possible. That's what the traction control, and a little bit of common sense and judgment with where to use your right wrist come in. :glee: