First time rider?

Hey everyone,
This is my first post on the boards, and likely one of the more important questions I'll ask on here. I'm currently preparing to take my motorcycle endorsement at one of those one-stop classes where they provide a Buell Blast™ for you to learn on.
My goal is to pick up a VFR 800 soon after my endorsement to use as an every day rider. So my question is two fold:
For riders who have had a VFR 800 as a first bike - what were the difficulties you faced as you learned? Anything in particular to look out for?
For FVR riders in general - what did you start out on? Would you recommend putting on a few miles before moving to an VFR?

Thanks in advance!

 

Welcome to riding. The only thing on this planet I like better than motorcycles is airplanes.

I started out on a early 70's CB360. It was too small (physical size, not engine size) so I stepped up to my Father's CB550F. My next bikes were 2 Nighthawk 750's & a 88 Honda Hawk NT650GT. My 00 VFR is my 5th bike & my 89 Hawk is my 6th. I've never been a squid or even wanted to be one so stepping up to a higher powered bike was no big deal. In fact, I very rarely want or need more power on the street. If Honda ever gets off it's fat lazy corporate ass & gives the faithful a new VFR, I would be perfectly happy with 120hp.

As far as a VFR for a first bike, I really don't recommend it. Yes, it can be done & several have done so safely. If you have no experience except for the Buell Blast with it's mighty 29HP, realize you are stepping onto a bike that weighs 200lbs more with triple the HP.

Things to consider as a NEW rider:
The Bad
VFR fairings are expensive, more so than the normal super sports since they don't make as many of them.
VFR's are heavy. They outweigh most other standards or sport bikes by nearly 100lbs.
VFR's are not too easy to work on.
VFR's have linked brakes. If you learn to ride & then step onto a VFR, the brakes will feel slightly strange to you.
Seat height. I don't know how tall you are but the VFR is a big bike.
VFR's have virtually no aftermarket following. Windscreens, muffler & a few trim bits are about all you'll find.

The Good
VFR's are extremely easy to ride. The power delivery is as smooth as a Chevy V8.
VFR's use normal sized tires.
VFR's use the same oil filter as every other Honda sport bike.
VFR's are extremely fuel efficient for a sport bike. I average 44-46 all day, every day.
VFR's are supremely comfortable. It is very easy to put in a 300 mile day.
VFR's are unique. I haven't seen one in NJ for the last 5 years. I know of a few on the forum that live in NJ but I've never seen them on the road. I like having a rare item.
VFR's sound freaking awesome. It's one of the best things I like about my bike. When you hear gear driven cams with a Staintune muffler, you'll know what I mean.
VFR's are pretty much bulletproof. Starting with Gen 3, with the exception of a very well known electrical problem, you can pretty much bet on a VFR lasting forever if it's taken care of. If it is not taken care of, it will still last at least 50000 miles with nothing other than oil changes. Ask any Honda Tech & they will tell you the Honda V4 is the most reliable engine Honda has ever produced.
VFR's are VFR's. As long as you know what you're looking at, you will never be dissapointed. The VFR, again since Gen 3, is the single best all around sporting motorcycle on the planet. Yes, there are bikes that are faster, handle better, get better MPG, are cheaper, etc. There may be bikes out there that do a SINGLE job better than the VFR, but there is NOTHING that does ALL the jobs better than a VFR.

So, to wrap up this little story, I recommend you get a smaller used bike to get your sea legs. You & only you can know when you're ready & able to step up to a bigger & better machine. If you're looking for a specific model recommendation, I would say the Kawasaki Ninja 650R (if you can stand the way it looks, I think it's fugly) or the Suzuki SV650. The Ninja has a full fairing & the SV is available with or without.

Do not hesitate to ask more questions, that's what we're here for.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

Edag, KC makes a lot of good points. My brother just picked up a SV650 for not much, and he is really enjoying it. That looks like a great bike to learn on but still more than enough bike to have fun with. And much cheaper to fix if you do end up dropping it. The problem with worrying about dropping your one and only bike is that you won't go out and practice some of the maneuvres or even develop some of the habits that make you a better rider.

 

Ninja 250 or Suzuki SV650.

 

Thanks for the fast and informative responses, especially to KC. This is the sort of response I had expected, though its good to hear directly from VFR riders.

Its important to me to learn to ride well and give this endeavor it's own opportunity to set the proper pace. I've looked at both the SV650 and the Ninja 500R in the past, and I felt comfortable on both; but with the VFR being so flexible, sitting at the mid-range of most motorcycles (both in weight and CC's) I wanted to make sure it was worth the investment in picking up another bike for just one or two seasons.

It might also be useful for me to give a little more insight into my goals with a VFR. I heard the term super-sport bike used, and to that end I realize that the bike is quite capable. I like having the power to maneuver through traffic when the time arises, but for me the VFR is going to be a daily commuter and a sport touring bike. The lines are beautiful, the lineage is unique and the riding position perfect for my build. I can honestly say the first time I swung a leg on the interceptor at my local honda / kawasaki / suzuki dealer I knew I had found my long-term motorcycle.

All that said, thanks again for the insight - and I welcome any other opinions or information. I'll likely post back to this thread in the coming weeks with any updates on where I'm at.

 

I started on an old beater Yamaha 600. It did not take long before I was ready to move up to the VFR, but I am super glad I did not try to start on it. The 800 is just that much bigger than the old 600s. I was not afraid to knock around the beater.

 

I have to agree with what KC (and the others) have said. When I started riding on the street, I got a Ninja 250. I was not new to bikes, just the street, have raced mx for about 7 years, and ridden bikes for about 9 years. The 250 was not over-powered and comfortable to ride for short disatances. I would not consider it a "highway" bike at all. I later sold that bike bacuse I did not ride much.

Later, I got a 1986 Yamaha Radian 600 when I decided to start riding again. It was heavy but, again, not over powered for my experience and comfort level. I had it about a year and a half before I moved up to the VFR. My move to the VFR was for a few reasons such as a bigger tank (I could go more than 110 miles before needing to fill up) and a little more useable power when I needed it. I found the bike to be just as heavy as the Yami, but I eventually got used to it. It was very comfortable and I could log all day rides with no complaints. The VFR is not over-powered, and some will say it is a bit under-powered, but either way, the power it makes is very, very usable.

Would I recommend it for a first bike to a first time rider? No. I would recommend what others have here. But after about a year or so of experience and getting used to riding in traffic, cornering, etc....then yeah, if you want, go a head and move up. :thumb: I am not trying to steer you away from the VFR in any way, but want you to be comfortable in your knowledge and abilities first.

 

The VFR has about the same horsepower to weight ratio as a Z06 Corvette. Do you think that model Corvette woule be a good starter car? The VFR is fast. Not as fast as a "True" sports bike certainly, but if you pin the throttle you'll be in triple digits before you know what happened.

Now, you tell me: Can you resist that temptation? You are the ONLY one that can answer that question.

Learning to ride a motorcycle well is not something that is going to happen in a class, or in a week or a month or a year. I'm a retread. I rode as a kid, gave it up, and started back riding a couple of years ago. My VFR was not my first bike when I returned to riding. Since May, 2006 I've got 32,000+ miles on bikes and I feel like I'm still a rookie. I learn something every single time I get on a bike.

In my opinion, no, the VFR is far from being a good starter bike. You will drop it and as KC said the plastics are expensive to fix. Everything on it is expensive to fix. My opinion is something in the 250cc range for a starter bike. They are fast enough to get you in trouble but forgiving enough to let you learn. Plus they can normally be bought, ridden for a year, and sold with little or no loss of value.

And, regardless of what you ride, WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR.

 

Hi edag and Good call on taking some training. Is it the MSF basic riding course?

A good starter bike is probably going to be something in the 250cc range such as a used Nighthawk. Or a small dual sport is nice because then you can practice in dirt too (supposedly riders with dirt bike experience have less accidents on the road).

There is a reasonable list of suggested starter bikes at Introduction to Motorcycles Often people say buy a small used bike, then after you have ridden it for a while move on to something larger if you want and sell the small bike (or keep it!).

I started on a Honda CRF230L dual sport (17 horspower), which was an excellent starter for me, very light, low seat, super friendly to ride, works nice on road and off, yet can go 65mph no problem, plus gets like 75mpg. Then I got a viffer which I love, but I don't think I'd have done well getting that as my first bike as it is much heavier and farrrr more powerful. If you have a short inseam I think a viffer would be even a less suitable first bike since its seat height may not allow you to flat foot it at stop lights.

 

They are really sweet bikes. '

I basically just did what you are talking about. I have not ridden in about ten years, dirt bikes, and and limited street riding back in the day. I just took the MSC here in town with my wife. She had never ridden a motorcycle ever.

I have a 6th gen that I have had for a month now, and 1200 miles on it. It is a big heavy bike yes, lots of power but it is also very smooth with that power and balances like a dream. It is easy to ride, and I can tell I am not even fully working the bike yet.

Yesterday I rode a new Ninja 250 the 36 miles from shop to home for my wife, all highway except for about 10 miles. Since it was new I was told "keep it out of the red, but work it" That bike was screaming at 80-90 mph with my 220 lb fully geared ars and topped out around 10krpm at highest(the mech said fluctuate speeds often and run it through its paces). I could definitely tell that I could ride that bike to the limits of its power, but I am about 1/3 into what the interceptor has waiting. Lots of fun to ride.

I think a lot has to do with your riding style, and if you can keep yourself in check. If you push it there could be big trouble, but respect it is working fine here. The MSC is worth every penny, and the 250s are perfect for getting your sea legs on, but if you are decent size I would opt for something bigger than the 250, the highway really wound it out. My wife is about 105 so it will probably be a bit quicker with her on it, but she is a very mellow rider.

I have big respect for the bike and never even start in without full gear, it is HOT here now, but I am not taking any chances. Just be smart whatever you choose and you will be fine.

see ya

Mike

 

I didn't mention gear on purpose. I felt it would have been too much info in an already too long post.

Since someone raised the subject:

Buy It
Wear It
Love It
Each & Every Time You Ride

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

Some more great information; I have to say I'm impressed at the activity seen on these forums and the kinship VFR riders seem to have.

I'll start out by saying that at 250lbs. and a little over 6ft tall I sit flat footed on the VFR with no problems. Also, it is an MSF course (one of those week long courses where your test is included for the state license endorsement.)

Regarding gear; my father in law has raised me well, and regardless of the season the only way you'll see me riding by would be in a full face helmet, boots, gloves and a proper riding jacket (I'm currently looking at some thigns from the Joe Rocket line to start me off.) Also after I get to a point where I'm on the VFR enough I'll be picking up some rain gear. Up here in Cleveland we only get about 3 or 4 "good" months to ride, but if you can stand colder weather you can stretch it out to 7 or 8. My father in law owns 2 bikes, BMW's and he rides any time its above 32F and there isn't any snow / ice / salt on the roads.

Regarding the 250's - I think given my stature something this small might do as much harm as good. I know my limits, and I can drive fast cars without any desire to push it above the speed limit. In fact, my reputation as a driver what it is I'm slightly concerned about going the advised 2-3 miles an hour faster than traffic to keep myself from blending into the traffic. If I start out on a smaller bike I'm likely going to gravitate to the 500's and 650's mentioned above.

A question for everyone that has concerns about starting on a VFR: aside from parking lot speeds (in which I know a heavy bike can be awkward and difficult to maneuver) and the urge to go fast, what other concerns do "big" bikes have exactly? I'm not questioning anyone's opinion, on and off the forums everyone seems to feel the same way. But as a computer geek and technician, I like to really get in and understand the methodology.

 

In a lot of countries you couldn't even consider something with the displacement or horsepower of a VFR until you had a couple of years of experience on the 250cc bikes. They have graduated licenses that start a rider small and only when they have "x" years riding experience (I don't know how many) can they ride something larger than 500cc. Over here, every day of the year, dealers put kids on liter bikes with zero experience. Some of them never live long enough to regret their decision.

As others have said I'm not trying to discourage you from a VFR. Well, I guess I am in some respects because I own one and I know that they are far from being a beginner bike.

These aren't big bikes. Big bikes are the Harleys, the Gold Wings, and the other large cruisers. Dry weight of the VFR is 475 pounds, "Big" bikes are in the 800 to 900 pound range.

The VFR is fuel injected and as such has a touchy throttle. It responds immediately to what you tell it to do. Depending on model you have around 110 horsepower under you. The smaller sport-bike style tires can tuck under if you give them an excuse. The bike is somewhat tall and top heavy but that tends to make it nimble in the corners to. These bikes respond "Right Now" to throttle and steering inputs, they have pretty good brakes that can either stop you pretty quick or put you on the ground when used improperly.

 

It is certainly not impossible to learn on a VFR. If you take it easy and practice a lot, you can definitely pull it off. Learning to ride is a lifetime undertaking. But you do lose the chance to practice with some impunity, and the bike is responsive, which tends to exaggerate mistakes. But it is certainly possible. It sounds like you have some good humility already. That probably helps. Hate to learn that on the bike :smile:

 

I am/was sort of in the same situation. I went through the MSF basic riders course in June and thought about a number of first bikes knowing that I wanted a VFR as a long term bike. I'm also a big boy weight-wise so a small bike (anything smaller than a 600) wasn't really considered. I looked at the SV650 and Ninja 650R and was close to buying the SV until I found my ride - a stock (mostly) 95 VFR in pretty nice condition for $2500 (factory hard bags included). Riding it is considerably different than the 125 Suzuki things at the BRC, but the skills I learned in the course really prepared me well for the much bigger bike. I just take it very easy with the throttle.

Please keep in mind I am in no way dismissing the posts of the other, much more experienced members - they all make some very good points - I'm just relating my story. All I can say is that I've had my bike for a couple of days and am glad I made the choice - even if I made it without being rational. Good luck with the course and bike purchase.

 

KC got most of it, but istarted on vfr...
It is a great bike to learn on and will behave in a very predictable and controlable manner. it is not some race bike that will buck you with a mistake, but it is not a cruiser or dirt bike that will forgive you a lot of mistakes.
also if you do drop it it is expensive.

So far i have droped mine and it is because i am stupid(when you see your reflection in the ice on the orad chances are you shouldn't ride.) I now have a marked bike

 

Well this thread is turning into a fairly good discussion =)

To sum it up, a VFR is a powerful bike, and exaggerating your intended action (leaning too much or hitting the throttle even a bit too hard) can cause some problems. If you are a "lead foot" driver you will end up getting yourself into some serious (if not fatal) troubles, and if you do end up sliding across some asphalt you'll be in for some significant financial hurdles.

I guess we'll have to see; I'm undecided currently, and the purchase is weeks away at the very least.
.

 

I'd say the exaggerated actions consequence will yield the same result no matter what the bike. One of my instructors for the Basic Riders Course kept emphasizing smooth inputs. That's one of the things i've been practicing. Keep me posted on your bike selection - I'm curious to see which one you choose.