VFR800-v-tec?

Hi folks.

Have any of you mob had any experience with the variable valve timing
model of VFR800?

If so, would you care to comment on it?

I had a ride of the model previous, and, although I liked it, it wasn't
suitable for my use at the time... too hot for city commuting.

Now, with advancing years, I have decided that I need a faired bike for
next winter, and the VFR seems to be the favourite, but am hasitant
about this v-tec stuff.

It certainly seems a good thing on Angie's car, but how it works for
motorcycles, <shrug>.

(Please note, John L., I have not bought one already!)

regards,
CrazyCam

 

I can let you have a good MZ at a very reasonable price
Isaac.

 

There's lots of (biased 'cause they're owners) experience on
http://www.ozvfr.net

Boky's take on the first version was "It's supposed to give better
midrange without sacrificing top end power. What you actually get is the
same power with the same midrange, with more complexity and more
weight". He was planning on buying one, but when they appeared he
decided to spend the money on suspension and a powercommander for his
existing (non vtec) VFR, and to wait and see if version 2 of the vtec
motor actually got some advantages out of the added complexity...

I also hear horror stories about the expense of valve clearance checks
(as though a Honda owner can frighten a Ducati owner with dealer service
charges! "Bah!" I say!), claiming they require the camshafts to be
removed and a special "measuring cam" be fitted (which also makes it
very hard so save money by doing it yourself), but I also hear that the
rumours about the cost are greatly exaggerated - Chris Coote (who you
may remember?) tells me his dealer promised him "no more then $500",
which since it's only every 24k km seems outstandingly reasonable (in my
Ducati-dealer jaundiced view of normal servicing costs...)

big

 

Not worth the effort for the level of complexity involved.
Get a V-Strom instead.

justAL

 

Horrible.

Comfy, handled well, the linked brakes were surprisingly nice, great
finish, but the VTEC motor was just.....shit. Sent a small 'jolt'
through the bike every time you hit 7000rpm, kinda felt like hitting
the kill switch then the motor restarting the next instant. Especially
horrible winding it up out of a corner. It was annoying beyond belief.

Didn't seem to get any decent power boost once the VTEC kicked in
either. God knows why Honda thought it was a good idea. With no VTEC,
it'd be a great bike.

VFR owners seem to love it though <shrug>

 

Well I'll keep the harsh comments down then hey ?

I've not ridden one but a recent Aussie bike mag had a review that said
the latest iteration had made the transition between 2 and 4 valves a
lot more pleasant and less sudden, they've also fiddled with when it
kicks in. You'll need to get a copy off J5 though - I don't have the
mags anymore

JL
(take that with the grain of salt a 2nd hand rendition of something
written in a bike mag deserves

 

Oh! :-(

If they went back to the non-V-tec and gear drive cams, I'd buy one, no
probs...well, I'd haggle! ;-)

Not that many, it would appear.

With the appearance of the 2006 model, Honda have some specials on offer
of the 2005 model.

I went to p'matta today, and sat on one at Action.

Salesperson said, take it for a test ride...yeah, well he changed his
mind real quick when I said I wanted to take it up the Old Road. :-(

Dunno how you are supposed to evaluate a motorcycle like that in the
depths of sunny P'matta?

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Well, yes, Iain, but that's kinda like watching the religious channel on
digital TV. ;-)

Yeah, I do remember asking him about them when they first appeared.

OTOH that was before petrol got to near enough a dollar fifty a litre. :-(

I was kinda thinking that, at gentle revs, operating 2-valves, there
should be good fuel economy, and, hopefully, good performance once
4-valve operation starts.

Having riden 2-strokes, I firgured I could handle a fairly sudden
increase in power, but, another poster's remark about like having the
kill-switch switched, does have me worried.

Anyhow, we'll see if Sydney City can give me a decent test ride.

Having said that, the Hornet was going remarkably well today.

I really wouldn't want to get into a pissing contest with Ducati
owners...honest!

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Two cases of Coopers Stout....and that's my final offer!

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Test rode one. Thought it was "neat" but nothing exciting. Bought a
ZX9R instead. Thought the '9 had more balls at the top end (where I
wanted them) than the viffer and the low-end torque was plenty for
puddling around in traffic without getting RSI in my right foot.

In short - the VTEC is good for bragging rights, but on the road it
makes zero improvement and for less money you can get more CC's (and
horse power) from other rides.

The Honda's finish and genuine "options" like colour-matched panniers
etc are a nice touch, but I didn't really need them so it wasn't a
selling point for me. The Kwakka's finish was fine and still looked
good when I said farewell to the '9 last year.

 

like anything dont touch a first version 2002

they had the Vtec transition issue and also issue with the injection/timing
etc

sorted with later versions

Get yourself a powercommander and they are as smooth as silk with a big
boost
in midreange performance

Personally i like the linked brakes

as per big , the valve service they need to remove the cams and insert a pin
to lock
the Vtech lobes into place, then remove the cams and reshim, then check the
clearnaces
and remove cams and remove the pins again

way of the future

the 06 model they have increased the RPM for the transition to Vtec

From what i heard there is some seriously good deals on 05 models

worst case you could always buy johnnos , low kays , only ridden to the mail
box

well he keeps talking about a new bike

 

It ain't proper VTEC Seems to be more closely related to the system used
in the economy special of the Honda Civic released in the mid 90's (VEi).
Disabling two valves at low revs to improve torque/fuel economy.

And its nothing like the variable valve timing on your corolla.

How about a CBR600F6i? The not so extreme 600.

Left field... the new BMW f800 parallel twin. Comes with heated handlebar
grips NO idea of the price.

 

what size bottles ? 375 CC or 750 CC ?
Isaac.

 

puddling around in traffic without getting RSI in my right foot.

They've switched to a right-hand gear shift eh?

 

Well, Yamaha have made a patent submission for a 16-valve R1 with a
rocker-arm valve train and three-profile cam lobes. That's proper VTEC.

Frankly, I'd prefer to see a low-pressure-turbo on there. Less complex,
bigger efficiency gains.

They lowered it, actually, from 7000 to 6800rpm.

However, the cutover point varies depending on whether the revs are
increasing or decreasing. Coming back down the revs, they don't
disengage the second pair of valves until 6400rpm.

It reads as though it'd make next to sfa difference.

 

Jeezez kriste!!
Have you people never heard of XJ900s?!!?
If you ask for a valve-clearance check the mechanic will likely-as-not ask
"why?".

 

No problems with a BMW rider... they can generally hold their piss.

 

and will probably be cheaper than the VFR, before options.

Nev..
'04 CBR1100XX

 

I've got a VTEC VFR and I'm pretty happy with it. The VTEC valves aren't
for everyone though.

The VTEC valves are marketed as a performance item but they are a bit of a
gimmick. They seem to have more to do with emmisions control so we will
probably see more of this as the requirements are tightened.

The VTEC used on the VFR is different to and much simpler than the VTEC used
in Honda cars and the VVT used by Toyota. The VFR VTEC just switches from 2
valves to 4 valves per cylinder at about 7k rpm. It is just an on-off
switch so there is no easing in and some owners complain about a harsh
transition but it doesn't bother me. It seems to be worse when you have the
throttle open wide and the engine under load, if the engine is spinning
freely you only notice a change in intake noise.

I find I tend to either stay below the VTEC range around town or above it
elsewhere to minimise the transition.

A valve clearance check is expensive. They have to remove the cam to lock
the extra two valves into operation so they can be measured and then remove
the cam again to unlock them. My dealer charged $800 for the 24K km
service. They only need checking every 24K km.

Some riders, me included, don't like the way the emissions control will lean
off the mixture under steady throttle to make it more enviromentally
friendly. They are pretty hot to commute on in summer, the side mounted
radiators tend to direct hot air at your legs.

Having said that the V4 sound great, especially with a set of Staintunes, it
handles better than a Blackbird (not as much power or torque though) and is
still comfortable for all day touring. It has excellent hand grips for the
pillion and genuine luggage options.

The VTEC VFR is just different, it depends on whether you like different.

Take one for a decent ride and see what you think. Maybe compare it with
the new Triumph Sprint ST.

Skuz
2002 VFR800

 

Does this mean that, if you stay in the lower rev range, it uses
noticably less fuel?

Am I wrong in assuming that, at under VTEC revs, you could still ride
about quite comfortably at speeds sufficient to lose your licence?

Could live with that.

Aye. That's why I didn't get a VFR when I tried it the last time.

Me? Different?

I looked at the Triumph yesterday. It does look the part, but, I once
had a Triumph and see no good reason to repeat the experience.

Thanks for your input.

regards,
CrazyCam