Hi. I have a black one. I agree with you. Great bike. Far superior bike in every way on town on the highwayson the back twisty bouncy roads and Even on gravel roads wet or dry than the BMW I had before it. Also more reliable than the newer BMWs. I've fitted mine with genuine Honda heated grips, fairing extension and non genuine hepco Becker panniers and top box, air horn to clear birds of the road, wilbers front springs and rear shock, heli bars, rear wheel hugger, better high beam globe ( still same watt halogen) rubber tank pads, just a sweet bike for Australian roads.
One of the most beautiful motorcycles ever made. I didn't like it at first but I just bought one for it's reputation. It has now grown on me to the point what I simply love it. Just wow!
I have this exact model. Like many, I owned a candy red VF1000F in 1988 and was expecting a V4 just like it. It took me a while to get the VFR1200 but now that I've ridden it for 5 years I truly appreciate what a wonderful motorcycle it is. It is beautiful - beautifully made with incredible performance whether talking about the engine or the superb brakes. I don't know if I'll ever part with it - people will be looking for a bike like this in the not too distant future.
@@supastarvfr9534 they were cheap ones I found on Ebay and have not found since. With a little internet searching you should find something. Sorry I dont have the old link or name.
That is a beautiful motorcycle sir! I owned a VFR 800 a few years ago and I always like the sound! And of course a Honda reliability. When the 1200 first came out I did not like the styling on it but it has grown on me since. With a high mileage that has been put on many of these bikes it is definitely a motorcycle that I can see myself purchasing one day as a keeper. I'm going to go through watch some of your older videos as a new subscriber and catch up, thanks for posting these
Thanks for watching. Hope other videos are useful and/or helpful. The 1200 was comfortable but I did add helibars and peg extensions to drop them about 3./4 inch. Sure helped my knees.
@@aidanodonoghue4792 I am only 5ft6 and I was 53 when I got the VFR. The lower pegs helped because my knees did not like being bent to that angle for very long. The risers helped me sit up a little more and not have to lean forward as much. I would think at your height they would help you feel more comfortable.
I got to say, they're a great looking bike. Honda seems to be making some outstandingly great looking bikes, blackbird has always been a favorite but this new looking VFR is something else
Finally bought a 2010 and really like it. Since Ghul stopped flashing, had my 2018 Goldwing DCT, non tour done by him, I went with a remote flash from Sabsteef. This beast is a rocket for sure, and handles well. Ride safe…
A buddy of mine rides a 2012 VFR, he loves that bike too. I don't ride with him much, he likes to push it and as good as the big Victory is it ain't keeping up with a skilled rider on his VFR... Love that V4 sound :) edit: you have some interesting vids,,,, and a new sub ;)
Thanks for the description of the baggage sliders! My bike was run over once in a parking lot. The lady's insurance fought to no end saying the saddlebags weren't going to be covered. Probably wouldn't have helped, but I'm always paranoid by how damn expensive they are.
Great honest review, still not sure the vfr is restricted per se in 1st and 2nd,i just feel Honda wanted the power curve that way. Just because you can improve the power dosnt necessarily mean its restricted. Obviously in 6th top speed is restricted,,but rarely on the autobahn at a GPS speed of 158mph, have I ever thought damn I wish I could go 12 mph faster.
PSS I hit a big pot hole half way around a corner, buckled both rims, the bike gave one almighty head shake, settled and continued around the corner. My bike is black and the dealer mistakenly ordered white rims in. We had them powder coated gloss black instead of the standard silver. On the black bike they look the ducks guts. I wouldn't pay to do it but if you want spend money on looks this is worth it.
Thanks for your video. I too bought one of these in 2015 black and white and had it delivered with the Honda/Givi top box also black and white. The look of the box really compliments the overall look of the bike. The only other mods I had it delivered with was Pilot 4's instead of the Honda rubbish, centre stand and a radiator stone guard. My overall impression of the bike isn't as good as yours but then I got it after riding Blackbirds for 10 years and I still have one. I got it because I'm north of 60 now and wanted to experience some 21st Century technology on something that was a bit kinder on the body. With a bit of adjustment the suspension is a dream right off the showroom floor unlike a Blackbird but for me the comparison really stops there. The engine gear box package didn't make the grade. Ok it's high compression unlike the Blackbird but stuff like having to change down to first gear cornering around town so as not to chug it, plus keeping it at 3000 rpm or above for the same reason sees the thing on a knifes edge between 3rd and 4th around town. It's just a much harder bike to ride around town and the thing is gutless below 6000 revs. Anything over 6000 rpm and the thing guzzles fuel. I've had my dash showing 2 k's to the litre but at least I was getting to the gas station at lightening speeds. Fuel wise I think it's thirstier than the Blackbird but then the Blackbird carries an extra 4 litres. One thing on the VFR that I consider bloody dangerous was Hondas idea of switching the indicator and horn switches around. I'm totally over hitting the indicators when a car is trying to park on top of me. A smaller nark is the foot pegs are so narrow they end up hurting my insteps wearing a good pair of soft riding boots after a while. The VFR has become my commuter and I go out and play on the Blackbird on weekends. Honda kept on sending me surveys until I asked them to let me know when they'd be releasing a VFR rolling frame with a Blackbird engine transmission.
That's the thing really. There isn't a lot of choice in the sport tourer category. The choice seriously narrows by admitting the Japanese have forgotten more about building bikes than any other manufacturer will ever know. Honda are the cream of the Japanese bikes head and shoulders. The field today is the Busa and the ZX14 full stop. The Busa was built solely to be faster than the Blackbird and it's taken until 2014 for the ZX to beat Busa. Wow they are both quicker but back in the day the Blackbird out sold the Busa in Oz at about 20 to 1 and the ZX at about 50 to 1. All those buyers weren't wrong. I once went on a social ride that had 9 Blackbirds in it and it wasn't the Blackbird club. I had many mates who rode Blackbirds who were totally stumped on what to get for their next bike. 10 years later and nothing's changed. It's either a crutch rocket that has to be ridden in hourly stints because it's so uncomfortable or a land barge masquerading as a sports tourer. Between the Busa and the ZX one of them looks like it was built from a kit between beers in someone's back shed. You decide which.A 20 year old Blackbird today with it's suspension sorted would still give the current Busa and ZX a run for their money in anything other than a straight line.
I'm going to be up front with you and say I haven't ridden an FJR. I've just checked out its numbers and there's a lot to like. First up it's Japanese and they don't make lemons anymore. In build quality I'd put Yamaha second to Honda. The plus side at a glance 48mm forks Shaft drive Cruise control The girls will love the pillion seat Traction control ABS (four piston front calipers will need this to keep the thing in line) It’ll certainly keep your pillion nice and close. Huge tank (hopefully not because it’s a thirsty bitch) Looks like you could spend some longer hours on it easily The minus It’s a bit of a porker which may be why they’ve gone to 48mm forks. Hopefully not. It’s price although it’d be an interesting exercise screwing a dealer Its HP is a bit down on what I’d class as a true sport!/tourer (stupidly quick on long runs) The gimmicky maps. The traction control does the same thing. Might have been nice to have a 190 on the back. Used to think this was a gimmick but the way my VFR handles has changed my mind. Hopefully they haven’t scrimped here. Real nice front end not matched by the rear. Maybe? My jury is still out on the higher compression bikes. Honda failed with the VFR but maybe Yamaha didn’t. You need to take one for a test ride and preferably a dealer demo with some miles already on it. The thing won’t like riding around town in 6th gear so decide whether you can live with it seemingly reving its head off and does this speed sit nicely in a particular gear. Third gear on the VFR annoys the crap out of me reving away and fourth is really too low a speed. Also can you live with the bikes pickup when you wind it on without kicking back a gear, The VFR is a slug up to 6000 rpm Bearing in mind the demo bike’s suspension won’t be dialed in perfectly for you I’d definitely want to take a run through some twisties to see what feedback the bike has. Does it naturally want to tip in and can you feel what the front tyre is doing. If you notice anything at all for the rear suspension then I’d definitely be investigating further. If it’s doing it’s job it should be unremarkable. The next best indication for a bike is how many of them are getting sold. Riders are a fussy bunch and the best bikes will also be the best sellers.
I owned an 2010 FJR until 2014 and loved it. Rode over 60,000 miles. The handling was great. For my kind of riding it was a great fit. Back to VFR - the Guhls reflash really smoothed out the bike a lot and make it come to life.
What would you say to compare yours to a BMW 1200. Mid range touring and short range around town stuff. Yours is looking very usable now that you dropped the pegs and raised the bars.
The BMW R1200RS (which I rode for a week in the Alps this summer) is a great bike and is lighter than the VFR. Both are great bikes. If the cost of purchase and maintenance were close to the same I would give the BMW 1200 the edge. Once mods were made on the VFR I think it is the better bike for me. Don't think you would go wrong with either.
Does the Zero Gravity Touring windshield direct the wind over your helmet--reduce buffeting and wind noise? I'm looking for a shield that does a better job than the Puig which is currently installed. If so, tinted or smoke? Enjoy your videos and love my VFR1200.
You reflashed the ECU on a street sport touring bike and it increased your rev limit 500rpm's higher? Why, most do that for racing purposes? $400 to gain what exactly? Inquiring minds want to know. Beautiful bike!
The reflash removed the power restrictions from 1st, 2nd & 6th gears, removed the 148 MPH speed restriction, raised the rev limit 500 RPM's, lowered the coolant fan temp setting from 223 F to 203 F, and removed the FI fault code when you remove the exhaust servo. I don't race and an expert or just a better rider than myself might not need these changes, but I have enjoyed the changes. Accelerating and shifting have been "smoother" for me. The higher rev limit allows for some rare "wild" moments and big grins. Probably not needed, but I sure do like it! Thanks for watching.
It seems that you're not just some Ordinary Biker Oz dude, but a wild stallion that likes to run freely at speeds well above 148mph and need the extra 500 rpm's. I'll stash some extra cash in a safe place for your bail money..LOL! LMAO, I'm just having some fun. Good video Oz!
The Guhl reflash bring these bikes to life. It removes the power restrictions Honda put on them, bumps up the redline by 500 rpm, removes the top speed limiter and the cooling fan kicks on earlier. You can also have a custom fueling map added for your particular exhaust set up like I did. It becomes a whole new beast and is how Honda should have released it to the public!!
Thanks for the review. I appreciate videos like this one - "just" a person talking about his motorcycle and his personal connection with it. Judging by the miles you've put on it in 3 years you clearly love it! I was going to ask about the ECU refresh but I noticed the answers below (after someone else asked about it). Can you talk a bit about the tires? (They look like Michelin Pilot 4s - I've got the same ones, but not the GT type, in my Street Triple) Did you try other tires? How do these compare?
I have used PR2, 3 and now 4. I find they have good wear and great performance. If you look pretty far down my video list you can find the video of me at a track day and I had the PR3s on the bike at the time. I have used PR4 GT and I haven't noticed a hugh difference. I tried the Pirelli Angel ST and was disappointed in the durability/wear. The grip was good, but I got about 3/5 of the miles as the PRs. Hope that info helps.
Thanks Biker Oz - share your opinion on the Pilots, and also on the Pirelli. My Street Triple came equipped with Pirelli Rosso Corsa - very grippy, but I can get about twice the mileage with the Michelin Pilot 4s. I also noticed that although the Pirelli were quite sticky, they also appeared to be "on/off" - i.e., if the road was not in perfect conditions (say, sand on the road) they could be a bit "twitchy". Keep in mind though that I'm a novice rider, so I'm not terribly skilled and this may bias my opinion about the Pirelli (that is, they are great on good, capable hands - but on the hands of a noob like me, well...). Cheers and ride safe. (Will watch your track day video.)
Very helpful tips Sir; thank you very much! Myself with 54 years need these confort ride upgrades. I have not been able to find the lowering foot pads on the internet; would you help me on that, please? TKS and best regards from Brazil
Hi Oz. Great review! Hands down. One thing which I want to ask, how tall are you? Just to make a comparison with me, as I'm 6'2" .Thinking of buying one, but I'm not sure if I'll stay upright or bended 😃 Thank you.
A beautiful bike and nice colour. 😉 I was thinking of the VFR1200 whenever I decide to upgrade the Sprint. Did you get the PR4 GT version, I think the standard PR4's would be too soft for your bike. I'm current on Metzeler's Roadtec 01.
nice video; made me subscribe, may I ask you just one thing, I just bought a vfr1200-of 2011 with 45k miles on it ; will the engine probably last another 10k miles without major overhaul provided that the bike is regularly serviced? Thank you
I found the Concourse heavier & less aggressive riding position, bit more storage capacity. Both good bikes. I am 5'6" so the VFR fit me better. Maintenance intervals are similar, but the VFR single-sides swing arm makes tire changes easy.
I'm in Australia and have a 2015 which will return 340 kilometres from 19 litres with conservative use of the throttle. It's still a little tight with 3800 kilometres which will free up a little more.
Hey man, thank you for the review... I'm kinda liking the blue color. Today I went and I checked a 2010 Dct I didn't think I'd like it until I got on it. My only issue so far is the handle bar as I'm 6'4 and I saw you got risers. Are they easy to install? Where did you get them from?
Thank you for the link. I have another question and thus time it's about the bags... The one I found don't have any, I checked online and they are TOO pricey. Any idea where I can get them for cheap?
The Honda bags were expensive, but worked smoothly with the bike. I did not researched a great deal, but I found a company online with the factory bags and I saved about $150. If I can find the info in my files I will let you know.
I am sorry for the very late reply. The saddlebag guards are made by T-Rex Racing - www.t-rex-racing.com/2010-2015-Honda-VFR1200F-DCT-Luggage-Guards-p/n38-10lg.htm
Hi OBO! I've been considering the VFR1200f for a while now. My only concern is leg position. I'm 6' tall with 34" inseam. I love distance rides. I'm wondering how tall you are, and what is the farthest distance you've ridden in 5 days straight? I noticed you're in Texas. I'm in Northwest Houston.
I am 5'6'' and I added peg 3/4 inch lowering extension because my knees would get stiff and I added the Helibar risers. Both are because I am old (54). I have ridden the bike 700+ in one day and numerous days of 400+ in a row. I am riding it to Alaska this summer. I found the comfort is good. Honestly the Yamaha FJR is more comfortable and I will go back to the FJR in a few years. I live in McKinney (north of Dallas). You are close to the Hill Country.
That's what I was afraid of. I think the peg position would be difficult for me. Was hoping you were close so I could see her in person. I'm actually half a state away from the 3 sisters (Hill Country). Tomball is just outside of Houston. I actually owned an 09 FJR. It was a great all-round bike, but it just didn't have the "cool" factor. No personality whatsoever. I currently own an 02 CBR 954RR, and 09 Yamaha Raider S. I love the CBR, and the Raider is my travel bike. I've got it set up for comfort. Rode it to Wyoming last year. Lots of complements on it. It has a lot of torque (100+ ft. lb), but just doesnt perform like the CBR. Was looking for something that might bridge the gap between the CBR and a touring bike. I'm guessing the VFR isn't the right choice. That sucks, because it is an absolutely beautiful bike.
PSS I hit a big pot hole half way around a corner, buckled both rims, the bike gave one almighty head shake, settled and continued around the corner. My bike is black and the dealer mistakenly ordered white rims in. We had them powder coated gloss black instead of the standard silver. On the black bike they look the ducks guts. I wouldn't pay to do it but if you want spend money on looks this is worth it
