The Beginning

Honda VFR1200 April 2010
Having had the 2009 VFR800 I thought I had finally found the bike I have been searching for, an incredible machine. I loved my particular one with its candy red paint scheme and gold wheels with the black frame and to top it off, free Honda Luggage.

I had my invite from Two Wheels in Edinburgh to attend the VFR1200 and VT-C1300 launch. The fact that I owned the VFR800 and A VTX1300 must have made me a prime target to buy at least one of the bikes.

It was a cold February night but I took the VFR along for the run and found myself one of the few to turn up on a bike. The staffs at Two Wheels are always very welcoming, but I did feel a bit like why was I there, other than to have a nose.

It was a nice evening and the unveiling of both bikes had me in cross minds, I was not taken by the 1200, expensive and something about it did not click. I did not think it was ugly but just very different.

I know that I am a bit old school when it comes to bikes and besides I was loving the 800 and I was well aware that changing it so soon would be a huge money loss. The shaft drive was appealing as was the power but that was all I thought about the 1200.

Surprisingly the Custom VTC was very nice looking in the flesh, much better than I expected but I still prefer the good old VTX1300 and the difference in price seemed crazy. I also felt it was a chopper better suited for the American market.

David at Two wheels is a really nice bloke; he goes beyond just being a salesman, very pleasant decent guy. He asked me what I thought about the new VFR and I politely replied it was ok. “I will get you in for a test drive” he beamed. Before I could say no, I was in the dairy. He is also a very good salesman.

I went away from the show not really feeling the need to test drive the 1200, why would I, the 800 was deep under my skin and I had become aware that the V4 was truly my chosen steed. Beside even if I was interested, financially it was just not worth it. I cancelled the test drive.

Now we are into April, I have done just over 1700 miles on the VFR800, every one a treat, even a recent stint up North with the VFR lads proved to me what a versatile machine, it was a very wet day in places and I have never felt more in control of a bike.

It was now due its 6 month service, I booked it in and said to David that I would wait on it and whilst I was waiting I could try the VFR 1200 demo out.

I dampened his smell of a sale and said I loved my VFR800 and I was just curious. I was just that curious, however over the last few months the 1200 looks had grown on me, even the exhaust which I have to declare as being ugly seemed to look ok. The shaft drive, the extra power, it had remained a niggle but it was there.

At that point I know I should have cancelled the test drive, but the process had begun.

There was one other attraction to the 1200 over the 800, servicing, not only did it have longer service intervals it also had a much more simple valve train setup.

One of the very few negatives of the VFR800 was the VTEC complexity. This is one aspect of the 800 that I think most owners would mark down as a negative. I personally could not see the point of it, it did not bother me and I had no problems with the way it rode. However the point of it was to increase the fuel consumption if the bike was ridden under a certain rev range, the bike only operates two valves instead of four.

I experimented with this, keeping the bike under the VTEC range and it made no difference at all to the MPG.

The fact that valve clearances alone would need the camshafts out just to check them seemed ludicrous, let alone 3 times to actually change shims. So killing two valves seems to be pointless if it makes no difference to the MPG.

The 1200 system is much simpler and you can check the clearances without removing camshafts. This is how it should be. Only one set of valves is shimmed as the other has rocker locknut adjusters and this is the side most likely needing adjustment. Yes I know I am now looking for excuses to change but it is a valid point.

6th April
This was my test drive date, I took the day off. David rolled out the demo for me, he gave me the keys and said have fun and sees you in about an hour.

An hour in which I was determined to fight with my conscience and surely common sense and cost would prevail.

That must be why then that after the test drive I had arranged to leave my 800 there and get a lift home and so the story begins and yet again another new chapter in my biking career.