The Honda Owners Club

Hi.

Just signed up to the forum as i'm new to biking and looking for advice on the VFr800's. i haven't passed my test yet got my DAS in a couple of weeks but it hasn't stopped me planning for my first bike purchase. My first thought was like 90% of new riders and buy a bandit , but really liked the hornet instead. A friend said I'd get bored quickly with them and to go for a VFR best allround bike made.
My questions are :
1.Is a VFr siutable as a first bike.
2. If so should I buy a pre Vtec or funds permitting a VTec.
3. What should I look for when buying.

Thanks , hopefully this will br my first post of many.

Yorki

Hi Yorki !

All VFRs are good, even the 750s (but then I'm biased).

Nothing wrong in planning for your first bike purchase (that's what you are taking your test for), but do you really think it's wise to buy, as a "first bike", a large, fairly heavy, powerful, and quite expensive bike? Why not try something a bit cheaper and simpler to start with?

Have you got any insurance quotes for a start? The Hornet, while being of similar power, would be cheaper to insure, and repair, the first time you drop it (and by that I don't mean crash it........) as it doesn't have very expensive fairing panels to get damaged.

You won't be disappointed with a VFR, but why not go and get some "experience" on something a bit more suitable?

I would agree a big (750/800) VFR is lot of bike to cut your teeth on. I was fortunate to learn to ride in the days of the 250cc provisional licence. These bikes gave a good stepping stone to a larger more powerful machine, which incidently in those days weren't as powerful as todays bikes. My first 750 only put 78BHP (I think) which is a lot less than 600s nowadays. I progressed through a lot of smaller bikes before getting large four cylinder bikes and then came back down to smaller capacity machines again. I do own a 750 currently and would have a new Blade at a moments notice though.

Regards

Chimpy

Thanks for the advice but to be honest the size of the bike has concerned me which is why I asked the question . The insurance quotes I have had quotes a VFR 800 40 quid dearer than a hornet but with £300 more excess proberly due to the fairing .

It's a hornet then or would you recommend anything else.

Yorki

Go for the VFR - it's an easy bike to ride. I've had 2 and loved them both. I rode a Hornet - just the once - and thought it was uncomfortable at speed (wind pressure) and the seat was not good either. But it was low and I could get both feet down easily.

Alan

Hi and welcome. I am a 5'4 9.7lb female and ride a VFR800 VTEC It is a superb bike but it is heavy at 213kg and the turning circle isn't good so you need wide places to turn her! It is great to snuggle down behind the fairing when the weather is bad and as Alan says, it is generally easy to ride. I ride two up 95% of the time (my husband doesn't ride and is the pillion). I would get some experience on a bit smaller bike to start with - I rode a CBR600 for the first two years but then definitely go to a VFR!

If you like the idea of a "faired" bike, why not try an older style cbr600f. Relatively cheap to insure, good to get your teeth into and have a blat about on...

Hi and welcome. I ride a VFR V-Tech and love her to bits. A bike is as powerful as the rider wants it to be and if you ride with respect the handling of the machine will be no problem. I have had customers pass there test and purchase CBR1000 new model and ride them well. If you are a car driver you can pass at 17 and go and buy a Porche!!! Your instructor will be teaching on bike handling. Personaly I recomend a CBF600 as a starting bike, in the end though a clutch is a clutch and the throttle is a throttle so if you treat them right they will look after you so budget wise a VFR750 or VFR800 may be OK for you. Buy the bike that you want, learn about limit points on bends and counter steering, ask your instructor about them to help you control the bike through bends. Remember the test is a test of competance and not a test of excellance so enjoy. Good luck on your test. Graham DAS instructor

Going from a 125 I got a 08 Hornet when I passed my DAS, if you don't mind a naked bike I would think it will be years before you can out perform the bike. Review in one mag gave it 140mph and 3.25 seconds 0-60, could never do that myself but it will keep me going for many years yet.

Handles well and can be ridden all year round with easy maintenance, so great bike for a relative novice, and to be honest can see off lots of comparable sports bikes as long as you can hang on with the wind blast!!!

Brendan

Thanks for all your comments. to be honest I'm as confused as before.

I've decided to get through the test then try a few bikes before I part with my hard earned cash. On the subject of a CBR600 the insurance quotes for one are dearer than a VFR800. This is part of the reason I chose the VFR as its a very good all round bike with reasonably priced insurance.

I'll keep you all updated on my progress.

yorki

vfrgw wrote:Hi and welcome. I ride a VFR V-Tech and love her to bits. A bike is as powerful as the rider wants it to be and if you ride with respect the handling of the machine will be no problem. I have had customers pass there test and purchase CBR1000 new model and ride them well. If you are a car driver you can pass at 17 and go and buy a Porche!!! Your instructor will be teaching on bike handling. Personaly I recomend a CBF600 as a starting bike, in the end though a clutch is a clutch and the throttle is a throttle so if you treat them right they will look after you so budget wise a VFR750 or VFR800 may be OK for you. Buy the bike that you want, learn about limit points on bends and counter steering, ask your instructor about them to help you control the bike through bends. Remember the test is a test of competance and not a test of excellance so enjoy. Good luck on your test. Graham DAS instructor

I'm afraid everybody is not the same and most new riders just don't have the experience to treat the throttle "right"

Far too often I've read in the press of new or born again riders getting killed weeks after passing their tests or getting back on the road again on a powerful bike. This is just unacceptable in my book and avoidable.

Fortunately the vast majority of new car drivers can't afford the insurance let alone a Porsche at 17, where as most riders can buy a potentially lethal weapon with ease.

Regards

Chimpy

Hi Yorki,

The VFR is a brilliant bike and I'm a great fan but it could be a bit of a handfull as a first bike and as already said above, expensive if you happen to drop it (believe it or not even experienced riders how been known to drop a bike!).

Have you considered the CB500, enough performance (for most), cheaper to insure and less of those expensive plastics to damage, a good stepping stone to a bigger bike. However if you decide to go this route beware of ex training school bikes which will have had a hard life.

Steve

Chimp Boy wrote:I'm afraid everybody is not the same and most new riders just don't have the experience to treat the throttle "right"

Far too often I've read in the press of new or born again riders getting killed weeks after passing their tests or getting back on the road again on a powerful bike. This is just unacceptable in my book and avoidable.

Fortunately the vast majority of new car drivers can't afford the insurance let alone a Porsche at 17, where as most riders can buy a potentially lethal weapon with ease.

Regards

Chimpy

Totally agree, as most bikes are somewhat cheaper than your average Porsche! Regarding a 17 year old with a Porsche, we do seem to read in the newspapers these days about a lot of crashed 'supercars' owned by young men with more money than sense. Some call them 'footballers'!
(I doubt they could get insurance at any price on a 'superbike'.....................)

Red V Four wrote:Totally agree, as most bikes are somewhat cheaper than your average Porsche! Regarding a 17 year old with a Porsche, we do seem to read in the newspapers these days about a lot of crashed 'supercars' owned by young men with more money than sense. Some call them 'footballers'!
(I doubt they could get insurance at any price on a 'superbike'.....................)

Yes you do hear of quite a few supercars being crashed by young inexperienced drivers, however most escape with non life threatening injuries. Bikes unfortunately don't offer the same levels of protection and are not so forgiving when it comes to an accident.

Regards

Chimpy

Hi Yorki and welcome to the forum

Cheers Witch