Real World Question

i am seriously looking at a VFR. my concern is when the wife is with me if the bike will handle the weight. the wife and i with stuff packed for a few nights up north will be a total of between 500 and 525 pounds on the bike. i am not worried about just around town bombing but more the time if we decide to go to our place out of town that is around 200 miles one way. thanks for any and all input that you all give me.


dave

It will handle it, and do it well.

Problem solved, now go write the cheque.

.......and while you're at it, get me one ! ! !

it can handle it with a suspension upgrade. i have run with about 400lbs on it and the difference between the stock spring and my upgraded shock is VERY noticeable.

[image: View Post]Wheatie, on Sep 18 2008, 07:36 PM, said:

.......and while you're at it, get me one ! ! !

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1220832595/gallery_12708_4133_124954.jpg
wheatie1a.jpg

Wow ! Didn't want it to take up the whole freekin' screen ! ! ! SORRRYYYYYYYYYYY ! :blush:

there are worse things...you got clothes on! :goofy:

I'm running a stock suspension and did a 300mile 2 up weekend get away with the girlfriend. I'm around 200lbs she is 130ish. With the hard bags loaded for 2 days that was about the limit. I'm going to add a top case in the spring so we can go on some longer trips so I'll most likely upgrade the rear end suspension.

Let me know what you come up with for yours

[image: View Post]supercoupe5, on Sep 19 2008, 12:44 AM, said:

i am seriously looking at a VFR. my concern is when the wife is with me if the bike will handle the weight. the wife and i with stuff packed for a few nights up north will be a total of between 500 and 525 pounds on the bike. i am not worried about just around town bombing but more the time if we decide to go to our place out of town that is around 200 miles one way. thanks for any and all input that you all give me.


dave


Hello Dave,

How OFTEN are you planning to fully load the bike up?
Twice a year? :unsure:
I'd stick to stock suspension in the beginning.
Make trips a more frequent occurrance and you not liking the way the suspension handles (asl odepends on how hard you push things...), upgrade the shocks....

just my 2 cents

we used to have a HD and with both of us on it the thing would bottom out hard at time. that was just with us. when i get the new bike it will be just me 95% of the time. i just want to ask and be safe when we get it. thanks all


dave

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on Sep 18 2008, 03:59 PM, said:

It will handle it, and do it well.

Problem solved, now go write the cheque.
LOL +1

Problem solved, now go write the cheque.

[image: View Post]Wheatie, on Sep 18 2008, 04:36 PM, said:

.......and while you're at it, get me one ! ! !

Me too!!

recently been on a 1000 mile tour complete with girlfriend and far too much stuff in my topbox - didn't mess with anything - fine all week

[image: View Post]tourceptor86, on Sep 18 2008, 05:03 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Wheatie, on Sep 18 2008, 07:36 PM, said:

.......and while you're at it, get me one ! ! !

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1220832595/gallery_12708_4133_124954.jpg
wheatie1a.jpg

Wow ! Didn't want it to take up the whole freekin' screen ! ! ! SORRRYYYYYYYYYYY ! :blush:

there are worse things...you got clothes on! :goofy:

Shucks ! Caught me B4 I deleted the image. :laugh:

It will handle it just fine. You probably will not be ripping up the twisty stuff with her on it, so you will be fine. My wife and I have ridden mine together quite a bit, and have never had any issues. This was before she got her SV and lost a lot of weight (I weigh 200 and at the time she was a bit more than me. Please no one shoot me for that comment. She has done great getting rid of that weight and I am proud of her for it.) Even then I managed to scare her by going around a curve "too fast". Go for it!

I ride two up on mine a few times a year (planning on it tomorrow). I'm not exactly small either. The bike usually does just fine with the two of us with saddle bags and a trunk. It does get cramped though after all day of riding. Going up Cherahala Skyway it seems to be a little down on power with two of us, but then again it goes up to 5k feet in altitude. I've got Traxxion AK-20 cartridges in the front and a Wilbers shock in the rear with remote preload adjustment. Stock suspension would absolutely suck with 500 lbs of weight on the bike. I'd say anything more than about 300 lbs and suspension will be good money spent.