Bought a 2008 (special import) Interceptor. These bikes are not available from Honda dealers here. It cost me app. $30,000 for the special import. :mad:
This is my 2nd VFR. The first I bought in 1995 and still with me. Think I'll never sell it. Nice red color and aluminum frame. Carbed engine without the V tech stuff, Works competently fine and sounds terrific above 7,000 rpm and is smooth as silk at low rpms.
The new VFR looks more technology advanced, handles better , yet very smooth, but looks like it's lost it's soul. Revvy it up and the Vtec sounds like a ratchet, not the real killer engine performance it had before.
And I can't understand the reason Honda insists on making this bike ugly like a BMW tourer. It looked much better in the past with the red or yellow colors and more apparent aluminum frame.
I'm sorry that you are not happy with your new bike. Give the new bike some time and maybe it will grow on you. The VTEC transition can be easily smoothed out with a power commander, new fuel map, and an aftermarket exhaust (Staintune is my favorite)
Is the $30,000 you mentioned the cost in your own currency or the US equivalent?
I think I'm going to the power comander option, specially because of alcohol contents in gasoline here. Altought this never was an issue with my older VFR. Larger jets solved any surging or lack of power problems.
The 30,000 is US dollars. Bike costed 10,500.00 in the US; the rest were taxes and shipping costs.
DUDE, 30K for a VFR? Hopefully it will grow on you. I felt my 04 was a little bland to start with also. First, the VTEC motor doesn't really loosen up until about 10K miles. Things I've done that really help the bike come alive:
1 - Drop the gearing. Either down one tooth in front or up two on the rear.
2 - Power Commander. It really helps fatten up the mid and upper RPM's.
3 -Add a good air filter and set of after market exhaust. These in conjunction with the power commander help make the bike breathe easier and rev quicker.
All of these modifications have been covered so a quick search on the forms will return all kinds of hits. Good luck with your new bike, at that price there should not be many others running around.
After 14 years with the same old VFR I wanted it new... They didn't change much;except for handling, braking and suspension; and in my case for lack of power.
Talking about a $30,000 US dollars bike in the US? Here it will cost US$ 90,000.00. The gov. has to live with some few taxes!!!!!!!!
[image: View Post]Carlos, on Apr 5 2009, 07:33 PM, said:
After 14 years with the same old VFR I wanted it new... They didn't change much;except for handling, braking and suspension; and in my case for lack of power.
Talking about a $30,000 US dollars bike in the US? Here it will cost US$ 90,000.00. The gov. has to live with some few taxes!!!!!!!!
[image: View Post]Carlos, on Apr 5 2009, 07:38 PM, said:
I think I'm going to the power comander option, specially because of alcohol contents in gasoline here. Altought this never was an issue with my older VFR. Larger jets solved any surging or lack of power problems.
The 30,000 is US dollars. Bike costed 10,500.00 in the US; the rest were taxes and shipping costs.
My goodness!!! You could have flown to Japan and bought it; ridden it around 500 miles and shipped it back and saved about at least 15K. What were you thinking?? No sense monday morning quarterbacking. Rollin has the best idea. A little adjustment and you'll have two bikes you love.
[image: View Post]VFR4Lee, on Apr 6 2009, 01:47 AM, said:
Wow, taxes and shipping are murder. Especially the taxes I guess. :blink:
Yes, Lee. My country has abnormal taxes for motorcycle or car imports; we got used to it with time, because it's has always been this way for the last 40 years. For example, a locally made Honda 125 single cylinder, costs US $ 3,500 and has no import taxes because it is manufactured here! But anywhere else it should not cost more than $ 1,500. different countries; different taxes!!It sucks, however. :blush:
[image: View Post]wrestler, on Apr 5 2009, 09:25 PM, said:
[image: View Post]Carlos, on Apr 5 2009, 07:38 PM, said:
I think I'm going to the power comander option, specially because of alcohol contents in gasoline here. Altought this never was an issue with my older VFR. Larger jets solved any surging or lack of power problems.
The 30,000 is US dollars. Bike costed 10,500.00 in the US; the rest were taxes and shipping costs.
My goodness!!! You could have flown to Japan and bought it; ridden it around 500 miles and shipped it back and saved about at least 15K. What were you thinking?? No sense monday morning quarterbacking. Rollin has the best idea. A little adjustment and you'll have two bikes you love.
wrestler.
What you said works in the U.S......It might not work that way in Carlos' Country......Diff rules diff countries.......Monk
[image: View Post]Monk, on Apr 5 2009, 10:30 PM, said:
[image: View Post]wrestler, on Apr 5 2009, 09:25 PM, said:
[image: View Post]Carlos, on Apr 5 2009, 07:38 PM, said:
I think I'm going to the power comander option, specially because of alcohol contents in gasoline here. Altought this never was an issue with my older VFR. Larger jets solved any surging or lack of power problems.
The 30,000 is US dollars. Bike costed 10,500.00 in the US; the rest were taxes and shipping costs.
My goodness!!! You could have flown to Japan and bought it; ridden it around 500 miles and shipped it back and saved about at least 15K. What were you thinking?? No sense monday morning quarterbacking. Rollin has the best idea. A little adjustment and you'll have two bikes you love.
wrestler.
What you said works in the U.S......It might not work that way in Carlos' Country......Diff rules diff countries.......Monk
Yep, Hungary used to (before 1992) have 30% or 50% import tax on motorcycles. And that just the import tax. Than you add an other 25% regular tax. So, a $10,000 bike quickly become $16,250 or $18,750 :ohmy:
Hey Carlos,
Talk about a dedicated VFR guy. The 6th gen kinda left me cold at first, as I have the 5th gen. However it's looks have grown on me and it's exhaust while not having the gear whine still has a classical soul stirring v4 throb second only to certain twins. It's a very capable bike but even my 5th gen is not as comfortable a fit and finish as your 4th gen. You can't tell me that 800cc doesn't run circles around the carbed 750cc. I think the looks will grow on you. Plus you can order integrated hard luggage for your bike. :cool:
Congratulations on your new bike! You can try my PC map, but it was made for American gas... But I noticed the stock PCIII map really smoothed out the throtle, so maybe you can try that before going with a custom one.
Carlos, I see that you're from the Sao Paulo area and I know that it is a large city...but by a slim chance do you know of Franz who rebuilds Kawasakis from parts he buys on ebay here in the US?? He buys the parts here, has them sent to me...then I store them for him until he needs something. Then my job is to get as much into a single shipment as possible to minimize duties and shipping fees!
I know of how much the government duties are over there, and I think 99% of us here in the US who complain about OUR taxes really have no idea!!
If you ever need help with parts to be shipped to you, let me know!
Gut the stock exhaust cans, paint it yellow or whatever you like, enjoy. What the heck, almost anything you spend on it at this point is going to have a tiny marginal cost :(.
For that kind of money, I would have flown here and rented one to make sure that I wanted it. But since you did not, just modify it to your liking. Remember, at the end of the day, it just a bike.
Not sure if this was mentioned, but doesn't Brazil add a good amount (More than most countries) of alcohol into their fuel supply?? Could this be the root cause of your VFR's "dssapointing" performance??
Maybe a whole different PC map would need to be written up to cope with the high alcohol content in your gas if that is the case
BTW, Glad you are still "faithful" to the 4th Gen too! :fing02:
Congrats on your new VFR! Sorry to hear you're not crazy about it yet. I would say ride it as is for a few weeks or couple months, then like others said above, throw some good mods on it to make the bike your own, then see how you feel about it. I hope that does the trick, as I think it's too nice and too expensive a machine to be disappointed with.
Thanks for showing the VFR love. Are there any comparably sized motorcycles assembled in Brazil to avoid the huge import fees and taxes. We import ice machines made in Georgia, USa to Brazil and it costs us dearly.
Among the accounts I handle for our company is Burger King. The yare growing in Brazil and we see first hand the difficulty of the burden that these taxes place on potential new business owners in your country.
I also think that Brazil uses E-85 and you should seek out a map for the power commander that addresses this.
Regarding the 800 cc VFR's running circles around a crbed 750....not so fast. Carlos has had the 750 jetted for the fuel that he has. It easy to imagine the stock fuel map givng the 800 fits on that gas.
Not to mention that the 750 wiithout linked brakes and other Honda add ons weighs less than either 800. All it really needed was better suspension.
Great bikes both Carlos. Let us know if the new map helps.
Congratulations on your new VFR!
Don't be upset with the money spent..
I was a little dissapointed with my VFR too, especially after Bandit1200, but now it's completely different :)
To all USA citizens: the price for the new VFR here (in Israel) from official Honda dealer is around 27000$.
I bought my 99 with 27K miles last summer for about 11000$. Have a nice day.
[image: View Post]Frozen, on Apr 6 2009, 09:53 PM, said:
Congratulations on your new VFR!
Don't be upset with the money spent..
I was a little dissapointed with my VFR too, especially after Bandit1200, but now it's completely different :)
To all USA citizens: the price for the new VFR here (in Israel) from official Honda dealer is around 27000$.
I bought my 99 with 27K miles last summer for about 11000$. Have a nice day.
Hmmm... Maybe I'll sell my 4th gen for a very reasonable $18.000 US dollars in Israel or Brazil! :idea3:
[image: View Post]cornercarver, on Apr 6 2009, 07:48 PM, said:
Carlos,
Thanks for showing the VFR love. Are there any comparably sized motorcycles assembled in Brazil to avoid the huge import fees and taxes. We import ice machines made in Georgia, USa to Brazil and it costs us dearly.
Among the accounts I handle for our company is Burger King. The yare growing in Brazil and we see first hand the difficulty of the burden that these taxes place on potential new business owners in your country.
I also think that Brazil uses E-85 and you should seek out a map for the power commander that addresses this.
Regarding the 800 cc VFR's running circles around a crbed 750....not so fast. Carlos has had the 750 jetted for the fuel that he has. It easy to imagine the stock fuel map givng the 800 fits on that gas.
Not to mention that the 750 wiithout linked brakes and other Honda add ons weighs less than either 800. All it really needed was better suspension.
Great bikes both Carlos. Let us know if the new map helps.
keith
Meet me at the nearest twisty mountain road with your VFR 800s and we'll see if I would be shown those "circles"! :angry: :rolleyes:
A friend and I did some 2nd gear drag races on a completly staraight road recently. I was surprised how hard I pulled away from hi.m I even let him jump first. I still ran him down and went by. It surprised me.
The new vfr isnt designed for E85 so I bet it has a loss of power.
Thanks all for the comments. I�m sure my problem is because of 25% alcohol in gas, even being a very high octane fuel. I�ll get the Power Commander. There�s a shop nearby, used doing this work and they were trainned by the PC manufacturer and also have a dyno. I just wanted to be sure my new bike is having a problem before doing the work.
After I solve the power problem, I think I�ll paint it red.. :biggrin:
Canib, I�ll ask the shop to try your PC map and let you know how it worked.
Patrick, I�m impressed you got that flag there; thanks for being so kind, I don�t know Franz, but I also have a couple of old Kawis. Let me know If I can help with anything too.
Keith, most of the large bikes of all makes are available here, but not VFRs; prices are skyhigh for any large bike; I always loved my 95 VFR since I bought it new (at the time it costed only $20,000 but taxes have grown). I believe I�ll be happy with the new one, after the power problem is healed.
[image: View Post]Carlos, on Apr 5 2009, 07:19 PM, said:
Bought a 2008 (special import) Interceptor. These bikes are not available from Honda dealers here. It cost me app. $30,000 for the special import. :mad:
This is my 2nd VFR. The first I bought in 1995 and still with me. Think I'll never sell it. Nice red color and aluminum frame. Carbed engine without the V tech stuff, Works competently fine and sounds terrific above 7,000 rpm and is smooth as silk at low rpms.
The new VFR looks more technology advanced, handles better , yet very smooth, but looks like it's lost it's soul. Revvy it up and the Vtec sounds like a ratchet, not the real killer engine performance it had before.
And I can't understand the reason Honda insists on making this bike ugly like a BMW tourer. It looked much better in the past with the red or yellow colors and more apparent aluminum frame.
Carlos,
Partner, those are two sharp VFRs. I was one of those that bought a VFR after owning mostly liter bikes. Other than my CB400, and RF900; I had never owned a bike with less than 1,000cc. Over the last several months I have taken a few pot shots at the 6th generation and its lack of performance. Now, over the last several weeks, I have been eating alot of crow. Take my hard headed lessons to heart and give your bike some time. You will grow to love it, I have. Take to some mods as advised and be glad you have a really rare bike in your country. Just to open some eyes, what would a Ducati 1098 cost in US dollars in your country? Give her time! JD
[image: View Post]Frozen, on Apr 6 2009, 11:53 PM, said:
To all USA citizens: the price for the new VFR here (in Israel) from official Honda dealer is around 27000$.
I bought my 99 with 27K miles last summer for about 11000$. Have a nice day.
:ohmy: I thought we had it bad here in Turkey, list price for a brand new viffer is around 15.000 USD with current exchange rates (I am sure you could get a good discount if you bargain hard). You can get a '99 for 5.900 USD (again list price, I am sure you can get a couple of hundred dollars discount if you haggle)...
You 'll get used to the V-TEC. PC,some cans,some sticky tires and run that thing above the transition point.
But for goodness sakes not another red VFR.
End of thread · 34 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 12 Apr 2010