Just traded in my 2008 Suzuki Bandit 1250 (loved it) for a 2010 VFR1200 DCT. On the ride home from St. Augustine to Jacksonville (approximately 35 miles) the bike got so hot it was almost unbearable. The temperature gauge remained at 3 bars (out of 4) and the fan cycled on and off most of the trip. The outside temperature was 86 degrees, per the dash gauge. The ride was at speeds between 45 and 65 MPH. It got so hot on the right side, especially along the subframe, just below the tank, that it literally almosted burned my calf. Is this normal? I never had any heating/cooling issues with my Bandit. For that matter, no issues at all. Also, the engine sounds really noisey and especially the transmission /clutch (especially in "D"). It only has 40 miles on it now and I realize I must give it time to break in, but I sure expected more from Honda's flagship. Help. any suggestions?
I dont have a dtc I have the standard version but mine never gets above 2 bars, however the fan comes on every time I stop, the gauge stays at 2 bars. I suspect somthing wrong with the thermostat, take it back to the dealer and have them evaluate it.
[image: View Post]anbark22, on 10 September 2010 - 10:55 PM, said:
Hello Fellow VFR1200 Owners,
Just traded in my 2008 Suzuki Bandit 1250 (loved it) for a 2010 VFR1200 DCT. On the ride home from St. Augustine to Jacksonville (approximately 35 miles) the bike got so hot it was almost unbearable. The temperature gauge remained at 3 bars (out of 4) and the fan cycled on and off most of the trip. The outside temperature was 86 degrees, per the dash gauge. The ride was at speeds between 45 and 65 MPH. It got so hot on the right side, especially along the subframe, just below the tank, that it literally almosted burned my calf. Is this normal? I never had any heating/cooling issues with my Bandit. For that matter, no issues at all. Also, the engine sounds really noisey and especially the transmission /clutch (especially in "D"). It only has 40 miles on it now and I realize I must give it time to break in, but I sure expected more from Honda's flagship. Help. any suggestions?
Thank you,
anbark22
Have a DCT VFR. Have put 6500 miles on it in two months. Have ridden it in 97 degree weather with full leathers on and yes it get's warm (more on the right side then left) but you have a V4 171hp combustable engine under you and that will produce some heat. Below 90 degrees I don't notice much heat unless I am sitting in traffic for a good bit. The fan will go on and off alot in slow traffic that is normal. Yes again it can get warm at times so did my st1300, previous vfr's etc. Can't comment on the engine noise mine has that lovely V4 sound and feel to it. Sport rider mag has a great article on the DCT VFR and you may want to read it. The tranny noise is normal so do yourself a favor and just ride the thing. If the tranny noise bugs you in D keep it in S. As you get more use to the bike you will be bouncing around from D S M anyway. As far as expecting more from honda's flagship it really may boil down to you got the wrong bike for yourself (been there myself). Myself I think the bike is positively brilliant and could not be happier with it. Just clocked another 1500 miles last weekend. If it still does not click with you may be time to cut your losses and move on.
[image: View Post]AvalonRacing, on 11 September 2010 - 08:18 AM, said:
Are you wearing shorts to ride? If so you are required to sell me your bike at half price.
To me.
I'll fly down to Florida and take it off your hands.
Heck, I'll even give you a very nicely setup 6th gen.
It doesn't get hot or make any untoward noises. If you keep rpm under 7K.
[image: View Post]anbark22, on 10 September 2010 - 10:55 PM, said:
Just traded in my 2008 Suzuki Bandit 1250 (loved it) for a 2010 VFR1200 DCT.
I can't compare the exact same two bikes but I've had a Bandit 1200S and a VTEC VFR. There was a significant amount of difference in terms of heat output/management between the open air-cooled vs full fairing water-cooled designs; even my current speed triple which is water-cooled but naked feels cooler. Full fairing bikes as a rule of thumb run hotter; there are of course exceptions, and owners of the 7gen who have owned previous generation vfr's say it runs cooler even though it has a bigger, more powerful (means more heat) motor.
I live in the same climate as you so one can understand why I would think to ask this question: are you wearing light pants or shorts or shoes instead of boots?
I now have 3400 miles on my DCT, with 2 trips over 1000 miles in a myriad of (traffic) conditions and have not experienced the over heating you describe. The fan does kick in more frequently than other bikes I have had, and the indicator when warmed is always just a 1/2 block over midline, but remains there in even 94+ plus weather. My leg certainly does NOT get toasty, although i admit when in the hottest conditions, I do feel heat, though certainly not oppressively so.
The change to the Akrapavic' slip-on approx. 1000 miles ago has not seemed to alter the heat characteristics very much, perhaps a smidge cooler. Regarding the clunking in D... at very low speeds with little throttle roll on, I do experience a "clunk", from 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 if I am creeping along, but it is no more than had I shifted with a clutch, probably less so. In these situations I find the S mode or manually shifting is better anyway.
I wouldn't dismiss EVERY DCT VFR over your issues, but certainly take yours in to see what is going on.
Over 42 years of riding now, with 10 bikes currently in my stable, and perhaps 25 bikes in my lifetime, I can proudly say that the VFR1200F D (DCT) is quickly becoming my favorite bike, especially as a sport-tourer. Every mile I travel, I get an even greater appreciation for what this bike IS, and Honda's engineering abilities, and less concerned about what it is NOT. I have the other bikes for that. As a Honda engineer stated in an interview, if I may paraphrase... "the VFR DCT is not THE future in motorcycling, it is A future." I still love to shift via hand/foot... I love the interaction say with my R1, or Turbo Hayabusa and Vmax... the nuances of control that affords
... but the DCT is a technology one acquires a taste for, and you find greater and greater competence and savvy in utilizing the paddle shifters and smoothly integrating the D, S and manual shift modes on the fly, with a speed simply unmatched, and a smoothness that no "conventional" clutch can manage regardless of the rider's abilities.
It is almost however a new mindset when you ride and use the DCT, an evolution of sorts, that the rider needs to embrace and be open minded with. IF the rider can approach the DCT with an open mind, it will (surprise) make you smile, as you the rider get better and more "DCTified".
Do yourself a favour and do not feed into the anti 7th gen VFR fodder that abounds by many, the vast majority of which have 0 or relatively very few "test" miles on the bike.
... take your VFR into your dealer, be serious with them in finding out the issue, and if need be, speak to upper levels at Honda over your issues. I believe this bike is a big deal to Honda, and certainly is A future direction for products down the road. As such it is important. Keep an open mind, get your issue resolved, and learn the bike. It WILL reward you.
Best regards and good luck.
[image: Posted Image]
... and yes it's OEM white and has an OEM top case and is the ONLY one in NA. :-)
The St. Augustine dealer sent a driver to Jacksonville and trailered my bike back to their shop. Several hours later, a service writer called to tell me that my bike was ready. I inquired about their findings and was informed that at least 5 technicians checked and rode the bike and found that the high temperatures are normal. I asked how many bars were displayed and also what coolant temperature they observed or measured. He could not respond. I then asked him to go back into the service area and hold his hand on the frame for 2 seconds, just below the tank where my knees are positioned while riding. He refused, stating that all sport bikes get really hot in that area. I also asked if he thought it normal to ride at cruising speeds with 3 to 4 bars (out of 4) with the fan running most of the time. I asked what was the purpose of Honda engineers developing the layered fairing concept to deflect hot air away from the rider and direct cool, incoming air toward the engine? I explained to him that this "normal" explanation was not satisfactory and I requested the service manager and owner of the dealership to call me. I also requested that an appointment be made to meet with the official Honda representative for my area. I really want to try and keep the bike but the current riding conditions are unbearable and unacceptable.
Maybe my Bandit just spoiled me.
And yes, I always, always ride with a full face helmet, armored mesh jacket, full leather (perforated) gloves, long jeans and boots, regardless of the hot Florida temperatures. Safety first!!
P.S. There are no shacks in Ponte Vedra, only billion dollar mansions. Ha Ha!!
I hope the dealership will find and fix what causing the unpleasant riding conditions. It sounds from the other posts that your bikes's condition is not normal.
[image: View Post]anbark22, on 11 September 2010 - 08:01 PM, said:
Thanks for all the input.
The St. Augustine dealer sent a driver to Jacksonville and trailered my bike back to their shop. Several hours later, a service writer called to tell me that my bike was ready. I inquired about their findings and was informed that at least 5 technicians checked and rode the bike and found that the high temperatures are normal. I asked how many bars were displayed and also what coolant temperature they observed or measured. He could not respond. I then asked him to go back into the service area and hold his hand on the frame for 2 seconds, just below the tank where my knees are positioned while riding. He refused, stating that all sport bikes get really hot in that area. I also asked if he thought it normal to ride at cruising speeds with 3 to 4 bars (out of 4) with the fan running most of the time. I asked what was the purpose of Honda engineers developing the layered fairing concept to deflect hot air away from the rider and direct cool, incoming air toward the engine? I explained to him that this "normal" explanation was not satisfactory and I requested the service manager and owner of the dealership to call me. I also requested that an appointment be made to meet with the official Honda representative for my area. I really want to try and keep the bike but the current riding conditions are unbearable and unacceptable.
Maybe my Bandit just spoiled me.
And yes, I always, always ride with a full face helmet, armored mesh jacket, full leather (perforated) gloves, long jeans and boots, regardless of the hot Florida temperatures. Safety first!!
P.S. There are no shacks in Ponte Vedra, only billion dollar mansions. Ha Ha!!
It is a transverse V4... that means there is a cylinder head under the tank and a pair of headers that run down next to your right leg. The heat that you're experiencing is from the headers, not the engine coolant.
My right leg gets hot at lower speeds, but nowhere near "unbearable".
Maybe wrapping the rear headers would reduce the heat a bit? Otherwise, sounds to me like someone is gonna get a great deal on a barely used VFR1200DCT.
My RC 51 is way hotter than the VFR 1200. In town it is almost unbearable when it is over 95deg outside which is every day in the summer in Texas. My fan comes on a lot on the VFR if Im riding in traffic and not moving much. My right foot gets hot when it is over 100 deg outside but the pipes go right by it.
Ive really had no cooling issues and the bike is really nice to ride at speed because it vents the heat away from you.
Hope you find and get the problem fixed. It really is an exceptional bike for sport touring!
Maybe wrapping the rear headers would reduce the heat a bit? Otherwise, sounds to me like someone is gonna get a great deal on a barely used VFR1200DCT.
That's an idea too... I wrapped the headers and jet-coated my modded '94 Vmax and recently modded M109R... made a huge difference.
Personally I just can't understand the "degree" of the issue he is having. sigh.
To be honest I dont think 40 miles of riding in Florida is an honest evaluation of a motorcycle, I have ridden a Bandit 1250 myself for that long in the twisty mountains of Colorado - good bike great value - its only advantage over my old vfr was the hp and torque - the old girl handled better, was more comfortable even with its sportier seat positon, and well my veefalo shes got the Bandit beat on torque and hp too! Get it into some good tasty turns and then evaluate it!
I don't know from first hand experience, but I have been told that wrapping stainless headers can cause them to crack from heat stress.
[image: View Post]phobe, on 11 September 2010 - 08:51 PM, said:
[image: View Post]anbark22, on 11 September 2010 - 08:01 PM, said:
Thanks for all the input.
The St. Augustine dealer sent a driver to Jacksonville and trailered my bike back to their shop. Several hours later, a service writer called to tell me that my bike was ready. I inquired about their findings and was informed that at least 5 technicians checked and rode the bike and found that the high temperatures are normal. I asked how many bars were displayed and also what coolant temperature they observed or measured. He could not respond. I then asked him to go back into the service area and hold his hand on the frame for 2 seconds, just below the tank where my knees are positioned while riding. He refused, stating that all sport bikes get really hot in that area. I also asked if he thought it normal to ride at cruising speeds with 3 to 4 bars (out of 4) with the fan running most of the time. I asked what was the purpose of Honda engineers developing the layered fairing concept to deflect hot air away from the rider and direct cool, incoming air toward the engine? I explained to him that this "normal" explanation was not satisfactory and I requested the service manager and owner of the dealership to call me. I also requested that an appointment be made to meet with the official Honda representative for my area. I really want to try and keep the bike but the current riding conditions are unbearable and unacceptable.
Maybe my Bandit just spoiled me.
And yes, I always, always ride with a full face helmet, armored mesh jacket, full leather (perforated) gloves, long jeans and boots, regardless of the hot Florida temperatures. Safety first!!
P.S. There are no shacks in Ponte Vedra, only billion dollar mansions. Ha Ha!!
It is a transverse V4... that means there is a cylinder head under the tank and a pair of headers that run down next to your right leg. The heat that you're experiencing is from the headers, not the engine coolant.
My right leg gets hot at lower speeds, but nowhere near "unbearable".
Maybe wrapping the rear headers would reduce the heat a bit? Otherwise, sounds to me like someone is gonna get a great deal on a barely used VFR1200DCT.
[image: View Post]zillamoto, on 11 September 2010 - 11:44 AM, said:
I now have 3400 miles on my DCT, with 2 trips over 1000 miles in a myriad of (traffic) conditions and have not experienced the over heating you describe. The fan does kick in more frequently than other bikes I have had, and the indicator when warmed is always just a 1/2 block over midline, but remains there in even 94+ plus weather. My leg certainly does NOT get toasty, although i admit when in the hottest conditions, I do feel heat, though certainly not oppressively so.
The change to the Akrapavic' slip-on approx. 1000 miles ago has not seemed to alter the heat characteristics very much, perhaps a smidge cooler. Regarding the clunking in D... at very low speeds with little throttle roll on, I do experience a "clunk", from 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 if I am creeping along, but it is no more than had I shifted with a clutch, probably less so. In these situations I find the S mode or manually shifting is better anyway.
I wouldn't dismiss EVERY DCT VFR over your issues, but certainly take yours in to see what is going on.
Over 42 years of riding now, with 10 bikes currently in my stable, and perhaps 25 bikes in my lifetime, I can proudly say that the VFR1200F D (DCT) is quickly becoming my favorite bike, especially as a sport-tourer. Every mile I travel, I get an even greater appreciation for what this bike IS, and Honda's engineering abilities, and less concerned about what it is NOT. I have the other bikes for that. As a Honda engineer stated in an interview, if I may paraphrase... "the VFR DCT is not THE future in motorcycling, it is A future." I still love to shift via hand/foot... I love the interaction say with my R1, or Turbo Hayabusa and Vmax... the nuances of control that affords
... but the DCT is a technology one acquires a taste for, and you find greater and greater competence and savvy in utilizing the paddle shifters and smoothly integrating the D, S and manual shift modes on the fly, with a speed simply unmatched, and a smoothness that no "conventional" clutch can manage regardless of the rider's abilities.
It is almost however a new mindset when you ride and use the DCT, an evolution of sorts, that the rider needs to embrace and be open minded with. IF the rider can approach the DCT with an open mind, it will (surprise) make you smile, as you the rider get better and more "DCTified".
Do yourself a favour and do not feed into the anti 7th gen VFR fodder that abounds by many, the vast majority of which have 0 or relatively very few "test" miles on the bike.
... take your VFR into your dealer, be serious with them in finding out the issue, and if need be, speak to upper levels at Honda over your issues. I believe this bike is a big deal to Honda, and certainly is A future direction for products down the road. As such it is important. Keep an open mind, get your issue resolved, and learn the bike. It WILL reward you.
Best regards and good luck.
[image: Posted Image]
... and yes it's OEM white and has an OEM top case and is the ONLY one in NA. :-)
jeeze that riding position looks cramped :mellow: :excl:
I have a VFR 1200 DCT too (and a Vtec before, during 6 years and 36 000 km),.
And I noticed the same phenomenon the first day when I brought back it of the dealer (30 km, only 25�C, but traffic jam --> my first day with this bike, and with the luggages so I was blocked in the traffic jam): my right foot becomes very hot, follow-up of the left foot at mid-course.
So much so that I believed that my foots were on fire! Really! :(
And so much so that I left my boots directly after I arrived at work.
And I didn't noticed this when I tried this bike before to buy it (same air temperature, 150 km, but without traffic jam).
I am the first customer of the DCT version of my dealer, so he haven't feedback when I talked him about this problem.
I see him this next saturday for the 1 000 km maintenance and I will talk to him about it.
[image: View Post]VFRwhisp, on 12 September 2010 - 10:08 AM, said:
[image: View Post]zillamoto, on 11 September 2010 - 11:44 AM, said:
jeeze that riding position looks cramped :mellow: :excl:
I think he looks cramped because it appears that his feet are on the passenger pegs.
That's not it... I can see his passenger peg behind his foot....... I was sitting on one Sat. at the dealer($14500 forgot to find out which model 1200 it was)and it seemed more crunched than my 800....
[image: View Post]phobe, on 12 September 2010 - 09:41 AM, said:
[image: View Post]zillamoto, on 11 September 2010 - 11:44 AM, said:
... and yes it's OEM white and has an OEM top case and is the ONLY one in NA. :-)
Did you special order the fairings in or paint them yourself?
Ordered the OEM Pearl White fairings (5 pieces), front fender, side panniers, and top case, along with the necessary top case mount, from UK. I know my dealer very well after a number of years (and purchases) so we stuck a deal on them procuring them at minimal profit and installing for free. I wanted the bike but it HAD to be in white. Yes I have the original red bodywork all packed away.
jeeze that riding position looks cramped :mellow: :excl:
[/quote]
Huh? Not at all!!!
That pic is a frame from a video, the camera mounted on my son's SV650, and I was doing about 95 mph when I passed him there. I was slightly tucked, toes on the driver's pegs, and shifted rearward but not on passenger pegs... I was very comfortable, relaxed... and the bike was stable as a rock. I have full body armor under the jeans, and a full length back protector, so perhaps that lends to the illusion of being cramped, but I tend to ride in a semi-tuck position in those circumstance naturally. Behind me is a PACKED soft topcase full set of emergency tools both metric and standard, raingear, rain boots and tent/accessories...which I positioned as a backrest.
There is a ton of room on the riders seat, I tend to ride forward near the tank, particularly on this VFR as being more rearward puts more stress on my wrists as I seem to slide forward. When my wife rides pillion there is a good 6 inches between us when we are cruising, so it is NOT cramped in the slightest. BTW for scale, I am about 6 ft, lean 180lbs withOUT gear.
The seat is the lower optional seat at about an inch lower and a half inch narrower. I prefer it to the stock one for now as it takes the aforementioned stress of my wrist, really is easier for me to get the legs down, and luckily seems only just slightly harder at first than the stock. I give it a 7 out of 10, the original a 6. The surface on both is a bit slippery for my tastes and after 160 miles it is getting uncomfortable. I plan to take the original seat apart and take a look at the new seat/foam process that honda touts, and see if i might gut it down and open an area for a gel insert from below. I'm not a big Corbin fan, and there isn't to my knowledge another alternative.
So once the seat issue is resolved, I can most assuredly tell you I'll be a happy camper with the butt end, but can definitely state the bike is NOT cramped. It's funny, so many people talk about how HUGE the bike is, and how heavy and I don't get it... it's not, looks tiny next to a Connie 14!, and the weight even with DCT disappears at speed, and the bike is VERY manageable at parking lot speeds ... and here you are saying how cramped it looks, and it's not that either. I'm not criticizing your comment, just pointing out that the bike is graded with pre-conceived bias many times. I would say it is an ideal size for the bike it IS.. lol.. depending on which side of the argument of exactly WHAT it is you side with. On this particular trip, the bike was loaded to the gills, and never missed a step, was comfortable for the most part, stable... flawless, and an awesome performer. Period.
Helibars and a new seat will put the bike as a 9.5 without question, I'd give it a 8.5 overall now, and I am a hard grader! If it had a larger tank, and cruise control it'd be a 10, but honestly even the tank was not a problem... I averaged 160 miles between fill ups, about 41-42 mpg, and had anywhere between 1-1.4 gallons still in tank when i filled (the blinky blinky)... so the range is conservatively 175-215 depending on style of riding and gear mode... which is more than the butt can take lol. Yeah, yeah, it's not 200+ miles like some other bikes "in the class"... but in my mind, the VFR12FD (aka DCT) is in a field of one. To me the DCT is worth the price of admission and a sacrifice here or there.
Yes, apologies for the long winded response to the original question but... if I may, the DCT really rocks... and unless you PERSONALLY put on miles with this bike, you have NO idea how good it is, and how it makes a trip of length so much safer and more enjoyable. You're suddenly aware your brain is not involuntarily occupied with certain mechanics, and it gives you time to really concentrate on and enjoy more fully other aspects of SPORT touring (note emphasis).
[image: View Post]zillamoto, on 12 September 2010 - 11:22 AM, said:
[image: View Post]phobe, on 12 September 2010 - 09:41 AM, said:
[image: View Post]zillamoto, on 11 September 2010 - 11:44 AM, said:
... and yes it's OEM white and has an OEM top case and is the ONLY one in NA. :-)
Did you special order the fairings in or paint them yourself?
Ordered the OEM Pearl White fairings (5 pieces), front fender, side panniers, and top case, along with the necessary top case mount, from UK. I know my dealer very well after a number of years (and purchases) so we stuck a deal on them procuring them at minimal profit and installing for free. I wanted the bike but it HAD to be in white. Yes I have the original red bodywork all packed away.
If I ever crash mine it'll be reborn as a white one.
I remember hearing this from 6th generation riders, too. I've had mine for 45,000 miles (70,000+ kilometres) and really don't notice anything abnormal about heat generation.
I can't imagine that the newly designed bike would be much different. Really, 40 miles is barely enough to get the engine really hot, even on a 100 degree day.
There were two new VFRs at the summer meet in Portland and really warm weather - no issues to report there either.
The only issue I can see with your bike is a faulty thermostat that may not be opening properly or maybe you're hypersensitive to the heat coming from the exhaust.
Good luck. Let us know how things work out.
[image: View Post]UltraMagnus, on 12 September 2010 - 06:45 PM, said:
Mines usually @ 3 bars above 80f, and 2 bars below 80f
I almost never feel heat rising up from mine and never got clsoe to touching a hot part.
Mine isnt DCT btw...
I get the same temps with DCT, never higher than 3 bars, even at near 100F ambient. Actually had posted question about usual operating temps after first ride or two, as no frame of reference. All of my prior bikes had numeric temp readouts.
Hot frame adjacent to the engine is normal, present on every bike that I have owned. The plastic cover just below the tank stays cool. Don't know much about the Bandit, but it may have a tubular steel frame, rather than aluminum as with most sportbikes other than Ducati. The fan does kick in while riding in stop and go traffic in town at high ambient temps.
Noise level doesn't seem excessive, even when the EPA valve opens. I wear earplugs, but for HF wind noise, not engine noise, and barely hear the engine in the background. Have taken a few short rides without earplugs, and don't think the engine noise is a problem. All bikes have to pass the EPA tests.
The clunking noise 1-2 and 2-3 in D is more audible than felt.
I don't have as many miles on the bike as other posters due to time constraints, and finally got to 600 miles to take it in and have the hugger and tank bag installed.
I remember a few threads talking about how heavier wieght oil (50w vs 40w) made the bike run hotter.
I don't know if the new bikes are delivered with oil or not but if
the delearship is filling, are they maybe putting in a multi 50w due to being in a hotter climate?
Most bike manuals overlap the 5w40 and 10w50 up to around 100def F.
Maybe have the delearship switch to a synthetic 5w40?
I have an unrelated question about my 5th gen. First of all it gets hot quick in hot slow traffic as expected. The fan cycles on at 200f which seems right. The strange design thing to me is that the fan pulls air in through the fairing opposite from the normal flow of cooling air. So if still above 200f when I get going at speed, the fan is still blowing making that heat exchanger inaffective. I notice once it cools below fan trip point it really cools down to ~ 180f fast. I looked at the pitch of the fan blades and it seems to be designed that way so doesn't that seem goofy?
I would think it would blow in the direction of normal riding airflow to aid in marginal cooling conditions. The only thing I can think of is it would be blowing hot air out the fairing towards my left leg when in traffic if the other way. Any thoughts?
I do remember people changing out the fans on their 5th gens, not really sure if that worked. 7th gen have front mounted radiators and not side radiators as the 5th and 6th gen did....so there's no radiator airflow fan direction issue with the new bike. I put it all to bigger engine = more heat as Honda seemed to have already put a lot of attention to fairing airflow design on the new bike, but you can only do so much. Too much heat hitting the rider is nothing new with VFRs. The 3rd gen was well known to toast a few right ankles because of too much heat coming from the pipes behind the right rearset. The worked on this when they designed the 4th gen with all sorts of airflow flaps and bafflesunder the fairing and there was a big improvement, but I still sometimes feel a lot of heat through my right boot on hot summer days in traffic.
I do remember people changing out the fans on their 5th gens, not really sure if that worked. 7
And guess what the "hot mod" (pun intended) for the VTR crowd is? Yup, getting a VFR fan that pulls in. Their thinking is why push hot air from the engine bay into the radiator when you can pull cool air in from the outside across the rad. :lobby:
I'm thinking.... Does it make that much difference what the fan's doing while going down the road...... It only seems to come on when I'm sitting at lights....
Another thing is which way "IS" the air flowing though the side radiator(with the fan off and bike rolling).... You'd think it's coming though the front and out the side but like aircraft wings the design might make the air get sucked into the side..... Maybe i'll get a piece of tissue paper and put it on the out side of the radiator and see if the air will hold it on............ Yo , Something to do...
When I bought my new 6th gen it did this as well. The temps got up to 265 at one point, the culprit was an air bubble in the cooling system. Waters boiling temperature increases as the pressure increases and an air bubble prevents the proper system pressure from being attained.
The solution is to pull the fairing take of the pressure cap and let the bike run on the center stand through a few cycles to "burp" the system.
[image: View Post]cbr_rdr, on 14 September 2010 - 07:13 AM, said:
[image: View Post]UltraMagnus, on 12 September 2010 - 06:45 PM, said:
Mines usually @ 3 bars above 80f, and 2 bars below 80f
I almost never feel heat rising up from mine and never got clsoe to touching a hot part.
Mine isnt DCT btw...
I get the same temps with DCT, never higher than 3 bars, even at near 100F ambient. Actually had posted question about usual operating temps after first ride or two, as no frame of reference. All of my prior bikes had numeric temp readouts.
Hot frame adjacent to the engine is normal, present on every bike that I have owned. The plastic cover just below the tank stays cool. Don't know much about the Bandit, but it may have a tubular steel frame, rather than aluminum as with most sportbikes other than Ducati. The fan does kick in while riding in stop and go traffic in town at high ambient temps.
Noise level doesn't seem excessive, even when the EPA valve opens. I wear earplugs, but for HF wind noise, not engine noise, and barely hear the engine in the background. Have taken a few short rides without earplugs, and don't think the engine noise is a problem. All bikes have to pass the EPA tests.
The clunking noise 1-2 and 2-3 in D is more audible than felt.
I don't have as many miles on the bike as other posters due to time constraints, and finally got to 600 miles to take it in and have the hugger and tank bag installed.
[image: View Post]cbr_rdr, on 14 September 2010 - 07:13 AM, said:
[image: View Post]UltraMagnus, on 12 September 2010 - 06:45 PM, said:
Mines usually @ 3 bars above 80f, and 2 bars below 80f
I almost never feel heat rising up from mine and never got clsoe to touching a hot part.
Mine isnt DCT btw...
I get the same temps with DCT, never higher than 3 bars, even at near 100F ambient. Actually had posted question about usual operating temps after first ride or two, as no frame of reference. All of my prior bikes had numeric temp readouts.
Hot frame adjacent to the engine is normal, present on every bike that I have owned. The plastic cover just below the tank stays cool. Don't know much about the Bandit, but it may have a tubular steel frame, rather than aluminum as with most sportbikes other than Ducati. The fan does kick in while riding in stop and go traffic in town at high ambient temps.
Noise level doesn't seem excessive, even when the EPA valve opens. I wear earplugs, but for HF wind noise, not engine noise, and barely hear the engine in the background. Have taken a few short rides without earplugs, and don't think the engine noise is a problem. All bikes have to pass the EPA tests.
The clunking noise 1-2 and 2-3 in D is more audible than felt.
I don't have as many miles on the bike as other posters due to time constraints, and finally got to 600 miles to take it in and have the hugger and tank bag installed.
Hello cbr_rdr,
Thank you. You hit the nail on the head. You just perfectly described (exactly) my riding conditions and addressed my concerns. I spoke today with both the Honda representative in California and the local service manager. The both tried to assure me that not only 3 bars, but 4 bars are in an acceptable range, and that the aluminum frame will get a bit hot, especially on the right side due to the engine and headers / pipes on that side. Maybe I'll just ride the bike for a few thousand miles and try to enjoy it and see what happens. Also, you were correct; the Bandit has a tubular frame and always remained cool, calm and collected.
Thanks to everyone for your support, comments and encourage. This is a great forum and I look forward to many years of informative exchanges.
It was over 100 degrees on my commute in this morning in heavy traffic. I was riding 40 - 55 mph most of the time but also had some stoplights. The cooling fan was on most of the time, but the temp gauge never got above 3 bars and more importantly, the bike never got uncomfortably hot. I was expecting I might get scorched based on this riders experience, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was okay. I road my 2008 Kawasaki C14 last Friday in high 80 temps and that bike was more uncomfortable on an engine-frame, my-legs-are-cooking basis. I still have a big gripe about the throttle control on this bike, but I can't gripe about heat...
[image: View Post]anbark22, on 10 September 2010 - 10:55 PM, said:
Hello Fellow VFR1200 Owners,
Just traded in my 2008 Suzuki Bandit 1250 (loved it) for a 2010 VFR1200 DCT. On the ride home from St. Augustine to Jacksonville (approximately 35 miles) the bike got so hot it was almost unbearable. The temperature gauge remained at 3 bars (out of 4) and the fan cycled on and off most of the trip. The outside temperature was 86 degrees, per the dash gauge. The ride was at speeds between 45 and 65 MPH. It got so hot on the right side, especially along the subframe, just below the tank, that it literally almosted burned my calf. Is this normal? I never had any heating/cooling issues with my Bandit. For that matter, no issues at all. Also, the engine sounds really noisey and especially the transmission /clutch (especially in "D"). It only has 40 miles on it now and I realize I must give it time to break in, but I sure expected more from Honda's flagship. Help. any suggestions?
My Heat issues seem to be subsiding, now that I have almost 400 miles on my DCT. It basically runs at 2 bars most of the time and the fan does not cycle on nearly as often. Also, the engine noises appear to be quieting. As someone suggested, maybe a break-in period might help. Additionally, someone else here suggested it's possible that I may have had a lazy or stuck thermostat. Also, the right side is not as hot now.
I'm really beginning to love this bike, now that things appear to be settling down ( as opposed to my initial dissatisfaction). I really like manually shifting gears, (even my primary car is a stick), but this DCT is just awesome. It can make you lazy in one aspect and exciting and engaging in another. I finally cranked it up a little past 6,500 RPM, now i have over 300 miles break-in, and it's a rocket ship. it shifts so fast, i know I couldn't match it with a manual transmission and clutch. It handles well, feels comfortable and has good quality components. I now feel I made the right choice in my purchase.
I have one final concern for now. As i approach my 600 mile maintenance service, none of the local dealerships have serviced one yet and I just don't know how well trained the techs are on the new VFR1200. Can they remove the fairings without damaging or breaking the retaining clips (to check all the bolts, etc)? Can they service the special DCT filter? How can they quote a price for the service without having completed one yet? Just to support my concerns, my good friend recently purchased a new Yamaha FZ6. It idled at 1500 RPM
as opposed to the recommended 1200 RPM. He returned it to the dealership for correction, and after about 2 hours, the service manager informed him that the idle speed was automatically set by the ECM and could not be changed. He returned home, went to the FZ6 forum, and the members told him exactly the location of the idle screw. it took him 15 seconds to set it correctly. This same friend also purchased a new 2010 FJR1300. After completion of the 600 mile service by the dealership, he asked the tech if the differential oil had been changed. The tech quickly informed him that it was not required. so my friend pulled out the owner's manual and showed him that requirement. Needless to say, they had to pull his bike back into the service bay to change the oil. To make a long story short, I'm just cautious and particular when it comes to my bikes. I'm sure there are some good, knowledgeable and honest service shops out there, but I just want to be certain I get what I pay for and minimize return visits for extraneous problems or issues.
Thanks for all for your support and encouragement,
40 miles is barely enough to get the engine really hot, even on a 100 degree day.
There were two new VFRs at the summer meet in Portland and really warm weather )))
That guy is in south Florida, Portland is hardly a comparison in Day time heat , Down here is south Texas I can have you at 220 degree within 2 mile on a hot day,
I think the issue is , no matter what bike you go to nowadays its going to run hotter than the vfr 6th gen with a full faired setup , which i find heat okay on the 6th gen , but any hotter would be an issue.
But Ive heard bikes like FJR's, ST1300's, Concuors, are far hotter than a 6th gen and evidently the 1200 is too. It does have alot more output on power so stand to reason I guess its going to be hot.
[quote name='anbark22' timestamp='1286161019' post='737940']
Well, I got my 600 mile service on Friday. It was basically a glorified oil change and took about an hour. On Saturday, after riding to Daytona, my buddy and I swung back through St. Augustine and stopped by the dealership. We started conversing about oil changes and decided to check ours. Low and behold, my oil sight glass was completely full to the top, well above the maximum oil level. I asked the service writer to check it out, and he agreed it was at the top but informed me that it was OK; because all bikes eventually consume a little oil and that it would be OK (I�ve never had a bike to consume oil between oil changes in the past six years I�ve been riding, and this is my sixth bike). We told him that we were not exactly satisfied with that answer and he proceeded to pull out the service manual and show us the illustration, which fortunately showed the maximum oil level should be at the top line and not completely filling the sight glass.
After debating with him for about 20 minutes, he assured us that the only time to be concerned is when the oil starts to foam, indicating that the crankshaft is churning through too much oil. He also informed us that the technician put in exactly the amount of oil specified in the shop manual. My buddy rebutted and told him that unless all oil was completed drained, then that was fine, however if any remained, even a couple of ounces, then it might lead to overfilling.
To quote page 65 of the owner�s manual; �Do not overfill above the upper level mark�.
To quote page 66 of the owner�s manual; �NOTICE �
Overfilling with oil or operating with insufficient oil can cause damage to your engine�.�
Talk about customer service�since I was a paying customer that was concerned about the work performed, especially if the owner�s and shop manuals agreed with me, then the service writer (department) would have just pulled the bike in and removed enough oil to bring it within specs. Just that simple. We spent more time debating than would have taken to just remedy the issue. Needless to say, I will not return. Also, I expressed my apprehensions in my earlier posts about good service from dealerships. I don�t think I�m being unreasonable to expect my bike to be within specs.
I may contact Honda Corporate tomorrow to see if they will give me a waiver or something in writing indicating that my bike will be ok and that it will at least last until I pay for it. In the meantime, I�ll just drain a little oil out myself. I hope I can reuse the same crush washer, since I�ll just loosen the drain plug just enough to drain the necessary amount. Not looking to do another full oil change.
[image: View Post]anbark22, on 10 October 2010 - 09:32 PM, said:
I hope I can reuse the same crush washer, since I'll just loosen the drain plug just enough to drain the necessary amount. Not looking to do another full oil change.
FWIW, I've always just reused the old crush washers. Never had a problem with it. I've also overfilled my 6th gen with oil well above the sightline, and they are right in that too much oil doesn't hurt unless the crankshaft is spinning in it, at which point it will foam and no longer lubricate.
Personally, I wouldn't worry about this sort of thing, and would just go out and ride! BUT, I don't have a brand new VFR1200--which I suppose might change my perspective.
[image: View Post]anbark22, on 10 October 2010 - 09:32 PM, said:
Well, I got my 600 mile service on Friday. It was basically a glorified oil change and took about an hour. On Saturday, after riding to Daytona, my buddy and I swung back through St. Augustine and stopped by the dealership. We started conversing about oil changes and decided to check ours. Low and behold, my oil sight glass was completely full to the top, well above the maximum oil level. I asked the service writer to check it out, and he agreed it was at the top but informed me that it was OK; because all bikes eventually consume a little oil and that it would be OK (I�ve never had a bike to consume oil between oil changes in the past six years I�ve been riding, and this is my sixth bike). We told him that we were not exactly satisfied with that answer and he proceeded to pull out the service manual and show us the illustration, which fortunately showed the maximum oil level should be at the top line and not completely filling the sight glass.
After debating with him for about 20 minutes, he assured us that the only time to be concerned is when the oil starts to foam, indicating that the crankshaft is churning through too much oil. He also informed us that the technician put in exactly the amount of oil specified in the shop manual. My buddy rebutted and told him that unless all oil was completed drained, then that was fine, however if any remained, even a couple of ounces, then it might lead to overfilling.
To quote page 65 of the owner�s manual; �Do not overfill above the upper level mark�.
To quote page 66 of the owner�s manual; �NOTICE �
Overfilling with oil or operating with insufficient oil can cause damage to your engine�.�
Talk about customer service�since I was a paying customer that was concerned about the work performed, especially if the owner�s and shop manuals agreed with me, then the service writer (department) would have just pulled the bike in and removed enough oil to bring it within specs. Just that simple. We spent more time debating than would have taken to just remedy the issue. Needless to say, I will not return. Also, I expressed my apprehensions in my earlier posts about good service from dealerships. I don�t think I�m being unreasonable to expect my bike to be within specs.
I may contact Honda Corporate tomorrow to see if they will give me a waiver or something in writing indicating that my bike will be ok and that it will at least last until I pay for it. In the meantime, I�ll just drain a little oil out myself. I hope I can reuse the same crush washer, since I�ll just loosen the drain plug just enough to drain the necessary amount. Not looking to do another full oil change.
You should change your own oil. No one will be as careful as you when servicing your bike. A lot of the technicians working at dealers aren't that experienced, and it seems like the dealers rarely take responsibility for their mistakes.
Plus, oil changes on 7th gens are supposed to be pretty straight forward.
I found that it takes a long time for the oil in my 7th gen to settle down to the oil pan, when it shows higher than what it did when I changed the oil. I suspect the heat exhanger on the front of the bike to be the cause of this, no air cooled oil anymore, it now has a heat exchanger on the front of the bike that runs cooled antifreeze into a cylinder exhanging heat from the oil to cool it, I suspect this is some sort of honeycomb that fills with oil inside and takes a bit to drain and settle into the pan, so what looked like a good level might actually be overfilled after it has drained from the HX!
It will be a nasty buisness but you can take off the under fairing, then put a pan under there, unscrew the plug and let out a bit of oil to get it to the correct level, refill if its too low. Messy messy buinsness but piece of mind.
5th gens and 6th gen comments in this thread dont contribute much to the disscussion about the 7th gen issues, total redesign on the 7th gen. NO SIDE RADIATORS just one big huge front mounted one, the fan comes on more but the temp stays cooler, lower threshold for the fan now. Oil heat exhanger seems to play into this since the coolant is always moving with the water pump and the fan cools that and the HX secondary with the same radiator. So talking about a 5th gen air cooled oil radiator has no bearing on this thread. It is a significantly different design. Oil plug faces front and not down like older vfrs, the plug does still have a crush washer but its aluminum not copper. The fairing has a ram air duct that forces air past your legs and minimizes heat from the engine on your legs, so its not a C14! 40 miles is plenty to get a 7th gen hot, I own one and I can tell you its up to temp in less then 5 miles! The bike is designed for 10w 30 - it says poor oil circulation could result if the wrong oil is used. Use thick sinthecits at your own risk, its also built for Premium gas not regular like the older vfrs - which ticks me off to no end! I liked that about the old girl! The veefalo shes a different sort of bike altogether! Still learning new stuff!
End of thread · 49 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 9 Feb 2011
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