New Guy comments

I got my 2000 VFR just a few days ago.  After some much needed maintainence, I've been wringing it out on some test rides around my area, the Columbia River Gorge, just on the east slope of the Cascades range in south central Washington.   I am starting to get a feel for this bike and to find the suspension settings I like.   Pretty darn different from my Honda Hawk, pictured below, along side the VFR for comparison.   A little rap on how the two differ, besides in mass.  
The Hawk turns in very quickly...after some time on the VFR, it feels almost too quick now.   The Hawk seems  to get through the gears quicker....shorter RPM range by 5500 revs, that could have something to do with it (grin)  The big guy, it has more over all speed, by a whole lot!  The Hawk starts to feel tightly wound at speed, being a twin you can feel it buzz for sure.  The Hawk's single front disc takes more lever effort and the rear brake on the Hawk has always been kind of laughable.  The VFR still has the linked brakes, so I don'tt know what to try to make it do....I have track time and years of canyons on the Hawk, so it's easy to go really fast in the tight twistys with that one.   The VFR is certainly more suitable for just loafing along at speed, not pushing it to the max.
   I have'nt upped the front wheel on the VFR yet, but the Hawk, it throttles "air" without effort in 1 and 3 and a tug in 4th...I am thinking the VFR will be pretty happy doing the wheelies, too...but I'll log some seat time before I start that...It outweighs the Hawk by over a hundred lbs...so it is different, it still feels BIG...very much like my old Daytona 595 felt.
   Me likey the VFR.
  I swapped over the D&D can from the Hawk....a bit too loud, so the 2 Bros high carbon went right back on.
  When the weather breaks into the rain we see most winters, I will be painting the VFR the same Honda color as the Hawk...Tempest Gray(?)   There are some fractures in the fairings and the previous owner tried to hid them with stickers and a crappy silver paint job...Ugly...
   anyhow, couple of pics below, I hope
  Don Hanson
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looks good, welcome to the insanity

welcome to VFRD from across the pond

2 fine bikes.

and if you are painting it anyway........................

Nice!  I also have a Hawk GT (1989 in red) in addition to my VFR, and previously owned a Daytona T595 as well.   I may sell the Hawk because of the Buell (covers my V-twin needs, and is decent for touring, too).   The Tempest Gray will look great on the VFR.  Enjoy!

Welcome....Looks like your "SO" is happy with your purchase....

I rode the Washington side of the river last fall from Portland/Vancouver to Maryhill and the Stonehenge Memorial. Spent the night across the river in Biggs OR and then headed SW to Idaho. Quite the playground you have there along the river! Welcome the the club support goup.

[image: View Post]The mailman, on 23 October 2011 - 04:54 PM, said:

I rode the Washington side of the river last fall from Portland/Vancouver to Maryhill and the Stonehenge Memorial. Spent the night across the river in Biggs OR and then headed SW to Idaho. Quite the playground you have there along the river! Welcome the the club support goup.

  Yes, the road on which those pics are taken...Canyon Road..that is right out my door.  It connects with Wa. SR 142, which goes up the Klickitat River to Mt. Adams.  Connect that with SR 141, which comes back down the White Salmon  and you have  a100 mile loop, without a straight section anywhere and plenty of switchbacks marked "15mph".  Very little traffic, though some sportbiker must have posted it on some guide somewhere because lately I hear a few bikes ripping past on weekends.
  My SO is very pleased with my new bike......It means the Hawk is again "her" bike, though I bought it  to be my track bike, and tune it and stuff.  I just today did a 175mile twisty ride...Deschutes river canyon, etc...the fall colors are ON.
  Don Hanson

Welcome!