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ec1 eex
Original Poster
339 posts
111 months
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After having my Suzuki GSR750 stolen a few weeks ago, I've been weighing up my options for a new bike. I haven't test ridden one yet, but I do like the thought of a Honda VFR1200.
I'd be using it every day to commute to and from work which is only 3.5 miles each way in central London, and then one or two trips per year where I can actually put some miles on - perhaps to Scotland or South of France - that kind of distance.
Unfortunately having two bikes isn't an option, but I will have secure parking at home and at work, so London bike bays aren't my worry (scooter riders have no respect for other people's pride and joy - but that's well covered rant on PH). My worry is that a 3.5 mile ride through central London won't be enough to fully warm up the engine, so I'm concerned that I could be doing damage to the bike on my short commutes.
Any thoughts from the forum experts would be appreciated.
Phil
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Jazoli
3,383 posts
119 months
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No, it's a Honda hth 
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welshjohn
699 posts
50 months
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Keep it properly serviced and it'll be fine.The emergency services don't seem to have any problems with there bikes in citys
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Speed addicted
1,860 posts
96 months
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Unless you intend to keep it forever I wouldn't worry about it. Mine seems to warm pretty quickly and it'll be perfect for the longer runs. Just give it a good blowout every now and then!
They are a little frustrating in town though, lots of power but no-where to use it.
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andy ted
660 posts
134 months
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Sounds like a good excuse to take the 'long way' to work to me!
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Ray Luxury-Yacht
6,374 posts
85 months
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Will be fine - but there will be a bit more of a build-up of moisture and unburned hydrocarbons inside the engine with short journeys, yes.
Corrosion inhibitors in the oil will prevent damage to the metal surfaces inside the engine, but the damaging particles I've described above will be held in the oil in suspension.
So - lots of short journeys = ok, but you must change the oil more frequently as it will become saturated with damaging particles more quickly. Maybe cut the recommended change mileage in half - i.e. if the book says 10k, do it every 5k.
And use an oil which is thinner when cold so it gets round the motor more quickly on a cold engine, so something beginning with an 0W or 5W instead of 10W / 15W / 20W will help a lot.
And if you can, take it on a bit of a run and cane until it's red hot, it when you get time. Once or twice a month would be nice.
HTH
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Ray Luxury-Yacht
6,374 posts
85 months
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welshjohn said: Keep it properly serviced and it'll be fine.The emergency services don't seem to have any problems with there bikes in citys True, but Police and Ambo bikes have a 'run-on' lockout button on them. So, they get to the scene, press the run-on button, and then remove the keys from the ignition. The bike can then be left running, but if anyone tries to ride away on it, it just cuts out and cannot be re-started without the keys in the ignition, obviously. This means the bike can sit with it's lights and radio going, with the engine idling away (so the battery doesn't go flat) for however long the incident takes to sort out - so the motor can be running a long time at idle - more than long enough to get the oil up to temperature and start burning off a lot of the condensation etc.
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John D.
9,552 posts
78 months
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Ray Luxury-Yacht said: welshjohn said: Keep it properly serviced and it'll be fine.The emergency services don't seem to have any problems with there bikes in citys True, but Police and Ambo bikes have a 'run-on' lockout button on them. So, they get to the scene, press the run-on button, and then remove the keys from the ignition. The bike can then be left running, but if anyone tries to ride away on it, it just cuts out and cannot be re-started without the keys in the ignition, obviously. This means the bike can sit with it's lights and radio going, with the engine idling away (so the battery doesn't go flat) for however long the incident takes to sort out - so the motor can be running a long time at idle - more than long enough to get the oil up to temperature and start burning off a lot of the condensation etc. Not to mention there can't be that many incidents within only 3.5 miles of the station 
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Ray Luxury-Yacht
6,374 posts
85 months
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John D. said: Ray Luxury-Yacht said: welshjohn said: Keep it properly serviced and it'll be fine.The emergency services don't seem to have any problems with there bikes in citys True, but Police and Ambo bikes have a 'run-on' lockout button on them. So, they get to the scene, press the run-on button, and then remove the keys from the ignition. The bike can then be left running, but if anyone tries to ride away on it, it just cuts out and cannot be re-started without the keys in the ignition, obviously. This means the bike can sit with it's lights and radio going, with the engine idling away (so the battery doesn't go flat) for however long the incident takes to sort out - so the motor can be running a long time at idle - more than long enough to get the oil up to temperature and start burning off a lot of the condensation etc. Not to mention there can't be that many incidents within only 3.5 miles of the station That too!
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Hooli
21,196 posts
69 months
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Ray Luxury-Yacht said: Will be fine - but there will be a bit more of a build-up of moisture and unburned hydrocarbons inside the engine with short journeys, yes.
Corrosion inhibitors in the oil will prevent damage to the metal surfaces inside the engine, but the damaging particles I've described above will be held in the oil in suspension.
So - lots of short journeys = ok, but you must change the oil more frequently as it will become saturated with damaging particles more quickly. Maybe cut the recommended change mileage in half - i.e. if the book says 10k, do it every 5k.
And use an oil which is thinner when cold so it gets round the motor more quickly on a cold engine, so something beginning with an 0W or 5W instead of 10W / 15W / 20W will help a lot.
And if you can, take it on a bit of a run and cane until it's red hot, it when you get time. Once or twice a month would be nice.
HTH At 7 miles a day I think the OP would be getting to the service intervals on time not mileage anyway. I mean the 6month/6k service would get done every 1,500miles or so (if I got the sums right). Not that I know the schedule for these bikes, but that's an example.
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Ray Luxury-Yacht
6,374 posts
85 months
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Hooli said: Ray Luxury-Yacht said: Will be fine - but there will be a bit more of a build-up of moisture and unburned hydrocarbons inside the engine with short journeys, yes.
Corrosion inhibitors in the oil will prevent damage to the metal surfaces inside the engine, but the damaging particles I've described above will be held in the oil in suspension.
So - lots of short journeys = ok, but you must change the oil more frequently as it will become saturated with damaging particles more quickly. Maybe cut the recommended change mileage in half - i.e. if the book says 10k, do it every 5k.
And use an oil which is thinner when cold so it gets round the motor more quickly on a cold engine, so something beginning with an 0W or 5W instead of 10W / 15W / 20W will help a lot.
And if you can, take it on a bit of a run and cane until it's red hot, it when you get time. Once or twice a month would be nice.
HTH At 7 miles a day I think the OP would be getting to the service intervals on time not mileage anyway. I mean the 6month/6k service would get done every 1,500miles or so (if I got the sums right). Not that I know the schedule for these bikes, but that's an example. Yeah you're right - with such low miles, probably best using the time rather than the mileage interval, and cutting that in half instead. I'd imagine the normal time interval for a modern like this running low miles is 12 months - so a 6 monthly change should suffice nicely in this case if so.
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spareparts
3,931 posts
96 months
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ec1 eex said: After having my Suzuki GSR750 stolen a few weeks ago, I've been weighing up my options for a new bike. I haven't test ridden one yet, but I do like the thought of a Honda VFR1200.
I'd be using it every day to commute to and from work which is only 3.5 miles each way in central London, and then one or two trips per year where I can actually put some miles on - perhaps to Scotland or South of France - that kind of distance. Actually, I disagree with some of the other posters in this thread - and I'm a huge Honda fan (current daily smoker is a CBF1000) that I use to cover approx 30 miles a day into and out of London. At only 3.5 miles in central London, however, the bike simply will not get upto temperature. The bike is guaranteed to be running almost continually rich as it is unlikely to get out of its cold start cycle. The VFR12 is a 1200cc bike that takes time and/or revs to get up to proper operating temperature. For that distance in central London, I would just get a 125cc scooter.
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muon
814 posts
9 months
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Get up earlier and start your engine well before you leave... ?
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vonuber
3,887 posts
34 months
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I do 5.5miles each way in central London on a 600. It's normally warmed up within a mile or so.
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Mike600F
678 posts
25 months
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vonuber said: I do 5.5miles each way in central London on a 600. It's normally warmed up within a mile or so. This. My 600 is normally up to temperature within a mile or so. Modern engines are so good, don't think you'll have any problems, but as Mr. Luxury-yacht says - keep on top of the servicing.
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Speed addicted
1,860 posts
96 months
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I'm pretty sure the service intervals for the VFR are 8k miles.
Mine runs pretty hot in traffic (the fan cuts in quite a bit, certainly more than my previous Tiger 1050), probably due to being designed for higher speed stuff.
Just do it!
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3DP
6,851 posts
103 months
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Change the oil frequently and will be fine. I've been doing short commutes to the station on various bikes for years and the common factor is that the oil doesn't get hot enough to evaporate the moisture that goes into it whilst it's cold.
Over time the oil starts to go opaque as the water builds and it emulsifies. Consequently I change the oil every 6 months even though this equates to under 1000 miles per change. You don't need to bother with the filter, just remove it and empty it.
These oil changes are immediately felt in a nicer clutch engagement and quieter engine.
You might also find that the battery takes a bit of a hammering, if its struggling to charge fully in 3.5 miles after each start up.
But - being a Honda, it'll likely just take this all in its stride even if you do nothing.
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Fleegle
10,634 posts
45 months
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3DP said: Over time the oil starts to go opaque as the water builds and it emulsifies. I think this is what happened to my WR 
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y2blade
46,249 posts
84 months
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No, it not do any damage.
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ZesPak
11,485 posts
65 months
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All I can say is that I've got mine since may, 5 months and 12k km (about 7500 miles) later, I can honestly say it's amazing. Looks & sounds amazing. Rides very smooth and the power just keeps coming. As said above, I'd be frustrated having to use it in town all the time, it's a great bike everywhere, but really comes to it's own when you can pull it open at 100km/h. Here's my blog with my experiences: http://vfr1200f.blogspot.be/
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