Will I damage a VFR1200 with short commutes?

Will I damage a VFR1200 with short commutes?

Author
Discussion

creampuff

6,511 posts

142 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
spareparts said:
For that distance in central London, I would just get a 125cc scooter.
I'd tend to agree: scooters are easier; scooters are lighter. Things are likely to happen to a VFR which will make it cost neutral to have a scooter as well as a larger bike:

- you may run over road crud and gash your tyre. Scooter tyres a much cheaper than VFR tyres.
- you may drop it; oh well it's a cheap scooter
- scooter will use much less fuel

BigHeartedTone

1,304 posts

216 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
Cycle?

Fleegle

16,688 posts

175 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
creampuff said:
spareparts said:
For that distance in central London, I would just get a 125cc scooter.
I'd tend to agree: scooters are easier; scooters are lighter. Things are likely to happen to a VFR which will make it cost neutral to have a scooter as well as a larger bike:

- you may run over road crud and gash your tyre. Scooter tyres a much cheaper than VFR tyres.
- you may drop it; oh well it's a cheap scooter
- scooter will use much less fuel
- you can park it in a bay where there is no room and damage other bikes 'cos you're a retarded fkwit. You will get laughed at doing this on a real bike
wink


Mate.....do not get a scooter. You will be pointed at and your friends will ignore you

3DP

9,912 posts

233 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
Fleegle said:
creampuff said:
spareparts said:
For that distance in central London, I would just get a 125cc scooter.
I'd tend to agree: scooters are easier; scooters are lighter. Things are likely to happen to a VFR which will make it cost neutral to have a scooter as well as a larger bike:

- you may run over road crud and gash your tyre. Scooter tyres a much cheaper than VFR tyres.
- you may drop it; oh well it's a cheap scooter
- scooter will use much less fuel
- you can park it in a bay where there is no room and damage other bikes 'cos you're a retarded fkwit. You will get laughed at doing this on a real bike
wink


Mate.....do not get a scooter. You will be pointed at and your friends will ignore you
Yeah - instead, park your oversized, over precious motorbike in a public parking bay and whinge when it gets mashed up by people using the right tool for the job. wink

Seriously - you can pick up a mashed up 50cc or 125cc scoot for £500 and not worry about the commute or your nice new VFR1200. They are disposable bikes, that conversely last a lifetime if you maintain them and cost pennies to run. You can build up a nice NCB on the scooter as well, giving you an NCB in the bag if you have a claim on your big bike (transfer scoot's to big bike).

creampuff

6,511 posts

142 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
I don't know how, but I think this may help in your scooter buying decision process.

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/378932140_ujy9k-XL.j...

PH lurker

1,301 posts

156 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Why not get A 'Yamasaki' 125 for this? Bike found it to be the cheapest new geared 125 on sale (unassembled). They claim the rear shocks are crude, the engine to give just 8bhp, and theirs lost its carb drain screw after 12 miles resulting fuel squirting out. Other astonishing bad things are reported. A kit to take it to 150cc is £55. It's a Chinese 125 rip off of an 80s Honda CG125

In all seriousness how about a CG 125 or a YBR etcetera? Presumably 85-125mpg, cheap tax, cheap insurance, cheap to maintain and very reliable. If you do do stints on fast roads the top speed may not be high enough to be comfortable there but I think it would be a sensible buy if this isn't the case. Commuter 125cc residuals are good, they are easy to service and would save an expensive bike’s tyres etc. A trail type thing might also be a good bet.

It would leave a nicer and faster bike for special trips out.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

ZesPak

24,421 posts

195 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
PH lurker said:
Why not get A 'Yamasaki' 125 for this?
As much as I love my VFR1200F, I'd get the Yamasaki just for the name hehe

PH lurker

1,301 posts

156 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
ZesPak said:
As much as I love my VFR1200F, I'd get the Yamasaki just for the name hehe
That's why it's stuck in my head since reading about it. hehe. And because I now feel saved from misery and suicide by a more typical bike.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

204 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
BigHeartedTone said:
Cycle?
3.5 miles? Pushbike all the way. I couldn't go through the rigmarole or getting leathered/weathered up for the sake of 5 minutes on the bike.

SteelerSE

1,885 posts

155 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Have to agree with the majority. Get something small that is suited to the job for getting round the place in London and then just hire a big bike for the couple of big mile trips. That way there's no depreciation etc and for the 95% of your biking life you have the right tool for the job - scooter/CG125/pushbike whatever. If you're in London is the tube not an option?

ec1 eex

Original Poster:

396 posts

241 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Ouch - it was all going so well with the first page of replies (bar one) suggesting that I go for a nice VFR1200, and just increase the service intervals.
Then on the second page there are several replies about getting a scooter / CG125 / Yamaski which started to put a downer on things.

A bicycle is a non starter for me. 3.5 miles on a pushbike results in the need for a shower at the other end, and I genuinely believe that I'm more vulnerable on pushbike than a motorbike on the roads in London. I have no mirrors to see behind me, no power to get out of trouble should I need it, I can't keep up with traffic when it does begin to move, and I don't make a noise for people to hear me coming and then look, rather than just not look.

Getting dressed into my motorbike clothes at the start of the day takes less effort than getting dressed for work and a then all is needed is a quick change at work once I'm there. My motorbike clothes are suitable for all weathers, so I'm not particulary bothered if its raining and a top box carries all I need.

So - a motorbike is the way to go for me, and having two bikes isn't an option. I'll have no where to park a second bike, and having just had one stolen (and see my insurance premium go up by 3.5 times as a result) isn't something I need happening again. I will have secure parking at home (which I didn't before), and have always had secure parking at work.

As I try to take care of things I own, I'm happy with the advice of changing the oil more frequently and guess it's time to book a test ride on the VFR to see if i'm happy on it through congestion, and outside of London.

Thanks for all the replies! Can anyone point me in the direction of winter deals on new VFR1200's?

Phil

Ray Luxury-Yacht

8,910 posts

215 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
ec1 eex said:
Ouch - it was all going so well with the first page of replies (bar one) suggesting that I go for a nice VFR1200, and just increase the service intervals.
Then on the second page there are several replies about getting a scooter / CG125 / Yamaski which started to put a downer on things.

A bicycle is a non starter for me. 3.5 miles on a pushbike results in the need for a shower at the other end, and I genuinely believe that I'm more vulnerable on pushbike than a motorbike on the roads in London. I have no mirrors to see behind me, no power to get out of trouble should I need it, I can't keep up with traffic when it does begin to move, and I don't make a noise for people to hear me coming and then look, rather than just not look.

Getting dressed into my motorbike clothes at the start of the day takes less effort than getting dressed for work and a then all is needed is a quick change at work once I'm there. My motorbike clothes are suitable for all weathers, so I'm not particulary bothered if its raining and a top box carries all I need.

So - a motorbike is the way to go for me, and having two bikes isn't an option. I'll have no where to park a second bike, and having just had one stolen (and see my insurance premium go up by 3.5 times as a result) isn't something I need happening again. I will have secure parking at home (which I didn't before), and have always had secure parking at work.

As I try to take care of things I own, I'm happy with the advice of changing the oil more frequently and guess it's time to book a test ride on the VFR to see if i'm happy on it through congestion, and outside of London.

Thanks for all the replies! Can anyone point me in the direction of winter deals on new VFR1200's?

Phil
Nice. So yeah, do the oil thing and you should be fine as I say.

I haven't bought a bike in a while, but back when I was racing and involved in that whole scene, a lot of people I know bought Hondas from a place called 'Dobles' - they seemed to consistently be the cheapest place to source a brand new UK spec 'onda.

Worth a call I guess.

Good luck, and post up pics of the new toy on here when you get it, ok? biggrin


ZesPak

24,421 posts

195 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
Op, you'll love it. I test rode the vfr and bmw k1300s back to back and the vfr was just so much nicer and better finished.
Are you going for the DCT? I have the manual and i think it looks great in black. Wasn't too fond of the white, too many of them are red and wasn't brave enough for the blue.

creampuff

6,511 posts

142 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
ec1 eex said:
A bicycle is a non starter for me. 3.5 miles on a pushbike results in the need for a shower at the other end.
3.5 miles is not far. You only need a shower if you ride a bicycle fast. If you ride it slow, you will not sweat and no need for shower.

ec1 eex said:
So - a motorbike is the way to go for me, and having two bikes isn't an option. I'll have no where to park a second bike, and having just had one stolen (and see my insurance premium go up by 3.5 times as a result) isn't something I need happening again. I will have secure parking at home (which I didn't before), and have always had secure parking at work.
The parking at work is not relavant. You will be parking something at work, so it doesn't matter what it is. The parking at home is relavant. Park a scooter next to the VFR.... park the scooter on the street.... if you have a car, chain the scooter to the wheel of the car.... scooters do not take up much room.