Not my 'other' but my latest.

[el-nicko]

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Just traded in my magical 'blade......


[/img][url][URL=http://s1071.photobucket.com/user/Nick_Nicklin/media/bikes%202/DSC05437.jpg.html][/url][/url]


for one of these....





Look mum, no clutch lever!



(library pic')


Owned the 'blade for nearly two years/12,000 miles and kept a clean license so I obviously wasn't using it right.

Got to admit the 'low maintenance' shaft drive on my old much missed, easy-to-care-for, R1100s spoilt me and, notwithstanding the charms of hyper-sports bikes, don't think I'll be buying anything with a chain for a final drive anytime soon.

And yes, The rim-tape's in the post.

[Blackal]

Al

[bigblackfalco]

The VFR1200 is an acquired taste in the looks department, but having test ridden it, can say it is a very competent machine. A very good all rounder.
They need to do a new tourer with that engine/chasis concept.

.


Just traded in my magical 'blade......


[/img][url][URL=http://s1071.photobucket.com/user/Nick_Nicklin/media/bikes%202/DSC05437.jpg.html][/url][/url]


for one of these....





Look mum, no clutch lever!



(library pic')


Owned the 'blade for nearly two years/12,000 miles and kept a clean license so I obviously wasn't using it right.

Got to admit the 'low maintenance' shaft drive on my old much missed, easy-to-care-for, R1100s spoilt me and, notwithstanding the charms of hyper-sports bikes, don't think I'll be buying anything with a chain for a final drive anytime soon.

And yes, The rim-tape's in the post.

[ianbcr]

Where you been nick? was going to post to ask where you and eyore had gone. enjoy the new steed.

[Dog Tyred]

Good luck with that license

Not pretty but bloody fast bike those VFR12's

Good luck but most of all, enjoy

DT

[Gromit]

Nice bike the VFR1200 - a friend of mine went to one from a ZZR1400 a couple of years ago and loves his. Sounds good to with an Akrapovic can.

Grantham Honda had a black one in last year (with the same type of Akra silencer) and it looked gorgeous.

[nab 301]

Not sure about the looks and lack of a clutch lever but otherwise nice! ( from the man with an em zed in the garage... )

[el-nicko]

.




Cheers Ian. I still drop by to check on 'The Best Bike Forum on the 'net' but haven't had much to contribute being, as I am at the moment, between 1100S's And yes gentlemen, it does feel quick. It's been in the shed since it was delivered nearly five weeks ago and every night since it arrived they've gritted the bloody roads but yesterday (Sunday) I finally took it for a rip up the 44 towards Pen-y-bont. I'd never even seen one of these bikes in the flesh before it turned up on my doorstep so I wanted a nice quite late Sunday afternoon to try out the DCT thingy. All I can say is, find a dealer with a post '12 bike and try it yourself. Entering a corner already leaned over (but not too far 'cos some of my fave bends were still damp) with the economy 'D' drive having selected 6th and, just for the fun of it, using the (-)trigger on the left-hand bar to over-ride it to click down to 3rd with no drama, not so much as a hint of lock-up and the rev' counter notching up to the exact engine speed needed for that 'sling-shot' exit within a millisecond; well you've just got to see it yourselves to believe it.

It is a heavy bike though and with too much weight a little too high up it was never going to be as flickable as the 'blade. However, with traction control turned off and sport (S) mode selected, I recon it'll stay with most bikes up to it's limited max' in a straight line shoot-out.

One other observation; I've read in a couple of test that it's limited to 155mph/250kph not only in 6th but also in 5th. Don't know why. Pan European stability issues maybe? Mind you that does give you some idea of the motors true potential and, knowing how Honda like their V4's I wonder if, even as I write they're developing a sleeved-down 998cc version as a successor to the now 'behind the curve' Fireblade, complete with (as they do on the VFR) an optional DCT power train and no power sapping shaft final drive. Nah, they wouldn't have the nerve. Or would they?

Thanks for your time, Nick.

[boxerscott]

Nick! Got rid of the BLADE for the VFR! swapping from the 1100 to the vfr seems rational, but...

Cucumber moment

[eyore]

Congrats Nick,far more sensible for an auld fella

[el-nicko]

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This one goes up to 12(00cc) and a bit see.

[slparry]

Cool .... I REALLY REALLY want to try out DCT

[el-nicko]

Cool .... I REALLY REALLY want to try out DCT

Wish you would Steve. Would be very interested in your view of this novel piece of kit. If you do get a chance, try to find a late model bike as I believe Honda carried out a few upgrades post 2012.

Nick.

[Boxermed69]

How're you getting on with the Viffalo Nick?

Seriously tempted myself, but I think the 'normal' manual gearbox version for me - though I will try the DCT one as well. Off up to Branson's towards the end of next week for a test ride (or 2).

A put-off for me has always been the dowdy colours on offer. New for this year is a two-tone black'n'white job with bronze bits. I think it looks the biz

I'm almost hoping that I don't like it or can't get on with it. Temptation see? £13k is an awful lot of money - and I've got history as having the breaking strain of a warm Kit Kat.

They even do a short-arse seat...



Mike

[el-nicko]

Hi Mike, yes I know what you mean about the choice of colour. I do think the 'slab-sided' view is a bit much and the 2015 model looks a lot better with those horizontal lines to 'break it up'. I'm thinking about getting some horizontal transfers printed to do something about it on my '14 bike.

I have to say, as far as the DCT 'box is concerned, I'm loving it. Far from being the lazy option, once you get over the novelty value, it's actually a very engaging system. Yes you can stick it in 'D' and leave it there but pretty soon, depending on your mood you start to develop quit a deeply engrossing technique. For instance in 'D', (a sort of economy choice) the 'brain' will have the bike in top as soon as possible, but you can use the triggers on the left-hand bar to over-ride it so, going into a tight-ish bend you may click down into 3rd or 2nd. However, the 'brain' may decide, mid corner, to change up! No worries. The rev's are seamlessly matched to the point where the change, even on a wet surface is practically undetectable. Unfortunately this will have negated the reason you chose to change down on entry. The answer is of course, just before entering the bend and before changing down to click the 'mode' trigger on the right-hand bar putting the transmission into 'manual' thus, on the exit, you can just re-select 'D' to calm things down or 'S' to blur the scenery. Al this takes longer to say than to do because after a while it all become intuitive and soon, if you wish, your playing tunes on it. And, believe it or not Honda actually list (at £440.00) a foot-change gear lever that can be used instead of the handle-bar 'flippers'. Why I Don't know. An up and down 'Slick-Shift maybe? I bought one anyway just for the hell of it.


The bike has a fairly simple ABS-I braking system similar to that on my old 11s and not like the slightly suspect electronic box of tricks that was on my '11 Fireblade. The brakes are real 'stoppers'. I know it's a subjective opinion but this bike seems just as fast as my 'blade right up to it's (limited to 250kph/155mph in 5th and 6th) top end. The thing is, that at 610lbs curb weight and my 14 stone they need to be. I've tried selecting sport mode and disengaging traction control and frankly, when you shut off and grab the brakes for that fast approaching bend you suddenly become aware of all that weight.
Oh, and since the electronically controlled gear-box's default, with engine stopped, is neutral (no push-starts here then) you get a hand-brake lever on the left hand bar that cable operates a separate under-slung set of pads on the rear disc.


I've spent a fortune on 'extras' on this bike already: lower saddle (yes, I need one too), main stand, extended screen, hugger, rad' guard, inner bags, fender extender, foot-change, HID's, 2-tone horns, heated grips etc etc. What I should have done is get a full 'Venture-guard' kit fitted right away 'cos just the other day I climbed aboard and promptly scratched the fekin tank with my jacket zip

All in all I'm loving this bike. The only down-side for me, being of advanced years (73 next week FFS!), is the weight. Sometimes, after a 50 mile midnight trip back from 'Wolves' and with a mile walk home still to do, I have to push it up-hill on a ramp into the shipping container where it's garaged and it's then that I notice the difference between this bike and my old, light-as-a-feather, 'blade. Give it another 5 years and I suspect I'll be pressing my nose against the glass down at the Volvo show-room.


Hope all this is of some interest to you mate. If you can, try to get an extended test ride on both variants but I must say you need to probably do 1000 miles at least on the DCT version for it's charms to become apparent.

Oh, one other thing I bought; a brand spanking new, un-used fuel-tank that I found on ebay. I'm going to get it cut and shut to increase the range. so I'm wondering; is there anyone on the forum here who knows anything about enlarged tanks?

Nick.