Hey everyone, The past two seasons with STT I've been rolling my 98 Honda VFR to learn the ropes. It's been one of my favorite bikes to ride on the street, take on long cross-country trips and to try my nerve at the track. As it approaches it's 21st birthday I am not sure which way to go. Pour some $ into the VFR; tires, de-link brakes, suspension, etc.. or leave it alone and grab something newer. This past summer I got the bump to INT. Thanks coaches! I cannot wait to continue learning and de-stressing my brain this up-coming season at Joliet Autobahn and Blackhawk. Seriously love being at the track, it's my new happy place. Just not sure if I should keep true to the VFR and see what this old dog can do or start shopping for something newer with updated bones. If not to VFR, I am looking for bike suggestions to continue my journey into this $ rabbit hole hobby. Happy Winter from Chicago! Wes
I'd personally want to get away from the VFR before I binned it to keep it for street duty. It depends on how much you're willing to spend. A mid-2000s 600/750 can be had for around $3-4000. As you move towards later models, the prices go up. I recommend finding one that already has the typical race bike mods done to it. Brakes, suspension, fairings, etc. I'm sure there are some bikes in your area, but be willing to travel a bit for the right deal on the right bike. If you're looking for a bike that forces you to learn, consider a lower powered bike like the R3 or SV650. Tires last longer and you'll learn how to brake and corner properly in order to pass those pesky 600s. Bonus advantage of linking up with other small bikes and chasing each other around all day. You get more "open track" as you don't spend a lot of time stuck behind other bikes since they have the power to get around you. It can get frustrating to be stuck right behind someone who lights it up in the straights only for you to catch them on the brakes, but I feel like I learned a lot by trying to stick with and find ways around slower riders on faster bikes. A 600 will have similar peak power to your VFR, albeit less linear. I figure a racy 600 would be a lot more compliant on track than a VFR, it being a touring bike. I know the first thing I realized with my 750 coming from the SV was how planted the whole thing felt. The "on rails" thing you hear about. To get the same experience I mentioned above, you need to be chasing liter bikes. However, chasing faster riders on equal bikes can be just as educational. I've spent entire weekends following people who were slightly better than I was exiting a turn, but I would demolish them on the brakes. I would just try to learn from them what I could while abusing what I was good at to stick with them. A 1000 is just nutty. I just got my first one so I don't have a lot of track experience, but it is hilarious how much power those things have. They also melt tires stupid fast if you get moving on them. As the bike gets faster, safety margins get tighter and costs go up. It all depends on what you want from the machine.
On a long enough timeline everybody takes a ride on the crash truck... and I don't know much about VFR's, but I gotta think aftermarket support will get tricky once you start going pretty far down the rabbit hole. If it were me, I'd pick up a ragged ex-race bike or track whore that's already dialed in and ready to go, but looks rough enough that it won't ruin your day to see it laying on its side. Something in the 6-700cc range with one or more upper case R's in its name.
@JustinFRC Re: aftermarket support - I've started to see this when trying to look up parts and exploring race plastics to rear sets. Pretty much Ebay seems to be my primary option. Appreciate the insights. I kept getting tripped up if I should care too much about a bike having traction control? I've read passionate debates on whether riders are for it or not. Heh, though if may help mitigate this 40 year old from bouncing on the pavement on a high-side, sparks my interest. Looking to spend 5-6k. Heh, though also would love to go new and spend a few seasons upgrading it. Though the thought of laying it out would put me in a bad mood for a while. I am leaning towards a 600, but perhaps even something smaller would be fun to play on. I am definitely more a fan of the turns vs straights. Thanks again!
I would personally want traction control if it were an option. I've had a positive experience with it so far. Just don't expect it to be magic. It's more there to save you from yourself if you try to whack the throttle open a bit too hard or get on the gas a bit much. It works best when you have good tires underneath you.
Your VFR is old, slow, and heavy. Not a great combination for a track duty machine. You do not need traction control. Get yourself a well setup 600 and some seat time. Decent suspension, good brakes, some clipons, and rearsets and go ride. Do not over think things.
@jcrich I told my VFR to put on it's ear muffs as I read that out loud.. hah It does weight about 100lbs more than a 600 these days. OK I'm sold and agree on the don't overthink it. But the winter months in Chicago tick by SLOWLY. Have an eye on a few FB track groups and forums here for bikes for sale. Onward!
Hey, don't get me wrong, the VFR is a great streetbike, but for the track not so much. Also wander over to the WERA race board For Sale section, lots of bikes for sale in every price category.
Ha ha ha! Quit raining my parade dangit. There's no way to rationalize the money spent so I just try not to think about it. Unless you're through riding on the street or thinking about trying your hand at racing then I'd keep the VFR. Maybe think about mounting a set of DOT race tires if you're wanting to pick up the pace a bit. I think you need to ask yourself whether or not it is your skill level or the bike that determines your lap times. If you just want to step up the fun factor then by all means go get a well setup R6.
I disagree with everyone here, I rock a 2002 vfr that's fantastic at least at Road America which is all I ride at, Blackhawk I would imagine could get tiring. 520 -1/+2 conversion, dmr performance shock and fork springs cartridge kit. Lowered the front 10mm and raised rear about the same. I can keep up with anyone in intermediate even the 1000s execpt maybe few of them that have equal or better abilities. I don't have the urge to get anything different. The challenge that motivates you is the same as on a 300 where you out brake them in the corners. You learn a skill set controlling a heavier bike that you don't get with a 300 or even a 1000. The linked brakes are fine with me as I'm used to it and they are slightly better on the 6th gen than 5th gen vfr. I've crashed twice, once from having air in my brake line the other just a weird low side in the rain. All It needed was a little minor plastic welding. The rear subframe is steel so will survive a crash much better than a 600 and is less likely to flip over and tumble. The only reason I would get something different is if you plan to do racing in the future, there's no class a vfr would be competitive in.