Don't get me wrong, as I said the VFR is not a track bike (unfortunately I'm not yet a track rider) and the RC has more lean angle available for sure. But for fast street riding the VFR is nice.
Don't get me wrong, I think they are great bikes but to say a 1990 VFR is 90% as capable as an RC51 is like saying a 1990 FZR1000 is 90% as capable as a 2004 R1.
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2004 Honda RC51 (Gone), Sato Carbon Banzais, Black Sato Rearsets, Sato Frame Sliders, Scotts Damper, Ohlins R&T Forks W/ Superbike Valves, Ohlins Shock, Dan Kyle Link, Carbon Rad fins, Galfer SS brake lines front & rear, HRC Brake Pads, PCIIIUSB (DK Map), Vortex 42T Rear Sprocket, PAIR system removed, Flapper removed, Soft Rev removed, Corbin Seat, Puig screen, Rad Fan Mod, Undertail, CRG Levers, Vortex Clip-ons, Scotts Extended aluminum kick stand, Stomp Grip, Carbon Hugger, Shorai Battery.
Interesting thread. the Guys that have actually owned/currently own a RC and a VFR say yes the RC is faster, yes it handles better, yes it would beat a VRF on the track and street based strickly on performance , but hey the VFR is still a nice bike. The guys that pray to their RC at night don't want the two to be allowed to live in the same state together. Good fun.
ps PBMW is your challenge still on if I bring my ZX14 ? lol
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2000 RC51-a fair amount of the stuff.
2008 ZX-14 (in 05/09)
1997 TLS-a few mods (out 05/09)
1990 VFR-red on white
2002 RM250
it always amuses me that people are so quick to dismiss what a vfr is capable of. especialy in the right hands. now look, an RC51 is definitely a more capable track bike. to say that a vfr is 90% as capable as an RC51 is probably a fair assesment. If you have doubts about this go to one Reg Pridmores schools and see if you can out run him. after all he does teach his classes from the seat of a 94 to 97 style vfr. there must be a reason for that right?
so now to the subject at hand it is my opinion that of the bikes listed the vtr is the best choice of the 3. it's like a vfr, but with a little more thumpity thump. a great all around bike that is probably 90% as capale as an RC51 with a little suspension work just like a vfr. it is also an all day comfortable touring machine with the high build quality and dead nuts reliability inherent in any honda. when a clean example crosses my path I will most definitely snatch it up, and park it right next to my vfr.
to me a Suzi or Kwac are like disposable razors the do their job and do them well. they just have a much more limited lifespan. this is usualy evident in the materials and so forth that they build their bikes with. you can ride around town and see any number of ten or fifteen year old Hondas running around. tell me though when was the last time you went out on your local back roads and saw an early to mid nineties gsxr running around.
You guys are jumping the shark now. Valentino Rossi can kick my ass all over the track riding a Ninja 250, that doesn't mean that a Ninja 250 is a better/ more capable bike than a RC51. It just means that he's a much better rider. I've never ridden an old VFR but I have ridden a 2003 VFR and I thought it was much harder to ride at a quick pace. I don't pray to the RC51, I could care less. My '01 GSXR1K mopped the floor with my '04 RC51 but I still kept my RC and sold my Gixxer. I'm just trying to be realistic here. Put the same rider on the same bikes and you can go much faster, much easier on the RC (unless you have no clue how to ride). Maybe 65-70% as capable as a SPORTBIKE. Sorry. Just my opinion and I think I'm a fairly decent and experienced street and track rider.
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2004 Honda RC51 (Gone), Sato Carbon Banzais, Black Sato Rearsets, Sato Frame Sliders, Scotts Damper, Ohlins R&T Forks W/ Superbike Valves, Ohlins Shock, Dan Kyle Link, Carbon Rad fins, Galfer SS brake lines front & rear, HRC Brake Pads, PCIIIUSB (DK Map), Vortex 42T Rear Sprocket, PAIR system removed, Flapper removed, Soft Rev removed, Corbin Seat, Puig screen, Rad Fan Mod, Undertail, CRG Levers, Vortex Clip-ons, Scotts Extended aluminum kick stand, Stomp Grip, Carbon Hugger, Shorai Battery.
I guess to be more fair you would have to take one rider two bikes and compare lap times. I would wager 99 out of 100 riders would not be a full 10% faster. 10% is huge for lap times. i would even say that some would be faster on the vfr simply because it is a more forgiving and easier to ride bike. that is just my opinion though and it is also my opinion that the last of the good vfrs was the 94 to 97 bikes. when they went to 800cc they gained a lot of weight and went more touring than sport.
if i had to put , my money itd be on the zx12. it can do all the rc can do and more. set up the suspension and you have a bike capable of touring and track days with less hassle. one of the brit mags a few years ago did a test of a lot of sportbikes and the zx12 was right up there with the best of them.
Jumping the shark. I don't know how mant times I've heard that but it still makes me laugh. I guess because I was 10 or so when I saw it. I guess I'm being master of the obvious when I say there are a lot of people passionate about there bikes on this site. We're not going to be able to settle this but I'll take Jonny's thought 1 further. If you have your favourite strech of street twisties do you think the RC guy is going to do it in 54 minuites and the VRF guy is going to be over 60? especially when on an RC after 30-45 mins your thinking hmmmmmm I wonder when we're stopping for a rest. Having said allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll that my RC and my 14 are the girls I usually dance with. I guess that says something about the thrill Its going to be a long winter
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2000 RC51-a fair amount of the stuff.
2008 ZX-14 (in 05/09)
1997 TLS-a few mods (out 05/09)
1990 VFR-red on white
2002 RM250
i love underdog bikes. id love to take a 12 or busa dn hook it up so it handles well in the twisties. thatd be a bike that can do it all, tour race etc
Interesting thread. the Guys that have actually owned/currently own a RC and a VFR say yes the RC is faster, yes it handles better, yes it would beat a VRF on the track and street based strickly on performance , but hey the VFR is still a nice bike. The guys that pray to their RC at night don't want the two to be allowed to live in the same state together. Good fun.
ps PBMW is your challenge still on if I bring my ZX14 ? lol
Sure...
I'll ride my 470 DRZ motard.
I have a friend with a pretty built 14. GP suspension and Ohlines shock. Frighteningly fast motorcycle. Untill we get to the twisties...
It's all about the right tool for the job.
Viffers are great bikes to ride all day and enjoy some winding roads along the way. My RC is a track bike and can hold it's own. Great brakes. Handles well...Big stonkin V Twin. Makes about 140hp. Really uncomfortable on the street. I wouldn't want to ride it far...
at night don't want the two to be allowed to live in the same state together. Good fun.
? lol
. I don't know how mant times I've heard that but it still makes me laugh. I guess because I was 10 or so when I saw it. I guess I'm being master of the obvious when I say there are a lot of people passionate about there bikes on this site. We're not going to be able to settle this but I'll take Jonny's thought 1 further. If you have your favourite strech of street twisties do you think the RC guy is going to do it in 54 minuites and the VRF guy is going to be over 60? especially when on an RC after 30-45 mins your thinking hmmmmmm I wonder when we're stopping for a rest. Having said allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll that my RC and my 14 are the girls I usually dance with. I guess that says something about the thrill 
Its going to be a long winter 
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