That's quite a change, you started by avoiding CX (routing BA LHR-NRT and QF SYD-SFO). I've flown LHR-NRT several times, on several different airlines and despite being in F found it to be somehow unsatisfying. The HKG flight is better (of course HKG airport is also far better than NRT). With the special CX service HKG-NRT -- they definitely focus on this route -- it is so much nicer to go LHR-HKG-NRT instead.

As christep mentioned, the YVR-JFK route is not symmetrical, with JFK-YVR being much nicer than YVR-JFK. And of course the class LHR use of "european" F is LHR-DXB-LHR (though you can substitute Doha, etcc, but DXB is the best destination and airport).