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Help Identifying Trouble Points in Buying a 5th Gen


Alkee

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Hi Everyone!

 

Apologies for first post being here.  I looked everywhere for an "intro" section and didn't see one.

 

Now that my daily driver bike is out of storage, the N+1 bug hit me hard.  I really like twins (parallel, V, or boxer- I'm equal opportunity) and v4's.  The sound of a v4 is heaven!  Since I haven't won the lottery or been promoted to CEO at my job being able to buy an RSV4 is out of the question and the better half's response to a new one is "you already have a bike, why do you need another payment?" So,  I returned to looking at the 5th and 6th gen vfr as a coworker had one and loved it.

 

One came up in the classifieds- a 5th gen- at a price point where I can spend zero time on the couch after purchase :) and I want to go in as aware as I can of things to look for so I can make a fair offer.  I know sometimes there is a fine line between a useful mod and molesting the bike so I am asking for some help on things to look for that might be red flags to pass on the bike.  I've been googilng and trying to get as much information as I can in my brain from this and other sites so I can make an informed decision, but I keep getting side tracked in race builds, restoration threads, front end and swingarm swaps, PC III vs PC V, and other fun topics.

 

If anyone would be willing to help a noob both to this forum and to VFR's I would be grateful.  My biggest concern is buying something where someone did a delete of something related to emissions but botched it then the next owner hacked the electrical, then the next one did something else, etc., and I wind up in a money pit (which I wouldn't mind if I knew going in so i could adjust my offer).

 

Thanks!

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I'm not exactly sure what you are asking for here. The VFR's are mechanically very well built, and few give any real trouble. I've got a 5G so I'm biased, but (touches wood) it has nearly made it to 100,000km without any issues. Weak points on these are the regulator/rectifier and the wire connection between this and the alternator; the connector if ignored can cause the failure of either of the others. My bike has a aftermarket RR, and I have removed the connector and soldered the wires permanently, plus fitted a voltmeter. A work over to clean other connectors and grounding points would be time well spent to avoid other oddball issues.

 

A 5G will be no less than 16 years old at this point so expect some age-related flaws to arise, e.g. thermostat failure, radiator hoses that weep, steering head bearings needing replacement. Shocks and forks will probably benefit from an overhaul as well. Valves use shim-under-bucket adjustment which is fairly bulletproof and even if ignored probably won't cause any engine damage. The FI system on my 99 works perfectly (provided all the bits are plugged in...) and I have never considered a PC.

 

Bodywork is unavailable new, but there are some reasonable replica parts available ex China if you're careful.

 

 

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Thanks for the reply.  That is half of what I was looking for.  The first half are weak points that I need to consider, the second are mods that are easy to mess up and expensive to fix but are ones that people try anyway.

 

I dig that they are older bikes and I'm not expecting something that wont have flaws both cosmetic and mechanical.  My goal was to look for things that are weak points or "hack mods" that would give me pause so I can make a slightly more informed purchase if I decide to go through with it after looking at it.

 

 

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The general advice i'd give you for buying any japanese bike on a budget would be:

Ideally less than 40,000 miles
Ideally with full service history
ideally kept reasonably well.

If it's none of the above; You'd be expecting to pay less and have room for negotiation.

I can only give you UK/£ price estimates, but:

If less than 40,000 miles / full service history (or at least very good partial) and in reasonable condition: £1500-£2500
If not: £1000-£1500

They don't sell for much, but they keep an average value quite well.

As for dodgy mods etc: The service history or lack thereof will tell you that. If it's got none or patchy history: They owner/s may have just attempted to work on it themselves, and i'd either expect a cheaper bike or just not bother. If it's got very good or full service history and the owner didn't try anything other than slipping a can on or changing the levers? You're paying average to good money for one kept well, so will be worth it.

You could always take a mechanic friend along, or maybe get it inspected at a garage of your choice. 

If it has partial history and the owner admits to self-servicing or you suspect it might be less than great; Well; There's an opportunity to get a cheap bike. But you take your risks.

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As for risk points:

The standard stuff always applies: Chain & sprocket condition / Tyre condition / Signs of crash / Rust on exhaust or blowing / Clear signs of half-arsed wiring and mods / Brake pad condition - A bike with neglected basics often tells you the owner doesn't care much or can't afford to keep it properly, and this can be the case when it comes to servicing the bike.

But specific to the VFR:

  1. Does it have a power commander? (could be a negative if not done properly)
  2. Has it had the valve clearances done at the right intervals? (16,000 miles, but often doesn't need it doing even then).
  3. What's the condition of the RR wiring?


The RR is simple and quick to check by removing the rear panel and looking on the left side. Look for electrical problems / signs of heat damage etc - Starting the bike and checking the charge rate with even a cheap volt meter will help.

Hell; Meet the seller or take the bike to a reputable garage of your choice / local to the bike for an inspection of some kind.

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Thanks for all the information everyone.  I really appreciate it.

 

I usually ask things like service history, etc in person instead of via text/email.  For me, it paints a better picture. 

 

the other reason I ask some of these questions is because a second opinion I trust is a little far.

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As the original owner of a 2000, you can't go wrong with a well-maintained VFR800. Over the last 18 months, I've slowly upgraded some parts on mine (brake lines, hoses, etc.), but the bike is reliable. Be forewarned, as with any bike of this vintage, parts become a bit more challenging to locate for some specialty items. Good luck.  

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As far as mods go, look for a bike in as close to stock condition as possible. The typical vfr owner isn't going to do any crazy mods to their bike unless it was crashed or they have no idea what the intended purpose of a vfr is. In that case stay away. Useful items include luggage, sargent seat, heli bars, upgraded suspension components, aftermarket pipe. 

 

Where are you in Canada?

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As mentioned above, stuff to look out for. most are motorcycle related stuff, chain & sprockets,  tires, brakes, battery  over all looks good or molested? faring is missing pieces broken tabs,   etc.    Then yea,  the RR for sure.  Now as far as Mods gone wrong? that's a tough one, VFR owners are a good bunch,  but once in awhile there's that red neck that gets one and does all sorts of silly stuff like make it a stunt bike,  those sort of mods are easily seen and are red flags no matter what. I'd say in general if the bike has less than 40k and look to be a decent shape for between $2500 and 3500 depending on 1 owner vs 5 owners,  record or a history be hard to go wrong.  only thing that pops to my mind is theres a lot of after market mufflers out there and some get kinda installed not so quite the right way and or just the muffler can in its self,  some are top quality, some not so,  then there's the wind screens and hard bags being after market. How did they mount them?  I've seen some pretty wild hook ups there.  them too being a personal choice, you my find them in all sorts of WTH. were they thinking.  But over all just keep your wits about yourself run with your gut,  you'd do ok I bet.

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Hopefully you were the lucky one to grab the Scarborough bike. It was very well equipped and looked like a well maintained and appreciated ride. I tried but couldn't get out there today and it sold. A tell-tale sign for me is the little square fairing panel under the headlight assembly that few people know is there. It get knocked out pretty much every time the bike goes down.

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5 hours ago, B4V4 said:

Hopefully you were the lucky one to grab the Scarborough bike. It was very well equipped and looked like a well maintained and appreciated ride. I tried but couldn't get out there today and it sold. A tell-tale sign for me is the little square fairing panel under the headlight assembly that few people know is there. It get knocked out pretty much every time the bike goes down.

$1800 for a 30000km bike with luggage? that was a steal. The add was four hours old when I replied...too late :(

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1 hour ago, RDMcD said:

$1800 for a 30000km bike with luggage? that was a steal. The add was four hours old when I replied...too late :(

 

The blue VFR with the Ohlins rear shock?

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7 hours ago, slowbird said:

 

The blue VFR with the Ohlins rear shock?

No.This was a red 2000 in Mississauga on kijiji. 

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There were 2. I responded to them both within 30 mins. The first one was great with Sargent, Helibars + luggage for 2k. The second one never got back to me and seems to live right around the corner. Both completely under valued. Alas ...

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Spend a little more for perfect plastics and tank.  You won't be able to buy much in the way of new OEM plastic for much longer (the yellow stuff was already gone a few years ago).

 

Ciao,

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Sorry I've been gone so long.  Work kicked my butt.

 

To answer the questions posed:

 

RDMcD - I'm out in the maritimes.  Been looking around.  I too saw the red one for 1800 in ON, but like some others he never responded.  I checked his other ads and he was selling another bike and in that ad he said he wouldn't reply to emailed offers, so maybe because I said I wasn't local he ignored me.

 

JZH - How do you define "perfect" when it comes to plastics?  Although the example I looked at had a few scuffs and some wear where the seat touches the plastics, they were in pretty good shape overall.  No cracks or scratches deep into plastic that I saw.

 

hoses and brake lines looked to be in okay shape, and it has valid inspection through this riding year.  I may want to upgrade some brake parts and I'm not a fan of anything but Michelin rubber on my vehicles, but they are minor points I think.  I have 2 more examples I am going to look at (both 6th gens) and I'll report back.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mine is a 98 with 66k. It was used as an all year commuter before. The owner installed heated grips (which aren't isolated, so must turn off before leaving the bike).

 

I have had to replace the chrome oil pipes (these are at the very front). These are the most costly things to replace (from honda). I found some salvage ones but they are rusty and I expect them to leak again at some point. I have seen a mod to replace with AN6 hose which is very cheap.

 

I have also had lots of damage on the 'PCB' behind the dashboard. It is a flexible thin wires that get corroded. Easy to solder wires to bypass it. I've seen someone remove the entire thing and replace with a wire harness.

 

And recently I found my clutch slave was leaking, replaced seals and still leaking so I replaced with a honda CB1100 slave from 2012, £25.

 

It's an 18 year old bike, but apart from these issues it is is running fine. It still reaches indicated 150mph.

 

I will say that combined brake system feels pretty 'weak' to me, though I have little to compare it to.

 

 

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I've owned five fifth gens. And every one has needed new steering head bearings. One as early as 30,000 mi. In every case I've replaced them with All Balls tapered roller bearings. No problems since.

Honda uses ball bearings that aren't worth two cents. imho

To check the steering head bearings place the bike on it's centerstand and either have someone push down on the back of the seat enough to raise the front wheel off the ground, or a heavy enough weight (a couple of concrete blocks will do it) to lift the front.

Then you can see if there is any play in the steering head. There should be NO WOBBLE.

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