Guest Cadmandu Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Hi All, I am trying to decide what model VFR I want to buy and I have narrowed it down to the 94 to 97 years. I was wandering if someone could give me the year spread for the 3rd gen and then the 4th gen. I would like two things on my VFR and can't seem to verify when they became options. I want a center stand and I want cartridge forks. Does anybody know if they made a VFR with these options in the 86/97 time frame. TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4 Rosso Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 From the third gen on (90-93) the VFR came with cartridge forks. The first and second gen VFR (86-89) has damper rod forks. Centre stands are available for all models. Here (in Europe) all VFRs up to the VTEC came with a centre stand. TheVFR1200 is te first model where it is optional. May be different in the US, I know it was optional for the third gen VFR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer ron_al Posted August 15, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 15, 2011 IIRC, the 3rd gen (1990-1993) models in the US did not come with a standard centerstand, but that it was instead an option. The 4th gen (1994-1997) models in the US did come with a centerstand. At least, that's my recollection of the matter. Good luck on the bike search! Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer The mailman Posted August 15, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 15, 2011 >>>> 94 - 97 <<<< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Thanks Guys, That is a big help. Can I do the skinny and you tell me if I am right? 4th Gen 94 to 97 1) Center stand 2) Cartridge forks 3) Carbs no Fi 4) single arm swingarm 5) Gear driven Cams Would I find all these things on the above bike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted August 15, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 15, 2011 Thanks Guys, That is a big help. Can I do the skinny and you tell me if I am right? 4th Gen 94 to 97 1) Center stand 2) Cartridge forks 3) Carbs no Fi 4) single arm swingarm 5) linked brakes Would I find all these things on the above bike? 4 out of 5................... no linked brakes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Thanks Dutchy, I read about the linked brakes and did not care for the idea. What is your opinion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4 Rosso Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 5) Gear driven Cams Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 4th gens had center stands as standard equipment. 3rd gen didn't and had to be bought as an option, 5th and 6th gen aslo had them as standard equipment. Looks like the bean counters deleted them for the 7th and is again considered optional equipment. Gear driven cams have been deleted for good from the VFRs starting from the 6th gen bike. tudging from your wish list, he 4th gen seems to be the perfect VFR for you. Just be aware though that Honda does not support the 4th gen with as much spare parts as it used to because of Honda's 10 year post model retirement cut-off for spare parts production., Specially when it comes to fairing/plastics. I suggest you find one with no fairing damage and also stock up on spare peices when you can afford it/find them. Good luck on your serach for the 4th gen! Beck 95 VFR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer The mailman Posted August 15, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 15, 2011 I have not had the experience of shops not wanting to work on my '97 but I have heard the rumor from other riders of "older" bikes that some dealerships would rather pass on servicing similar bikes. My solution was to figure out a lot of it on my own and I also found a local private (non-dealership) shop that is outstanding. I had several people reccommend the shop and on my first visit I noticed everything from early 70's bikes right up to a new-ish Ducati. I compared similar work orders from them and my local Honda shop and needless to say, the local guy beat the factory guys by almost 50% every time. Find a good local guy and show some loyalty and they will take care of you just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Yea thanks to you guys and a few over on VFD World in the past few days I have had all my questions answered except for just one more. Now this will be the final exam and it will clear up everything for us all. After I get this last question answered I will look up all the specs for each gen and make a real nice VF/VFD info sheet. Maybe it could be posted somewhere where all could see. First I would like to address the scarce parts issue. I have a 83,84,and 85 so I know what it can be like finding kits and parts. I will give you an example, I was getting ready to do valve adjustment on my 83 Ceptor and went to Service Honda to get a gasket for alternator. It said discontinued, so I googled the p/n and found it at Cheap Cycle Parts. What happens is when a parts house runs out they try to order more and can't so they say discontinued. The good news is the other 20 or so parts houses may still have them in stock. I learned a trick from one of the guys on the MOOT forum. When you put on your new gasket make sure all surfaces are clean and apply gaska cinch to the cover and stick on the gasket. After it sets for 10 minutes apply anti-seize to the face of the gasket and bolt on. The next time you do a valve job you will have a perfect gasket. When it comes to rebuilding Keihin carbs I have a friend named Mike Nixon at The Motorcycle Project he will sell you a book with 97 illustrations on how to remove, tear down, clean and rebuild and install for 24.00. But, when it comes to rebuild kits for calipers, slave cylinders and master cylinders it is a very good idea to have a few extra laying around. I have to do all my own rebuilding of forks, carbs and hydraulic systems because no one in this town will work on a bike that they did not sell. Plus, my bikes are older than the mechanics. Here is my grand finale question, I will lay out a set of dates and gen numbers and you guys fix what ever is wrong. I will start with the 83 and consider it the first gen. This will be a list of Interceptors only. I think they dropped that name maybe in the 5th gen pleasae advise. 1st Gen Interceptor VF 83/85 2nd Gen Interceptor VFR 86/88 3rd Gen Interceptor VFR 89/93 4th Gen Interceptor VFR 94/97 Thanks Beck, The Mailman, Rosso, Dutchy, and Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 1st Gen Interceptor VF 83/85 2nd Gen Interceptor VFR 86/88 3rd Gen Interceptor VFR 89/93 4th Gen Interceptor VFR 94/97 Thanks Beck, The Mailman, Rosso, Dutchy, and Ron 3rd and 4th gens were not called interceptors anymore, at least in the US they weren't (Some say because the name wasn't so "PC"). I think the "interceptor" name came back with the 6th gen, but was then was taken away again with the 7th(?).. Beck 95 VFR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted August 16, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 16, 2011 1st Gen Interceptor VF 83/85 2nd Gen Interceptor VFR 86/88 3rd Gen Interceptor VFR 89/93 4th Gen Interceptor VFR 94/97 Thanks Beck, The Mailman, Rosso, Dutchy, and Ron The "generations" thing is a US-centric invention, and I was never entirely clear about the rationale behind it, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that "3rd-gen" covers the early RC36 VFR750FL-P, model years 1990-93, and "4th-gen" covers the later RC36 (aka RC36-II) VFR750FR-V, model years 1994-97. (Note that these are model years, not years of manufacture or first sale.) Outside the USA the earlier RC24 model was produced for the 1986-87 model years, as well as for 1988 and 1989--with some significant differences, so there is an argument that the first two "generations" are more properly the two RC24 models (leaving the VF out entirely). That position has some resonance with me. I mean, are we talking bikes or engines? Clearly, the VF Interceptor is not a "VFR", so the connection is either through the name (er, does the VTR250 "Interceptor" then qualify?) or through the engine, which is also a V4. But there have been other Honda V4s, so why not include them? I think, therefore, that the most logical arrangement of VFR generatrions actually would be: RC24-I, RC24-II, RC36-I, RC36-II, RC46-I, RC46-II (and then the SC63, if you insist). Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 What he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Wow! You have opened up a whole new can of worms. I really appreciate your knowledge and feedback. Tell you the truth I know nothing about the RC family of bikes. I assumed that they were race machines that HRC used on the track. Did they put them into production for the public, and if so what kinda of numbers were produced. I never see much about them. I do want to have the whole story though. Is the first gen from 83 to 85? And did these RC's belong to this group? Sorry about my ignorance. I have been a V45 Magna owner for 3 years now and just entered into the Interceptor world this April. I love my V65 for trips and my 83 Interceptor for thrills. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 The RC30, RC45 and RC51 were the only purpose built racebikes that were also street legal. Rc30: Rc45: Rc51: The other bikes with RC designations were really street bikes with no racing intentions, though the 1986 Rc24 was raced In AMA superbike, and was heavily modified. As JZH mentioned, the rc24 was 1986 to 1989 with two variants, three if you count the 700cc tariff beaters, from 1990 to 1997 the rc36 had two variants, from 1998 to 2009 was the rc46 also with two variants, geardrive and vtec. The original vf750 is sometimes referred to as a first gen, but it's a vf not a Vfr. There is a familial relation as they are all v4s but the first Vfr was definitely 1986. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Rc36-1 Rc36-2 Rc46-1 Rc46-2 Also worth remembering that the rc51 is a v twin not a v four Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4 Rosso Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Tell you the truth I know nothing about the RC family of bikes. Some interesting links: Honda model numbers explained by JZH's on his website vsource.org Honda V4 history by Honda Europe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 It just does not get better than this. The pictures are awsome. I have one on my desktop right now. Thanks V4 for the links, they will entertain me for a long time. How do you guys attach such big pictures to your post? I read that these bikes are really hard to come by. What are flat- slide carbs apposed to the piston VD slide like my Kehin? You guys are really feeding me some great and coveted stuff. I am sharing it with my friend on the MOOT forum silveradocowboy Thanks keep it comin Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer cbar Posted August 16, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 16, 2011 My 3rd Gen didn't come with a centre stand, but DID come with the rear seat cowl - which were notorious for the fragility of their little tabs that hold them in place - that I have never used, but keep for the "someday I'll fix it and use it option". 3rd Gens also had a grey seat (ugly, IMO) which I've replaced and a big-ass rear fender, which I've kept! Picture 030.jpg Picture 187.jpg Picture 186 Cropped First Ride To Work 2005 Baby Got Back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted August 17, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2011 Wow! You have opened up a whole new can of worms. I really appreciate your knowledge and feedback. Tell you the truth I know nothing about the RC family of bikes. I assumed that they were race machines that HRC used on the track. Did they put them into production for the public, and if so what kinda of numbers were produced. I never see much about them. I do want to have the whole story though. Is the first gen from 83 to 85? And did these RC's belong to this group? Sorry about my ignorance. I have been a V45 Magna owner for 3 years now and just entered into the Interceptor world this April. I love my V65 for trips and my 83 Interceptor for thrills. There isn't really an "RC family" of Honda street motorcycles. If you look at any Honda VIN or Frame Number from the last 30 years or so, if the bike's engine size is between 650cc and 899cc, it will have an "RC" in it. There are also MCs, NCs, PCs and SCs, depending on engine size. That number is called the Model Number--the Model Numbers for the normal VFR street motorcycles were mentioned above. Some special models, usually homologated street versions of superbike racers, became better known by their Model Numbers than their actual Model Names, such as the RC30 (Model Name: VFR750R) and RC45 (Model Name: RVF750R), and in order to eliminate confusion I sometimes refer to certain other bikes by their Model Numbers. Unfortunately, American Honda's marketing department decided that the "RC" moniker was so powerful, they decided to apply it to the "RC51", which actually has the Model Number "SC45" (presumably because it was the 45th Honda street motorcycle with an engine larger than 899cc). There is yet another way to refer even more precisely to certain Honda motorcycle models, which is by Product Code (aka Parts Classification Number), but apart from "anoraks" (mine's a Dainese) like me, only Germans seem to be fluent in such things! (The PCN is three digits, such as MT4, MBG, etc., and can be found in the middle of most Honda part numbers.) To make matters even more confusing, HRC, Honda's racing division has long used "RC" as the prefix for its racing prototype machines (which, in this context, stands for "Racing Corporation"), with the current MotoGP bike being called the RC212V. This has NOTHING to do with Honda's production model numbering system. HRC did prepare (and some say, build) certain of the RC30s, RC45s and "RC51s" raced by the factory superbike teams, but as superbikes are, by definition, based on production models, they all had production-based Honda (not HRC) Model Numbers. Production numbers varied, with the RC30 and (especially) RC45 being fairly limited in production, but with the "RC51" being fairly mass-produced. There was a minimum number required in order for the bikes to be used in superbike racing--otherwise they probably wouldn't have built any for the street! I believe the first Honda V4 engine was built in 1982, and because it was the seventh Honda street production model made, had an Model Number of RC07. Later 750cc models were the RC09, RC15 and RC21, etc., but Honda also produced 1000cc, 400cc and 500cc VF models during the 1980s. I don't know much about those bikes, as I was completely into cars until 1989! Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 My 3rd Gen didn't come with a centre stand, but DID come with the rear seat cowl - which were notorious for the fragility of their little tabs that hold them in place - that I have never used, but keep for the "someday I'll fix it and use it option". 3rd Gens also had a grey seat (ugly, IMO) which I've replaced and a big-ass rear fender, which I've kept! Picture 030.jpg Picture 187.jpg Picture 186 Cropped First Ride To Work 2005 Baby Got Back Do a rear "Fenderectomy" and you might gain a few MPH without that sail of a fender..... Beck 95 VFR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer cbar Posted August 17, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 17, 2011 Do a rear "Fenderectomy" and you might gain a few MPH without that sail of a fender..... Beck 95 VFR NEVER!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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