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My $2000 Craigslist 5th Gen [pic]...


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I use Craigslist for my motorcycle shopping. I love buying “old” bikes for pennies on the dollar!
 

Meet “Lea”. A 49-state 1998 with a hard-wired R/R. Just under 33k when I bought her about a month ago. 

 

 

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Nice find.  With the declining interest in motorcycling in the U.S. and especially this time of year, there are definitely bargains to be had.  I'm not familiar with the can on it - what brand is it? 

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I got mine for 3K last year with 30k and it has been awesome for me. The best generation is 5th and it is so much machine for so few bucks... I have been so pleased with it... Good buy!

As you can see it is the Yellow model...

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On 12/15/2019 at 7:10 PM, Cogswell said:

Nice find.  With the declining interest in motorcycling in the U.S. and especially this time of year, there are definitely bargains to be had.  I'm not familiar with the can on it - what brand is it? 

Delkevic Tri-Oval High Mount. Inexpensive ($200) slip on. It was on the bike when I bought it. Sounds okay; better than stock I would guess. Sounds a little bit louder without the easy-to-remove baffle. Growls more; easier to use the engine noise to shift. 


Motorcycle prices are also category dependent. No one wants a true mid-weight sport tourer these days. 25 years ago, every other moto-journalist had a VFR 750 in their personal stable. They’ve fallen out of favor for ADV bikes or tall, upright European style tourers like the Tracer or Versys.

 

Have you seen the price of used KLR650’s on Craigslist lately? Outrageous! Those bikes were  commonly $1500 for decent used examples. Now, they’re the gateway into the ADV lifestyle and priced accordingly. 

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Wow! That's a beauty. Best generation in the fastest color. Congrats. You obviously have great taste in MC's.

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Welcome to the club! I also snagged my red 5th gen from CL for $2k. I am always amazed by what a value these bikes are used. 

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Like so many things these days,  I find the ADV bike thing hard to figure.  I see so many of them that have never been off road,  much like the 4x4 rigs with suburban owners who have never engaged the transfer case.  :huh:   Ah well.  I hope it's a passing fad and we'll see sport touring make a resurgence in the future. Especially in that instance the VFR will remain a cult classic as there is nothing else like it. 

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3 hours ago, Cogswell said:

Like so many things these days,  I find the ADV bike thing hard to figure.  I see so many of them that have never been off road,  much like the 4x4 rigs with suburban owners who have never engaged the transfer case.  :huh:   Ah well.  I hope it's a passing fad and we'll see sport touring make a resurgence in the future. Especially in that instance the VFR will remain a cult classic as there is nothing else like it. 


Come ride my Tiger 800XCx and you’ll see why. With today’s crappy roads, ADV bikes are perfect. I have wind protection, electronic cruise control, panniers to go to the store or run errands, long-travel suspension which absorbs the worst of surfaces, upright seating position, the ability to turn down any road and see where it goes (mine has been all over the southeast, on the TAT, and other places), and the list goes on. It’s the best all-around bike I’ve ever owned or ridden. And, I’ve ridden a lot of bikes, having worked in the industry. 
 

I have a 5G with Traxxion worked frontend and Penske 8983 in the rear. It’s a properly setup bike, with sag set and geometry steepened the way it should be.  Likewise, I have an SV650S with a Traxxion frontend and Penske 8900 and properly setup, as well. Prior to these, I had two bikes with Traxxion AK-20 frontends and Penske 8983’s on both of them. I like quality, well setup suspensions. 
 

None of those bikes can compare to the comfort of my Tiger with it’s reworked WP suspension. Again, if you’re ever in the SPI area, you’re welcome to ride it as long as you like. Bring a lengthy inseam, though, because you’ll need it. 😁

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I’m sure the Tiger XCx is a great bike.

 

But, I’m an unabashed Honda fanboy and will wait for the Africa Twin 800... until 2040 when they’re $2000 on Craigslist. 🙃

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23 hours ago, Cogswell said:

Like so many things these days,  I find the ADV bike thing hard to figure.  I see so many of them that have never been off road,  much like the 4x4 rigs with suburban owners who have never engaged the transfer case.  :huh:   Ah well.  I hope it's a passing fad and we'll see sport touring make a resurgence in the future. Especially in that instance the VFR will remain a cult classic as there is nothing else like it. 

 

Cogs, I agree, the ADV is another marketing tool ("everyone will think I'm on a three month trip to southern Chile"), not too different from CPA's convinced they are badass dudes on Harleys. Most ADV's never leave the pavement. And the beak is not a great styling choice!

 

But yes, I ride an ADV, after 30+ years of continuous VFR ownership. So?

 

My 2017 Multistrada is my current sport-tourer, just like my VFR's were. Similar hp, and I even run exactly the same tires as I did on my 7th gen, (Michelin Road 4's, same sizes front and rear). Slightly more comfortable riding position, but I use it in exactly the same way as I did my VF700, VFR800, and VFR1200F. It's a great all-around bike.

 

Do not underestimate an extra 75% more suspension travel! It's great on the back roads. Modern electronics too ( I really do use and appreciate at least two of the ride modes, the TC, electronic suspension adjustment, and a few other bells and whistles). It weighs maybe 60 lbs less than my 7th gen, and about the same as my 6th gen. So...that's pretty much my defense of ADV's, hard to believe I wrote it! But--to me--my ADV is a sport-touring bike, that's how I use it.

 

(however, there still is an old sporting Honda in my garage...)

 

 

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9 hours ago, St. Stephen said:

 

(however, there still is a PROPER sporting Honda in my garage...)

 

 

Fixed that for ya :goofy: 

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I kinda want a bike with more suspension travel and clearance for a lot of my riding.  An Africa twin or similar makes a lot of sense to me.  A wider ratio gearbox would be important though, rather than just sprocket changes.  There are lots of bad, potholed roads and parking lots around me.  Lots of dirt parking lots that are hard to manage on a VFR, likewise some great gravel and dirt roads.

Obviously not a replacement for the VFR on the right roads but something that'll go 85 on the highway (KLR not quite), manage a dirt road, and be able to be dropped and picked back up again solo without significant damage would be super handy for me.  

 

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10 hours ago, JoelF said:

I kinda want a bike with more suspension travel and clearance for a lot of my riding.  An Africa twin or similar makes a lot of sense to me.  A wider ratio gearbox would be important though, rather than just sprocket changes.  There are lots of bad, potholed roads and parking lots around me.  Lots of dirt parking lots that are hard to manage on a VFR, likewise some great gravel and dirt roads.

Obviously not a replacement for the VFR on the right roads but something that'll go 85 on the highway (KLR not quite), manage a dirt road, and be able to be dropped and picked back up again solo without significant damage would be super handy for me.  

 

CB500X, might be worth a look. The newer bikes have 19” front wheel and bit longer travel suspension. 

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3 hours ago, ducnut said:

CB500X, might be worth a look. The newer bikes have 19” front wheel and bit longer travel suspension. 

49 hp, 39 ft-lbs 😞 beginner bike specs.

 

They should have made it a 700 twin with ~70 hp to compete with the Vstrom 650. Instead they have a gutless NX700.

 

But, at least we can maybe expect to see a AT800/850 with hopefully ~85 hp. Something in the F850 class.

 

What the hell is Honda doing these days other than producing a $184,000 1000cc V4 streetbike that makes 101 hp.🙄

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The NC is now available as a 750 and might be OK,  I'd like to ride a CB500X to see how slow it is also.  A V Strom or Tiger might be closer to the mark.  The NC is too new for me to find cheap and also looks like it's not up for much trail damage.  

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Don’t judge the CB500X by the spec sheet. It’s a ton of fun to ride hard. More like a supermoto than an off road machine. The ergos are better for my old body than my VFR and it is more fun on rough and or tight roads. Biggest issue is for passing. I always drop two.


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My last bike was an ‘88 Honda Hawk GT (647cc twin). Got her on Craigslist for $1900. The specs (58hp claimed, 39 ft-lbs) are similar to the CB500 series, but even lighter at 410 lbs full of fluids. ELF designed ProArm SSS just like our VFRs.


It was fun to ring out in the twisties and effortless to ride around town. The lack of power and wind protection was annoying on the highways. That was the Hawk’s Achilles heel. I have to ride on 12 lane freeways for an hour to get to where these mid-weight bikes excel. So I’m weary of low powered bikes.
 

Here she is 25 miles up the mountain parked next to a couple $15k Super Teneres. I had just as much fun if not more on the twisties, but the Super Teneres had an easier ride on the super slab with the semis. 
 

Bikes are all about their intended use and an exercise in compromise. 

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The Hawk was on my radar for fun until I rode one two years ago. Much too compact for my old body.


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16 hours ago, 8200rpm said:

49 hp, 39 ft-lbs 😞 beginner bike specs.

 

They should have made it a 700 twin with ~70 hp to compete with the Vstrom 650. Instead they have a gutless NX700.

 

But, at least we can maybe expect to see a AT800/850 with hopefully ~85 hp. Something in the F850 class.

 

What the hell is Honda doing these days other than producing a $184,000 1000cc V4 streetbike that makes 101 hp.🙄


The problem is weight. You’re looking at 500+ pounds, when looking at the 800+cc bikes. Plus, they’re much taller than the 500X, KLR, 300-X, 390 Adventure, and other smaller displacement bikes. There are an awful lot of people commuting freeways on the smaller bikes and enjoying ~70mpg doing it. 

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9 hours ago, ducnut said:


The problem is weight. You’re looking at 500+ pounds, when looking at the 800+cc bikes. Plus, they’re much taller than the 500X, KLR, 300-X, 390 Adventure, and other smaller displacement bikes. There are an awful lot of people commuting freeways on the smaller bikes and enjoying ~70mpg doing it. 

Tenere 700 is 450lb wet. Seems like that might be the sweet spot. Price it under $10k. 

 

That’s a viable target for the yet to be unveiled mid weight Africa Twin if they don’t want to challenge the F850 or Tiger 800 which is now a 900 now anyway. 

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Good friend of mine bought an Africa Twin DCT and full electronics package to replace his old V Strom 650. A few months later he put it up for sale to buy the newer V Strom 650. Most of his miles are commuting with occasional weekend trips. He just couldn't justify putting heavy miles on a purebred adventure tour bike with now adventure bike miles planned for it. I've seen him ride the Strom on dirt trails with relitive ease. I don't think the thought of dumping the African Twin on a dirt trail and having to pick it up appealed to him very much either. 

I'm sort of in the same boat. Eyeing a smaller bore bike like a Versys, V Strom or the like. Commute and travel with it all I like. Never worry about the miles or tires wearing square, riding in the rain or dumping in on a sandy trail. 

Actually rode my VFR700 on dirt roads and it was not that bad with practice. Only dropped it once under front braking. 

Congrats on your new VFR800. I still think they are a classic all arounder. Motor probably good for over 175k miles. Friend is selling my old VFR700 running strong with 134k miles. My old 98 VFR800 is still racking up unpaid toll road violations that are sent to me because buyer is a cheating scumbag and never transfered title. That bike had about 135k when I sold it to him.  

Hell maybe I should frankenviffer a 5th gen into a softcore adventure bike. gotta get some ride height added to the SSSA though. May be a challenge.

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5 hours ago, VFR Capt.Bob said:

 

Hell maybe I should frankenviffer a 5th gen into a softcore adventure bike. gotta get some ride height added to the SSSA though. May be a challenge.

Or just import a VFR800X 😆😉

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