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Hi,

Long time listener first time caller.

 

I'd like a newer bike to complement my RD400.  I've always really liked the idea of the VFR and hope for some advice. 

 

I'm totally down with an older bike.  I even almost got a clapped out FZR600.  So working on a 3rd or 4th gen isn't a problem.

 

I can't find a single 4th gen for sale anywhere in the country.  ebay, cycle trader.  I've got a craigslist app and have looking in my area on Facebook.  Any advice?

 

Are these now just moving up to collector status similar to the 80s two stroke bikes that I already dream of?

 

I'm able to find 5th gens for what seem like reasonable prices.  Part of me wants to just pull the trigger on a 5th gen and move on with getting to know something new.

 

There are no bad responses.  Thanks.

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Welcome to the forum!

 

Not that I've shopped for them, but I think 3rd and 4th gen VFRs are getting hard to find.  Whether they're broken down, crashed, or just sitting in the back of garages around the country, available bikes are really diminishing in numbers.  Nice examples might be collectors' items, but most people who own them still ride them regularly, so they're not garage queens.  Even 5th gens are getting harder to find.  Sounds like you're looking in all the right places, but I'd add the Classified section on this site, plus the "other" VFR forum.

 

If you do decide to compromise, it's hard to go wrong with a nice 5th gen.  Other than some electrical issues which are easily addressed, they are built to run forever.

 

Good luck with the search!

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Personally I think the 3rd and 4th Gens are my favorites, Still had carbs, gear driven cams, analog clocks, non linked brakes. The 5th Gen introduced FI and an 800 cc engine along with linked brakes and side radiators which I think just added complexity to the bike. Later versions dropped the gear driven cams in favor of chains again, added VTEC, ABS, Traction control etc.

 

I'm not against progress, I just want it to be another guy reaching for his wallet to fix it all.🙂 Besides, there are no Honda dealers anywhere near me and none would work on anything other than my Africa Twin as they are to old anyway.

 

So like the old axiom "Ducati, turning riders into mechanics for 40 years" I embraced working on my own bikes many years ago. Found out I really enjoy it, and that the other old saying "Keep it simple" is quite true for me.

 

Just my thoughts. I think it is just the time of year rather than the supply that seems to be the issue. Hold out for that 3/4th Gen.

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I am currently waiting to find the right 4th Gen for the above reasons.  All the VFRs are nice, but I prefer old school simple.  Fucking hate linked brakes.  I know they work great, but goddamn, the complexity and weight. 

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2 hours ago, Captain 80s said:

I am currently waiting to find the right 4th Gen for the above reasons.  All the VFRs are nice, but I prefer old school simple.  Fucking hate linked brakes.  I know they work great, but goddamn, the complexity and weight. 

Captain, I am an admirer, might pay $30 just for a tour of your garage and all those great bikes! So...

 

...your comment got me thinking:

Features that make riding better but wrenching worse.

How dumbed-down can a bike be and still be fun (for me) to ride?

VFRD has creeped oh-so-slightly towards wrenching and away from riding in my 10+ years on Miguel's creation.

Maybe bicycles (for example, I am not a bicyclist) aren't fun to work on because they are not complex enough--is there a complexity sweet spot?

 

My two bikes are each at the opposite ends of this spectrum, so I guess I'm just thinking/typing out loud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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There is a beautiful 3rd gen on Marketplace right now for $3500 with hard luggage. It's in Hixon, TN if that helps.

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20 hours ago, TimC said:

Welcome to the forum!

 

Not that I've shopped for them, but I think 3rd and 4th gen VFRs are getting hard to find.  Whether they're broken down, crashed, or just sitting in the back of garages around the country, available bikes are really diminishing in numbers.  Nice examples might be collectors' items, but most people who own them still ride them regularly, so they're not garage queens.  Even 5th gens are getting harder to find.  Sounds like you're looking in all the right places, but I'd add the Classified section on this site, plus the "other" VFR forum.

 

If you do decide to compromise, it's hard to go wrong with a nice 5th gen.  Other than some electrical issues which are easily addressed, they are built to run forever.

 

Good luck with the search!

 

I do see 4th gens for sale here and there, but very rarely a 3rd gen.  I seem to see more earlier models for sale on C/L that 3rd gens and I can't recall seeing a 3rd gen at any of the meets I've been to.  I suspect that there might be an "8 spoke effect" that has sent more than a few 3rd gens to the parts bin for the rear wheel.  I wish there was more of them around. 

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On 10/14/2020 at 4:41 PM, St. Stephen said:

VFRD has creeped oh-so-slightly towards wrenching and away from riding in my 10+ years on Miguel's creation.

 

 

Interesting observation.  I wonder how much of that might be attributed to one, demographics - the ownership profile of members seems to be well over 40 (and even 50) and maybe we don't tour / ride them as much? and two most of these bikes are well in to or past middle age and like the aging owners, have more aches and pains of their own that need to be fixed. 

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1 hour ago, Cogswell said:

 

Interesting observation.  I wonder how much of that might be attributed to one, demographics - the ownership profile of members seems to be well over 40 (and even 50) and maybe we don't tour / ride them as much? and two most of these bikes are well in to or past middle age and like the aging owners, have more aches and pains of their own that need to be fixed. 

 

VFRs were never hugely popular bikes, and each successive generation's sales probably fell compared to the prior one.  There might have been more 6th gens sold than 5th gens, but they were also made about twice as long.  "The gentleman's sportbike" was such a terrific all-arounder when most people wanted a dedicated supersport, tourer, cruiser, or standard, that the VFR's versatility kind of worked against it in my opinion.

 

As the buyers have aged and maybe moved on from their VFRs - or added bikes to the garage and don't spend as much time on their VFRS - the forum has lagged some.  It's still terrific, of course, as are the motorcycles, but there just isn't as much traffic as there was a few years ago, and more posts seem to be about wrenching, as St. Stephen pointed out.  Personally, I was mostly absent from VFRD for several years, as I didn't have as much free time to spend here.

 

I'll likely be selling my old 6th gen soon.  I hope to still be a part of this great community, but I'm already spending more time at the forum dedicated to the new bike I bought in August.  😕 

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9 hours ago, Cogswell said:

 

Interesting observation.  I wonder how much of that might be attributed to one, demographics - the ownership profile of members seems to be well over 40 (and even 50) and maybe we don't tour / ride them as much? and two most of these bikes are well in to or past middle age and like the aging owners, have more aches and pains of their own that need to be fixed. 

 

Good points Cogs. A comprehensive review of U.S. vehicle registration data today would probably show that the average age of a currently titled, licensed and insured VFR is many years older than it was in, say, 2010. And therefore VFRD follows that trend, creeping towards the fun (and necessity) of maintaining and improving VFR's versus riding. And, VFRD has experts. Lots of them! New owners come here to learn and fix.

 

I sometimes compare VFRD to the RC-51 forums I visit. These forums still have great useful information for my bike, but I do feel them slowly fading into the "historic" realm. Although I must admit that even the Multistrada forums are more focused on the air cooled (and ugly 😉) earlier generations. Anyway, once again:

 

C'mon Honda!

 

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I've lurked on the XX forum - there are only a few posts daily as the newest of those bikes are closing in on 20 y.o.   A telling thing on VFRD is that you rarely if ever see posts from any of the moderators any longer.  I guess after 15+ years there's nothing much new under the sun - every mod and farkle has been discussed over and over and there are no new generations to ogle.  As the need for repairs rises with age, the nature of the forum changes.  Everything has a life cycle and by now VFR's are probably late middle age.  Ok by me tho - lots of nice folks on here and it helps keep my interest up knowing there are others that share the same interest. 

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12 hours ago, Cogswell said:

I've lurked on the XX forum - there are only a few posts daily as the newest of those bikes are closing in on 20 y.o.   A telling thing on VFRD is that you rarely if ever see posts from any of the moderators any longer.  I guess after 15+ years there's nothing much new under the sun - every mod and farkle has been discussed over and over and there are no new generations to ogle.  As the need for repairs rises with age, the nature of the forum changes.  Everything has a life cycle and by now VFR's are probably late middle age.  Ok by me tho - lots of nice folks on here and it helps keep my interest up knowing there are others that share the same interest. 

Well said.

 

I am a member of a First Gen Board, my 83 Interceptor is 37 years old, my Vf1100 Sabre and 2 VF1000R's are 35 years old, my 86 VFR is 34 years old, yeah its a 2nd Gen but I put in here anyway because I like it. 🙂 That means an older crowd who ALL have to do their own work on the bikes as well as source parts. Over the years these guys have put together an"Index to common problems and their Repairs" and a "Parts number cross Reference" and also a Ad Hoc conglomeration of Bodge it, it will work threads. What that means is that even the new guy with no posts, but actually reads the intro, will be able to solve north of 90% of any problems he has with his new to him bike, without ever posting. I guess that's the evolution of any Board like that, or this.

 

That said we have our Get Togethers, rides etc. It just done over PM's now.

 

 

 

 

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To the OP..... there's a stunning 4th gen for sale on Vfrworld ....if I wanted a 4th....it is the one.... location New Jersey.....

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