8200rpm

Looks like it was dropped. The scratches to the crankcase cover and scratches on the fairing are from the bike being picked up off the pavement. Usually the bike slides a little on the fairing and engine case before the tires make contact with the ground as you try to pick it up.

That's a good price. If I was in the market for that specific model, I would buy it. Make sure it wasn't in any accidents or has any damage from being dropped. You can probably talk him down to $7k flat. I would talk him down, because I'd rather have the white one.

Nobody wants VFR800's or mid-displacement (782cc) sport-tourers with the curb weight of a liter bike right now. All the cool kids are riding ADV bikes these days. I've seen 2014 base models listed for ~$7k and the Deluxe for ~$8k... BRAND NEW! Thats A LOT of bike for the money. People spend that much for a 400cc, 40hp, made-in-Thailand Ducati Scrambler Sixty2!!! Heck, a brand new CB650R lists at $10k!

That reddish brown stuff is old brake fluid that turns to paste. DOT 4 should be yellow straw color like crappy light beer. Any shade of brown is not acceptable especially when you have a clog prone SMC. This was the condition of my calipers when I rebuilt them back in December 2019... Every banjo bolt I took apart had this crud in it. That "green filter" and the tiny little hole in the SMC gets clogged with this stuff. It's very difficult to clean it all out if it's stuck inside those orifices. Also, if the SMC piston seals swell out of tolerance, it could impede flow out of the "green filter". Cleaning the green filter and rebuilding the SMC has been reported to work for some and not for others. I didn't want to take a shortcut and learn the hard way. The SMC rebuild kit is $45. I figured I'd spend a bit more and replace the entire SMC for $130. Look at the size of this orifice... Look at the location of the holes in relation to the piston cup seal... Photos are from st-owners forum... https://www.st-owners.com/forums/threads/st1300-secondary-master-cylinder-rebuild-smc.133460/page-3#post-2208421

So recently, I had the oh-so-common Honda (Goldwing, CBR1100XX, ST1300 and VFR800 combined braking system) rear brake lock up, dragging issue. The rear brake pedal felt mushy like there was air in the lines, and the rear brake barely stopped the bike. However, the rear caliper was binding the rear disc. Starting from a complete stop would make the bike judder like there's something wrong with the clutch. Bike would generally feel sluggish around town. I would also smell burning brakes after coming to a stop from a sustained high speed run. When I put the bike on the center stand and depressed the rear brake pedal, it would mush all the way in its travel. However, when I tried to spin the rear wheel, there was A LOT of resistance. After several minutes the resistance faded a bit, but there was no free spinning the rear wheel for hours. Depressed the pedal again, and rear wheel would bind again. This illustration is EXCELLENT and helped me troubleshoot the issue. (Not sure of the original source of the diagram but I came cross it from our own Courtuk's post). After locking up the rear wheel, when I opened the bleeder for the rear outside pistons, nothing happened; wheel was still locked up. Thus, the problem wasn't with the outside pistons sticking nor the rear master cylinder which is directly plumbed (red line) to the rear outside pistons. When I opened the bleeder for the rear center piston on a locked wheel, fluid came out (pressure released), and the rear wheel was free. Thus, the problem wasn't the center piston itself. When I opened the bleeder for the PCV on a locked wheel, fluid came out (pressure released), and the rear wheel was free. Thus, it wasn't the line between the PCV to the center piston. When I depressed the SMC manually on a free rear wheel, the rear wheel was locked only when the SMC was in the depressed position. Once I released the SMC, the rear wheel was free. Thus, the problem wasn't between the SMC - PCV - rear center piston (blue line). When the front wheel was off the ground, the front wheel spun free. Thus, the problem wasn't between the RMC - delay valve - front center pistons. Everything pointed to the inside of entry port of the SMC. Or what's known as the "green filter". Reading ST-owners forum and an anecdote from our own Duc2V4, simply cleaning the "green filter" or rebuilding the SMC doesn't solve the problem. Honda technician on ST-owners forum, Igofar, recommends replacing the SMC rather than trying to clean it or rebuild it. So, that's what I did... 06454-MBG-425 $132.94 on Partzilla when I ordered it on 4/27/2020... Here's the inlet port (green filter of the new SMC vs the one on my bike)... Look at all that crud in there... Here's the consequence of riding around with a sticking rear center piston... GAWD!!! I put everything back together, and the brakes work fantastic now. Rear disc is still warm to the touch... warmer than the front discs. I wonder if running them hot cooked the seals in the calipers. Might have to rebuild those, AGAIN!!! ARGH!!! There are reports of Goldwings bursting into flames and other bikes blowing out their brake lines from overheating the discs and consequently the calipers and the hydraulics. Moral of the story: If you are rebuilding brakes on a VFR800 with neglected hydraulics, Secondary Master Cylinder REPLACEMENT should be a top priority! The SMC is the weak link when the brake system is neglected. I didn't know that. I rebuilt all calipers, seals and front master cylinder, but I took my chances with an old SMC because I was ignorant. If you are refurbishing a neglected VFR, do yourself a favor and buy a new SMC before it becomes NLA.

Seems like the SMC compensating port blockage has been an issue for Honda for a while. https://ridermagazine.com/2011/12/02/honda-gold-wing-gl1800-brake-recall/ https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/gl1800-brake-recall?l=en-US&mode=print https://blog.motorcycle.com/2015/10/21/manufacturers/honda/honda-finally-has-a-fix-for-gold-wing-rear-brake-drag-issue/ Could that be the fine pasty film observed by @Duc2V4? Were there any recalls for the 5th Gen VFR's for this issue? Seems like it could apply to all LBS models.

Here's some recent info from Igofar (he recommends just replacing the SMC): https://www.st-owners.com/forums/threads/st1300-secondary-master-cylinder-rebuild-smc.133460/page-3#post-2208421 Look at the size of the two ports in the SMC body (red circle around the tiny "compensating port")... Look at exactly where the piston needs to be for it to function properly (red lines indicate the location of the inlet port and compensating port)... And, consider the illustrations from the ST Owners... And how it fails due to corrosion and swelling of the seals... I'm dealing with the same issue of the rear brake locking up. I recently rebuilt all my calipers. All sorts of brown snot was in the system. Hydraulic fluid age was "neglected" to say the least. After the rebuild, everything seemed to be in good order (especially after a touch up bleed with speed bleeders). I had ample power in the pedal to skid the rear. Unfortunately after a few weeks, the pedal turned to total mush. Depressing the pedal to about 85% of its travel had no ill affect (but also virtually no braking effect); rear wheel can still spin relatively free. However, depressing the pedal all the way would lock the rear so the wheel couldn't be turned by hand. I could push the bike forward, and it would eventually release enough to roll the bike. When I depress the pedal fully when riding to a complete stop, take off causes the clutch/driveline to shudder abnormally until the brake pad resistance releases (probably) by frictional wear. The rear disc is running hotter to the touch than the front. That microscopic hole in the SMC that's so prone to failure with a bit of neglect, age, corrosion build up, tolerance stacking, etc... what a pain in the ass. Something you'd expect from German engineers. Definitely not Russian engineering. On a positive note, the front lever braking feel and power is ABSOLUTELY dreamy after the rebuild of the calipers, MC and thorough bleed. Lever doesn't come close to the grips even on the closest setting. I love it!

I used Honda OE from partzilla.

Hmmm... Looks like a really clean example for <$5k USD. I think the bike is mechanically worth it. I’d be really happy if I got that bike for $4500. But, the VFR market is so weird. I’ve seen 8th gen deluxe with <2k miles for $7k USD not sell for weeks, and one with 50k miles for $3900 with the full complement of factory hard cases. There are stories of people buying brand new 8th gen bikes off the showroom floor for not much more than $8k USD. No one wants VFRs.

9 years is a respectable run with a motorcycle in its second decade of its life. It’s definitely a buyers market with VFRs nowadays. Good luck with the MT-09.

No valve checks or adjustments?

If you haven’t already, I would check your clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder. My MC was leaking fluid onto my fairings (‘98 with 33k). I opted to rebuild the slave cylinder while rebuilding the MC and that thing was filled with caramel sauce and scale. Also that little brass bushing inside the lever that mates with the master cylinder piston rod was worn completely through! I also rebuilt all the brake calipers because I wasn’t happy with the feel of the brakes. I believe that the brakes are the most important component on a motorcycle. The poor condition of my clutch hydraulics were an indicator for how the braking system was maintained. The brake system was filled with caramel and coagulated bloody snot. I rebuilt the front lever master cylinder and all the calipers, front and back. I skipped rebuilding the secondary master cylinder (on the left fork leg) and rear pedal master cylinder out of laziness and empty hope that they got less intense use (compared to the front) so less wear. I’ll probably rebuild those next time I flush/re-bleed the hydraulics. The vacuum bleeder was a waste of money. I bought speed bleeders on my second attempt at bleeding the system, and it was SO MUCH easier. Oh yeah. Bleeding the combined braking system can be a chore if you’ve never done it before. Follow the sequence in the service manual. Have at least a liter or two of DOT 4 on hand. Don’t be surprised if you need to re-bleed once or twice but hopefully not three times There are A LOT of junctions and sections where air can hide in this system.

Thanks! As for the valve job, I was super tempted to get into those heads especially because it's such a hassle getting the airbox and throttle body off. My problem is that I have no patience when my bike is down. I'm jonesing the entire time to ride again. So, I saved the valve job for "next time". I agree with you about piece of mind. Before this task, I was constantly smelling coolant on every ride, worried about what was going on inside that V, and checking the reservoir level after every ride. No more! I can enjoy riding with the temp consistently reading 170-180F. Piece of mind for sure! Every mechanical challenge and wrestling match brings me a bit closer to the machine. Feels like I grow more intimately connected to it.

Partzilla. Around $235 including a new radiator cap, thermostat and 5 o-rings... Description Price Diagram # Radiator cap $30.93 Radiator 11 Hose, Radiator (lower) $12.35 Radiator 20 Hose, L. Radiator (lower) $6.69 Radiator 21 Hose, R. Radiator (lower) $14.01 Radiator 22 Hose, Radiator (upper) $7.41 Radiator 24 Hose, R. Radiator (upper) $22.50 Radiator 25 Hose, Radiator breather $12.14 Radiator 27 Hose, Overflow, Bulk (into and out of resv. tank) $21.78 Radiator 39 Thermostat $28.19 Water Pump 2 O-Ring, 47.5x2 $1.59 Water Pump 17 Hose A $11.18 Water Pump 11 Hose B $7.02 Water Pump 12 Hose, Bypass $40.83 Water Pump 13 Hose, Fr. Head $4.61 Water Pump 14 Hose Rr. Head $4.61 Water Pump 15 O-Ring, 23x2.4 for Joint A (fr. head port) $2.05 Water Pump 16 O-Ring, 23x2.4 for Joint B (rr. head, port) $2.05 Water Pump 16 O-Ring, 21.2x2.4 for Joint (inside V to fr. head) $2.58 Water Pump 18 O-Ring, 21.2x2.4 for Joint (inside V to rr. head) $2.58 Water Pump 18 Total $235.10 The upper middle radiator hose between the two radiators is no longer available. I'm not really worried about that one, since it's easy to access from the front of the bike, and the hose has very little bend to it. It should be easy to replace using generic automotive hose if you detect a leak. Also, for 00-01 bikes, you'll need two more hoses that go to the throttle body assembly. I might have also replaced a couple of the small wire tube clips that were corroded. Most of the worm drive clamps were re-useable. For the hose clamps inside the V of the engine, I tightened them down onto the new hoses. Let them sit overnight to compress the new rubber, then tightened them down again. I don't want any leaks in there due to insufficient clamp tension! Also, getting the pair tube reattached to the front of the airbox is a MAJOR PITA! After I got everything back together and refilled the coolant, I left the side fairings off just in case. I fired up the bike, and it started right away but it would not hold idle and die after a few seconds. The FI light was also blinking. I had to run the FI self-diagnostic... two blinks = "loose connection to the MAP sensor vacuum tube" as per the service manual. And that's exactly what it was! In my rush to get everything back together after my "episode" with the front PAIR tube, I forgot to reattach the vacuum hose to the MAP sensor on the back of the air box. Easy fix, reset the malfunction light as per the service manual, and the bike was running perfect! I rode the bike naked for a couple days just to make sure there were no leaks or other issues.

Officially diagnosed with MBD this week when I added my “wild card” ride: 2004 Dyna Super Glide Sport EFI aka FXDX/I Factory Showas adjustable for PL, C and R up front and PL and R in the rear. 😱 Near polar opposite to my trusty 98 VFR800:

This might be the most elegant fix. I gotta find a small Allen set screw that’s about the same diameter as the hole in the clip on. Drill a little hole in the plastic housing and thread it through. Thanks for the idea!

It might have weakened over time from the resistance of the choke lever. More likely, the nub wasn’t lined up to the recess when I installed it. So, it could have snapped off when I tightened the screws.

So the little plastic nub on inside of the switch pod housing that fits into the clip-on recess hole broke off. So the entire housing free spins on the clip-on. It's especially annoying when I'm trying to open and close the choke (fast idle lever). Is there a hack or fix for this? I tried torquing down on the screws but that only clamps the two plastic parts together. It doesn't provide any additional clamping force onto the clip-on.

Try Craigslist but search for complete 4th gen bikes even outside your local area... I scored grab handles for my 5th gen by reaching out to a person selling their 5th gen VFR on Craigslist 300+ miles away. I offered to send him $50 if he would ship the grab handles to me. He happily obliged.

I rebuilt all the calipers, flushed/bled the system once. It felt okay, but got really spongy over a few weeks... full pedal travel and nothing happens spongy. Figured I didn't bleed the system properly. So, I bought speed bleeders and thoroughly re-bled the system as per the service manual... making sure I followed the exact sequence including removing the front left caliper and orienting the slave master cylinder at the right angle. A ton of air came out of the PCV. Pedal felt fantastic immediately afterwards, braking performance was improved, and I was happy as a clam. That was about a month ago. Spent the last couple weeks replacing all the coolant lines and got her back together for a test ride. Rear pedal is spongy again!!! What gives? I'm suspecting a leak someplace where air is getting into the system, but there is no loss of fluid at the rear reservoir nor any wet spots. Any suggestions?