Hay every one! what's up! I'm new here, just signed up today. I'm in the process of maybe buying a 1987 750 VFR pearl white. it has never been dropped and as far as I can tell it has always lived in a garage. it has 15k miles on it and I'm going to pick it up for $1k. it will be my first bike, what do you guys think? besides the fact that its a very old bike, what do you guys think of this bike? I'm more familiar with Ninjas. so this is all new to me. especially this V twin thing! :wheel:
shahram177, Feb 16 2005, 12:52 PMHay every one! what's up! I'm new here, just signed up today. I'm in the process of maybe buying a 1987 750 VFR pearl white. it has never been dropped and as far as I can tell it has always lived in a garage. it has 15k miles on it and I'm going to pick it up for $1k. it will be my first bike, what do you guys think? besides the fact that its a very old bike, what do you guys think of this bike? I'm more familiar with Ninjas. so this is all new to me. especially this V twin thing!� :wheel:
Don't under any circumstances divulge location of said steed. It would be gone before you could blink.
Welcome to the group and Hurry up and purchase that pupy so you can go to the park and play.
shahram177, Feb 16 2005, 08:52 PMHay every one! what's up! I'm new here, just signed up today. I'm in the process of maybe buying a 1987 750 VFR pearl white. it has never been dropped and as far as I can tell it has always lived in a garage. it has 15k miles on it and I'm going to pick it up for $1k. it will be my first bike, what do you guys think? besides the fact that its a very old bike, what do you guys think of this bike? I'm more familiar with Ninjas. so this is all new to me. especially this V twin thing!� :wheel:
Very few miles for it's age. If the bike spent most of it's life in the garage, you might want to check if everything is OK with the carbs. The idle circuits in the carbs could be all gummed up with old gasoline varnish if the bike has sat around too long. A lot of times carbs that are clogged up with varnish cannot be cleaned up to run properly again if too much gunk has accumulated and could sometimes force you to buy replacements that could cost quite a bit. Also check the entire exhaust system. Bikes that are not ridden enough to get to proper engine temps will have moisture inside their engines and exhaust systems that turn acidic and will corode exhaust systems and engine internals. Also look into doing a full brake system overhaul, if the components on the bike looks like what it came with from the factory. The system hoses might have ozone degradation the same with the piston seals at the calipers. Check the master cylinder bores for any corrosion too. All the fluids (brake, motor oil, fork oil, coolant)should also be checked to see if they have been properly changed through the years. Check the suspension seals back and front for any signs of leakage too. I think the 87 was highly regarded and is considered as the original VFR that was truly a sportbike. It was supposedly faster and had a more powerful engine than even the newest versions. You will also have to change the tires if they are over 4 years old. It might look perfect from outside, but you should really do these checks before considering buying the bike. 1987 was a loooong time ago and most of the things I descirbed (organic stuff) tend to degenerate with age, even though the last owner thought he took care of these things enough through the years. A "mint" 1987 bike with all of it's original parts looks beautiful, but it shouldn't really be taken out on the road but maybe rolled into a museum.
Congratulations and Good Luck with the new bike! :beer:
yah I'm told its a rare color and its a rare bike. from what I'm told this bike use to belong to a bike mechanic and he picked it up and would ride it on occasion. but you know how bike mechanics are......flavor of the week. so after the fist year or so, the bike sat in his garage and was only driven once or twice a month. I have yet to see it, from what I'm told its going to need the usual work. chain wheels battery and I have to clean out the crabs. which should be fun because the bike was jetted. which I'm told on a V4 are very interesting and in a semi strange location. but I have yet to see the bike. from what I'm told its in a garage filled with other bikes. and the guys just needs more room. I'll keep you guys posted. but I must say for $1k its a steal!
but here is a dumb question, how is this bike? whats the riding position like? is it crisp or is a dog? thanks guys!
What Beck said, it's good to look it over carefully !
The price is great if it's clean, current retail is $2560 for this bike. My book show it as a 700, are you sure it's a 750 ? I know in 86 they offered both a VFR700 & 750. good luck and welcome ! :beer:
nah i'm lucky my current boss at my company was a mechanic and he loves cleaning carbs? some thing about the chemicals making him happy? i don't know. but i'm going to pick up a second set of carbs just incase. as for the exhaust, from what i'm told it's a stainless steal exhaust! (you know how those mechanics are! must have the best and greatest!) but like i said i'm sort of worried. Ninjas are really easy to ride and they are pretty small bikes, VFR's seem to be much bigger. for a beginner how hard are they to get started on?
shahram177, Feb 17 2005, 03:33 PMnah i'm lucky my current boss at my company was a mechanic and he loves cleaning carbs? some thing about the chemicals making him happy? i don't know. but i'm going to pick up a second set of carbs just incase. as for the exhaust, from what i'm told it's a stainless steal exhaust! (you know how those mechanics are! must have the best and greatest!) but like i said i'm sort of worried. Ninjas are really easy to ride and they are pretty small bikes, VFR's seem to be much bigger. for a beginner how hard are they to get started on?
Man, its a lot of motorcycle for a first bike. You should strongly consider getting a 500 or a 250, unless you are a Very Large Person. Its powerful, heavy, and if you drop it you're going to be in the market for old plastic, which is going to be an expensive PITA to find.
Sorry to rain on the parade here, but if you are really looking for your first motorcycle ever, I would look elsewhere. Do searches on "first motorcycle" and there will be tons of information, generally steering you towards
-Suzuki GS500 or GS550 from back in the day -Kawasaki EX500, Ninja 500, or EX250
I'd say =<500cc's to start. Make sure you have money for a basic set of gear (FF helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and hopefull pants.
Go to amazon.com and buy David Hough's "Complete Guide to Proficient Motorcycling" and read the whole thing.
fellswoop, Feb 17 2005, 12:30 PMMan, its a lot of motorcycle for a first bike. You should strongly consider getting a 500 or a 250, unless you are a Very Large Person. Its powerful, heavy, and if you drop it you're going to be in the market for old plastic, which is going to be an expensive PITA to find.
Sorry to rain on the parade here, but if you are really looking for your first motorcycle ever, I would look elsewhere. Do searches on "first motorcycle" and there will be tons of information, generally steering you towards
-Suzuki GS500 or GS550 from back in the day -Kawasaki EX500, Ninja 500, or EX250
I'd say =<500cc's to start. Make sure you have money for a basic set of gear (FF helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and hopefull pants.
Go to amazon.com and buy David Hough's "Complete Guide to Proficient Motorcycling" and read the whole thing.
Sign up for the MSF's Beginner's Rider Course.
good luck.
Class check! i aced it! book!? will get asap! riding time, have been riding a friends ninja 600 on and off during the week ends for the past year or so, so i'm ok on a bike. gear? check! but now i have to get stuff that matches with the color of the bike! hay gots to look good!
but yah i agree from what i'm reading its heavy! what 500lbs! wow! power? its a weak bike but hay thats ok! i don't want to die any time soon! but how do these bikes handel?
shahram177, Feb 17 2005, 11:53 AMClass check! i aced it! book!? will get asap! riding time, have been riding a friends ninja 600 on and off during the week ends for the past year or so, so i'm ok on a bike. gear? check! but now i have to get stuff that matches with the color of the bike! hay gots to look good!
but yah i agree from what i'm reading its heavy! what 500lbs! wow! power? its a weak bike but hay thats ok! i don't want to die any time soon! but how do these bikes handel?
Probably as good as that ninja youv'e been riding and a lot more comfortable.
i think that i'm going to like it here! you guys are allot of fun! in two weeks i'll see the bike, the owner is on vacation. so in the mean time i'm just going to have to wait and see whats what. but here is a dumb question, i'm only 5'8ish and my friends ninja fits me like a glove, is the suspension on this "vintage" bike adjustable?
same color in the same shape sort of/ if you notice right above the V in VFR there is a bolt holding the plastic on to the body, there is a bit of damage there, it looks as if the plastic was pulled away from the bolt and it looks like a shark bit the plastic. no idea how to fix that, maybe some bondo and white paint. also there appears to be a very small dent in the top of the gass tank right there your.....aahh.....shazool goes. i have no idea how that go there buti think i'll just use a ding king and get that out. but the bad news. the directionals look like crap. so how do i upgrade or replace these? thanks! shah
shahram177, Feb 18 2005, 08:12 AMbut here is a dumb question, i'm only 5'8ish and my friends ninja fits me like a glove, is the suspension on this "vintage" bike adjustable?
Get ready to be standing on your toes alot, depending on your inseam. I am 5'8" with 30" inseam and am up on my toes on both my old '85VF and my 2001 VFR. Not a big deal except wheh you are trying to back the bike up on a slight incline. Tough to get traction.
now i'm just worried about the compression. 100 on three and 125 on the other? but the bike hasn't ben ridden since 1999 so no clue what that means, doing research right now to try to figure it out. maybe its just dry and gunky inside?
Welcome to thew site and nice looking bike. The compression is starting to be a bit low. I have a 1985 VF500F INterceptor and it had 2 cyls in the 135 range and 2 in the 110 range. It is currently apart waiting for a ring job.
If compression is down, have them do a 'leakdown' test. This will determine if the compression problem is due to piston rings or valves etc.
yah as i posted on another part of this web page, i screwed up. the bike hasn't been ridden since 1999 i should have sprayed WD-40 into the cylinders and turned the engine over a few times to loosen the rings. odds are that the rings are all gunked up. but yah i got lucky.
