Buying a well loved VFR750

[TotalJim]

Hey, new to the board.

Yesterday I went out and bought a 94 VFR750, in very good shape over all with a smart owner who is well acquainted with the staff at my family bike shop.

My thoughts are that I'm buying this bike with 94,000km showing on the odo, last owner had it for 8 years starting out at 64,000km and says he didn't need to do a thing other fluid/filter changes and new tires.
I would have rathered a less used bike (infact 3 years ago I bought a 94 with 8,000km but it got mangled by a civic) but the price was right at $1500 CDN.

I'm wondering what parts I should likely inspect carefully or replace just due to the riding wear.

I was thinking of having steering head, swing arm and wheel bearings done, and perhaps going as far as taking it to a suspension shop, but I don't know the habits of wear in these bikes for cables and everything else.

any advice is appreciated.

[Rollin_Again]

Check the R/R unit and harness for any signs of melting and/or burning. I would also at minimum change the fork oil and front seals. The bike is also probably due for a valve inspection but I know people who have never had it done and have been fine.

Regards,
Rollin

[TotalJim]

yeah I figure it'd be smart to get the forks and rear shock done together this winter.

Where exactly is the r/r or usual hotspots in the wiring harness, although the electrics seem fine.

[RVFR]

Sounds like you are all ready on top of the normal looking after, yea the RR is under the right side faring mouted to the right side of the sub frame under your right thigh, you need to take the tail faring off to gt to it. As far as hot spot, biggest thing here is the corrosion that might be present in the connector going into the RR, that's where things start going south and taking out the RR. I'd also take a look at the rear shock and lube up the bearing there in the pivot link, not many where any good after 20K ,not to mention your millage, other than keeping it in shape with oil changes and having it gone through every 12K there's not a whole lot other than the obvious that comes with millage, these bikes are known to run forever if maintained properly. hope that helps some what..

[ScottB]

Where in Canada?

It's one of those "nah, couldn't be" kind of things, but my local shop has acquired 2 or 3 VFR750s sitting in the back in various states of repair, and I wondered if maybe possibly you were in Chilliwack!

(Kind of like - "Hey, you're from Canada? Do you know my friend's uncle Jim?")

[TotalJim]

nah, i'm in halifax.

I'll check out what you've told me, although I plan to have the shocks rebuilt or replaced anyway.

I figure 100,000 on a stock shock is enough even if it still works fine.

[Richard Thompson]

my experience with older high mileage bikes is that the really bad ones are dead way before they get to 90,000kms.

what you do tend to get is lots of little niggley problems. sometimes really stupid things....like a loose fuel hose fitting that leaks tiny amounts of petrol and collects in the sidecover which eventually starts to melt/deform it...
(i speak from experience)

so really apart from fastidious scheduled maintenance just keep an eye (and a nose) out for anything unusual and investigate it.

if you start smellin g petrol in the garage(where there was none before) investigate and track it down...

i have had...pinhole in the fuel tank
leaking/siezed fuel petcock
split fuel line

not all on the same bike, but these are good examples of the niggles on older bikes.
you just gotta love them more when there veterans..

[squirrelman]

RT makes good points.

I'd thoroughly inspect the interioir of fuel tank using a flashlight--not a candle--to check for rust. Replace fuel filter and drain out fuel through the float bowl drain screws while looking for rust.

Steering bearings and wheel bearings should be carefully inspected.

Rear shocks are usually well knackered before 30k miles, and your forks probably do need new bushings.

Good luck !!

[NT696]

Check that the eccentric carrier in the rear swingarm rotates freely, and the teeth have not been mashed over by a DIY dolt witha mallet and scredriver. Get a proper eccentric wrench if your bike did not come with the one from the toolkit.
Check the cush rubbers for sign of degradation.
Welcome!

[Richard Thompson]

hey, dont forget to post up some pics!

we have owners on the forum reporting mileages in the 100,000 plus range.

if your bike has been well cared for and maintained then there is no reason it should not last a while longer yet.

a high mileage bike that looks 'used but loved' is a good sign.

[RVFR]

Giggle Giggle, not to run this thread a muk, I just located a 97 Canadian model here state side for $2400 with 62000km that's around 38,000 miles. supposedly a two owner in very good shape, now for the the decision process.

[Richard Thompson]

Good news Jay!

and you got all upcoming winter to check her over...

by which time all your broken bits should be operational...

sounds like a plan to me...

[TotalJim]

Giggle Giggle, not to run this thread a muk, I just located a 97 Canadian model here state side for $2400 with 62000km that's around 38,000 miles. supposedly a two owner in very good shape, now for the the decision process.

I also found one local for 2500 with 64,000km 2 owners but it had been re-painted and beaten up a bit with a bunch of rust.

I decided on the 94,000km one since it was in practically brand new shape.

Unfortunately i've found out while replacing the tires that both rims have big dents in them, they ride fine and hold air but it's still worrisome.

[Richard Thompson]

hmmmmm....id be looking for replacements.

just check the tyre pressures every time you ride.

slow leaks are a problem with repaired rims..

maybe put a 'WTB' (want to buy) in the 4th gen section see whats out there?

I know the rear on RVFR's former 4th gen was looking OK in the photos, maybe an option to go hunting for insurance part outs? (see thread VFR down)

bent rims give me the willies...

[RVFR]

^ Good idea, that was about the only part on the bike thats wasn't fubared. but sorry to say my VFR isn't around.. now back to checking that VFR I found...

[Total Jim]

Just finished a small weekend tour of about 1000km around cape breton.
Running on fresh tires, fluids and a new chain the bike ran beyond my expectations. I went on the tour with my father and three of his friends, all of them being retired road racers. I rarely had the bike under 7,000rpm between stops and was getting about 190km to a tank rather than the normal 300 and something. I was able to stay close the whole way, a guy on an 09 cbr1000 was hard to stick to though.
The tour was nice, friday was fun but chilly, then saturday was all rain, sunday was fantastic. With our rain suits the weather didn't bother any of us (about 7*C raining) and thanks to all of us being on fresh tires we still ran them all hard regardless of the rain.

Bike is fine by me, who ever put the first 94,000km on her sure did a good job of it.

here's some pics, somebody had great color match skills eh?







And as an added bonus, here are a few pictures of a couple of my past bikes, including the VFR750 I bought 2 years ago and only had for 20 days before someone turned a left infront of me and wrecked it. Shame I didn't try to buy it back from the insurance company, it needed a new front end but everything else was fine it got wedged into the car and didn't fall down (broken rim, warped rotors, bent forks, snapped triple tree but I think the frame was ok). It had 11,000km showing when I bought it, 12,500 when it crashed.



My old 1984 nighthawk, engine went on it, shame too it was a great bike.
(and no, I didn't photoshop in all the shine)