First bike, in general? 83 VF750F

New to the forums, but I came to ask some much needed advice from people who know these bikes.
I'm a college student who has zero riding experience, but I've wanted to get into it all of my life, and the opportunity is finally presenting itself. I'm not getting my license until I take the course in December, but I'm already constantly checking craigslist for good deals for my first bike. I mainly plan on casual riding around the bay area (I'm at Berkeley) and I want something I can fix up, and enjoy.


I found an 83 750 interceptor for $500. The seller says that it runs well and it just needs a new front tire and the fork is a little bent. Would I be getting way over my head? I feel like this might be the hobby I've been looking for, but having little experience, I am looking for experienced opinions. I'm very careful when it comes to any situation where I can hurt myself, so I know I'll be extremely careful if I do follow this through. I'm 5-10, pretty skinny, so the weight and power concerns me, but I really like the bike and I feel like if I'm careful and take things seriously I'll be alright. If you don't think that's the case please let me know.

I'm seeing the bike this weekend, so any advice is appreciated. If it's a bad idea I won't go through with it, but if not, I'll probably be around these forums a bit more.

Thanks!

 

I too am a college student, but I am a little bit taller and probably a little bit heavier than you are. I got an 83 Interceptor this spring and got it running. Mine was cheaper than that one, but it needed help to get it to run. The weight is somewhat unnerving at first, but it doesn't take long to get used to it. If you have ridden dirt bikes at all, the power probably won't be much of an issue. The interceptor delivers power predictably compared to two-strokes or other dirt bikes. The interceptor was my first road bike, but I have ridden dirt bikes since I was about five, and I rode a 72 SL 70 on pavement a lot as well. I started riding the interceptor before I took the course, but I completed it within about two months from when I started riding. If you are careful and respect the bike it will be okay. Just realize upfront that it isn't necessarily a modern sport bike; It probably won't handle like you expect, but it isn't bad either.

 

I'm sure more knowledgable VFR owners will chime in but I always reccomend a smaller, simpler bike for a first timer. You can always trade up when you think you are ready. Also, $500 bikes are rarely a bargain unless you are experienced rider/mechanic and can do the work yourself. VFRs are not cheap or easy to work on compared to air cooled bikes of the same vintage.

A little bent? How many miles?

 

I think you would find the VF750F a very rewarding motorcycle. Especially at that price I don't think you can go wrong!

 

A picture of the odometer reads almost 24,000. I'm not too concerned about the fact the fork is bent though. I know someone who rebuilds bikes and I'm pretty handy myself, so replacing is something I expect I'll have to do.

I feel like I need to see how the bike fits before I can really speculate much more. Anything particular I should look for when I see it?

 

That bike is antiquated, new parts hard to find, and you should never ride a bike with bent suspension parts !! Probably needs other mechanical work too, expensive if you don't have the capability and experience to do your own repairs. There were mechanical faults (upper-end oiling) on those bikes when new that led to more than a few cam failures.

"Buy the newest bike you can afford" is the best advice i got as a new rider !

Usually, spending more for a newer bike saves money in the long run, with better mechanics, better design, fewer repairs, and better parts availability. Don't get sucked in by the low price, and take someone with you who rides to help check out the bike.

IMO an '83 VF is not suited to a new rider, better for someone more experienced with bikes, has tools and experience and another bike to putt around on while working on the VF.

 

You stated that this is your first ever bike. Do you have any experience on 2 wheels? i.e. dirt bike or scooter? if not I would suggest you look for a 250 they are less then 4k brand new. I know in my area there are always 2 or more on Craigs list usually for about 1k. look for one with a few miles and has been well maintained(the best way I can tell you to check for this is left the seat and look under the fairings expecially the bottom to check for oil leaks and dirt also look at the tires the very far sides are refered to as chicken strips and you will know if the guy is a hard rider by how much darker the edges are compared to the middle of the tire). After a season under your belt with a 250 you will want to upgrade. then is the time to do so. Also look for bikes in the winter months as compared to the fall and you will get a much better deal(supply and demand) in spring everybody wants a bike and they tend to sell them in the fall.

That is the best advice I can give you...
Besides good luck and keep in mind that all riders go down at some point its nothing to be ashamed of to drop your bike.
Wear the battle scars with pride...

 

There is a big difference between hearing a bike run and having the seller tell you it runs. If you can get it started (and it doesn't sound like it is full of loose change) then $500 may not be a bad price. If it will not run you have to assume it is a parts bike. Ask yourself if you want to part it out on eBay to try and recover your investment? Next you are going to spend another $500 to $700 minimum for tires, chain, oil, filter, and fork leg. If you don't have any tools add those to your shopping list. Do you have a place to work on it? I will tell you from experience there is nothing more expensive than a cheap motorcycle. The VF series are truly complex compared to some other bikes that you could get for a song. Look for an old Honda FT500 Ascot single, a Honda Nighthawk 650, Yamaha Seca II or Suzuki 600 Bandit. These are good but cheap bikes (especially if they are cosmetically damaged) The VF was a state of the art expert level bike in its day. With its complexity it is still an expert level bike.

 

New Rider Basics 101 - BARF - Bay Area Riders Forum New Rider basics
Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide How to buy a used bike

I'm really new to riding as well. Those links should be helpful to you.

I've gotten my bike to run that was holed up and hadn't been ridden for years, but I knew that I was getting into a motorcycle that didn't have significant damages. And still, lots of little things continue to pop up. While I do enjoy it, it does get frustrating because I, like you, are new to all of this stuff. You really just want something that will work. The project itself was rewarding only because my fixes were small and I could quickly be rewarded for doing the little things. Buy frankly, you don't want a motorcycle that has serious mechanical issues. Bent forks are so significant that it would be an up hill battle to get your brand new toy operating properly and would just lead to headache and frustration. You'd basically be spending 500$ on a bike that shouldn't be ridden until that problem is fixed, and you'll end up spending another few hundred bucks to get that issue taken care of.

From my research, it should not be difficult to find a somewhat decent 80's or 90's bike for around $1,500. Be patient and keep checking ebay and Criagslist. I'm amazed by how much is out there and each day I see a sweeter deal than the day before. You will find many good opportunities to purchase a motorcycle. Don't be picky - Just buy something that suits your budget and something that works.

 

There's some good advice here.
Do you have a place to work on it? Do you have a plan B for when it rains or snows? When I was a college student I had a relatively new 1982 GPz550. It was a great beginner bike but I never had to do anything to it and I lived in San Diego where you can pretty much ride year around.
Not trying to talk you out of a motorcycle but I think there are better bikes to start on than a 30 yr old VFR.

 

Hate to pile on the negative side but gen 1 is not a good choice, would rather see a new rider on a bike that is less likely to bring you mechanical grief and it is sure to do that. A smaller newer bike is a better choice. Too many have had the best time of their life ended short by a bike that was too much and it is better to pick one that is not going to be too heavy for you or your wallet.

 

Hey CALME, I would suggest looking for a VF500 for your first bike . And ALWAYS bring an experienced rider (mechanically inclined too) when looking at used bikes, especially with 0 experience what your looking at. Great your taking the riding training and make sure you get all the riding gear to wear always. No shorts, or flip flops
JMO

 

Oh, please.....

The average VF500 still on the road today needs more care, knowledge, tools, resources, and time to keep maintained than most bikes and is, again, not so good for beginners.

 

Thanks for all the quick great advice. I'll keep looking for a newer smaller bike then. I'll pursue my vfr dreams when it's a bit more realistic down the line.
Thanks again!

 

I think you would be fine. The 750's are nice stable platforms and, I think, just fine for a newer rider. Heck, I learned on a VF1000R! Ok, maybe that's not a good example....

 

I am with Jamie D, The VF750 is a decent first bike, as long as you understand up front that replacement parts are getting harder to find, & that at some point you will most likely want to Mod the bike, to make it more enjoyable to ride ( Not that you won't enjoy her as is ) & will have more money invested in her then you will ever get out of her if you need or want to sell her in the future.
If you were thinking of getting a 1000cc I would say not as a first bike, I personally believe the 750 is a good size to learn on as it is fairly mid range, & if a 750 or bigger bike is what you want then there is no reason to get a smaller cc bike to learn on as you will have to relearn how to handle a larger cc bike anyways. JMPO.

 

The bottom line is a running riding VF750 or VF500 could make a good first bike. A wrecked, non-runner won't make a good first bike.