Thinking of getting a 5th Gen VFR

Am new here and let's point out right away that I am older being retired and returned to riding just over 2 years ago on a Ducati Monster 620ie after just over 35 years of no bikes and not riding. Finding the Monster uncomfortable for anything over about a hour or so put it up for sale and bought a 97 Triumph Trophy 900 that I only got to ride for a few months before suffering a nasty accident on the Ducati near the end of September which am still not fully recovered from now after the surgeon cleared me to ride again I have recently began riding the Triumph.

I do not have a VFR ............ yet .............. currently trying to arrange the viewing trip and have been browsing the listings for wile now and sort of fell for a 2008 VFR V-tec which I believe is a Gen 6th. However have been advised that the V-Tec servicing is rather costly and that I should rather consider a 5th Gen bike and to that end have found a couple that look like they should fit the bill. Needing something lower and lighter then the Trophy a Shadow VT600 was bought in February and it's a great bike to ride locally but it seriously lacks performance and someone has badgered me to sell it to them and a deal has been agreed now we wait to see if they actually come up with the money.

After riding the Trophy again which is a sports tourer with full fairing this has made me realise just how much nicer it is lacking the constant wind buffeting so my search for a replacement for the Shadow switched to concentrating on bikes so equipped and in turn eventually lead me to the VFR as yet I have not even sat on one the closest one in the sales listings that have found is 90km away and it seems to have been a track bike at some point. The two 5th Gen ones that have found are a 4 hour drive away in towns close to one another a Silver 98 with 32,000km showing and a Blue 2000 with 37,000km showing.

Comment and advice is very welcome. Plezier

 

Hi Plezier, I own both a 5th gen and 6th gen, and have done the full valve service on both; I can confirm that the VTEC takes maybe 3x more time and may involve more expense in parts if the VTEC valves need to be adjusted. VTECs also need new camchain tensioners occasionally, which the 5th doesn't, so if maintenance cost is an issue, the decision is easy. Performance-wise they are very similar, the 6th gen I think is quieter and even smoother, but the ride positions are very similar, the 5th gen feels like it carries its weight lower. The 6th gen has better brakes. Parts availability is much better for the 6th as that was sold from 02 to 12, where the 5th gen was only sold for 4 years 98-01. The 98 and 99 5th gens are simpler, the 00 and 01 have the auto fast idle, O2 sensors and a cat. There is an ergonomics webpage that will help you understand the different ride position to your current bikes. https://cycle-ergo.com/
Let us know what you decide to do.

 

That mileage on both those bikes is absolutely nothing as long the owners kept up with basic oil changes and didn't keep the bikes outside in a swamp or something. 350,000+ km and still kicking isn't unheard of for these engines.

The 5th gen offers a wide range of seating posture changes Stock, more upright with Helibars/superbike style, or complete upright with Hurricane Police kit.

Be prepared for rectifier upgrade if not done, but based on that use I'm guessing some sort of charging system upgrades have been done.

Mainly be prepared for antique rubber bits to be aging out. This goes for any motorcycle of this vintage. Fork seals, master cylinder soft parts, water gooseneck o-rings at the cylinder heads, coolant hoses (there's 16 or so of these. Silicone kits are available).

camshaft gear scream combined with V4 180 crank exhaust note is a whole unique sound you won't find on any motorcycle made in the past 25 years.