VFR 750 - 800??

[TrevorC]

I have begun looking to my upgrade current 1984 CB 650 sc.  I have owned it for 6 months and have put a few thousand on it so far.  Took the MSF last year and have been continually developing and practicing my skills.  I am still developing my taste for what type of riding I want to do, however , some sort of touring is in the future be it adventure touring or "light" sport touring meaning light weight bike.

I like the looks and seating position of the VFR, with raising the bars a bit for a slightly more upright position.  My finances are somewhat limited at the moment so I would likely be looking at a mid to late 90's model or very early '00 model with low miles and stock set up (living in Cali limits some of the upgrades, i.e. pipes et cetera)

My planned riding over the next few years?  Light multi day touring - camping, 1 or 2  week long+ trips a year, and a whole lot of commuting (for fun not necessity).

Thoughts?  Other bikes to look at?  Oh, and I had heard that certain VFR years have issues with grip vibration, and early Vtec engines have "surge" issues when the extra valves kick in.

Thanks

T

Added info:  I was asked about my dimensions, I am 6 feet, 175 lbs, long arms with a 32.5 inseam.

[county]

Save your money if that 650 is running good unless you run into a really good deal.  IMO upgrading to a 10+ year old bike just isn't worth it.

[dinolee]

Good thing nobody pays you for your opinion, county.  

TrevorC, you should have no problem finding a 4th or 5th gen VFR in the CA area for a very good price.  Probably even find one with Heli-Bars already installed.  Keep an eye on vfrdiscussion.com, great source of information and pretty active classifieds section.  A VFR will definitely fit the bill for your requirements.  The regulator / rectifier is about the only Achilles heel with the bike, but there are upgrades for it.
 
Out of curiousity, what are your physical dimensions (height, weight)?

[spinalator]

I had a 94-97, bulletproof, no vibes, no surging, no R/R issuess, and carbed and put 40000 miles on in 3 years. A Hindle pipe, Givi luggage a Corbin seat allowed many 600 mile days. There are some 2000 to 2001 deals to be had if you shop around, some only have 20,000 miles on them. The FI is nice and the clocks are a little more modern on those, and I would like to scoop a used one here once I get a little more settled in jobs and houses after this year.

VFRdiscussion is a great resource, as mentioned. ANY question you could think of asking about VFR's has been asked, as well as gear, accessories, parts and bikes for sale in the classifieds.

[DosEquis00]

I just picked up a VFR and my initial opinion is the is the bike is truly undervalued. So if you get the opportunity don't hesitate to make it your next purchase.  

[Lon]

If you have decided on a VFR - get the latest model you can afford

Shop around on CycleTrader, Craig's List, etc.

[Zerosum]

I bought my '97 VFR750 last year.  7200 miles, clean & shiney, for a decent price.  And it was on my way home from work.  I basically had to buy it.    I wasn't even shopping for a VFR at the time, to be honest.

It's a great bike.  The motor is all about midrange power.  It puts out a steady amount of power across a very wide powerband... like from 3.5K to 9K.  The powerband is so wide that you have a choice of 2 gears at pretty much any RPM.  It is heavy.  When I first got mine, I thought it was a tank and I was in constant fear of dropping it.  But, I got used to it pretty quickly.  Now my Hawk GT feels like an XR80!  The extra wieght of the bike really just adds to your overal feeling of stability... you don't notice it when you're moving.  You do notice it in city traffic, though... I don't like to ride my VFR in city traffic.

I've ridden the 5th generation ('98-'01) VFR, and found that I actually prefer the 750.  The carbeurators provide much smoother throttle response than the fuel injection of the 800.  Yeah, the 750 is heavier, but I still find it more pleasant to ride.  The 750's handlebars are just a little higher, which makes a difference for me.

I honestly think that VFRs are one of the best values out there right now.  The late-90s models are depreciating down into the $3K range.  And the great thing about an older bike is that it's "depreciation curve" has plateued.  You take far less of a "hit" when you resell it, if at all.    Good to remember if you want to keep an eye on what this hobby is actually costing you.

So, in my case, I'm VERY happy I upgraded to a 10 year old bike!  In your case, the only caveat I would throw out there is that you're still pretty early in your learning curve.  This was my 3rd bike, after 4 years of riding.  I can say that I *wasn't* ready for a bike like the VFR after 6 months and a few thousand miles.  I would have dropped it and messed it up.  I've heard that VFRs are wicked-expensive to fix when you drop them.  Some bikes are designed to weather drops well... the VFR is not.  If you drop it, you're looking at multiple damaged fairing panels, crushed integrated turn signal, etc.  $$$.

Of course, everybody's different.  Maybe you'd do fine with it.  But, for my $0.02... you might want to look at something a little lighter and more drop-resistant, like an SV650 or V-Strom 650.  It's been my observation (and experience) that the 2nd bike is the one people tend to do more damage to... on some level you get a little cocky.  Me, I had cocky beaten out of me!    IMO, it's after that point that you're ready for a heavy, fully faired, 90+ HP bike.  But of course, YMMV.

[DosEquis00]

Nice write-up and comments Zerosum  

[traveler]

I've had both, a '96 4th gen, and my current ride, a '00 5th gen, and put in excess of 70,000 miles on each. Both are brilliant all-purpose sportbikes. You can't go wrong choosing either, assuming good condition and regular maintenance.

Flaws (few) are outweighed by positives (many), imho, which is why is the VFR has been so highly rated for so long. There are a lot of both gens still on the road with very high mileage (in excess of 75,000 miles, like my '00). Aftermarket support is decent, considering it was a low volumn bike, at least here in the states.

[98SVT_LEO]

In 10+ years of motorcycling my 99 VFR is by far my favority so I'd highly recommend getting a 5th gen (the fastest and best looking)  98-01 VFR.  You won't regret it!

[TuffguyF4i]

I've got a '99 VFR that is really nice for sale.  

I'll ride it out to you for free!!!!!!!!!!  I'm not joking, if you don't mind the miles.

[XLR8]

I know a dude selling a red 99 with 20,000 miles. If it's cheap enough would it be a good buy? $3000.00 ?

I don't even know what the hell is making me consider this.  

[fxrbill]

I know a dude selling a red 99 with 20,000 miles. If it's cheap enough would it be a good buy? $3000.00 ?

I don't even know what the hell is making me consider this.  

You may be getting v4 fever from riding with Traveler(00VFR) and fxrbill(06ST1300).

[XLR8]

You may be getting v4 fever from riding with Traveler(00VFR) and fxrbill(06ST1300).

Mmmmm V4s.

[Zerosum]

I know a dude selling a red 99 with 20,000 miles. If it's cheap enough would it be a good buy? $3000.00 ?

I don't even know what the hell is making me consider this.  

Hell yeah I'd jump on it for $3K, assuming it hasn't been neglected or fuglied up.  This is what I was talking about earlier... these 90s-era VFRs are hitting a serious sweet-spot in terms of price.  It's a bike people tend to treat/maintain well, too.  Your average VFR rider is more mature and concientious than most sportbike riders.

[TuffguyF4i]

Hell yeah I'd jump on it for $3K, assuming it hasn't been neglected or fuglied up.  This is what I was talking about earlier... these 90s-era VFRs are hitting a serious sweet-spot in terms of price.  It's a bike people tend to treat/maintain well, too.  Your average VFR rider is more mature and concientious than most sportbike riders.

Last year i sold my '99 VFR with lots of goodies for $5k.  I made 200 bucks on it.

3 weeks ago, i sold another '99 VFR that is bone stock, for $4k.  

The VFR does hold its value very well.  I'm sure that i could have ridden the vfr i just sold for 1 year and resold it for $4k easily.  They have a cult following.