1994 VFR400R NC30

[Storm]

I have seen a good looking on of these in a bike shop in town for $5k. Wanting to know from anyone who owns one(NC and Sasalex) what they are like,if its a good price, what breaks, what to watch etc. Any info or directions to websites muchly appreciated. I will get it checked out by another bike shop first

Chairs

Storm

PS I dont have my full for another few weeks, so havent ridden it yet, Will be getting a mate or two to test drive it asap(and once we're out of sight, you know what'll happen ;) )

[sAsLEX]

Kwaka Kid also knows one or two things about them

DSS or whatever from hamihole is racing one this season as is Shade

I can get my full soon and been riding mine for a year now after some low life stole my 250RR, god help him if I ever see it while in my truck...... i digress


I find it a great bike commute to uni every day rain hail or well it dont really shine up here in this shit hole. And is great on the longer rides and touring as well.

They can be expensive to get work done on them I have heard, but I have done most of the simpler stuff myself (get a Haynes manual best 50 buck you will ever spend) and things like plugs being 20 odd bucks each can push prices up

[Postie]

there a great looking bike, nice and the V4 has heaps of torque and is pretty much (IMO) the best 400. its a good step up from a 250 and it should keep you on your toes but only for about 6 months...... then you gonna want a 600..... or maybe not. as for faults, i have never owned one but i have not herd of any common problems with them. Being a Honda its pretty much bullet proof. good luck with it mate

[ben444]

Can't tell you much without too many details. How many km's, fairing condition etc etc... nothing really goes wrong with them, silky smooth motor and pretty adequate suspension considering it was made for the japenese market.. Check frame no. to be sure it's 94(i doubt it) later model one's have got more adjustment in the susp. If it's got high kms and the gearbox feels a wee bit dodgy(slips outta gear) stay clear... pain in the arse to fix... most honad boxes are like that.. and have a look at the chain adjustment hub(just behind the rear sprocket) some of them can get a hammering with mallet and screwdriver. :argh:
If it's a goodun and you buy it... you won't regret it :niceone:

[justsomeguy]

QkChk used to have one. It's her bike that's for sale at Colemans.

You could PM her if you wish.

Several people feel that it is the best all round 400. With the ZXR being the fastest 400 (if that's what rocks your boat) however the ZXR is supposed to be more track than comfort oriented.

Have you test ridden one yet??

[jahrasti]

yea boss i got one in the shed and I have been riding it when i was still on my learners. Things I like about them is they still have a classy look for there age, can handle themselves with bigger bikes and are well made (like most hondas) It can sit in the shed for ages and I go in and she is straight into life.
Problems I encountered was a rectifier fault (I bet everyone will say this as well),odd sized rim 18" (mine is an 89) can limit tyre choice,and the bike can be a real cockasaurus to work on,lastly I have been told fairings are expensive luckily I haven't dropped it yet.

[Stroker Girl]

I absolutely luuuv my vfr400 so I can't really give an unbiased opinion thou most people I know who have/had them have only good things about them.

Kwaka Kid did a great write up on his bike awhile ago, link posted
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=11650&highlight=vfr400

I think once you get over 20,000km(?) the rectifiers can go but I dont think this is too much of a problem to 'rectify' :whistle: Also, as mentioned before, spark plugs can be costly.

If you want a bike to carve up the twisties and with heaps of torque all the way throu, the VFR is your bike. Some people get bored after a while a upgrade to a 600, but it just depends on what you are after I guess. I've seen a vfr400 two up take on and annilate a group of 600/1000cc bikes through the tight stuff.


Good luck.

[sAsLEX]

I've seen a vfr400 two up take on and annilate a group of 600/1000cc bikes through the tight stuff.


I am a nana on the road but managed to hold off a gixxer thouh through the tight stuff out or coromandel, mind you a 250 was on his arse the whole way as well

[Storm]

Cheers folks, keep it coming :D

[boris]

I returned the nc30 I got back to the bike shop in Palmerston north After I found out It had more than the two owners they said it had. ten including shops .One had used it as a race bike for two years. One had it for four years and lost 9500km.So ask to look at ownership papers first.

[Teflon]

Excellent bike, but the regulators fuck out and spark plugs can be expensive ( but that wads about ten years ago). Also had a problem with ground clearance, nearly crashed from footpeg digging into the road, wasn't fun.

It was the only bike i never dropped, and was the bike i rode the hardest.

[limbimtimwim]

I have seen a good looking on of these in a bike shop in town for $5k. Wanting to know from anyone who owns one(NC and Sasalex) what they are like,if its a good priceHmm.. http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/auction_detail.asp?id=38408087&key=46464894 But it's not local to you. Or me.. Perhaps you could convince a nice Aucklander to take a look. I don't like the woman or the 'ruff rider' thing, but that might be your style :-)

[NC]

I'd offer you a ride on my bike, but it's in TSS getting it's bi-annual service, warrent and REGO :whistle:

[MrMelon]

I'd offer you a ride on my bike, but it's in TSS getting it's bi-annual service, warrent and REGO :whistle:

Haha it's finally getting a warrant and rego?! Yeah go on.. pull the other one.

[yeeha]

Yep, NC30s are a lot of fun but they tend to have electrical gremlins as mentioned earlier i.e rectifier/regulator/charging system problems. Frustrating but easily fixed. Honda did a shitty job of the charging system :brick: :brick: . I can post a fix for all those that need help with this issue if it isn't mentioned elsewhere in here. Other than that i haven't had any other issues.
I have owned mine since Easter and think its the best bike to move up from the 250 bracket. Bulletproof motor, loads of torque, good looks, trick swingarm, great sounding V4 (specially with an aftermarket pipe and can).
If its a good one, you won't regret purchasing it. Good luck. :rockon: :rockon: :rockon:

[mattt]

If you commute in and out of the city, and use it for medium trips then they're a fucking good bike. If you want to do wheelies and 200kph regulary then get something else as you'll break a perfectly good bike.
Probably like anything if you abuse it, you'll fuk it, but with these bikes if you don't ring their nuts off too often, then it'll live a long life.
Had mine nearly a year, bout 55000km on the clock, commute 50odd km daily for work 50/50 Mway and stop start in the schitty and it does a good job. Consumables are fuck all cos it has no balls to burn out a rear tyre, but i've burnt a few sets of brake pads (but that may be me buying shitty ones)

Let us know how you go... :apumpin:

[NC]

Haha it's finally getting a warrant and rego?! Yeah go on.. pull the other one.
Meh! I'll see you on the hill, buddy :bleh:
It's a good thing that street magics only require a REGO, eh? :devil2:

[Bonez]

odd sized rim 18" (mine is an 89) can limit tyre choice
Phil Turnble's usually has a good selection of 18" tyres off the shelf.

[Qkchk]

QkChk used to have one. It's her bike that's for sale at Colemans.

I, it's true... that tidy NC30 down @ Colemans WAS mine :) Good bikes but watch out for the rectifier/regulator burning out, thats a common fault with them. I would advise putting a little CPU cooling fan on the recitfier (the purpose of the recitifier is to disperse voltage - and this transfers into heat which nackers the recitifier in the long run....) and always turn your headlight on to help disperse voltage..... or you can get a heavy duty installed - Mt Eden Motorbikes can do this.

Another handy hint is to put the front sprocket down 1 tooth. If I can remember I put mine from 15 down the 14, it makes the world of difference.......

But otherwise, an awesome machine and with the right can on it - they sound beautiful. My old one has a full system exhaust and I got a heavy duty rectifier installed as well. The price might be a bit higher but she is a MINT BIKE......!!

[Storm]

Thanks to all for the replies and advice, but the money side didnt get sorted. (and some other bugger snaffled it !!)

[boris]

sorry. . It runs well too. Had 300km ride today .i think motomart lower hutt has one they did a few weeks back anyway.

[ALTRON]

I have had my trusty NC30 for about 7 years now and its all been good :)

Only serious prob I ever had was the reg/rec burning out but that got replaced with a nice chucky Yamaha one which has been sweet as.
Work on them can be expensive because of the V4 config and spark plugs are a little pricey.. but you probably wont need any major work as they are one of the toughest motos around :)
Rear tyre selection is limited because of the retro '18 rear (it is a NC30 you're looking at eh, not NC35 which runs '17 rear)

IF you're kinda on the tall side you may find it a bit cramped. I'm 6 foot and wont ride it any further than Welly to Manfield without feeling like I have no legs and need a new spine BUT for short range twisty action its too sweet.

And get after market exhaust can to unleash that great V4 sound:)

[DEATH_INC.]

A good freind of mine has an NC30 that he's had a few years now,bloody good bike.No reliability probs that I've ever heard of other than the reg,which is fixed by replacing it with a Kawasaki reg.The 18" rear isn't that much of a prob either,as you can get Dunlops excellent GPR 70/80 series tyres to suit. $20 each for plugs isn't that bad either,most platinum plugs cost that much anyway...

[sAsLEX]

I'm 6 foot and wont ride it any further than Welly to Manfield without feeling like I have no legs and need a new spine BUT for short range twisty action its too sweet.


Rubbish! I am 6 ft and have no problems! Easy to get down to NP or further from auckland without to much drama.

[k14]

Rubbish! I am 6 ft and have no problems! Easy to get down to NP or further from auckland without to much drama.
Yeah exactly what I was thinking. Try a CBR250 from chch to new plymouth. Bit of a break on the ferry but still a decent ride, I'd class that bike as being cramped, a vfr is an arm chair in comparison.

[Storm]

Boris- now worries, its the quick and the dead eh? At least you wont get the next bike I am looking at- but just to be safe, I wont say any more :D