Bike inspection help - Various locations

[James Deuce]

Hello folks. I'm selling my car and buying a commuter and I was wondering if anyone could help me check the following bikes out "by remote" so to speak.

Dunedin:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=99246939

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=100431229

Invercargill:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=100756221

Auckland:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=100798278

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=100873995

Christchurch:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=99507478

Manawatu:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=100902680&key=844530

Nelson:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=99153724&key=41650

Let me know if you'd like me to set the meeting up for you and I will be happy to provide liquid refreshment as recompense for your time.

Regards

Jim2

[James Deuce]

*Friendly Bump*

Added Manawatu and Nelson listings.

[Deviant Esq]

A pretty good selection of machines there Jim2. FWIW I vote the VF400, great commuter. Only problem is getting it up to your location, should you successfully make the purchase.

The machine in Christchurch: I'd offer to go and have a look at it for you... but a) I'm probably not qualified enough and b) I'm only on my restricted. Would it pass a WOF with the odo not going?

Good luck mate, hopefully you'll be able to get someone to check them out for you. :)

[James Deuce]

Thanks mate. I have a person lined up to look at the XJ. I don't think the Odo is a problem for a WoF, just the speedo.

Yes the VF does tickle my fancy having owned a VFR400 in the distant past. The only thing that worries me a bit is that it is a Gen 1 VF with chocolate cam faces and a cam chain that stretches like a G String on the 1999 version Jo Cotton.

Transport? No problem! Fly South for the Winter (stoopid!), ride North for the ferry.

No worries.

[Deviant Esq]

Sorted! IIRC after market cam chains fix the stretching issue... if it's already done that many kms it might have already been sorted. Something to bargain with if it hasn't? :yes:

If you do end up buying something down south and intend or riding it back up... we've got a spare room you can crash in if you want to break the journey up some. Hell... should come out for a ride too, some nice roads around Banks Peninsula. :cool:

[vifferman]

Yes the VF does tickle my fancy having owned a VFR400 in the distant past. The only thing that worries me a bit is that it is a Gen 1 VF with chocolate cam faces and a cam chain that stretches like a G String on the 1999 version Jo Cotton.

The VF400 is a very different beastie to the VFR400 or RVF400 - much less sporty.

I owned an '85 VF500 for years (like the one in one of your links, except mine had custom s/steel megaphones, disks off a NR250, and a custom airfilter). I had no problems with the cams, but the camchain was (like all Hondas) getting noisy. Apart from that, and a clunky gearbox (another Honda thing!) the only dodgy thing was the frame can rust from the inside out (no drain holes), as can the gas tank ('saddle' at right rear never fully drains, so water settles there). I'd imagine both the VF500 and 400 would be the same in this regard, as the tank and frame look similar.
They're getting on a bit, but if they'd been well looked after, they'd be good commuters. And even though they're old, many of the parts aren't as big a problem as you might think, as disks, indicators, mirrors and numerous other parts are common to several Honda models, unlike the VFRs.

[James Deuce]

The VF400 is a very different beastie to the VFR400 or RVF400 - much less sporty.



Very much aware of that one. Thanks for the frame and tank warning. I hadn;t found anything on the VF forums that suggested those issues. Thou art a veritable mine of Honda info! Cheers.