There is a chap who has been trying to sell an 86 VF1000R on tardme for a while. Always thought they looked ok, but don't know any thing about the V4 Hondas. I seem to remember that the top ends were a little fragile on the early V4s, but is there any thing else I should look at?, say if we were doing a deal involving my GS1000. Or would I be better to put the money into the GS and keeping that?........ What say the hive mind?
The VFR is a fne bike IMHO. The top end problems applied to the earlier V4. The VFR is a tad overweight though. A friend had one when new(ish) and we reckoned a hacksaw and grinder were needed to give it the Jenny Craig treatment. Personally, I would keep the GS. A much better bike, better resale/investment prospects and no end of mods available. May I suggest a XR69 replica?
+ 1 for the XR69 replica. Honda is a bit barge like and the thinga are 'orible to work on, only ever had anything to do with the 750s but can't imagine the 1000 is much different. Keep the GS.
I remember reading a retrospective about them and the gist of it was like Dadpole said- get the later ones that had the valve train upgrade, can't remember after what year you will have to search or something. Other than that they said it was built to usual good Honda standards and people were getting big miles out of them. Personally I like look of the full fairing, eay to keep clean and a bugger to work on like all full fairing bikes in that vein. I remember well putting blankets all over the garage floor when stripping my CBR to a frame and engine. Bits of fragile and expensive plastic everywhere...paranoid of stepping on it Test rode a VF1000R for about an hour, it was super silky and deceptive when you looked at the speedo. They grey imported quite a few so parts are not super scarce. I recon it would be a good investment to have a tidy original one in the long term, it was pretty special in it's day, as no one could afford the meke Honda 750 V4 the VFR is the next best thing. Probably weigh the same as the GS though
My opion is keep the GS.
The R model had gear driven cams so didn't suffer from the chocolate cams of the first Honda V4s (mainly the 750 Sabre and the 750/1000 E versions). When they got to the F versions in 85 cam problems were largely a thing of the past. I agree with Dodgy that a good example may be a good investment, but the GS1000 is a "classic" in its own right, IMHO. I bet the VF would be a goer, in the hands of a skilled rider Just have to be on Snake Watch though, lol
Bodgy Wrote: I remember well putting blankets all over the garage floor .....these day the blankets go over the bikes...
Well I had all but decided against the VF, the guy hadn't called me about checking it and my bike out. There were mixed reviews here and else where. Then I get a call, he wants to have a look at my bike, so the question is what is a VF1000R worth? i have a pretty good idea what my bike is worth.
Subjective question, Kiwi. Maybe try in the main Classics Forum? Corroding Piles of Scrap: .....these day the blankets go over the bikes... Yep, because deserve a blankie
I know it is a very subjective thing, guess I will have to wait and see what the guy says tonight when he comes to have a chat..... As far as the main forum goes, yeah nah, I stay away from there way way way to many pullers for my liking......
KiwiGs - 2nd May 2011, 09:19 There were mixed reviews here and else where. Most people that spout of at the VFR no didly shit and have this weird obsesion against Honda which I have never understood. Diggers sums it up rather well altho iirc the issues were only the vf750f. The 1000R typical Honda well finished, very relible, heavy as and oh so ergonomic, a decent all rounder. In its time it atcheaved in the Castrol 6hr what most dident in fact again iirc it would have won had it not ran out of fuel, or not pitted for one last fuel stop... something like that.
1000R didn't ever win the 6 hour in NZ or Oz although the 1000F did in NZ in 1984 with Alan DeLatour and Dave Martin riding it Despite its "issues" the VF750F did a 1,2 finish in 1983 in the Oz six hour and the year after a VF1000R was beaten by the RZ500 for first but was still on the same lap edit: First "big" bike I ever rode was a VF1000F
I had to Google it at by 1985 my interest in the latest 100HP overweight pig from Japan had vanished. I have nothing against Hondas...my first two bikes were Hondas....just 244kgs......sure is an all rounder all right. Hard to believe these days they used to race tourers....
That's about the time I gave up buying new. The 16" front wheels and wrap around plastic were the deciding factors for me at the time. There's a very good pdf aritical available on the earlier VF750F top end issues written by the chief engineer of Honda America at the time that doesn't pull any punches. Basicly the solution boiled down to running external oil lines from a gallery in the lower casings up to the heads.
Bonez. That was the cowards way out. The fun part is keeping those expensive plastic panels off the deck, with the 16 inch wheel conspiring against you.
