VF1000R on tardme

[FJRider]

You have no idea how badly I wanted one of these in 1986. This one seems to be the right price, and in the right condition. I want it. The question is, how bad will the domestic consequences be?

$4,700 at buy now price doesnt seem that bad, 37,000 km's ... low by any standard. Gear driven cam's if memory serves ... (often does not )

"Domestic consequences" will be few ... you will seldom be home on any fine day ...

[crazyhorse]

They're actually overweight gutless piles of poo.

[pritch]

A couple of years back there was one for sale locally. I asked a resident Honda expert if there were any problems inherent with the model and was told there weren't.

Somebody mentioned cams? I seem to recall that the first Honda V4s had cams made of cheese but that was sorted quite quickly. It had to be.

[Dodgy]

As Pete said, they were heavy, shit and gutless.

I think it was the Aus Castrol 6 hour in that they were completely outclassed by the RZ500. Just look at the damn thing, it almost makes my pig ugly FJ look svelte!

And just cause it has an HRC sticker does not mean that HRC built it! This was as much a racebike back then as something like a Hayabusa would be now.

[nudemetalz]

As Pete said, they were heavy, shit and gutless.

I think it was the Aus Castrol 6 hour in that they were completely outclassed by the RZ500. Just look at the damn thing, it almost makes my pig ugly FJ look svelte!

And just cause it has an HRC sticker does not mean that HRC built it! This was as much a racebike back then as something like a Hayabusa would be now.

...I get the feeling you don't like them.....

[Crasherfromwayback]

...I get the feeling you don't like them.....

There wasn't much to like mate! For sure I think they're quite a nice looking bike...and the V-Four is a nice sounding engine. There it ends though. A GPZ900 would (and DID) waste it in every department.

[T.W.R]

Try finding a test article on one of these by any of the magazines of the era
The reluctance of Honda to allow tests to be done says something in itself

The pic below is from this thread

[nudemetalz]

Funny thing is my Guzzi V11 isn't the fastest bike nor the best handler (actually nor the most reliable !!), but in my eyes it looks great and I loved riding it.
I'm sure a VF1000R owner would feel the same way about theirs.

I personally would be happy to have one in the garage for Sunday jaunts.

[Kickaha]

I think it was the Aus Castrol 6 hour in that they were completely outclassed by the RZ500.

I wouldn't call it being outclassed when the VF finished on the same lap and from what I recall the RZ500 did less fuel stops

[DVS 69]

I had one of these afew years back, it was my first big bike. I loved it to honest love the cam gear sound and v four was really neat good mid range an still revvy. Alan Delatour down here in NP raced one back in 86 in ozzy. I never had a problem with mine apart from a head gasket. I was told these cam gear engines were fairly faultless. Im pretty sure they were made by HRC cos mine had HRC here an there on the bike. Cool the way they have the front axle for quick release in the race paddock. Back in the day they wouldve been pretty awesum no doubt. Anyway that was my five cents worth

[dangerous]

anyone know this? I've spoken to the owner, sounds genuine, has the original paperwork etc.

So... Ya buy it?

A mate of mine had one in 1989 - cost him $5999 from memory. He blew the crank after a few months.

Beast of a bike though - awesome grunt.

interesing... 1st I ever heard of this, even MVX cranks were ok LMFAO

Never owned one but always lusted after them. However the reports I've read and heard of have scared me off owning one until I could justify spending the money on repairs.

Ya not thinking of the VF750 are ya, as far as I know any of the gear drive engines were solid as a rock?

They're actually overweight gutless piles of poo.

hmmm... deano says different?

As Pete said, they were heavy, shit and gutless.

I think it was the Aus Castrol 6 hour in that they were completely outclassed by the RZ500. Just look at the damn thing, it almost makes my pig ugly FJ look svelte!

again in 86 I wouldnt consider them gutless... and compairing a 500 stroker with a sport tourer aint that fair.

There wasn't much to like mate! For sure I think they're quite a nice looking bike...and the V-Four is a nice sounding engine. There it ends though. A GPZ900 would (and DID) waste it in every department.

powere to weight Id think so, and the 9 Ninge was one nugety bitch for its year.

I wouldn't call it being outclassed when the VF finished on the same lap and from what I recall the RZ500 did less fuel stops

Put like that the VFR wasnt no slouch then, thats a decent effort over 6hrs... but thirster than a v4 stroker that aint good.

IMO, an awesome bike, typical Honda, heavy, solid, relible, a good all rounder but no WSB winner.

[Rcktfsh]

As Pete said, they were heavy, shit and gutless.

I think it was the Aus Castrol 6 hour in that they were completely outclassed by the RZ500. Just look at the damn thing, it almost makes my pig ugly FJ look svelte!

And just cause it has an HRC sticker does not mean that HRC built it! This was as much a racebike back then as something like a Hayabusa would be now.

To be fair Gardiner had hunted down and was passing Scotty with a lap or so to go, as he was passing he accidently hit the kill switch which took him a while to work out. To rub salt into Hondas wounds the race had started a couple of minutes late but due to TV scheduling had to finish at specified time meaning it was a Castrol 5hr 58 mins or so, Scotty duly ran out of gas just after taking the chequered flag. The Honda boys took a jug of petrol they'd drained from the tank of the VFR onto the dais.

[T.W.R]

Considering they were double the cost of anything else at the time they priced themselves off the market, and you could actually still buy them new in the US in the early 90s
Being only 6hp more than a standard VF the cost wasn't worth it compared to what else was around in the mid 80s. Horrible on fuel (about 35mpg at best) and with a full tank of juice they're top heavy as buggery.
The European spec model is the more desirable of them
There's one sitting in a shed in Ashburton collecting dust that's in better condition than that one only two owners & a full S/S exhaust system and roughly the same amount kms on the clock It's one I almost brought but it was snapped up from under my nose, I'd test ridden it, got the deposit together, went to do the deal and the bike had been brought the day before. That was in 92 and Craig the bloke who brought it still has it and only brings it out of the shed once in a blue moon otherwise it just sits there keeping a Valiant Charger and another couple of aussie tanks company

[chiefofthehill]

Try finding a test article on one of these by any of the magazines of the era
The reluctance of Honda to allow tests to be done says something in itself

The pic below is from this thread

Sounds like one persons own opinion...
CB350, what do you expect with 350cc in 72, compare to others of that year
NR500, just a bit slow in the making thats all
VF1000R, knocked of 'just'... hows that a 'but'
VF1000F, bull shit it never had the issues the 750 did.
CB360, DUH, answered his own question, again no 'but' there
CX500T, yeah was expesive... get what ya pay for tho and no one bike will ever suit all
MVX250, ok slight cock up there, thats what you get for producing a bike over night
CB750, auto, yes agreed what was Hona thinking?
VF750F, speaks for its self, 'knocked of bigger bikes' 'but' yes there is a but here, slight cam issue was sorted
VFR750R, who the hell is smith and campbell? no 'buts' here one of the Japs best ever bikes

[T.W.R]

Sounds like one persons own opinion...
CB350, what do you expect with 350cc in 72, compare to others of that year
NR500, just a bit slow in the making thats all
VF1000R, knocked of 'just'... hows that a 'but'
VF1000F, bull shit it never had the issues the 750 did.
CB360, DUH, answered his own question, again no 'but' there
CX500T, yeah was expesive... get what ya pay for tho and no one bike will ever suit all
MVX250, ok slight cock up there, thats what you get for producing a bike over night
CB750, auto, yes agreed what was Hona thinking?
VF750F, speaks for its self, 'knocked of bigger bikes' 'but' yes there is a but here, slight cam issue was sorted
VFR750R, who the hell is smith and campbell? no 'buts' here one of the Japs best ever bikes

The list was compiled by someone with a few more clues than you obviously

for a few of your questionings on listed bikes

the VF1000R was hyped up so much then produced so little & it was double the price of anything else at the time so it shot itself in the arse. And do a bit of digging a see if you can find a test on a VF1000R The only ones you'll find will be bikes borrowed from private owners or modified VF1000R tests from a few years after they were released but there'll be definately no off the shop floor tests on brand new bikes basically because there were MUCH better bikes in the same class that ran circles around them in most respects Honda promoted them so much the did sell but in limited numbers, They were still listed as a new bike that could be purchased by order in the US in the early 90s because they still had stock sitting in their warehouse that no one wanted

The VF750 was just a slight cam issue, there were major recalls to remedy the issue mostly done under warrenty,it was that big of a problem not just a minor isolated case

The RC30 who's Cambell & Smith you ask they were team mates who had their RC30 handgrenade itself due to oil gallery issues ie: factory design fault that caused no oil feed to vital areas under race conditions....real great for a race replica bike don't you think? the Cambell is Malcolm Cambell (but you don't really want a Aussie & World Superbikes lesson)