Which would you buy? '86 or '93 VFR750?

could you give us a link so we can see the bikes

 

Here is the Houston craigslist for the '86 1986 vfr 750 interceptor
The '92 was a reply from a WTB thread that I posted from another forum. I have other pictures though, if anyone is interested.
thanks
ben

 

I was kidding brother. Raced or not though, the '92 smokes the '86 if performance is what you're after.

 

The petcock is only going to run you about $30 to replace ($40 tops) and is an easy fix with a metric alan wrench.

I'm a bit biased here, so you're gonna get a "Go for the '86" from me for obvious reasons. I had the chance to buy a '98 CBR600, an '02 GSXR1000, a '05 Katana or the '86 VFR750f Interceptor.... all the same price, but the CBR, and Katana needed nothing but a rider. After much research and pondering I chose the VFR. It was a hands down decision, and only for one of many good reasons, honestly. Chicks dig it! Seriously, the old school 750 is the winner when it comes to style and looks. If your old enough, you remember the poster of the red, white and blue starin you in the face with the caption "You know you want one!"... and in reality, everyone back then DID want one. Not only is it a collectors bike, in the U.S. it's a statement of who had the big Kahunas back then. The 750 came with an extra $1000 price tag due to the Import Tax imposed by the Feds to keep domestic Harley sales up.

Trust me, when you ride around on an '86 your gonna turn more heads and feel WAY more proud that you own this piece of history. I know I do.

 

Damn you I was all set to get the '92, then you drop that bit of wisdom.

 

everything we've told you about those two bikes is true. What are you looking for out of the VFR? As a commuter the 92 is the practical choice, due to parts the availability of the newer model. The 86 is for the conisuer so to speak. Body work and many other components are no longer available, so you don't want to leave it somewhere it can get damaged or stolen. Besides, most chicks don't know one bike from another except for a Harley, so don't let that influence your decision. Us older guys would be all over the 86 but we'd all own a clean 92 if we could add it to the stable.

 

Well, I went and rode the '92. I didn't buy it. It was leaking some fluid in various spots(not a huge deal) and I couldn't get a good 'feel' on how it handled with a worn rear tire. I think I'll try and get the '86 if the seller gets back to me.

 

Hope that '86 turns out to be as clean as it looks. IMHO, that is one of the nicest bikes ever made. Great lines, great paint. And to find one in good condition these days is rare.

 

Here's you chance to steal it. Tell him to put a tire on it and call you for another test ride or offer him significantley less to take care of the tire and the leaks yourself.

 

Not to hijack the thread ( and I will post something useful after my initial statement ) but
Gen 3's do get second glances. I can't tell you how many times I come out of a store and there is a couple people sitting there looking and talking about my bike. Nice gen 3's are rare.At least in my neck of the woods.
My other question to some of you was about the performance differances you cited. I dont know that a gen 2 is slower then a gen 3 at all. I think its the opposite. Dont get me wrong, I love my gen 3 and wouldnt trade it for a differant bike, but the gen 3 and 4 bikes dont have the same "rip the front wheel off the ground" power that the gen 2, 5 and 6 do. Am I wrong here?
I remember the ad for my bike when it came out - it had a picture of a gen three and said "inside every one of these has one of these trying to get out" and showed a gen 2. That was a true race bike ( the gen 2 ). I may be wrong, but just askin.
Lastly I like the statement rc24rc51 just made. No one is gonna want to buy that bike if it has a leak and wont ride good cause of the tire. I cant tell you about the leak but I can tell you about the tire. TOE CUTTER purchased my bike before I bought it and it had a bad back tire. Riding it all of us thought there was something wrong with the bike because it handled dramaticly bad. New tires = New bike that time. It was like night and day.

Steal it.

anyways good luck.

 

no, that is a gen 1 problem. the gen 2 was altogether remodeled.
I did the research, cause I had a gen 1. Gone but not forgotten.

 

I am to agree with everything said so far.I think you should talk the third gen done down a bit, needs a tire and leaks = deal.If the second gen is a mega peach I do not think you can go wrong.Bummer to be you.

 

OIling and cams Not an issue with 86-87 vfr.

 

I remember the ad of which you speak. The bike in question was an RC30. Inside everyone of these(gen3) is one of these (RC30) waiting to come out. I kept that ad for a long time. The RC30 is still one of Hondas best purpose built race bikes of all time.

 

that is a gen 1.
matt had to explain the overlap in years to me when i was researching my own gen 1 about a 8 months ago.
86vfr is a gen 2. 86vf is a gen 1. If that makes sense.
and there is already several posts about what the "r" actually means. LOL. "very fine ride" Vfour race" etc.
But thats why I said ( to you in chat ) you own one of the exceptions to the rule, an 86 gen 1.

Anyhow,I was still waiting for toe cutter to comment on the performance differance between the gen 2 and 3. He still has the 2 and he owned a 3. Which is faster?
Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder and since I am holding the beer, I say gen 3. But there is no accounting for taste. I was just curious on the performance diferances between the gen 2 and gen 3 bikes.

 

If I could find that ad and make it a poster for my garage.....
sigh.

 

eLLo-I am a little biased here since I own a 91/92 Viffer with 74,000 calms on it. I have to give a belly laugh to the posts regarding "chicks digging it". 99% of the birds out there wouldnt know a Katana from a Schwinn if u hit em over da head with it. I remember the 86 when it was new, a friend had one. You gota love those gold sand cast looking engine covers. And as far as the paint goes, Holy grail of paint jobs. So good that they did that 800 in those studly red white and blue hues. Can you use modern current radial tyres on the older bike? On mine I can use the current sticky donuts in 120-70-17 front/180-55-17 rear. I think your front hoop is a 16 or your rear wheel may be an 18, I am not a gigantic follower here. Do your homework and buy what you want, not what your gf says looks sexy.