what is a reasonable price for an 86 vf500

she wants $1500 for it but i think thats a bit much. kbb says 1310 as a starting point for negotiations for an excellent condition bike. has some damage to it and dont know the miles yet though....

 

That looks like a 85 to me. The wheels, the paint scheme (which isn't original), the white front fender, the black forks, etc...

Maybe it's had a LOT of stuff changed, or it's all been repainted, or some variation?

 

Looks like a clean bike but it is definitely a 'mix and match' on what's visible. Not an all original '86 model for sure.

This said there are a lot of variables on settling in on an offer.

At the top of the list – mileage followed closely by whether the maintenance history is known - i.e. whether the inspection of the valve lash was performed per the Factory schedule.

I'd say, given that this in not a bone stock ’86, $1,500 is on the high side unless the mileage on the engine is under 7k.

 

Looks like an '84 with an '85 seat or seat cover and repainted wheels. Other than that it looks like a stock '84. However, I can't read the year on the frame. If it does say 1986 on the serial number plate than it could be quite a mix and match.

Up here in Canada used VF500's list for $1700 to $2000 on average, so to me it isn't too far off. But mileage and maintenance are the biggest consideration.

 

That bike looks decent, but nowhere near $1500. I'd say $800 is a good price from what I'm seeing (did you see the damage to the tank?). Not many 500's are worth over $1000, they have to be very clean to fetch that kind of money.

 

from zooming in on the original i have i could see that the frame does say its a 1986. so would that suggest its been down and got the body panels replaced?

 

It is hard to say if it was down or if this was simple a switch out to parts that were in better condition at the time. Given the incongruity I would say that the asking price is too high.

Do you know how many miles are on the engine?

The VF500F's valve train requires proactive maintenance to ensure its longevity.

 

SAVE yourself a lot of frustration and problems by deciding there's no good reason to buy a model with known and well documented mechanical issues.

For $1500 you could buy something on craigslist much newer and better than a VF 500--even if it's not a Honda !

Do some research on its reliability and parts availability before buying any bike.

"Buy the newest used bike you can afford" is the best advice i got when i started out .

 

Having gone down this path myself, I have to agree. If it is a second bike and a project and the price is brought down, go for it. An exception is if you found one with very low mileage and a trusted good maintenance record.

 

the only reason why i dont have the history is because im waiting on a response, she is the second owner i think and had it for a while. im trying to get it for 1000 or less, she's my dads coworkers wife so hopefully she'll be a little looser on the price. im also going to show her this thread so she will see that the bike isnt worth 1500 and hopefully talk her down to around 800 like JamieDaugherty said.

 

The part that gets me is that the bike not only has 84-85 bodywork but also the earlier wheels. The 86 wheels were all black. Something else to check is that the VIN number on the steering head matches the VIN tag. There probably isn't a consiracy going on here, but it's always good to check everything you can.

Overall the bike looks decent and if it runs good I'd say it would be a keeper for $800.

 

This thread is hurting the resale value of the bikes that some of us have and some of us have for sale :frown:

 

I don't think anyone considers his VF 500 an investment or expects to profit from it, and there will always be a stock of non-running 500s and beginner riders who might have that odd dream, $200 in cash, and a trailer to haul it away.

On the other hand, the market for well running, original, clean, low mileage examples should increase on the collector market............. whoever it is, and should hold their value.

All IMO of course.

 

Point well taken.

No doubt the lack of proper maintenance has contributed to many a 500 being prematurely parted out.

I agree with you that the maintenance of these bikes is not for the faint of heart and a $200 special is far from a deal, especially as more and more parts are labeled NLA.

Still, as an owner of a VF500F - I can say that there are many outstanding design aspects to this bike. I appreciate how much thought went into this model and how enjoyable they are to ride.

My 2 bits.

 

I'm considering getting mine back into running condition and seeing what I can get out of it. If I can get around $1k for it to put toward a second gen or newer, I'd be happy, but this thread isn't helping that possibilty!

 

For the money being asked and the obvious mismatch parts and the damage on the tank (one of the HARDEST 1st gen parts to find....and even harder to clean) I'd say turn and walk away.

Look for a VFR.

 

nothing...haven't you heard? The 500 is guaranteed to leave you on the side of an abandoned desert highway with nothing but a spoon full of water and some melted Chap stick

 

Don't be so melodramatic

 

Maybe I should fix up the tank on mine and part out the bike then! The inside of my tank is clean, but has a few dents, along with the new one it got a few weeks ago when I came home to a bike on it's side.