99 vfr800??

Hi, I was looking at a 2004 vfr800. The guy is asking 4500 for it and it has 8k miles. My problem is between insurance and payment it might be a bit out of my comfort zone for the time being. I found another vfr that is a 99 model with 48,500 miles and I can get it for $2,500 and insurance is ALOT cheaper. It also comes with the Givi mounting system and one hard case. I guess my question would be is that too many miles for the price? And the guy is checking to see if the valves have been done, but he does not recall, so I would imagine that would be a big factor as well? Thanks in advance for any help..

 

Both bikes appear to be priced fairly. The mileage on the 5 gen isn't a concern but the valve inspection should be complete for that price; if not, you'll want to negotiate down. I know money is tight, but if you can swing a little more for the 6 gen now, it may save you some money in the longterm regarding resale. The 6 gen is youthful and not totaly broken-in, while the 5 gen is middle aged and may begin needing some odds and ends that don't come up very regularly - suspension, bearings, throttle-body sync, etc etc., unless those things have been previously completed.

 

Not sure about pricing in the USA, but 2.5K USD is about £1500 here in the UK & that is about right for a bike that age in good condition. Go for it the 5th Gen's are much better IMO, but maybe I'm biased as I ride a 5th gen !

 

I bought my 5th gen 98' last year for 1900 usa and it had 72k on it. Runs great no problems, it was well maintained. That is gonna be your issue with any bike regardless of miles. I would rather buy one with 40k that has been ran and maintained than buy a 12 year old bike with 8k that probably sat for 4 years striaght.

 

As far as comfort, between the two, which one is more comfortable. I have owned a 6th gen and was pretty comfortable on it with the wife and I riding, but have never even sat on a 5th gen.

 

I have only sat on a 6th gen a few times, but it seems pretty close to my 5th gen.

 

Valve checks on the 5th gen are much easier and cheaper, last one ran me about $200 at the dealer.

 

I have owned both and don't favor one over the other. Make your decision based on which one appeals more to you. I personally prefer a lower mileage machine, but that's me.

 

The fifth gen valve adjustments would be cheaper over the vtec models

 

Ok, I found a 99 VFR. It's a 4 hr drive from where I live but seems like a good deal. It's red with 27,800 miles. New rear tire, Sargent seat, taller bars, tinted windscreen, corbin saddle bags, givi cover (not exactly sure what that is). Also comes with the stock seat, 2 extra windscreens and the stock handle bars. It's never been down and I can pick it up for $3k. What do you guys think?

 

Sounds like you found your bike, Vandal. Without seeing pics, the price is very fair. Also, 28K miles is low for a '99, so all good there. Just make sure all the maintenance has been kept up with.

 

Looks like if everyting goes as planned and the bike is as the guy says it is, I will be the proud new owner of a 99 VFR on saturday!!! Thanks for all the help!! Wish me luck!! I'll figure out how to put some pics up if I get it this weekend... IF I can stop riding long enough to anyway..lol

 

Have fun !!

 

Good luck. I might recommend pulling the tail cover and looking over the connections by the R/R. If anything looks a bit burned up, it's not necessarily a deal-breaker, but you'll have some work to do. Despite it, I think the 5th gen's worth any electrical annoyances.

 

If the bike doesn't have the ricks motorsport r/r and a VFRness get one and save yourself the trouble. My 99 only had 12,800 miles on it when I bought it last August(mind boggling really) and it cooked the r/r shortly after I got it. With the ricks motorsport r/r, VFRness, and computer fan keeping it all cool I would ride the bike cross country tomorrow. On a side note I've put 4k on the bike since I got it...

 

My 2000 had 5400 miles when I bought it in January, 2008.

But yes, R/R is a good idea.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I will check the connections and wires at the r/r, I didn't think of that. As far as the ricks r/r and the VFRness, where can I find these parts for the best price? I had heard of the 5th gen r/r problems but wasn't sure how major they were. I know enough about electronics to be dangerous, but am far away from being an electrician, so any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Now if the wires are burnt looking, what is the fix for the problem once I get it home?

 

Check out Wire My Bike

I replaced the oem r/r on my '99 with the new Honda part about 6 years ago and it's still going. You can go with the VFRness or, what I did was add some good sized wiring inline between the r/r (+) and the battery (+), just run the wires in parallel. You can run a (-) wire in parallel also, like a 12 or 10 gauge wire, to the battery (-). The VFRness is an easy plug in and does that for you.

 

I think I did away with all of the connectors in the R/R assembly. I soldered everything through to eliminate connector corrosion and the ensuing meltdown.

 

I dont know to much about the difference between riding a bike with high or low milage but, I bought a 99 800 for $2,500 and it runs great. I dont know how many miles are on it but my guess is a lot. So i guess if your not willing to put some money into it to ensure that it is running great then I personally dont think it is worth it.