I am back!

About a year/year and a half ago I had a 2007 Anniversary Interceptor. It developed a knock/clack/ticking noise that new cam chain tensioners did NOT cure, so I got rid of the bike, very disappointed in the bike in general, because I was crazy about the thing. I felt like it had let me down. I have not been on this forum since then.
After the VFR, picked up a Kawasaki Ninja 1000, 2011 model. It's an OK bike, but I am already extremely bored with the inline 4 engine, even though it has much more power than an 800. I seriously miss the V4, and the soul and character it possesses. So I am back, I'm looking for a nice 98-2001 VFR because I did not care whatsoever for the VTEC on the 07, and I'm hoping to pick one up before the end of this month.....somewhere.

 

Welcome back and good luck with the search.

 

Velcome back Pilgrim!!!
]

 

Did that noise appear to be consistent with poor performance? If the performance was still as expected, maybe that noise you heard was normal. I get a subtle knock in mine when the thing is at or near and idle. From people here, I think I have determined that to be the air flappy thingy opening and closing beneath the gas bucket container thingy. That has been around for years now and mine runs as good as it ever did as far as I am concerned. And I have at least a couple hundred miles on my 06 now.

Welcome back. Get yourself a VFR and ride the beatch! BTW. It didn't happen if you don't post pix. Crayon renditions won't be accepted.

 

Good luck in your search. I personally like the V-Tech. But to each his own. I have close to 20,000 on my 07 RWB and havent had any problems at all. Did you have the noise diagnosed by a mechanic,is that how you made the decision to replace the cam chain tensioners.

 

So did you get your problem diagnosed before you sold the bike? I have not heard of any issues similar to what you're describing. What Randy has described is the flapper valve on the airbox. It would suck if it was truly nothing. Welcome back.

 

:welcome: back good luck with your hunt.
I will keep my eyes open :thumb:

 

I knew that.

 

Was not the flapper....I completely unhooked it. Bike had no performance issues, just this embarrassing noise....this was a noise you could feel in the frame rails against your legs.....it really made me sick.
Cam chain tensioners were a source for noise on some bikes, so I changed them. Made no difference.
Bike was professionally gone over, and short of completely dis-assembling the engine, there were no other options. Doesn't matter about that bike now though, I have moved on, and I plan to stay away from 02-09 models just because. Like I say, didn't like the VTEC anyway.

 

And wouldn't you know it....the minute I said I wouldn't want another VTEC machine, a 2009 with 2700 miles presents itself to me, for $7000. Way back 2 years ago or however long ago it was when I began the search for a VFR, the black was what I wanted. I thought then, and still think today, the black 6th gen are amazingly sexy bikes. But for whatever reason I ended up with the RWB 07 with a knock.....anyway....
In addition to this 09 I just found I also have a line on a 99 with 16,000 miles that is perfect in condition, and all stock. I already looked at it and made the guy an offer.
I'm torn here now....I can pay cash for the 99 and have a really nice reliable machine, that is 14 years old. Or, I can put a big down payment on the 09 and finance the rest (don't want to use so much of my savings to pay cash for this one), and have a relatively new, low mileage, BLACK and BEAUTIFUL VFR.....
What would you guys do??

 

Personally, I would go with the 09 because it is the latest bike and has parts easily available. But if you hate VTEC so much, then it probably is a good idea to get the 99.

 

Did you watch Max-well Smart back in the day???

99
its supposed to be abstruse...

 

I never said I hated VTEC....I said I don't care for it much. And the reason I don't care for it is because it's pointless. Honda added it to the bike, and the bike gained nothing in output, it actually lost torque, but it gained an annoying jolt in the powerband at 6700 RPM and an annoying clatter when the second set of valves gets activated....Sorry.....my opinion.
One thing I do know is that the 99 engine sounds much better than the 02-09 bikes.....the gear driven cams and the gear whine are just an unbelievable sound. And I know also some guys don't like that. Years ago I read a letter to Cycle World Magazine. A guy wanted to know how in the hell he could get rid of the whine in his engine, because it was driving him nuts! Not me man...that's the best sound in the world IMO.

 

Oops, I shouldn't have said 'hate'. I agree with you on the VTEC opinion. I don't really get much in to the VTEC zone. I mainly use the VFR for commuting in the city, so I try to keep it under the vtec zone. When I was shopping for a VFR, I wanted to get the latest model because I don't know how to work on motorcycles and want someone at the dealer/shop be able to work on them. I think as the bike gets older, you will find less and less shops willing to work on them.

I too like the sound of the gear driven. I am actually looking to add a RC51 to the stable in the near future..

 

Go pull the trigger on the BLACK that you alway wanted
Or buy my for cheap

 

I thought the purpose of the VTEC was to help meet the stricter emmissions? The '09 is 10 years newer. Did you ride the '99? I'd let that be the deciding factor.

 

That is just the thing; I have NOT ridden the 99. I just looked at it this past weekend in Cleveland Ohio, and it was snowing like a BEE-OTCH so I was content to just start it, listen to it, and put it up on the center stand and run it through the gears. It seemed to have a very similar seating position to the 6th gen, and the engine seemed very smooth.

Here are some pics. Again, it's a 1999 with 16,000 miles, for $3600. He's firm on the price.

 

Wow, that is very nice looking bike. But at 3600, you are in the 6th gen territory. If it was in the upper 2's or at 3K, I would be all over it.

 

Unlike sport bikes, the VFR's don't age soon. The 4th or 5th gen bikes look awesome even though they are more than 10 years old. I wish the same could be said for 6th gen after 5 years.