are the 8 spokers really worth it?

theres an 8 spoke rear wheel on ebay right now with bids up to over $400! is that a typical selling price? I have 3 in my garage right now, might have to sell a couple if thats the case.

 

That's probably a little higher than usual, I've seen them go for about $300. But they are popular and rare, so the price is high. They are still available new from Honda for about $600.

Whether they are worth it or not is a personal question, but they do look great.

 

It is worth it if the buyer willing to pay :thumb:
I have seen from $200 to $300 depend on the condition.

 

Kinda like the "Mona-Lisa" imho, amazing design, end of story. Whats its worth for you or someone else is subjective obviously. Got three of them in your garage? I would get them on Ebay fast. :thumbsup:

 

Randy has them so it must be worth it. Are they any weight difference? Eight spoke might be a stronger wheel.:crazy:

 

HOARDER! Dude if those are just sitting in your garage, offer them up for sale here on the forum. As far as average price, probably ~$275.00 even in good condition. Sometimes people on eBay do not know what they have and can go for even lower than $200, but only the lucky few who catch those auctions with a buy it now option get away with paying that low. Personally I would not pay more than $300 for one and would say that only the buyer can say what it's really worth. For a litmus, the two I bought (for my 6 Gen and 5 Gen) and the third I grabbed for a fellow rider (which we later did a trade) all cost me $280 or less and all in good to great condition.

 

Is it worth it?

Well if you want people drooling over your otherwise stock VFR then yah.

I had mine at one of the local shops last weekend and it actually drew attention away from the new shiny stuff in the showroom. A few guys came out to check it out, shoot the shit and admire the lovely white wheels. They of course just wanted to hear it fire up cause nothing in the shop makes happy noises like a VFR with a pipe. So I guess that you need to back up the wheel with a sound track to get maximum benefit.

There isn't much you can do to change the looks of your bike for $300. As far as I'm concerned, it was worth every penny.

 

Ok, I will pay $225 for a eight spoke wheel in perfect shape. But are they lighter than the stock wheel?:lever:

 

Someone on VFRD did a weight comparison and the 8 spoke is no lighter or heavier than the 5 spoke, at least of the later generation wheels (5/6 Gen).

 

If there was ever a "real" reason to choose an 8 spoke, I would say this would be the best reason...

According to Kanji Hayashi the Honda Assistant Chief Engineer for the new 2014 VFR and in reference to the new 2014 VFR wheel(s)
Q: The Wheels weren’t simply changed for looks?

A: The new design also provides better comfort. Because there are more spokes, the roads’ imperfections are better absorbed. With a three spoke design, for example, the absorption of energy is a lot harsher, because there are limited spokes to spread the impact. The more spokes, the more the pressure is spread, meaning the ride is more smooth. The wheels weigh pretty much the same as the old version’s, so there’s no real saving on unsprung weight, but that’s okay. The bike handles great anyway.

 

It's definitely a taste thing. I think they're quite a bit less attractive than a cool 5 spoke. So much so that if our bikes came with 8 spokes I would swear we'd all be going crazy trying to get 5's.


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I'm not one for saying I can or could feel a difference, just relaying what the Honda dude said. As far as 5 spoke vs. 8 spoke, I've already heard people inquiring if the new 10 spoke will fit on the older generations. I guess it's a matter of wanting what you don't have but in the case of the 10 spoke, you'd have to change the hub out as well, as it uses a 5 bolt hub not a 4!

 

Eight-spoke wheels need 8/5 times as much cleaning, so they must get 8/5 times as much dirt on them, so they must have 8/5 times the drag of air resistance, so they must be slower than five-spoke wheels, which makes me feel better about talking myself out of buying some.

 

Not hoarding. All 3 are attached to a VFR but I do have a gen 6 rear wheel I could easily swap back and unload an 8 spoker for 6 or 7 hundred bucks....:tongue-new:

 

When you put it that way, sounds less unreasonable. I've spent more than $400 on "decorative" items for my bike with less visual impact than an 8 spoker. to save myself any public humiliation, I will refrain from stating what those items were.

 

Having 3 in your garage and having 3 on bikes in your garage is different. Well, if you're ever strapped for cash you at least know where you can pick up some!

 

I like the 8 spoke look. I just got one and a very little used front wheel for my 07 RWB. They should be powder coated BRIGHTwhite by Tuesday. I am $600 into the white wheels and bearings, but it will differentiate my bike and look good next to my 1986 RWB VFR.