1987 VFR700 to buy or not

Hi, first of all I am new here, so hello.
My question is, what should I pay for the above mentioned bike.
Here is the run-down on it's condition.
Recitifer/regulator is broken ($100 fix)
I haven't seen the bike run (apparently the only thing stopping it is the broken part above)
bad for seals
unknown transmission condition
20,000 miles
sawed off exhaust pipes (for the last 2,000 miles)
bad paint job
new tires

The seller is asking $1,600 OBO.
Which I know is WAY too high.
What do you guys think would be a reasonable price for me to pay.
Thanks
--Paul

 

I paid $300 for my 700f2

 

I just bought an 86 with 30k on the clock, required some work to get it road worthy .... been sitting for a year .... paid $600

 

These bikes have popped up all over the place lately it seems. Most commonly they have been sitting, they start and run, but the buyer gets it home to find the carbs are all crapped up.
Then the buyer spends weeks on here asking carb questions, finds out the parts are getting very hard to find, and takes it to the one shop in the state that will work on a twenty-some year old bike and pays 70 bucks an hour for labor.
I sold my 88 carbed bike.
Just my opinion.

 

i would say go for it, but not for 1600.

 

b4 further consideration you need to hear it run and verify that it goes into all the gears....
you need cables to jump the battery from a car .

if it won't run, offer about $ 300 because that's what the parts are worth, sort of.

if it runs, will it idle with the choke off? if not, you may have carb problems.

if you can fix it yourself, based upon your prior experience and possesion of tools then offer what you can.

it might be a good bike for a low price or an expensive pile of junk.

can you find someone knowledgable to look at the bike with you??

 

Last time I looked at the bike I took my father along, he is a pretty good mechanic and has ridden bikes all his life. He told me essentially what you guys have, get it for under $500 because I don't know if it runs or how well.
I guess I'll just have to decide on whether I want to take a $500 gamble.

 

Hello and Welcome aboard,
After having owned a lot of 86 & 87 700's & 750's, in my oppion i would agree with squirrelman ( wow i cant belive i just said that ) anyways yes start at 300 and dont be afared to go up a bit on the amount but not over 1000 .
now .... if the battery has any chance of holding a charge again DONT jump it with a car, these batterys can only handle a charge of 10 to 12 amp's at a time any more will destroy the battery and if you do jump it disconnect the rectifier/regulator first so it dose not get destroyed ether.
Good luck with this and please keep us updated and if you get it please post some pictures,

 

you must hear the engine crank over or run before any offer is made.

the motors are nearly bulletproof, but transmission can be damaged by an abusive or uncoordinated rider.

if he has nothing to hide, he'll let you jump it.

i forgot to state that the jumper car should NOT be running or assumed he knew.

i've jumped low batterys many, many times and had no problems later with holding a charge.

 

Sounds like a grab bag if you have not seen it run. Have the guy put the $100 part on it then make sure it runs before making him an offer. You have lots of testimonials here about pricing so I will keep my uneducated guess to myself.

You are going to have probably going to need to drop another $500 into it just to make it safe to ride. It sounds like you will need pipes on to pass smog too. consider the tires etc and most importantly - the purpose of the bike. It is a hobby, project, mode of transportation etc.

I don't mind paying a guy $70 an hour to fix something right. i.e. carbs....if you find a good mechanic to work on old iron, they are a keeper.

Good luck

 

Ya know, i would tend to agree , i think, well know that i would want to hear it run before any offers, but thats me ? what state is the bike ? where is it ? maybe ask another member thats close and knows about bikes to check it out with you ?
i dont anyone here is going to step on your toes.