(not sure which was the better place to get this answered) I owned a few V4s back in the 80's and after some time off from two wheels I came back via the BMW route a few years ago, but I missed my old Honda's and especially the V4. So I have been seeking out a nice low mile VFR and recently came across a 97 with 12k on the clock that per our Emails at least (and photos) seems like it might be pretty nice. I'm going to go and look at it shortly and do the usual kick the tires & light the fires used bike inspection but am unsure of the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the only bugaboo I could find about this generation VFR. The voltage R&R I poked around here and other places on line but could not find the actual procedure to check it, along with where it even is on the bike. Could I ask a huge favor for someone to post up the procedure on how to get to this thing along with how to actually check it and make sure it's not on the edge of death? Any special tools needed? Maybe a few photos? Asking price is $3k (crappy market to sell means great market to buy :wink: ) and he seems pretty firm as he supposedly just put on new tires and had it "serviced". BTW can someone point me to where I can find the service interval details? Any other issues I may have missed on this generation & year that I should look for? A huge thanks in advance, Mark
Pretty much it mechanically. You'll need to upgrade the r/r and associated wiring. Upgrading the wiring to larger guage, dedicated power/ground for r/r, additional short ground from the battery, ditch the plug in the stator wiring harness (upgrade those wires as well), install digi voltmeter to monitor the charging system and your set. You just need to start by inspection the condition the wiring/connectors/stator/rr are in now. Then start upgrading. First thing to look at is the main fuse wiring/connections. If they are melted you are on the way to replacing all the above mentioned. The only other thing I've heard on 4th gens is the plastic is thin and brittle. Meaning, stress cracks in several places all over the bike. Inspect closely and verify all the tabs and such are there. If you can get the plastics off, you'll be able to spot any problems on the backsides of the plastics. Forks are inadequate as well. Simple upgrade though.
The R/R is located on the right side of the bike, mounted to the rear subframe. Checking it requires removal of the rear fairing (remove seat, then 2 bolts, 2 screws, disconnect rear lighting). First things first, if the R/R has no fins, it's the older style and is going to self-destruct within the first three months you own the bike (if it's still good at all). If it has fins, that means it's been replaced once already. To test the R/R wiring (you will need a multimeter): First, disconnect the 5 pin plug from the R/R, inspect it and check for burnt or overheated connections. Second, test for DC voltage at the plug between the red/white wire and the green ground wire, battery voltage (~12-13v) should register. Third, test for continuity between the green wire and a ground point on the bike. Fourth, check the resistance (from yellow to yellow, checking all possible combinations - 6) of the charging coil lines (3 yellow wires), it should be between 1.0 and 2.0 Ohms at room temperature. To test the R/R itself, you need to check the resistance between the terminals. See the picture below for what you're looking for when testing it:
