Just bought 97 VFR Questions about cooling system

Help my name is Pete and I'm an addict--of two wheels. Found and bought a 97 VFR that has very little miles & has been sitting most of it's life. Beside the obvious maintenance need (read quite a bit on this site now) I definetly want to remove and replace the coolant & possiblly the T stat. why not(?) THE 12 yr COOLANT HOSES ARE HAUNTING ME!!. Should I replace all the hoses? My gut tells me yes. Does any one have a complete list of all hoses to make ordering simple. And/or does anybody make HIGH PERFORMANCE HOSES? I've seen Silicone kits for Ducatis, don't know if they're more show than go. This is my first posting so any & all help will be greatly appreciated. We've been blessed! I'm the Dad that's my son in the pic. Thanks Father & son Honda owners.

 

WELCOME !!


Your choice of the '97 was a good one and, lacking the needless complexity of fuel injection, linked brakes, v-tech, etc., will prove to be a very simple and mechanically reliable friend.

WE don't hear about hoses going bad on these bikes, and Honda is known for using only the best quality fuel and water hoses, so change them if you want, but IMO certainly NOT neessary. Going around and putting a turn or two on all the hose clamps would be a fine idea, however.

Make sure that your fan kicks in when the temp gauge reaches about 2/3 scale.

Buy or download a service manual for your bike and begin studying........

Check your tyre pressures frequently, and

ENJOY !

 

Change the coolant and check the hoses and clamps But unless you see them swelling or the left one is rubbing thru due to the lower fairing...I would not worry too much about them. I replaced my left one due to a bit of rubbing on the fairing to be safe. Change the clutch and brake fluids, change the fork and engine oil, see how old the tires are, check chain and sprockets for wear and adjustment. Low miles? Change spark plugs, air filter and Id throw in a fuel filter if it has over 10k miles on it. Then Id say your good to go.

 

Congrats on your '97! I love mine!

I agree that your hoses are probably fine. If/when it's time to replace them, I don't know of an OEM kit--you would have to order them individually. Some hoses--like the coolant ones--are specific. Others are bulk hose of varying diameters.
AFAIK, Samco doesn't have a kit for our model. They are the ones that make the nice silicone ones.

The coolant & t-stat change is a good one to get to know your way around the bike. You'll get to remove most of the cowling, which gets easier with practice. You don't need to remove the throttle bodies to get to the t-stat if you have patience and a good combination of swivels and extensions.

 

Congrats on getting the best of the best I dito all the above. yes get the factory manual too, has a lot of nice info to have on hand. I wouldn't lose any sleep over the radiator hoses. One may get a RR on stand by thou.. BTW welcome and enjoy your new ride.

 

Thanks to all !!!

All who have responded to my question. Yes, everything everyone mentioned will be gone over once I remove all the plastics. I just ordered the Michelin Pilot Road 2's today. Three shops didn't think it was necessary for anything stickier due to quick wear, the weight of the bike, and my riding style. This site is great!!! Thanks

 

Welcome to the forum and enjoy your new bike!