New Buyer looking at VFR500, what's wrong with this one?

I went to look at a VFR500 Interceptor for sale today and it had started and ran ok, but it had a very loud clicking sound at idle. It was a pretty loud sound, too and sounded like metal on metal. When you rev the bike up, the sound goes away.

I went for a test drive and the power was good and it seemed fine. It just had that loud ticking sound at idle that put me off to it. My guess was it was coming from the top of the engine, either in the front or back, not sure where.

Anybody know what it could be?

The bike was an '86 with about 22k on it.

 

Valve lash out of adjustment, or bad cam chain tensioners.

It's probably just never had the valves adjusted.

 

sounds like valves hot rod :biggrin:

 

That wouldn't be so bad. Just adjusting the valves. If that's not it, would this have anything to do with the typical cam oiling problems that I keep hearing about?

I've owned quite a few Honda bikes in my day, but never any V-4's.

 

Damage may have already been done.

If you buy that bike you're buying trouble.

 

That's kinda what I thought. That's why I walked away from this one. He wanted $1200, too.

 

It does the noise in neutral? if yes, pull the clutch lever and if the noise stops the cause is the dented clutch canister

 

I heard it when the bike was parked and in neutral. But, if that was the case, wouldn't the sound still be there and speed up when the bike was revved? Because it completely disappeared.

And hey, what's with the kickstand? This one interferes with the shifter. I found it hard to shift the bike because it was so close to the shifter. Is it supposed to be like that?

 

When it is in neutral try to pull the clutch lever and the noise will disappear because the friction plates are no more free to move in the clutch drum indentations...but it's only an annoying noise, you haven't to worry about it

I haven't got a vf500 but for sure the kickstand shouldn't interfere with the gear lever...maybe is just positioned in the wrong way

 

Thanks for the tip. I emailed the owner and asked him to do the same test. I'll post the results.

 

A ticking sound at idle is totally normal with the VF500's and is nothing to be concerned about. Since you mentioned that it went away when you revved it up it tells me that motor is a-ok. $1200 is kind of a lot though, unless it was really nice.

The kickstand getting in the way of the shifter is also normal. Why Honda did it that way I'll never know....

 

It's just not a clicking sound, it's a full clank. It's an alarming sound. It can't be normal just because it seems so loud.

Unfortunately, the bike is less than perfect. It's been sitting outside for 2 years so there's rust on a lot of fittings, the headers and center collector are all rusty and the kick stand in question is rusty, too. It would all have to be removed, cleaned up, and repainted. It has a Corbin seat that is very comfy, but has mildew all over it.

 

Walk away...

 

Sage advice. I think I'll lay this to rest.

Here's the response from the seller about clutch test.

"no. and this is a symptom of?
i didnt let the bike get warm--just enough so that choke wasnt needed."

 

Yea guy...walk away....unless you can talk him down ALOT

 

The 700's etc where the only ones who ate cams man. The vf500 is safe in that regard. +1 on valve adjustment, get out your stethescope and listen to the motor and you can more easily pin point the sounds origin.

 

Sounds like it's a good idea to walk away from that one!

That stupid kickstand thing is annoying, to say the least! Mine is ok after tweaking the stand. I bent the crap out of it when I was bringing the bike home in the trailer, so I bent it back to where I wanted it, and it's all good now!

 

1200 is alot?...i paid 1500 for mine! :crazy:

 

1200 is a lot for a crappy one. I paid 1300 for a perfect one....

p.s. my stoopid stand is the same way, gonna bend it/cut off the rubber foot one of these days....

 

Ciao ho problemi identique whith mio vf500f2
è valvola di regolazione frusta, o tenditori catena Bad cam