Help me join the club!

Hey all,

I currently have a 1974 CB 550 and love it, but...its way to damn small for me to ride 2up. I have always loved the 6th gen. VFR and am hoping to buy one soon if the price is right (4k or less). I have searched a bunch and can't seem to find a whole lot in my area but recently came across a stock red 2002 with 5k miles on it for $4,500. I emailed about the bike and inquired on the price, because it seemed higher than others I had seen further away and he responded as follows:
"First it is as close to buying a brand new bike as you can get, and I'd be happy to show it to you so you can judge for yourself on that. Second, KBB is not a very reliable source for motorcycles in general, and especially not for a bike like a VFR. VFR's have always been a very unique bike from Honda, and the market for them is not reflected accurately in KBB. I feel this is a very fair price, and a lot of quality bike for the money."

What do you guys think? He apparently put new tires on at the end of last season and is offering a seat cowl and a cover in the deal. The most I can do is $4,000...if my wife agrees. What do you guys think?

Sam

 

he is gonna throw in the seat cowl...that is something that came with the bike..... still its fairly priced he may come down if you have cash in hand

 

If the bike is minty I say it's a damn sweet deal and you should go for it. $4500 for a bike like the 6th Gen is a steal no matter how you slice it. Like Crusty said, the seat cowl came with the bike stock. I had to buy one after the fact for mine because it got lost somewhere down the line so it's nice that he's still got it. Don't lose a great bike (if you love it) for $500. You'll kick yourself later.

 

You guys make a solid argument. It seems what I have to do is sell my Cb 550 first and then go in with a cash offer. $4000 is still my sweet spot, though.

 

Just cut back on eating out for a couple months and you won't even notice the extra $500. :spam:

Not to mention the new tires save you about half of that.

 

Here is my 4th gen for sale:

http://vfrworld.com/forums/general-vfr-discussions/32553-f-s-1997-vfr.html

At my price you can keep your CB too!

BZ

 

I would definitely buy it if at all possible. It's a fair deal for an awesome bike, and you would never regret owning it.

 

Thanks for the offer, but I really like the 6 gens.

 

Good point on the tires! I actually am ridiculously fisically responsible and thats why its tough for me to make this jump.

 

I understand your position. You can't put a price on how much fun you'll have with that bike though. I paid a little more for mine than I wanted to and I don't regret one penny of it. Every time I ride my 6th gen I love it a little bit more.

Actually, the way I look at it is the VFR actually saved me $10k. If I didn't own it I'd be buying that Kawasaki Ninja 1000 right now. I've gone and looked at that bike and it's awesome but I don't feel that the incremental performance and suspension gains are enough to make me want to spend the money because the VFR is so good.

JUST DOOOOO EEEET.

 

Don't forget about the wiring harness recall that was issued for 2002-2005 models. Call your local dealer with the VIN to verify that it was done. Where exactly do you live?

Rollin

 

Where are you located? I'm in NJ. I may be interested in the 550 & I may have a bike you're interested in.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

It does seem like a reasonable price, but that's what negotiations are all about, and not just KBB.

As Rollin mentioned, was the recall done? Although this is a free service, if the current owner didn't perform it, maybe that's your "in" to see what else he has or has not done. Ask him for mechanical records. If you go to see it, ask him simple stuff like how to adjust the chain. If he can't produce, you could tell him. "geez, ya know another bike I was looking at had all the service records, etc. etc.".

If possible, loosen up on the less than 4,000 miles (or in this case, 5,000) requirement. These bikes are often described as "bulletproof", and getting a bike with 6, 8, 10 or even 12 thousand miles is nothing for them (assuming they were taken care of), but it might bring the price down some.

 

I live in a suburb just west of Chicago.

 

I don't really plan on driving around all over the place in search for one unless the guy can produce some solid information over the internet.

I do agree, that $500 in the grand scheme of it is a bit silly, but, with a wedding coming up and a honeymoon, I'll have be very creative with the wife. I've already been planting the seed and watering it vigorously. Also, I've put my bike yo on CL and have a fair amount of interest. With that money, and the money I've put towards a shotgun, which will have to wait, I should have a decent argument to present to the wife.

But if you guys come across something thats generally in my area, let me know.