New to the Forums, Avid Rider, Looking for 5th or 6th Generation VFR

Hi all,

I'm an avid Honda rider who just sold his Nighthawks because I wanted to move up to a more modern sport touring bike, I saw a 2004 VFR for sale one day and fell in love with the bike ever since. So now I am actively looking for a 5th or 6th Generation VFR. I joined these forums to do some research on these bikes and the types of problems / benefits and all around opinions of these bikes altogether.

I hope to possibly learn some buying tips on what to look for on these bikes as well connect with current owners just to see what the VFR experience is all about.

I'm very excited about the prospect of owning one of these beauties and hope to chat with some of you soon.

 

I'm a pretty new 6th gen owner and love her. This forum is full of knowledgeable, helpful people (along with some F**cking nutcases too!!). Lots of info and humor to be found here if you look around. If you get a bike, be ready to post pics of it and try not to start a thread on oil or tires, there is plenty to learn if you search the forums.
You should be able to get into a nice 5th or early 6th for less than $4k. Aftermarket exhaust really allows these babies to sing, and if coupled with a power commander, can smooth out the power delivery. ABS gets mixed reviews from people, but I have had no issues with the braking. Try to find out as much as you can about maintenance records because if these bikes are well taken care of mileage is almost a non-issue. That being said, the scheduled valve job on the 6th gen is pretty pricey (+/- $800) so if the bike has more than 20-25k try to make sure that has been done, or figure that into the purchase price. You can expect between 35-42 mpg and the large tank will get you around 200 miles between fill-ups.
I haven't heard about any prevailing problems on these bikes, other than the sidestand bolt rattling loose on the 6th gens, but some threadlock will cure that easy enough.
They are perfectly well-mannered for city riding, but can still give you a rush in the twisties. That is enough for me rambling on, good luck with the hunt for your next two-wheeled love affair and... welcome to the jungle!

 

Welcome to the nuts house, Tell us how much you willing to spend........I found couple 5th and 6th Gen in S. Ca around 2k to 4k

 

Mountains did a pretty good summary.

On early 6th Gens, there was a recall involving a wiring harness. I believe that if this was done, the VIN tag should be stamped proving it. Some people don't like the transition of the VTEC, and that's why the PC gets so many recommendations. However, I know a couple guys with 6th Gens that have no issues with the VTEC, so I guess its personal preference.

The 5th Gens were notorious for the R/R failing. Thousands of posts on this, but the bottom line is you'd want to make sure it was changed, or change it after you buy it. You can also get whats known as the VFRness from Wire My Bike

Let us know how the search progresses.

There are lots of aftermarket parts for both Gens. Heli bars, exhaust, seats, bags, etc. You can make the bike what you want it to be.

 

I'm not sure if my bike ever had the wiring harness issue taken care of. I called the local Honda dealership to see if there was any recall orders outstanding for mine, but they said no. That recall is probably not still in effect though so I wonder how I would go about checking? Or if there are any tell-tale sign that it wasn't.
And what do you mean the "PC gets so many recommendations"?

 

I know what a PC (Power Commander) but what is an R/R? Oh..Thanks for the welcome.

 

I just learned that myself. It stands for regulator/Rectifier. Changes the charge from AC to DC and regulates the voltage to around 14v

 

Thats where I got my viffer and the bike before that too.

 

That's pretty much where I am looking too. There are a couple in my area but the price is too high. I'm checking out eBay too.