1985 VF1000R.... WRECKED =O Street Fighter?

Hello all!

So here's the short version: my beloved, newly running (after much work) VF1000R encountered a rather old Lincoln front right fender head on at about 25 mph. After a short stay in the ER, and several days nursing my severely bruised genitals, I look it over to find that I now own about $2000 worth of an in operable paperweight that barely rolls.

This is my first time looking into a full front end reconstruction and I have no idea where to start. The forks are bent, front rim bent and pushed securely into the lower radiator, triple trees damaged beyond repair, handle bars bent, instrument cluster damaged, and gas tank dented from my lower extremities. I know I need parts, and even though I don't live paycheck to paycheck, but I don't want to break the bank trying to get it back into riding condition. Tires, brakes, instrument cluster, and headlight aren't a huge issue, but I would love any input concerning parts and equipment I might need to get started.

Thanks,
Radar

 

Wow, sorry to hear about your loss and glad that you are doing well now. How much does the 1000R cost? It looks like a lot of work trying to get the bike on the road.

 

Who was at fault? Any insurance money involved? It wouldn't be easy but if you are in love with the VF1000 you are probably better off trying to find another used one to keep to ride or use as a donor bike. If you are able to find a replacement you can keep your wrecked bike for extra parts or sell off the pieces you don't need. Much less hassle than trying to piece it back together since individual parts are so scarce. Sorry for your loss I love those older VF1000's too.

Rollin

 

Sorry to hear about the prang. At least you had the US not EuroAu tank on it - your genitals would have been a lot more painful with a Euro/Au tank.

 

That really blows. Sorry to hear it.

I have yet to see a fightered R look anywhere near decent. There is so much going on behind that upper fairing that it's near impossible to hide or delete it. On the other hand, fairing parts are pricey now. I saw an upper on ebay at $999 bucks. Ridiculous. Parts aren't scarce, people just want stupid money 'cause someone told them they were collectors items. You can find deals though if you're patient. I just grabbed a radiator for $25 w/free shipping and was the only bidder. Got some pick up coils for $14 w/free shipping from the same guy.

If it was me and it was the love of my life, I'd probably do a F2 wheel swap and grab some readily available forks/trees from another bike. I'd look for a rashed fairing that was in better shape than what you have and sit down with a tub of resin and fiberglass and have at it.

An uninsured accident is costly with these R's. Either dig deep or part it out. If you can dig deep, we're here to help. Again, sorry for your bummer.

 

Wow sorry about the bike, those 1000Rs are cool. Glad you are ok.

 

Bummer! I'm really sorry to hear about this, especially considering that you were injured.

Something to keep in mind is the old VF frames are very weak. If the forks and triples are bent I would lay money the frame is bent too. I had an R once that tweaked the steering head area of the frame without even bending the forks. If you decide to start rebuilding it that would be something I would check as soon as you are able.

Keep us up to date on what you decide!

 

Glad you are here to tell about this, and I hope you'll make a full recovery from the injuries; the particular kind that are a man's worst nightmare! Sad to hear when things like this happen, and they can happen to the best of us.

These VF1000Rs are so rare anymore, that honestly I'd say agree with the idea of parting this one out, and looking to another one. The parts are worth a LOT, and and you can get a decent riding-condition VF1000R for $2000 if you're in the right place at the right time. You might get that or more from the parts of yours, if you take time.

Every time I get on mine, I think about how I'd feel if anything happens to it... In fact, I mis-judged a space I was trying to squeeze through when parking it several years ago, as I saw a pipe sticking out of a foundation that I hadn't noticed 'til it was too late. I stuck my leg in the way to protect the lower fairing, and I did..... And there is a notch in my right femur to prove it. No regrets! It was then that I decided the VF1000R is no longer going to be a "daily rider", and I retired it to show & occasional weekend ride use. I need to ride of course, so I bought another bike that I can walk into the dealer and get parts for any day of the week, if I need, and that's a lot more fun/less worry.

Charles

 

Two nice examples on e-bay!

Honda : Interceptor in Honda | eBay Motorcycles

Honda : Other in Honda | eBay Motorcycles


But for this kind of money, newer bikes can be had that, as has already been said, are cheaper to maintain with plenty of spare parst support. This translates into a better daily driver / rider for most of us. Really sorry for your injuries, both physical and in the case of the bike, structural.

 

So sorry to hear of your mishap. These two examples are sweet rides. Like the guys suggested, keep yours or sell off parts and buy your self another..Hope the nads are felling better. Hopefully you had a pretty nurse to help ya out on your hospital stay.