4th gen semi-track bike questiosn

So I'm idly toying with the idea of looking out for a 4th gen very casually (til I get a good price) to begin a project for a more track/sport day oriented bike. I have a few questions about this prospect though, and was hoping for some wisdom.

First off, the 4th gen is carbed right? So if I got custom/aftermarket headers I would need to have it re-jetted by a pro? Are there shops that still do this? Or is everything fuel injection dyno tunes these days?

Second, has anyone done this? Is it possible to throw all the spare bits off a 4th gen, get a custom exhaust and re-jet and get a decent amount of power? Or is this the perennial VFR pipe dream?

Third, if I get a 4th gen I want it to be pearl white. In the event I get a score on a non-pearl white year, anyone know about how much a full repaint, including the tank, runs for these days?

Fourth, should I just skip the crap and buy a CBR600 RR?

 

To answer the first off question, Yes, it has carburetors. As far as a tuner goes, it may be hard to find someone who knows what they are doing, but not impossible IMO. You just may have to look around a bit.

Regarding the second bit, I know one guy who's doing this but has had to put his track build on hold due to "life" getting in the way. I can reach out to him and see what he has to say, he's not on VFRWorld, so he would never see your post.

The third question is really open ended, paint jobs can vary, not only in quality but in price and usually the better quality cost you more, I know this obvious but I said it anyway. Badbilly seems to be the resident expert when it comes to paint jobs, maybe he'll chime in with better info. Although paint is one part, trying to find OEM plastics on the 3rd and 4th Gens is getting harder and harder, even 5th Gens to some degree, there are a few aftermarket fairing suppliers that you might be able to source body work from if you need to replace anything.

As far as skipping it and getting a CBR600, this is always been a no brainier for me, I'm a fan of the VFR and have never really liked the CBRs so I wouldn't consider it. Yes, the CBR is lighter, has more HP and can probably run circles around a VFR, but the latter has more to do with the rider IMO and to me a track bike is something you enjoy riding and want to do so in a much safer environment than the streets. Track riding is also a way of improving your riding skills and what better way to do so than to do it on a bike that is close(r) to what you ride daily.

If you're racing and want to be competitive, by all means look for something more modern and capable of being up at the front, unless you race with similarly classes machines, it doesn't make sense to race a 20 year old bike against the latest rides out there, unless you have something to prove! However if you want to enjoy the track for what it is, a safer better place to ride fast and to hone your skills, ride whatever makes you feel good!

Although not a 4th Gen, I'm doing something similar with an '01 5th Gen, building a VFR just for sport/track riding. So far it's coming along and I've had nothing but fun in the canyons, even keep pace with a few liter bikes in all but the longest straights, I have yet to get to the track but it's on my radar, that's for sure.

As the saying goes, "it's your money do what you want with it", so have at it is what I say!

 

I pretty much agree with OOTV. If your set on tracking the VFR go for it but you could put together a better track bike for less. If you look on the WERA forum there are usually good deals there.

 

Oh man OOTV beat me to it, like he said and Gator. After having one with the same idea. I Came to find out for the money, sorry to say there are better bikes for the fun of it. and that was back in the late 90s to mid 2000s even then it was a mission of passion, not so much to be competitive. did I have fun? Oh yea. So they do make a fun bike, I've done it, pretty sure I got all I could out of her, so yea go for it thing is that was then, this is now, not much support for the awesome machine it is.

 

I should never look at the classifieds here, very dangerous to the bank account. Some sick bikes for low money.

http://forums.13x.com/index.php?forums/bikes-for-sale.48/

 

LOL, that is dangerous to the wallet huh. Not to mention what the ole lady may throw ats ya. that's if of coarse

 

lol, yeah i get enough crap with 5 bikes,, 6 would cause a shit storm I'm sure. That Suzuki 1 K comes with a ton of extra parts. 8k............ oh my.

 

I was looking at the 750 version for 4700 Oooo

 

I saw that 750. I have rode them several times and really liked them. Rented one in Las Vegas a few years ago and flogged it through Red Rocks, up Mt Charleston and around Lake Meade. Bad ass little/big bike. Always thought set up right they were a nice alternative to a 1K.

 

Hah funny you guys should mention the gsxr 750, as I've considered that as well. My other plan besides trying to build up a 4th gen is to buy a really cheap 600 or gsxr 750, and i mean salvage title cheap, and just try to get it running reliably. The whole point of this would be to save a few thousand on the bike, and drop that straight into ohlins and brembos, then save $$$ for the aftermarket headers/pipes/power commander.

 

Well now you're on the right Track, ha-ha Those gixer 750's are just plain down right the best overall track bike for the money. talk about the small block chev of the industry. I've look at a lot of em, a few track buddies swear by em, best of the both worlds that 750 is. Parts are a plenty and most are reasonably priced. As much as I loved my 4th gen and the track was a hoot with it, it was basically to sharpen my skills with it making the 4th gen and me all the better. which made it a great street bike for those weekend worrier rides. Just something thing about the 750cc size.