Buy the '97 or keep lookin' for a '98-'99?

Ok, help a guy out. Been looking for a clean '98-'99 for quite a while and found a clean '97 w/ 3900, yes 39 hundred miles on it. ($4300) I'm a short guy and can sit flat footed on it and to ride it two words com to mind-stable and 'comfy'. D&D slip on, tank bra, tail cowl, grab handles, tool kit-it's all there. Any input from all the experts here if I should get it or keep looking? I got it on hold through Monday. Thanks for your input.

 

Offer him 3500.00 and make sure you look in the tank and test ride it. I had a 2k Katana with 4k miles on it a few years ago and had slight carb issues due to non riding. For 4300 you could find a nice 5 gen but then again you would not be as cool without the NACA Ducts.

 

Dude, nice find, those are getting hard to come by, Hell yea buy it, clean it up, enjoy, then if you're not quite happy say in a few hundred miles re sell and make some $$. Yep I'm with SLO, start low then work up a really clean one is worth $4k, is this a dealer? but like said there could be the chance of minor issues showing up, just depends on how it was taken care of as far as sitting went, as in dry storage rode say ones a month sorta thing vs. rode then parked for 5 years, then I'd be a wee bit wary that carb issues may show up. There's always the tire and fluids no matter what bike one looks at getting, as well as take a look at the chain while you are at it. Yep look in the tank for rust. Then there's the dreaded voltage rectifier, but those go no matter what year or millage, just something that comes along with owning a VFR. Good luck, sounds like a nice one, throw em $3750.00

 

Buy it, you won't be sorry.

 

Pre fuel-injected bikes seem to have fewer running problems, so go for the '97

 

I have a '99 and I can tell you it's NOT for short people, that is if you're below 5'6" you'll always be tiptoeing and the bike's kinda heavy weight at around 475 pounds makes it even harder.

I know some people who fit just perfectly on a R1 but they can barely get a leg over my VFR.

The most important question is does the bike fit right for you? Does it feel too big or too small or just right?

 

Yeah, I'm with theothers here, if it is as good as it looks, get it. I got my 1997 VFR750F about a month ago and haven't looked back.
Cheers

 

Thanks everybody and keep your thoughts coming.

:biggrin:More info to help me decide (wish I could find a '98+ to test ride)
The current owner put new tires on it, had a local independant mechanic w/ a good rep go through it (Carbs synched, valves adjusted, fresh oil, etc) Very smooth off idle-no bogging.
Nice pics everybody, You all have some NICE rides!

 

If you want to ride a motorcycle, buy a motorcycle... that viffer is fine and you will wait a very, very long time to find one with less miles conveniently located to you.

If you want a 5th gen, then get the 4th gen and ride it while you look. If you don't wreck it, it will still have tremendous value and you'll get to:
a) start riding sooner
b) be able to constructively compare the 4th and 5th gen bikes, and maybe even upgrade to a 6th gen :wink:'
b.1) for MD -(or not)
c) help stimulate the economy by spending more money on accessories
d) help screw the oil companies by using less gas

Go for it rangemaster and become the master of your long range sport touring VFR... or at least post the owner's info so someone else can help relieve his burden :smile:

 

I was in the same boat as you last October. I preferred the look of the 5th gen, however however still loved the looks of the 4th gen also.

I decided to buy which ever one I found first, that was exactly what I was looking for, which was a clean machine, with the right mods.
I found a 4th gen first, and it was close, so I went and purchased it. I have ridden the snot out of it, and love it. Extremely smooth.

Mine did end up having some carb issues, which cost me some $$$ to get cleaned, however I am going to keep the bike forever, so its nice to know, the carbs are now spotless, and the bikes maintainance history is really up to me.

For 4k, you should be getting a spotless bike. But yeah, those miles are extremely low, and unless it was properly taken care of, I think you might run into some carb issues. If the owner was adding fuel stabilizer and draining the floats, when it sat for a long time, you should be ok.

Even if you had to spend another $500 on it to get it immaculate, thats ok...cause you have a machine with very very low miles, which is always nice.

 

Both generations are my favorite but the one advantage the 5th gen has is the engine and fuel injection, there is a real good reason why the 5th generation has won multiple bike of the year awards and is arguable considered the best all around bike ever built.

You can't go wrong buying a clean 4th but I'd really try to beat down that price a bit, keep us informed of what you do and check out Craigslist because they usually have the best deals on 4th & 5th's

 

^^^^^^^^^^

What R.W. said. The fuel injection alone would make me pick the 5th Gen over the 4th Gen.

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

 

LOL, everyone knows Carbs are way smoother...:wink: :biggrin:

 

waaaaaay smoother!

 

Ya, I'll stick with the carbs, thanks!

 

anyone who advocates injection, please look at your service manual and tell us here how many sensors are in the FI system, any one of which can fail and cause non- or poor-running?????

I've never met a set of carbs i couldn't clean and repair, while simply diagnoising many injection problems can be difficult and repairs require the purchase of expensive sensors or at worst a FI computer.

Carbs usually go bad because of rider neglect (letting fuel sit in carbs for months) while FI seems to go bad randomly when events in some evil distant galaxy dictate or when the Dow Jones goes up or goes down.....

 

You've already found the best of all ...why fight it....i'll take carbs any day and no linked brakes.......4th gen is the top of the beed.....just ask those of us who own em..

 

It's mine now.

OK looked at it for a LONG time. New battery, new front tire, ALL fluids replaced, carbs and valves done-offered the gentleman $3500 (all I could put together).
Bring it home tomorrow. I'm short (5'6") what should I add/improve first?
Thanks for all your input-much appreciated. Anybody make a small luggage rack for the back of a 4th Gen. 750?