I think its dying.... : (

I have a bad feeling my vf just took its last breath. But the circumstances seem extremely weird.

I got off work and decided to get out for a quick jaunt since it was so nice out. I only expected to be out for about a half hour and get some gas. Bike ran great, and got to the gas station. Filled her up with fresh 89. Started up fine, and rode for another 8 minutes or so. I made a left hand turn onto the country road that leads to my house and the bike didn't react to the throttle and died (ironically in the parking lot of a shut down Harley bar. :wink Hit the starter, bike wouldnt take. Put the choke on, hit the starter, bike wouldn't take. I started to wear the battery down, so I called my buddy to help me push start it. I've push started this bike a million times, so I know what feels right and what doesn't. On the very first push I knew something wasn't right. It almost feels like the motor or tranny is seized. When he dumped the clutch, instead of rolling the motor over, the rear wheel just locks and slides. But I rolled into the parking lot???

I'm just so fu**ing confused, tired, and pissed. I almost want to sell the bike right now and wash my hands of it. I love the 500 to death and would love to buy a mint model down the line, but this bike is such a hassle. Should I part it, or is it work more as a whole? What do you guys think???

 

Dump 10 gals of gas on it and flick a match at it? You know how to make a small fortune? Take a large fortune and throw it at a VF500.....

But seriously, it's a 27 year old old bike that has had it's better days reflected long ago in the rear view mirror. As I have never kept machines very long, nor ever had any emotional attachments to them, I would just give it to some other VF500 victim on this site.


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Sell it and get a newer bike.

I kick myself everyday for buying my 2nd gen instead of something newer.

Get rid of it.

 

IIRC, this bike is super low mileage, around 3,500 miles. With this in mind the engine should be in great shape - no valve train worries here. My guess is you have an easy fix and with a careful diagnosis you'll be back up and running in short order.

I would recommend taking the time to carefully work through the bike inspecting the easy things first (fuel supply for one). 500s are great bikes. They require a decent set of mechanical skills but are well worth the effort.

 

I could use a frame and title.

 

Very true...could be an easy fix.

If it is and you get it running...you can get more money for it in working condition.

I only say this cause you say you are tired of the bike and pissed at it.

 

If my little pea-brain is working right, if a bike is in top gear the ass end will skid when pushing it.. Sounds like ol norkleboy would trade off a bike for a chunk of that Filipina or Guamanian panucha. Betcha them ladies would like cash better.

 

May I suggest if a tranaction is to be commenced that Porkchop not deal with one or more of our friends from the Middle East.

 

Good memory... :wink:

To Big3 and slowbird. Whats the difference in price of the bike parted out, versus whole?

I mean im not so much tired of the bike, because I love it so much. But at this point... I just want to get out and ride everyday without having something like this happen. I would take any bike about this point, but I would really like to move to a 5th Gen, or something I can do some S/T on.

I just really need to get it home, get a charge in it, and try to start again. If not, I'll go from there...

 

Well if the start cranks it over, the motor is not seized. And the tranny isn't seized if the back wheel didn't lock when it died.
Open the carb drains see if there is fuel. Pull the plugs, see if there is spark. Go from there. It's probably something minor like a kill switch issue etc.

 

One thing ive learned is dont over-think the situation..your bike is as simple as it gets..Is it getting fuel to the carbs? Is it getting fire from the plugs? The answer to those questions will most likely point to the problem..

Slowbird dont be kicking your 2nd Gen..its a true classic! I love riding something unique..Nothing cracks me up more than a pack of Harley riders all standing around looking at the same bikes going " hey nice bike..where'd you get the pinstripe"...

Im sorry but if you have a 1st Gen or 2nd Gen Interceptor its all about passion..aint got nothing to do with value or money..yes i scratch my head sometimes and ask how can something worth so little be worth so much to me..the answer is the memory of the first time i laid eyes on the RWB..i fell in love. I cant have that smokin hot cheerleader from high school that stole my heart but I can have my dream bike..hell got 4 of them!

All bikes break..

 

Ain't that the truth. Odds are the smokin' hot cheerleader now has 7 kids and weighs 325lbs anyway, so the bikes are a much better way to relive that high school passion.

Something tells me that 80% of the people that spend time on this forum graduated high school somewhere from about 1980 to 1988!

I'm an 87 model myself, and when in about 1988 I got my wrecked 86 VFR700 (easily repaired) I was in absolute 7th heaven. They were and are such cool bikes.

 

I know how you feel Porkchop.....I'm right there with you buddy. I have had soo many problems with my 1st Gen...and now the same with my 2nd gen. I'm home now and will be all week while the weather is gorgeous out because my 2nd gen is causing me grief. But as soon as I fix her I'm putting her up for sale and I'm gonna get me a 4th or 5th gen.

To answer your question: Around where i live people will buy and pay more for a running bike then a non running one...the exact price difference I have no idea.

Get a good charge in the battery and hopefully you can get her running....and hopefully you don't waste too many nice days wrenching instead of riding.

Good luck.

 

My 2nd gen is fine, it's run flawless havn't had to touch it not even a chain adjustment...thanx to the EK ZZZ, just oil changes for a year and a half (9k mostly city miles). It may match my Blackbird for reliability and low maint and at 54 mph it beats the XX butttttt it doesn't have the afterburner power.

 

probably worth more in parts than whole

but lets not forget the time involved in parting it out

 

And lets not forget we are talking about 25+ year old bikes! These bikes were made to be toys and most had the absolute piss rode out of them..yet here we are today still enjoying them. Still one of the best looking bikes you will see at a local bike night..the style is timeless.

 

Thanks for rubbing it in. :mmph:

 

Mine has 3k on the dial Dutch. Its struggling more due to sitting so much, more than being abused.

Im going to pick it up later after work and plug it on a tender overnight.

 

With 3.5k on the clock this bike has tons of potential. Not knowing the history (i.e. was it stored inside) the bike may need a close going over but the main concern (high mileage on the inner and outer valve springs) is nowhere in sight.

I'd say this bike is very much a keeper.

 

Man if you JUST filled up and it was fine before chances are it's some thing very simple. With 3k on the clock it obviously isn't ridden much, if not stored with a full tank of fuel the tank will rust and filling it can cause sediments to well, not be sediment any more and suspend in the fuel and clog the in tank filter.

Could have also been bad fuel, I've even seen people get a tank full of diesel out of the 93 tank before. If you crack the drain screws on the carbs and nothing comes out pull the fuel line and vacume line to the tank, pull vacume on the the vacume line nad see if fuel comes out, the diaphram could be shot in the valve, mine was when I got mine. Not only was it not letting fuel go to the carbs but was also dumping raw fuel into the vacume line. Was a $10 fix for the new part (or some where there about).

Of course it could be totally unrelated to the fuel system but I'd start there, may even be a fuse to the fuel pump (if you have one, sorry I just woke up and missed the year you have)