Old timer climbing back in the saddle

The last bike I had was a 1975 Norton 850 Interstate. That 6+ gallon fuel tank could take me a lot of miles between fill ups. Sure wish I hadn't of sold it, but you know ..... recession, family, groceries ............

Anyway, I've been looking at a couple of VFR's. They have been well cared for, but I'm looking to find out which of the VFR models would be the more desireable sport tourer, or which model's fairings offer better protection for my arthritic bones:

1987 VFR 700 - 27K miles, very clean, there are a couple of these for sale
1993 VFR 750 - I've only found one of these for sale
2006 VFR 800 - this ones the newest, fewest miles, but around $7K, also the most numerous of the VFR's for sale

Being an old guy, I haven't had any kids at home for years, so my nest egg for a nice bike is well padded.

What's your opinion on purchasing a VFR? (I'm still learning which generation is which)

 

:thumbsup:

welcome scoots, thats an interestin teaser you pose there.

i would probably drop the 87 out of the mix as you mentioned sport touring specifically. that model is on the older and sportier side of the coin.
by theway im not biased...im thinking the 87 will be a gen 2..mucho respect to them.

the 93 is possibly a gen 3 and definately a good starting point given your criteria. this is a great sport tourer and so long as you find a good un would be my pick for you.

now the 06 is a 6th gen 800cc VTEC model and is also a great sport tourer
(i have one) but the question is cost.
your paying more $ for a lower k later model year. only you will know if the sums add up in comparison to a good condition 3rd gen..

see if you can try both...they are similar in some respects but very differant
in others...

at least you got the brand and model spot on! :thumbsup:

 

As far as purchasing a VFR.. chances are you wont be sorry at all. Its a great bike all the way around. Comfy, fast, easy to maintain and rarely any problems.

Right now Honda sports three touring bikes. The VFR, ST1300, and Goldwing. Those also are in order of sporty to full touring. The VFR is more geared towards sport with great touring capabilities. The ST is more towards touring but has great sport capabilities. The Goldwing is simply full touring. Depending on what you are wanting to do more of might help you make your decision. I commute daily on the VFR and love it and would take off cross country in a heartbeat without even thinking about it. If you are going to be doing a lot of two up riding then take this into consideration. The more touring oriented, the more comfy the passenger. I can't say for certain but I dont think a passenger would enjoy going cross country on the VFR. My girlfriend complains about 30-50 miles on the back of the VFR being uncomfortable on her bum. She hasn't had a chance to ride on it since I replaced the seat however so I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes.

As far as the three years you have specified, Richard is right in saying you will probably want to drop the 87 out of consideration. Great bike but really hard to find parts for these days. Maintenance could prove to be a pain should something go wrong and need parts.

The 93 is a good option... parts are still available however starting to become difficult to get.

The 06 is a great option... its the current generation (2002-2009, 6th gen) and very easy to find parts and aftermarket stuff for. Should be able to maintain it for many years to come. Also... you are going to have a lot better luck coming up with hard bags and a trunk if you are looking for storage. $7k is too much though. With the way the economy is you can still find quite a few 07's and 08's new on the showroom floor for that price.

 

Thanks for the replies ..... the rest of you - keep them coming!

The sport touring part will be for my get-away and sanity finding. I LOVE the ride from Lakeview, OR to Winnemucca, NV. Open/canyon country with lots of twisty turns. The bad news is you need a tank that can get you 225 miles before a fill up. Not much offered in between.

Therapeutic commuting will be the majority of my riding, and I do like the VFR 750.

 

If you could find an '06 on up with Helibars and a Corbin or Sargent seat already installed, that might by just about ideal. I've seen a few of them for sale in my neck of the woods, and right now prices are very reasonable.

I had a '73 850 Commando years ago, and still miss it on occasion. Interestingly enough, I have a 2000 Suzuki SV650 which reminds me of a baby Norton. It has a lot of midrange torque, and is an all around fun bike. The VFR (mine is an '07) is much more refined and civilized than the SV, and also much smoother at highway speeds.

If you find a well cared for 5th Gen (1998 - 2001) or 6th Gen (2002 - 2009), you'll have the benefit of fuel injection. Personally, I don't mind carburetors at all, but the F/I is nice.

I think you'll like a VFR. But there are a lot of nice bikes to choose from now. I think almost everybody here agrees that the nice thing about VFR's is how well they do most everything.

And you are in for a real shock if you haven't ridden a newer bike, like 1994 on up. They are amazing. The power, brakes and handling are incredible compared to the bikes of the 70's and 80's.

 

How old are you. I was 51 when I bouhgt my very first ride. And it was my very first experience. A brand new 06. And I love it. Just cranked up 50k miles the other day. You could get 250 miles out of a tank if you don't keep cranking open those second set of valves. But that is hard to do.

By brother had the first year the 850 Commando came out. I think that was around 72 or 73.Had it for less than a year and it was stole. No fire and theft.

 

As mentioned, the 06' is going to be FI and most dealers won't work on bikes over 10 years old... On the rare ride that you know you'll need more gas buy one of those red gas cans they come as small as a gallon,and store it on the bike(then top off the tank in about 60 miles, so you won't have to carry the red can full very long). There's not much maint. that has to be done other than oiling the chain. I'm 64 years old and have over 13000 on my 08' in six months.... I'm feeling some of my age, but not from riding the bike, it's a great ride.... but bar risers and a sargent seat was a must for me.... have been using risers and after market seats for years.... and can ride all day... when I was living in Denver, about every 2 years I'd ride to virginia(1500+)usaully in two days. I had a 99' VFR I put 100k on with no prob-blem-o.... Had a couple of Beemers, but I just like the VFR's better, easier to flick around.... Whatever your choice, just get one and ride.......

 

Welcome Scoots.

I think the 2006 could be your best bet.

Out of curiousity, have you taken any 'rider training' of any kind since you've decided to come back to riding?

BZ

 

Here are my thoughts on the various VFR's you've mentioned.

1987 VFR 700 - This is a 2nd Gen Bike. These bikes are considered to be classics now and parts will be fairly difficult to find for them. Even though the bike has relatively low mileage for it's age, it's reliability depends on the bike's history and how well it has been maintained over the years by the previous owner(s). You should avoid these older bikes unless you are capable of performing maintanence and/repair on your own since the dealer repair costs will often exceed the value of the bike itself especially if the work is performed at the dealership. As previously mentioned, these bikes are more suited for sport riding and luggage options will be limited to soft bags. If you do get this bike you will receive lots of attention and compliments whevever you go since the older Interceptors helped start the "sportbike" revolution. You can expect to pay anywhere from $1000 to $2500 for one of these bikes depending on it's overall condition.

1993 VFR - This is considered a 3rd Gen VFR and was the first production VFR to feature a single sides swingarm. I currently own two of these bikes and find them to be sexy and dependable but because of their age most of these bikes will have very brittle plastic that is very prone to breaking or cracking under minimal stress. Brand new aftermarket plastic is available for around $1000 but it is sold unfinished and will require painting and custom fitting since there are no mounting holes drilled. These parts for these bikes are also becoming pretty scarce but since the bike does not have linked brakes or fuel injection they are much easier to work on yourself. One thing to note is that these bikes put out alot of heat and you will feel it especially on the right side of the bike. 3rd Gens feel sportier and much more maneuverable than the newer bikes but they also provide much less wind protection. You can expect to pay between $2000 to $3500 for a 3rd Gen that is in good to excellent condition.

2006 VFR 800 - This is a 6th Gen bike and was the first generation to feature the annoying and useless VTEC engine. Starting in 2002 the gear driven cams were dropped in favor of the chain driven cams. Luggage options and aftermarket parts are abundant for this generaton. These bikes are very difficult to work on since they have both fuel injection and linked or ABS brakes. Parts are very easy to find for these bikes but since it's the newest generation most of these bikes will have lower mileage and require less overall maintanence. You can expect to pay between $5000 and $7000 for a used 6th Gen in good to excellent condition.

Regards,
Rollin