Topic: Thinking of purchasing a 98 VTR1000

[Rhonda750F]

Last fall I saw a Honda VTR1000 superhawk for, sale near my old mans house.  I checked it out and he wanted 3800 OBO.  Then one day it was gone.  I figured he sold it.......Damn missed a good deal.
But yesterday I saw it out in his yard again. no sale sign though.  I slammed on the brakes and started pounding at his door.  I asked if it was for sale he said yeah he'll take $3000.  He told me he just got it back from the shop that day for new rubber and a tune up.  He let me go for a spin and man was it sweet.  I has around 21,000 miles and a dent on the gas tank.
Heres what he has done to it.
- D&D exhaust
- Jet kit
- K&N filter
- Chrome frame and rims
- extended swing arm

Let me know what you guys think.  Good buy or not?

[DME]

Nice bike, but you need to get rid of that extended swingarm ASAP!
It ruins the whole meaning of the bike 
The VTR was built to wheelie, wheelie and wheelie some more 
I rode a Yamaha TRX850 and my mate had a VTR1000 (it is called Firestorm in the rest of the world).
We shifted bikes a lot, and the Firestorm was a blast!
Not the greatest in the corners, nor on the brakes... but man, it wheelied like nothing else!
Nice and easy riding position.
But hard on the gas and it only had a 16 litre fueltank.
Really nice sound ( he ran MIG slip-ons while I ran Quill soft carbon cans )

Get it, loose the swingarm, and enjoy!

My 50 cents
Dan

[nickjtc]

...extended swing arm to stop it from wheelying? Therefore has it had had the nuts thrashed off it? Check the engine carefully. Does it stay in all gears? Etc, etc, etc. Remember that what appears to be too good to be true usually isn't. Sorry to rain on the parade.

[Rhonda750F]

That's exactly why I posted, I want to hear your valued opinions and comments.
A lot of people on this forum know what the hell their talking about and I'm here to learn.
Thanks for the comments.
Paul Z.

[holysmokes]

cam chains and guides/tensioners

a modded up bike, means[mosttimes] piss burning

a crotch rocket drops quite quickly in value,

the outside of isnt beat, but ..

insurance rates are much higher on this kind of cycle

[tsflstb]

I'm usually leery of sportbikes with polished frames, extended swingarms, neon lights, a bunch of stickers and other "pimptastic" accessories.  Don't mean to stereotype, but I've found people who spend money on that kind of stuff usually don't spend it where it counts.  D&D exhaust doesn't have the best reputation for build quality.  It is the loudest by far, so it's favored by the look at me crowd.  I bet that big twin does sound good though.

Check the chain and sprockets, steering bearings, brakes, listen for strange noises in the engine.  Ask him when he last checked the valve clearance and if he synched the carbs after jetting them.  I may be wrong and this guy may have impeccable service documentation.  

3K is a good enough deal, but these sell for $3500-$4000 all the time.  I'd look for one either bone stock or with better mods...stuff like Race Tech fork internals, Ohlins shocks, high quality brake pads...stuff you don't see right away.

[Goldbug]

Here's what that bike would look like if it weren't owned by an idiot:

[holysmokes]

the way, i see it

if i came across a camaro or a mustang

stickered up

ladder bars

cheap loud exhaust

for the same price , as any other stock one

which would you buy?

im not saying this is a crappy ride, but $1800-$2500

[heffay]

i've ridden a few of the VTRs... in fact my first street bike was an 89 vtr250     no really, i've ridden the big ones too and they RIP!!!
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED ONE.  they sound awesome and they are torque monsters.

i highly doubt the extended swing arm was put on to stop it from wheelying.  it is the latest craze w/ sportbikes here in the states as another means to trick out your ride and i see nothing wrong w/ it.  some people trick out harleys, some people trick out vintage bikes, now there is a new generation of style and "what's hot"... you don't have to like it but, it does not mean that someone doesn't take care of their bike.  a polished frame does not mean they don't pay attention to their bikes and often times means the opposite... they have attention to detail.  or a lot of time on their hands.

and why does one person's taste make them an idiot?  i thought we just had this conversation in the last bike of the month contest.  all of this stereotyping really does no good.  because, whether you think you can or not... you can never walk up to any bike and say, oh that is tricked out it must run like sh!t... or... oh that bike looks like junk so it must run like sh!t.  well, you can walk up to a bike and say those things but, nothing about any type of statement like that would hold any significance in respect to whether you were right or wrong.

anyway, i think it looks well taken care of and at least deserves another gander.  take it for a ride and listen to the motor... maybe take it to a mechanic you trust if you don't trust your instincts.

[nickjtc]

and why does one person's taste make them an idiot?  i thought we just had this conversation in the last bike of the month contest.  all of this stereotyping really does no good.  because, whether you think you can or not... you can never walk up to any bike and say, oh that is tricked out it must run like sh!t... or... oh that bike looks like junk so it must run like sh!t.  well, you can walk up to a bike and say those things but, nothing about any type of statement like that would hold any significance in respect to whether you were right or wrong.

anyway, i think it looks well taken care of and at least deserves another gander.  take it for a ride and listen to the motor... maybe take it to a mechanic you trust if you don't trust your instincts.

I'm not sure anybody is inferring that a person is an 'idiot' because their taste makes them make changes to their bike. I'm sure I'll be in for a ribbing when I finish the changes I am making to Sophie!

But it is a challenge not to stereotype when you read of so many bikes (sportsbikes especially) that have cosmetic stuff done to hide the 'used hard and put away wet' battle scars....

My 44 cents worth (4 cents + inflation).

[Goldbug]

That's a very rational, well thought out rebuttal to the generalizations in this thread. But, being a fellow rider in CO, I'm sure you witness the idiocy of the sport bike crowd as much as I do. They don't have a lot going for them. Even most unmodified crotch rockets are ridden by idiots. Put stickers on the windscreen, add a cheap, annoyingly loud exhaust and you're pretty much doomed to be a moron. That's life. There's no way I'd buy anything that looked like that. I look at my SuperHawk and it somehow looks 150% different, it's hard to tell they're the same bike.

[heffay]

and why does one person's taste make them an idiot?  i thought we just had this conversation in the last bike of the month contest.  all of this stereotyping really does no good.  because, whether you think you can or not... you can never walk up to any bike and say, oh that is tricked out it must run like sh!t... or... oh that bike looks like junk so it must run like sh!t.  well, you can walk up to a bike and say those things but, nothing about any type of statement like that would hold any significance in respect to whether you were right or wrong.

anyway, i think it looks well taken care of and at least deserves another gander.  take it for a ride and listen to the motor... maybe take it to a mechanic you trust if you don't trust your instincts.

I'm not sure anybody is inferring that a person is an 'idiot' because their taste makes them make changes to their bike. I'm sure I'll be in for a ribbing when I finish the changes I am making to Sophie!

But it is a challenge not to stereotype when you read of so many bikes (sportsbikes especially) that have cosmetic stuff done to hide the 'used hard and put away wet' battle scars....

My 44 cents worth (4 cents + inflation).

Here's what that bike would look like if it weren't owned by an idiot:

i don't know... looks like a pretty heavy inference to me.

yes, stereotyping is hard to deny but, think of it this way...

i ride a sportbike w/ a modded air box, muzzy can, extremely clean so it may as well be polished
but, i also have the mint condition stock can hanging on the garage wall and i take care of my bikes well.
am i an idiot?  is my bike a piece of crap because it looks good?  can you tell me that i don't take care of the bike because i honda polish the crap out of it?

etc. etc. etc.

rant off

[heffay]

That's a very rational, well thought out rebuttal to the generalizations in this thread. But, being a fellow rider in CO, I'm sure you witness the idiocy of the sport bike crowd as much as I do. They don't have a lot going for them. Even most unmodified crotch rockets are ridden by idiots. Put stickers on the windscreen, add a cheap, annoyingly loud exhaust and you're pretty much doomed to be a moron. That's life. There's no way I'd buy anything that looked like that. I look at my SuperHawk and it somehow looks 150% different, it's hard to tell they're the same bike.

I AM PART OF THE COLORADO SPORT BIKE CROWD

i guess i'm just a moron... that has nothing going for them.

sorry warriner not stooping to that level.

[Goldbug]

I AM PART OF THE COLORADO SPORT BIKE CROWD

So am I. That's my SuperHawk I posted. I consider myself to be an exception to the rule because I don't do wheelies down Market Street to impress 21-year-old skeezers all night long.

As far as idiocy, I'm not speaking of the polished frame or wheels, or even the stupid swingarm- but stickers on the windscreen? And a cheap, #$%*ty exhaust that servers no purpose other than simply being the loudest?

I'm not trying to convince you that sport bike riders are all idiots, I'm just telling you where my generalizations are coming from.

[heffay]

it just seems that freedom of expression here has been stifled by stereotyping.

and, while i have no experience w/ d&d i always thought they sound good, look good and might be a quality product... maybe that's what the owner thought.

i'm also a different breed... but, so is my dad and so is my girlfriend and so is my sister and so are the 2 other guys i know at school that ride rockets.  so, there's 6 people that i know that aren't idiots and they're the only ones i know that ride sportbikes so MY generalization would be that everyone that rides a sportbike is good looking and are just generally cool.

and you always see the rocket guys doing the wheelies cuz they are riding the bikes that make it possible... don't you think that if all the hardley riders could wheelie easily at least a good portion of them would do it.  and, would that make them an idiot? 

so yeah... i can see where your generalizations come from.  i can also agree to disagree and i won't hold it against you or block you from ebay transactions or start threads about how pissed off at you i am.  i've said my piece if not more and the rant is really off this time.

[Goldbug]

Well apparantly my SuperHawk was "built to wheelie," yet I've never done one.

I know you're not the typical sport bike guy I have in my head, I'm 99% sure I've met you in person and I didn't get that impression. But unfortunetly, based on the crap I have witnessed, I'd have to say guys like us are in the minority.

My words may be harsh, and my generalizations rash, but the original poster put up pics and asked if it was a good deal. My opinion is that it's not and he shouldn't touch that thing. He asked, I answered.

EDIT:
I'm not here to make enemies. This is one of the better forums I've ever read and most guys here have been really helpful with anything I asked, even stuff that was probably noobish. I always give people here the benefit of the doubt, which is not something I tend to do when reading most forums.

[holysmokes]

anyhow

opinions are opinions

we all differ, which makes for a great forum

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

OK Ladies.....  Be nice! Too bad everyone doesn't have 1 of every style bike. That'd but a stop to this madness.

OK Heff, I ride a HARDLEY also.............  What are you inferring?? Can't you see the scraped up end of the rear fender? My 4 into 1 stays scraped up. Let's take 'em up the canyon pal.

     

Lighten up girls! And I'm just kidding especially with myself.

The years have taught me one thing: Name calling makes things nasty. Guess how I know!? You bunch of dirty rotten @#$%^&**&^%$#@@#$%& and you @#$%^&**&^%$@ Honda riders.

[heffay]

rx... actually, i was thinking we did keep the discussion fairly civilized but, made out points.  let me know if my viewpoint is skewed.  it often is     (to the left)

and, let's do take them up the canyon!!!  i wanna see that thing on one wheel, especially in the canyon. 

the nice thing is that in the heat of our discussion we did not call each other names.

now, meet me in real life and that might be a different story     (that comment was made for no one in particular... you all have equal opportunity of getting cursed at while in my company  )

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Heff,

Let's do go on a ride!! I've been in Rocky Ford (CO for those other guys that live in cold weather) the past 2 weeks.

80 (EIGHTY) degrees !! 

[tsflstb]

Didn't mean to rile you up Heff, just stating my opinion based on my experience.

If I'm buying a used bike that's not stock, I take a close look at the mods to determine the overall condition and mindset of the PO.  I look for increased performance and reliablility in modifications.  This owner may be an exceptional human being, but I don't like what he's done to this bike.  If I'm going to part with money, I try to stay objective and critical.

Extended swingarm -- ruins handling, accelerates wear of rear shock.  Also, the VTR was Honda's first foray into "tuned for flex" chassis technology, meaning the steering head and swingarm pivots (which are thru the engine cases on this model) are thinner to allow some lateral movement.  They did this to allow the chassis to give while leaned over.  Add 6" of leverage to the swingarm and what happens to that engine case over time?  The owner may have done extensive Finite Element Analysis on the chassis, but I doubt it.

Polished frame -- often used to sand out road rash from crash damage.  There's a dent on the tank from a clip-on hitting it already.  What's the story there?  I'd ask.

Stickers on the windshield -- annoying and tells me this bike didn't spend much time on the highway.  On long trips, most people put their chin on the tank and look thru the windscreen.  With 22,000 miles I'm thinking this bike led a rough life if there aren't many long trips on it.

D&D -- cheapest exhaust you can get, packing needs constant attention and build quality is marginal (and it hurts me to say it 'cause they're based in Texas)

Anyway, I'm not just stereotyping the owner of the bike.  My intent if I bought a VTR would be to hit the twisties and do some track days.  His mods are geared more towards cruising to bike nights and putting around in a straight line.  It's probably a good bike and worth the money if that floats your boat.

[Goldbug]

rx... actually, i was thinking we did keep the discussion fairly civilized but, made out points.

I agree. It was not a bad discussion as far as internet discussions go. It actually was almost pleasant.

the nice thing is that in the heat of our discussion we did not call each other names.

So far I haven't seen any name calling on this forum, at all. I figured it wasn't it wasn't that sort of place, which is what I like about it. Plus I am a noob as far as these bikes are concerned, and on these forums. If I called someone a name, that's going to be someone likely to be silent in the future when I ask a question they know the answer to.

Not to mention, I am pretty sure I have met Heffay in person and he was a nice guy and I liked his bike.

[bill440cars]

          Whew! Boy, has this gotten off to a start! Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents (or whatever it ends up amounting to). Thing is, if you like and want the bike, Take it for another spin and check out the things mentioned. If you're not sure of your self (on making the decision on the shape of the bike), take it to a mechanic and get it evaluated. If it turns out good, an you can do it, then buy it. Personally, I know nothing about them. I've seen a good number of "Sportbike Owners" who are like those described by some and I've seen some like heffay. I figure that there are at least 2 or 3 types of people in nearly every category of bikes  that there are. It's easy to "Stereotype" and takes a litle effort not to. I do it sometimes but, I try not to. I say get it checked out and give it a chance, if it passes.

                                                            Later on, Bill

[Rhonda750F]

Thanks for all the replies.  Looks like I opened up a can of worms for a sec, but I'm glad you guys worked it out.
Here is what I found out about the bike.  The current owner bought it from some dude in Detroit who made the changes to the bike.  The new owner was the culprit of the stickers.  He was telling me of all the shows and cruises he went to, which leads me to believe this guy is all show no go.  and the reason he is selling the bike is because he doesn't ride it enough.  The tile shows he only rode it for less than 4000 miles in a few years.

I appreciate all your responses, and I agree with most of you, regarding modded bikes, they may look pretty on the outside but underneath who the hell knows.

I'm still keeping my eyes open for a stock example of a VTR, TL, K1000, FZ1, 919, SV, or Bandit1200, but they're few and far between around here, all you see are rockets and Harley's.
 

[Goldbug]

I'll sell you my SuperHawk for $4500 

(If interested, PM me)