Project bikes VFR400?

[SoulRider]

Hi,

Well as some of you may know i want to learn bike mechanics so am looking for a cheap project bike also to learn *cough* wheelies etc*cough* as i dont fancy dropping my current bike.

Ive got a bit of spare cash but not enough saved up for buying a complete bike. anyway been looking through alot of the old 400's and found this

Clicky

Im not sure as firstly, is it easy to get parts for this bike?

And is that to cheap, it doesnt say milage and why it failed the mot. will it be worth my while saving up for a bit and buying a complete 400 to strip down and work on or does this sound like a good place to start?

I will be starting all my learning from the haynes manual of the selected bike that a buy so as you can guess time is not an issue.

Cheers all
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[finpos]

You're thinking of buying an incomplete, 20 year old import which was an MOT failure?

Braver than me...

finpos.

[Blau Zedong]

Unless you want to buy something which will become a bottomless pit into which every spare coin is thrown, then I'd steer clear of that bike. Buy something with all the major bits present and correct, preferably running - at least you'll have some idea of what work is needed.
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18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[SoulRider]

ahh didnt realise its an import as well.

So you think its better to save and buy a complete bike? Is there any 400's or even 600's that are relativly cheap that you would recommend looking at?
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[MarJay]

Choose a bike which doesn't have a horrendously complex engine, with gear driven cams and two cylinder heads.

You'd be better off with a CBR400 if you want an easier engine to work on.

Choose a bike which is easier to wheelie. A 400 4cyl isn't the easiest in the world.

Choose a bike which is easier to get parts for.

A good one to go for would be a 500cc parallel twin. An old GS500E would be better, because its a twin, it is air cooled, it is easy to get parts for, it is possible to wheelie it, parts will be cheap, the bike will be cheap to buy in the first place, and downgeared it might make a pretty good stunt bike.

If you want a small stunt bike, you'd be better off with an SV650 as it has a grunty engine, which is simpler than a VFR. Crash protection will be easier to get hold of, and it has pretty good brakes. A crash damaged SV will be peanuts to buy and will make a cracking stunter.

As others have said, buy a runner that needs a bit of work for the MOT as your first project. Unless you want to rebuild a bike from the ground up as a labour of love, you don't want a non running VFR.

Avoid anything which has electrical issues too imo. But that might just be me!

Good luck!
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Keir]

I got an 89 vfr import with alot of bits missing. Being an import does not make the parts harder to get. It may for some bikes but there are so many vfrs being broken its easy and pretty cheap.
Id say steer clear of that one you saw though as there is more missing than present currently!
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Current : '08 Yamaha FZ1s
Previous: '99 Honda CBR 600FX, 03 ZX636 B1H, 99 Fazer 600 (red), 02 GSX-R 600 K2, 00 SV650s (red), 2008 ZX10R, 97 Bandit 1200N, 04 ZX6RR K1H, 04 GSX-R 1000, 98 Fazer 600 (gold), 05 Madness 110 Pit bike, 04 CR125R, 00 SV650s (black), 06 KTM 625 SMC, 99 SRAD 600 track bike, 03 SV650, 98 Bandit 1200N, Bandit 600SY, 03 GSX-R 600 K3, 01 GSX-R 600, 01 Fazer 600 (black), VFR 400 NC30 x3, 78 Honda Dream, 00 Speedfight 50

[hmmmnz]

id go with what the others have said, being an ex owner of a v4 i know what a complete pain in the arse they are to work on,
the gs500 is super easy to work on and if you manage to learn to wheely on that, you will be able to wheely anything,(no power wheelies for the gs)
an sv is probly the easier to wheely as its fairly powerfull and very light.
not as easy to work on, but a million times easier than an evil v4.
good luck
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I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[SoulRider]

Ahh well my current bike is an SV650s but its to nice to drop.

Crash damaged im guessing i will need to be carefull what i get but then i suppose as long as frame is in tact it wont be to bad. is it best to go for the standard or get another sports version like mine.

Cheers for the help
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[Letum]

If you are looking for a easier project, I have a VFR400 with 99% of the parts, just not in one piece. The motor has minor problems with the fuel system. Might just be dirt in the carb.
I'm willing to sell it.

[Pete.]

Graham88 also has a crash-damaged vfr400 with a good engine. Buy two and make one good one.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[veeeffarr]

How do you wheelie a GS?

I might be tempted to do you my '95 GS for £600, complete runs and rides but needs attention to brakes, electrics and fork seals.

Good way to get your feet wet

[MarJay]

[MarJay]

[MarJay]

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Honda-CBR600-cbr-600-FN-1993-De-faired-slight-damage_W0QQitemZ180082096620QQihZ008QQcategoryZ9806QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


There is a damaged repairable curvy SV on there too, but its at a grand starting price. My bet is, he won't get that for it. It has a dent in the tank, as previously mentioned.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[veeeffarr]

[Dalemac]