Vfr 400 NC ??

[Stalk]

Hello!
Smallest Stalk has got her mind set on a Vfr 400 NC 30, as she is 19 in December. I thought it would be a good idea to ask the mighty Bcf what I should look out for and if the nc24 is worth a look?

Over to you!
Cheers!
Stalk

[Rob Fzs]

nc24 is hideous

nc30's are good, just make sure you get a test ride to check the gears out and if it pulls properly , they are getting rather old bikes now so had alot of abuse by learners

[wr6133]

Is she of the shorter persuasion? It's pretty cramped for taller people. I've not owned one but ridden one, other than being extremely cramped (I'm 6'1" and fairly long legged) the only other "eccentricity" was first gear was very tall.

[redeem ouzzer]

Standard ignition and jetting is useless. Use an Ignitech box and NC35 exhaust back section with a decent can / dyno set up for decent power. Follow HRC book to convert fuel tap to gravity feed. For 17" rear wheel there are various options out there, the Duke 916 one is cheapest but all will need a ride height correction.

[joe.staffs]

Things to consider are they're grey imports so parts arent always available or cheap.
A recent/current classic motorcycles magazine tells you what to look for when buying NC30's and mentions crap radiators on them

[MarJay]

I had an NC21 but they are really old now. My NC21 did everything, touring, commuting, scratching, you name it. It was reliable, comfortable and practical, and being short it fitted me perfectly. It did have a 16in front wheel with a 18in rear.

They are good bikes, as are the NC24's but they are so ravaged with age and incompetent kiddie owners that it'll be hard to get a nice one.

I also owned an NC30, and despite not being in tip top condition it handled well, and was reasonably quick. It was easy to ride, although the riding position was crippling. The exhaust had rotted through, but there was a good bike under there somewhere.

One of the main downsides is that the V4's are extremely difficult to work on. Combine that with a microscopic size, and you've got a good reason why people don't get them serviced or fix the broken ones.

If you find a good one for a decent price then it'll be reliable and it'll work as a daily rider as long as your daughter is flexible enough to fit on it. I think we'll need pics to determine that.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Itchy]

30s were nice but most today are old and battered often abused as a first bike by somebody recently passing their test.

In the northern group 3 such individuals bought VFR400s as their first bike post test. All of them crashed them and maintained them poorly.

One silly sod dropped a shim into the engine (or thought he did) and ended up dropping the entire engine and pulling the engine apart before finding the shim in his pocket. It never ran again.

A restricted steelie CBR would probably be a better choice for cheapness (no uber premium). It's big enough to work on and can be unchained when you get older.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[wr6133]

[redeem ouzzer]

[Robby]

NC24s are awful.

NC30s seem to have quite a following. They are 25-30 years old. I would expect something like an ER6 to be similar on paper, close enough in price, and 20 years younger.

[Vincent]

I bet there are some nice restored, (properly), NC21s and NC24s about and as they're not as nice looking as the later ones shouldn't go for silly money. Apart from the lack of more modern parts.....single sided arm etc, I didn't realise they were bad bikes, or any less reliable than the NC30s and NC35s.
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Space Is Deep

[Islander]

[smallfrowne]

[redeem ouzzer]

BT92 hasn't been available for years. Basically it's BT090 if you want something sticky. The standard ignition map is restrictive.

[smallfrowne]

Haha so you're right, BT090 all the way then, doh. What's so restrictive about the ignition map then?
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'90 VFR750; '89 NC30; '95 DR650; '89 CD250U; ~'82 CG125; ~C90

[redeem ouzzer]

[pits]

Check the downpipes, IIRC you can't get them and are quite expensive to buy second hand, but this was a few years back.

Also carb seals are a pain to change, so check them if you can, as getting the carbs back on is a nightmare.
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Stinkwheel: You have no right to free speech
00:32:08 Blau Zedong: yes, i am a massive CB400 fan and collector
00:33:00 Blau Zedong: the CB400 is my favourite road bike

[Jenks]

i had an nc24, only problem i ever had was the cable to the CDI came loose... had me stumped and had to push it 2 miles home..
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1978 MZ TS 250 1 Supa 5
1992 yamaha fzr1000 exup
1998 aprilia af1 sintesi

[struan80]

My poor little NC24 is heartbroken at some of the comments, you cruel cruel people
https://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy224/struan80/12002237_10205343130402099_4472889020353097830_n_zpsutbyah2t.jpg

[binge]

I had an NC30, and an NC29 (VFR and CBR).

Pros and cons to both.

I preferred the CBR overall.

The VFR had the 18" rear wheel. Wasn't much of an issue. I ran Dunlop Alpha 10s, epically sticky tyres, loved them!

[kramdra]

Did she get it? pics are required

For parts.. stuff is made.. but CBR bits seem more common.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400606729190
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400931198648

Did I read that the VFR's require engine out to swap pipes?

[Rob Fzs]