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NC 30 as first bike

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Cathal
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Joined: 31 Dec 2020
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PostPosted: 03:39 - 31 Dec 2020    Post subject: NC 30 as first bike Reply with quote
Hiya I'm thinking of getting an honda Vfr NC30 as my first bike , in my area they're two nice examples that have been well kept.

My question is , is it a good first proper motorcycle ( few months experience on a ybr125 ).

Also should I be worried about it being 30 years old
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to v or not to v
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Joined: 24 Nov 2020
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PostPosted: 09:58 - 31 Dec 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
they are small, light and not overly powerful. so yes i would have loved one as a first bike.

check out maintenance costs if you're not a diy'er, i vaguely remember hearing that they are a bit of a pig to work on.

buying any 2nd hand motor is a risk. i imagine it only increases with the age of the vehicle.
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arry
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Joined: 03 Jan 2009
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PostPosted: 10:21 - 31 Dec 2020    Post subject: Re: NC 30 as first bike Reply with quote
Cathal wrote:
Hiya I'm thinking of getting an honda Vfr NC30 as my first bike , in my area they're two nice examples that have been well kept.

My question is , is it a good first proper motorcycle ( few months experience on a ybr125 ).

Also should I be worried about it being 30 years old


Most of them have been revving stratospherically for the best part of 3 decades and, despite being sought after now, they fell into the cheap and plentiful bucket - you know which type of owners that attracts.

Buy on condition, not your heartstrings, and be extremely cautious with how you go about viewing it to make sure you've got enough time to really inspect it properly.

Take it you've run insurance quotes?
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha
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Joined: 22 Nov 2012
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PostPosted: 11:28 - 31 Dec 2020    Post subject: Re: NC 30 as first bike Reply with quote
Cathal wrote:
Hiya I'm thinking of getting an honda Vfr NC30 as my first bike , in my area they're two nice examples that have been well kept.

My question is , is it a good first proper motorcycle ( few months experience on a ybr125 ).

Also should I be worried about it being 30 years old


For me it'd be all about price and paperwork and what I could hear, see and feel on close inspection. What have these bikes been doing in the last three decades? Sometimes I think there's a real art to laying bikes up - and/or maintaining them by riding them sparingly. I'd imagine it's a right labour of love. You want to be keeping the wheels turning, the internals moving, the brake pistons actuating, clean fuel going through the carbs on a regular basis, the tank receiving fresh petrol a few times a year. Problem is, from what I can tell, these bloody bikes are happiest when they're getting relatively heavy usage - daily if possible, but failing that, weekly. In dry conditions whenever possible.

I bought a 20 y/o bike couple of years ago and a perished fuel line stranded me; i didn't pick up on notchy head bearings which had to be done; I was also unhappy w/ its 6 pot callipers - poor stopping power even though feel at the lever was good. Plus there were other "cycle part" jobs required. If you can do all this yourself, fine. But if you're going to be paying a 50-60 quid per hour bike mechanic and fitting oem parts wherever possible, you're going to find yourself committed to that bike quite promptly. Could be a grand or two on top of asking price in servicing / recommissioning / preventative fettling, etc. You've potentially got to drill right down into stuff - e.g. learn how to date tyres; are those Bridgestones 15 years old? Might have a lot of tread in legal terms but that doesn't mean the bike wouldn't be better off with £200 spending on a new pair. Soon adds up.

Luckily for me, I did end up bonding with the bike once the various wrinkles were ironed out. It suited my needs, temperament and preferred roads pretty well. But supposing it didn't, and I'd just spend a few grand getting it back to a good roadworthy state - I'd have had to sell it on at a grand or two loss in all probability.

Those little RCs are the proverbial swiss watch, aren't they. Jewel of an engine - all that blarney. But to me that also translates as 'hmm haven't seen one of these in a while...gulp.' They're going to be a bit more demanding than an ER5, time-wise. Not sure how much spares will be either. Great bikes though - but bloody hell, I had to fold myself up like a deck chair to ride the bastard. Shoulder checks had to be done looking under me arms, virtually! Then again I'm not a small bloke, and however lithe I might've been at one time I'm creaky and achy now.
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Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125
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400N
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Joined: 07 Dec 2020
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PostPosted: 16:52 - 08 Jan 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote
Echo above, had one of these after one too many near death experiences on my GSXR11. It was not so comfy folding in to the riding position for me, and visibility wasnt great round town - but what a blast on the open road, amazing grip and cornering (on decent tyres). Got past a couple of 750s on Glen Helen but ran out of puff on the straights later, felt faster than it was. Needed ear plugs and no mechancal sympathy to get the most out of it. 16,000 RPM redline if I recall correctly ?!

If I was buying one I would want to see immaculate service history and no sign of any engine taken apart type activity and no crash damage - didnt they have a reputation for cracking rear subframes, but that might have been the bigger VFR? Cant believe there isnt something more modern that would be a more practical choice?
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struan80
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Joined: 04 Nov 2014
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PostPosted: 14:31 - 11 Jan 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote
I love my CBR400RR, It's my favoutate bike out of four. These bikes are going up in value quite rapidly.

It is perfect for a first bike as long as your under 6ft. Go for it. Better fun than boring 650's.
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BenR
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Joined: 23 Jun 2008
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PostPosted: 15:40 - 11 Jan 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote
Awesome bikes but a bitch to work on & not good for long distance. Be prepared for a hot arse too.
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v4fun
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Joined: 24 Feb 2021
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PostPosted: 22:47 - 24 Feb 2021    Post subject: Re: NC 30 as first bike Reply with quote
Cathal wrote:
Hiya I'm thinking of getting an honda Vfr NC30 as my first bike , in my area they're two nice examples that have been well kept.

My question is , is it a good first proper motorcycle ( few months experience on a ybr125 ).


My first bike was an NC30 and I love 'em. The V4 engine is a peach. But it does depend on your handiness with the spanners.

Cathal wrote:
Also should I be worried about it being 30 years old


Old bikes are by nature high maintenance bikes in comparison to new bikes. If you don't do the maintenance, it won't run.

If you are not comfortable with following a Haynes/Honda workshop manual, stripping down the forks/top end/carbs, and doing a lot of maintenance to keep the bike running safely, a more modern bike like a Kawasaki 250/300/400 might be a better and less expensive proposition.

And from a riding perspective, the NC30 is heavy in comparison to a modern bike. Though the 400cc V4 engine is a gem. If you have the time and the inclination, it is rewarding.
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Ste
Not Work Safe



Joined: 01 Sep 2002
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PostPosted: 23:05 - 24 Feb 2021    Post subject: Re: NC 30 as first bike Reply with quote
Cathal wrote:
two nice examples that have been well kept.

Could you post links to the adverts so we can see the bikes please?
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Old Thread Alert!

The last post was made 3 years, 58 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful?
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