VTR 1000 2001 opinions please

[hornetmike]

Hello looking at changing my bike, looked at a couple of Firestorm VTR1000's but can't really tell what kind of bike they are, is it a honda SV1000 type deal, what are they like to live with ?
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87 Honda CG 125 - 97 ER5 - SR 50 -81 Z250- 96 CBR 600 F- 94 GPX600R 88- GPX 400R- 87 GS 125 - 2006 Honda CB600F- 2003 ER5 - Honda CBF 1000 2009 - Honda CBR 600 RR 2011
Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[SW Motech Shop UK]

If you are after a big V-Twin then the VTR is a good choice. Very light and easy to ride with plenty of go. Much better build quality than an SV1000 too. I would suggest you also try a TL1000s as these were alot of fun with more power. Lots of sensible priced Firestorms around.
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https://www.motorcycle-road-and-race.co.uk and https://www.sw-motech-shop.co.uk/ and https://www.motorcycle-luggage.co.uk/

[hornetmike]

it the price and the brand that are attracting me.
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87 Honda CG 125 - 97 ER5 - SR 50 -81 Z250- 96 CBR 600 F- 94 GPX600R 88- GPX 400R- 87 GS 125 - 2006 Honda CB600F- 2003 ER5 - Honda CBF 1000 2009 - Honda CBR 600 RR 2011
Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[Welshd1k]

ge a tl1000r one of the earlier ones . so many vtr's around now its crazzy
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Current >Cb600fx hornet, ns125rk90 21.7bhp@wheel<
Sold >,zxr400 h2 (33bhp kit) rd350 n1 rd350 lc2<

[400bandit]

Post 2001 are better as they have a 19L tank, before and its a small 16L coupled with poor fuel consumption means not much range! That said, I loved mine, cheap and fast, sound the tits with cans on. Would deffo have another one too.

Joe
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Current Bikes 650 Honda Bros, VTR1000 Firestorm // Past Bikes: Sachs Madass 50/110cc - Bandit 400 - FZR750
(+ a XS650 in lots of pieces in my garage and other places...)

[andys675]

storms are brilliant bikes, i've had 3 and loved them, would buy another but....

if i ever did buy one it would have to be fitted with manual camchain tensioners, either the APE ones which are about £150 from allens performance or there's a guy on the VTR1000.org forum who makes some himself and does them for £80

reason being my last one went bang big style, the front camchain tensioner failed (which is a common failure) and the camchain lost all its tension, the chain jumped the cam sprockets, the valves were so far out of time they broke off inside the head, wrecking the valve seats and stems, and the debris inside thrashing about caused the liner to crack, and the liner is in the block therefore wrecking the engine completely beyond repair, cost me £550 for an engine from a breakers without a clutch cover or starter motor, and it took me two days to fit it in the shed on my own, and soon sold it afterwards!
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Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

[hornetmike]

Why are all honda cam chain tensioners pants ?
How sporty or touring is the riding position ?
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87 Honda CG 125 - 97 ER5 - SR 50 -81 Z250- 96 CBR 600 F- 94 GPX600R 88- GPX 400R- 87 GS 125 - 2006 Honda CB600F- 2003 ER5 - Honda CBF 1000 2009 - Honda CBR 600 RR 2011
Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Alex A]

Had one of these last year (well, a 2005 model, but very little changed but for the tank size and clocks).

They're like a stripped down VFR750/800 with a gruntier, cruder motor and less weather protection. Comfy but sporty riding position. Highish clip ons, roomy seat. Pegs are high enough to give good ground clearance. All round very nicely made bikes with about 100bhp at the wheel. A bit of free fettling can get that to 110-115bhp without too much work.

The suspension is a little budget and it's not going to outcorner a modern 600, but then it's a good, well balanced compromise and confidence inspiring. Much better than a TLS in that respect.

Downsides: High gearing makes town riding a 1st/2nd gear only job unless you want to put up with low RPM judder. That's easily fixed with a sprocket change. Only 30-35mpg with a small tank = very low range and high running costs if you do lots of miles.

Despite the above, very rarely heard of significant engine/mechanical problems. Gear driven cams would be a bonus, but probably asking too much at the price!

All in, I'd describe it as a great lightweight sports tourer which can turn in a pretty impressive sporty performance when the mood strikes. Dead easy to ride too, especially for a big twin.

Having said all that, the Aprilia SL1000 Falco is a better bike in every respect. Just as well made, more powerful, just as light, much better forks and handling generally. Slipper clutch. Big tank so decent range. Properly setup, a much more capable bike than the VTR. And can be had pretty cheap too
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Current: Ducati Panigale R / Ducati Streetfighter S / Suzuki GSX-R1000 L5

[stevo as b4]

I'd go for a nice low mile bike thats been looked after and has a few useful mods and accessories. My dad's one had 97bhp r/w std, and with re-jetting+ free flow filter and cans went to 104bhp, with much better throttle response. Std tyres are pretty poor Dunlop D204's, and a scotoiler is a very useful mod, as these big twins are very hard on chains and cush drives. Tank capacity is a bit poor giving a max range of 100miles or thereabouts on original 16ltr versions. They are very nice sounding but loud as hell with race cans on, and like a TLS will easily set off car alarms and piss your neighbours off, if you ride off early in the mornings/weekends. The Storm does pop and bang quite severly on the overun and can sound like shot gun fire, so an example with loud cans will attract alot of attention in town!

The front forks are too soft for serious fast road and track use, and the rear shock is ok, but it doesn't last very well being budget and very close to the heat from the rear cylinder's downpipe. The brakes are ok in well maintained condition, but buying a bike with re-valved forks, aftermarket shock and s/s brake lines with uprated pads is a good idea if you ride very fast or take it on track. The pegs are high enough for normal road use, but they soon ground out on track. The pillion seat is useless and very uncomfortable.

Another couple of worth having mods on a storm are, a belly pan, as the engine/downpipes gets covered in crap, and a double bubble screen as the std one is low but not so low as say an early R1.

They are nice bikes and can tour, commute and be fun on track days etc. The biggest downside for daily use or commuting IMO on a Storm is the fuel consumption. Its quite poor with these 50mm Carbs drinking alot of juice no matter how you ride it.

They would be a nice change from an older 600 or 750, but they have their little quirks like alot of bikes. The Suzuki TL1000S is another great choice and a similar bike, doing somethings a bit better than the Storm and other things not so well. Storms are cheap now and very good VFM, and a mint condition TLS is probably an investment and won't lose any value, as they are a sought after bike with their notorious reputation keeping interest in them quite high, like a 98-2000 R1 for example.

[400bandit]

This was mine;

https://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh258/JoeSnowden/Firestorm/20042010105.jpg
https://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh258/JoeSnowden/Firestorm/20042010107.jpg

Kinda miss it but I do love the Speed Triple

Joe
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Current Bikes 650 Honda Bros, VTR1000 Firestorm // Past Bikes: Sachs Madass 50/110cc - Bandit 400 - FZR750
(+ a XS650 in lots of pieces in my garage and other places...)

[Blau Zedong]

They are pretty crap. A mate of mine had one and struggled like hell to sell it when he realised it was an underpowered poor handling pile of crap with shocking build quality. I think he ended up taking £700 for it. My suggestion was to cut it into bite sized chunks and leave it out for the binmen over the course of a few weeks
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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

[hornetmike]

I am going be changing from a 96 cbr, my comute is only 5 miles so not bothered about tank range, want something less revvy
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87 Honda CG 125 - 97 ER5 - SR 50 -81 Z250- 96 CBR 600 F- 94 GPX600R 88- GPX 400R- 87 GS 125 - 2006 Honda CB600F- 2003 ER5 - Honda CBF 1000 2009 - Honda CBR 600 RR 2011
Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[Jayy]

I love the sound of TUGs VTR, it sounds absolutely naughty with them scorpion cans on it. It's smooth, loads of power and good fun.

Only downside for me, I don't really like the look of them, I prefer the SP1/2

[temeluchus]

[Squiffy_The_Wombat]

[hornetmike]

looked at a T reg 11k for £2499, at a dealer/stealer is that too dear ?
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87 Honda CG 125 - 97 ER5 - SR 50 -81 Z250- 96 CBR 600 F- 94 GPX600R 88- GPX 400R- 87 GS 125 - 2006 Honda CB600F- 2003 ER5 - Honda CBF 1000 2009 - Honda CBR 600 RR 2011
Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[DrDonnyBrago]

[SamJL]

[MarJay]

[ram_doom]

They're slim bikes, riding position not unlike a lengthened cbrf.

Soft bouncy saggy suspension, exhausts and bits scrape when cranked over (lots), and the engine feels like it has loads of grunt until you open it up through the gears. It feels like it stops making power just before things get exciting.

Comfy, but thirsty, and the one a mate had didnt like winter much. All the aluminium had oxidised, and the bike generally looked tatty. At the time it was only 6 years old with 15k miles.
Battery needs to be kept topped up if its used for weekends, I must've bump started him on 8 out of 10 rides. Might have been a shit battery though.

Then the front tensioner went and bent some valves. 500 quid repair bill.

It did sound great with blueflame cans. Italian almost, but without a horrible dry clutch rattle
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TL1000s, KDX200

[stevo as b4]

Maybe BlueX5 has a real serious despise for Honda's?
I'm sure he has a very valid and expandable reasoning for why he feels that the VTR is a total load of tat, so im not having a go.

I just hope he isn't someone who could then go on and say what a great bike a Bandit 1200 is, and that would be the most contradictory viewpoint and opinion ever IMO! If he had said all the above about a soggy old Bandit for example i would have said that his view is spot on IMHO!

Also there is overall nothing better or worse about the V-twin engine configuration and performance within capacity handicaps as any other engine configuration and or number of cylinders and how they are arranged. If anyone could disprove this then id be very happy to see it and accept im wrong!

I.e an 1198 Ducati engine is everybit as good and equal as a 1000cc R1 engine in what it does and within racing rules.