Better than Amazon

[Frosty]

Look what the truck dropped off at my house this morning!
I bought this 1998 Honda VFR800 at the end of August. It was picked up near Atlanta at the beginning of Sep and finally delivered this morning.
Coyote Chris got me all fired up about the V4 in the VFR800 and he is enjoying his new 8th gen 2015. After researching, I started looking for a 5th Gen, 1998 - 2001 VFR800. Subject to argument, the best of the breed. Geared cams, fuel injected, no emission equipment. I was looking for a garage project and ended up with one that is almost spotless with many upgrades. I bought it from the original owner.

Couldn't post sooner since ... "if it is not in the garage and pictures taken, it didn't happen."

 

[tawilke46]

If this keeps up we’ll have to change the name of the forum. Is this VFR fever contagious?
I hear ya though. I lusted on a VFR, don’t remember the exact year model, for a long time.
Local Honda dealer GN gonzales had one on the showroom floor for several months back in the 90’s. This dealer was just outside the south gate where I worked at the Exxon refinery.
I would go over there on my lunch break and sit on it. Just could not get myself to pull the trigger on it and this was pristine example of a VFR.
Just don’t think my now arthritic hands and back could take the riding position for very long.
Pretty bike though and RED is the appropriate color for the VFR.

 

[Sunny]

awesome, congrats...

q) is the chain also red or it is some light effect?

 

[Frosty]

... Just don’t think my now arthritic hands and back could take the riding position for very long.

Mine either. I think that there is a set of Japanese Police handlebars in the near future.

RE: Red Chain. Yes, the outside links on the chain are red. The chain is a D.I.D. (Honda OEM), but I can't find any red ones for sale now.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Beautiful bike...too bad about the Corbin saddle.

I've mentioned my old ST1100 riding buddy who had a prescription from his orthopedic surgeon to ride at least 500 miles a week to keep his back in shape. He traded his ST for a VFR of the same generation as yours. His had Givi side bags. He didn't get to ride it much because he developed some neurological issues that affected his balance and ability to stay alert and focused.

 

[Coyote Chris]

If this keeps up we’ll have to change the name of the forum. Is this VFR fever contagious?
I hear ya though. I lusted on a VFR, don’t remember the exact year model, for a long time.
Local Honda dealer GN gonzales had one on the showroom floor for several months back in the 90’s. This dealer was just outside the south gate where I worked at the Exxon refinery.
I would go over there on my lunch break and sit on it. Just could not get myself to pull the trigger on it and this was pristine example of a VFR.
Just don’t think my now arthritic hands and back could take the riding position for very long.
Pretty bike though and RED is the appropriate color for the VFR.

The Power of Dreams!

 

[Coyote Chris]

I love mine. I have 1.25 inch risers which with my lanky frame works...I have a box full of farkles to put on but the weather this fall has been a bit less than ideal. Hope to get some riding done the next three days......the VFR puts the fun back into riding....the fun we had way back when in the last century.......hard to explain......its beautiful, its light, its easy to handle. The seat at the crotch is narrow so its easy to flat foot and paddle around. Kind of reminds me how I felt when I got the Yamaha YM1.


Well, until the weather breaks this weekend, we have thunderstorms and wood cutting......

 

[Camelot]

Nice machine, you will love it. I’ve had my 2007 vfr 800 for 10 years now and I’m still loving it. Just recently purchased a set of T31’s, fluids changed and a starter valve synch. Let us know how you get along with it as time goes by.

 

[Mellow]

Good Stuff! Congrats Frosty!

 

[junglejim]

Frosty, you and Chris seem to be setting up a self-torture for yourselves. Buying such beautiful bikes, so fun to ride right before winter so you can store them for 6 months and be tortured by their presence and lousy riding weather. But, oh well, spring will come and motorcycles were made for spring.

Enjoy your new rides!

 

[suvcw04]

Chris, that blurry black and white photo looks alot like my first bike. A 1966 100cc Yamaha YL1 TwinJet. Wouldn't it be fun to have one of those in the garage just for a fun ring-ding ride?

 

[Woodaddict]

why doesn't the NT have a 5th - 8th generation????????????????????????????????????

 

[Yoda]

What is that strange, EMPTY room the new bike is in?? I’ve never seen a garage with absolutely nothing in it. Wow. Certainly not MY garage!

 

[NewTo700V]

Subject to argument, the best of the breed. Geared cams, fuel injected, no emission equipment.

No argument, you are correct. The gear drive cams make a supercharger-like whine that changes pitch with engine RPM. No pretend V-TEC to complicate valve checks or add a stutter in throttle roll on, the 98-01 has a perfectly smooth power roll on. Gear drive also means there are no cam chain tensioners to start clattering for replacement at 40-50K.

 

[Coyote Chris]

Chris, that blurry black and white photo looks alot like my first bike. A 1966 100cc Yamaha YL1 TwinJet. Wouldn't it be fun to have one of those in the garage just for a fun ring-ding ride?

Twin jet 100! I remember that bike! I started out on a Yamaha 80 cc and then to the YM1 305cc.

 

[Coyote Chris]

No argument, you are correct. The gear drive cams make a supercharger-like whine that changes pitch with engine RPM. No pretend V-TEC to complicate valve checks or add a stutter in throttle roll on, the 98-01 has a perfectly smooth power roll on. Gear drive also means there are no cam chain tensioners to start clattering for replacement at 40-50K.

Let me correct you, sir. The 8th generation fixed the suddeness of the Vtec kicking in. What I get when I hit 6800 rpm is the most lovely growl and a delta in the rate of accelleration to "OH BOY!"
VTEC is for better milage, emmissions and efficiency and has been around all this century. Almost every modern car has some sort of version of variable valve and/or cam timing.. No "stutter" here. Does the 8th generation have an issue with cam chain tensioners? I dont think it is possible that I will put 30,000 on this bike (since I have others) but I am not going to loose sleep over it. I would worry more about that crank position sensor on your NT going out..... Finally, anyone who rides conservatively need not worry at all about that 16,000 valve check. There is nothing magical about the number 16,000, just like there is nothing magical about the number 26,000 that Yamaha uses...these are numbers that someone pulled out of their arse, IMHO. I am going to worry about cancer and my eye sight and getting hit by texters. Anyone who has an NT who does not even go and just ride a VFR is really missing a golden opertunity. $7,000 for a new kick butt smooth fun screeming machine that will make you smile so hard your face will hurt......but that window will close......and you will be left out in the cold.....

 

[Frosty]

What is that strange, EMPTY room the new bike is in?? I’ve never seen a garage with absolutely nothing in it. Wow. Certainly not MY garage!

Thanks Yoda, what a kind thought. The pictures were taken where the car sits. For the pics, I put a slippery piece of plastic under the center stand, pushed down on the rear to raise the front wheel and rotated the bike by pushing the back sideways (thanks to Rich's Custom Seats for that technique).
Here is what the Garage really looks like (pretty clean by my standards).
Hope this keeps you from unnecessary de-cluttering.

 

[suvcw04]

My son on my YL1. He was two at the time.

 

[Phil Tarman]

That is a great picture!

 

[Coyote Chris]

Saw Frosty's bike today. I would say that there is no doubt that of all the bikes made that year, this has to be in the upper one percent of being immaculately clean. Looks perfect. Though I have no idea how safe almost unused 2003 tires are. Dunlops.
The only complaint I would have is the after market exhaust (standing behind the bike) is very loud. The previous owner put on a very interesting tail section that shows much more of the tire.