Buying a VTR......I hope!

JJW · Post by **JJW** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:46 am

Hi all

just joined the site, have read a lot of the posts here about CCTs etc as i am thinking of buying a Firestorm next week. it will be my first road bike. i have had trail bikes all my life, race motorcross and expert enduro, but its time to have a second bike in the garage!

i'm not really interested in an R1 or Fireblade because i think they're a bit much first up. i want something i can handle, even if it feels a bit doughy and is a bit more forgiving to learn the ropes on. i have almost no road bike experience. i'm 6'3" and 105kg. i don't want a 600.

the thing is i'm not committed enough to spend big $$$ yet. there is a 1997 VTR1000 for sale here that has 90,000kms on it, and had a low side crash. the bike has been repaired with new parts except for the fairing which was resprayed. it is going cheap!!!!

(about 1/5 the price of a new one)

this bike has NOT had CCT problems, and the owner has had it serviced religously. bike was mint until the little crash a few months ago.

so what i'm asking is, how long do these bikes last?????do they have major engine trouble after 100,000kms??????i have been informed already that new cam chains would be a good start, and inspection of lower cam gear to check for wear.

the current owner is mature, unlike myself at 24, so i don't think he has given it a hard time, he just does a lot of touring which has put a lot of k's on the clock. i'm pretty keen!!!!

any advice appreciated

Jeff

theweeeman · Post by **theweeeman** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:13 am

hi, and welcome aboard.

How much is this storm going for, cos im curious to know, and im considering selling mine to buy an sp1. So mine may be up for grabs soon.

And yes, once you go to vtwins, you never go back, forget the r1,r6.gsxr's and alike

JJW · Post by **JJW** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:20 am

well its in australia so i don't think the prices work out....like i said about 1/5th of the cost they are new. so thats $3000AU, with 10 months rego.

Jeff

JJW · Post by **JJW** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:38 am

[quote="VTR1000KAZ"]jeez...we're being over run with the buggers!!!!!

these aussies get everywhere !!!!! lol

Just don't mention the cricket ok!!!!!

Jeff

logan7 · Post by **logan7** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:37 am

cricket cricket cricket cricket

JJW · Post by **JJW** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:54 am

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGH THATS IT!!!!!!!!

Seriously though if anyone has experience or knowledge of really high k's on these bikes i would like to hear about it.

Thanks
Jeff

VTRgirl · Post by **VTRgirl** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 8:09 am

Hi Jeff! Welcome, from a fellow Aussie! Just been down to the shop this morning & ordered my cam chains... Made it over 62,000km on the first pair, so judging by what I've read around here, that's pretty good. The nice boys always give me cost too, so I'm happy

The second-hand market over here seems a tad flooded with Firestorms at the moment, so you're on the right side of the cheque book! There was a write-up in the Motorcycle Trader a few months back, raving about them as the best second-hand buy around. You're still looking at around 5-6k for a 97, though, so if the one you're looking at is in that good nick, I reckon you're onto a good thing.

As for "learning" on, you can't go wrong. Especially for your size. It's a powerful bike but without the physical size to have to manoeuver around. Guarantee you won't be sorry if you buy one. Of course, you might be sorry you joined this site, though...

Bink · Post by **Bink** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:10 am

JJW,

There aren't too many people on this board with serious miles on the clock. There used to be a picture in the gallery of a set of clocks with a 100.000mls on it (US guy)

It's a big engine which runs at low revs - If it has been well maintained it should be OK. No harm in asking for a warranty if you buy from a dealer. Like VTRgirl said there are many on the market so you should be able to bagain.

Post by **sirch345** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:15 pm

Hi JJW, Welcome aboard,
Like Bink said most VTRs on here are fairly low mileage, but take a look at the link below, might be more helpful

Chris.

http://www.micapeak.com/reg/bikes/VTR/

saint · Post by **saint** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:22 pm

Hi there
My storm now has 32.5k miles but no serious worries apart from the cct's. I now have my swinging arm linkage sqweeking, but that would be a simple matter of taking it of and lubing it up. My 32k sevice only cost me Â£280 in VAT which I was well chuffed with.
But then again it's a black VTR, and we all know they are the best and fastest ones around

Post by **sirch345** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:37 pm

saint wrote: But then again it's a black VTR, and we all know they are the best and fastest ones around

You forgot to finish your sentence with:-
"that is apart from the RED ones of course"

Chris.

plivesey · Post by **plivesey** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:44 pm

I think that you're both wrong, which is why my originally black storm is now yellow.

saint · Post by **saint** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:00 pm

plivesey wrote:originally black storm

nuff said.

I think you just lost 20-30mph top speed, just because of the higher air resistance of yellow. someone tested all of the storm colours in a wind tunnel and the black ones always come out on top.

VTRgirl · Post by **VTRgirl** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:16 pm

Honestly, you lot, use your heads! It can be scientifically proven that yellow is fastest, except perhaps for silver, but there are so few of those, who cares?

A lot of time & effort is put into getting bikes as light as possible, right? Clearly, black paint is going to require the most colouring and is therefore the heaviest. Red, also is a fairly dark colour, and blue? Well, they didn't make too many of those for a reason...

Ahhhh yellow, the colour of light. Just how fast is the "speed of light"...

plivesey · Post by **plivesey** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 3:03 pm

saint wrote:I think you just lost 20-30mph top speed, just because of the higher air resistance of yellow. someone tested all of the storm colours in a wind tunnel and the black ones always come out on top.

That's a relief. I thought it was my circumferentially advantaged figure that was slowing me down.