General advice and tips for 1997 VTR

[edk]

Hi,

I have a few questions / need some advice. I am into buying a 1997 Firestorm, with 61.000 km on the clock. Bike is with warranty (from a dealer), and looks very good, no noticable scratches, just a good looking machine. Technically it also looks wel cared after. I want to renew the cam chain tensioners, and renew the rectifier if that is not done allready. Those two are the main problems with these machines I have read. I am going to test ride this machine next friday.

Are there some importants things to think about when buying this 1997 VTR Firestorm ? Chainset and tires look still in good condition.
I would like to get the bike ready for a passenger on the backseat. I have come across special handle bar which can be fitted on top of the tank. So the passenger has some good grip to hold on during riding.
What is the best / most practical bar where a passenger can hold on to ? On the backside ? Like a suitcase frame or something like that ? Or is the handlebar on top of the tank the best I can buy ?

Is the VTR actually suited to ride with passenger ?

Other questions are about the fuel capacity. This 1997 model has a 16 liter tank. When I keep the motorbike upright while filling with fuel, how much can go in the tank ? The full 16 litres ? And what distance can I expect. Its my first touring/sport bike. I read the average is 160-170 km with the 16 liter tank ?

Does anyone have experience wiht bigger tanks on this old (pre 2001 mode) VTR? I have come accross some projects where one can use the 19 litre tank of a 2001+ VTR fitted onto the old frame. But there is also possibility to het a bigger tank (22 or 25 litres) to fit onto the 1997 VTR, but the price including painting is about 1300 (!) Euros..

Is it worth it to upgrade to a bigger tank or not, or is it better to lookout for a newer model 2001+ VTR. I prefer the old instruments for speedo etc.. The newer ones are unreadable, especially the speedo meter. I really hate the later speedo and instrument panel design.

I have found a sale of a 2001 feburariy VTR with 19 litre tank and old model instrument clocks. But without guarantee and its on the other side of my country, and has done about 23.000 km. What is the max. km a VTR can do, or is it a matter of taking good care of the engine and its maintanance with normal service intervals?

Any advice, experience stories in these matter is highly appreciated...
I thought for these questions it is easier to put them together in one post.

Thank you inadvance,
Erik.

[Furrybiker]

Hello Erik.
Well a lot of what you ask is I think personal taste.
The pillion grabs I would look at how often you have a passenger, if its a lot then I would go for both types so that the pillion can change position.

My bike has the 16 litre tank it actually takes about 13 litres to fill when the warning light comes on. That is about 160Km range, at that rate empty should be about 250Km but I have not tested the theory! The extra 3 litres is not going to get you very far so perhaps it isn't worth worrying about?

The American "Superhawk" site has bikes with 160,000km on them and I seem to remember there was a site that listed highest mileage VTRs with one at over 300,000 MILES.

Ultimately these bikes are not expensive, so maybe it could be a second bike to a proper tourer, or of course you are not marrying it, and they are easier to divorce than women

[Saintsman27]

2001 was about Honda changed the model to the later F1 version ... there were still older models on sale
with the old speedos and 16 litre tanks .. older models had a more crouched riding position with slightly lower
handlebars... although performance twixt the two was slight I believe .. still the gutsy V twin motor and handling same
Why not go for a later model ... larger 19 litre tank , revamped dials ..( although you do not like them .. ) its just
finding one.. the CCTs and the electrics are the Achilles heal , but there are plenty of guys on here and great advice
to sort any problems ... VTR's are brilliant.. wind one up and down through the gear box and the so solid cornering are just exquisite..
addictive in fact .. good luck

[edk]

Hi Furybiker, Saintsman,

At the moment I have a limited budget, this 1997 VTR is just affordable to me to buy. I have looked for other VTR's in sale from 2001-2003 build year in the pricerange of 3000 euro with guarantee, but can not find them so far. All are between 1997 and 2000 model. There are a few just around 3000 with year of build 2001 and 2002, but those are without guarantee and about 55.000 km. And very far from my home where they are sold. So I have to make some choices here.

And I prefer to buy one not too far from my home. Do you think it is a good choice to buy the one I am thinking of ? Tomorrow I will make a decent test ride and sleep some nights to think over.

About the passenger seat, i only need it maybe 4-5 times a year I guess.. At least for riding to the forthcoming MotoGP race in Assen , the Dutch TT. Than I have to take someone with me. The handle grip bar for the passenger I found is a "Puig A-Sider pillion grab".
The grip for the end of the seat could be a
"honda-vtr1000-firestorm-grab-rail-in-black" from company Renntec. To find on Ebay.

For me this is a change to move to a more sporty bike in my price range. Do you think it will be a good oppertunity for me ? Later on, say after 1 or 2 years later if I still like riding VTR I can always look for a newer VTR model from 2001 or newer with a bigger tank.
Any more thoughts about this is welcome.

Thank you so far for feedback! Very thankful to hear opinion from others about this.

Btw, picture of the VTR I preferably would like to buy:
http://i.imgur.com/lXzewX3.jpg

Cheers,
Erik

[Wicky]

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[img]http://i.imgur.com/lXzewX3.jpg[/img]

From the pic - it will be hot sticky feet for your pillion unless they have asbestos boots Put on your shopping list pillion footpegs and spacers.

As its an early model check that it has manual CCTs and an upgraded R/R. Check the rear shock/suspension linkage bearings are all greased up and the starter motor bolt under the rubber hood is corrosion free - Even tough its looks nice and shiny for its age the cut down sporty front mudguard throws all the road crap up to the exposed engine front. Think about getting an unhacked mudguard and fender extender esp. if you ride in all weathers/all year round.

[edk]

Yes forgot to mention those. I saw I need footpegs and spacers too indeed !
What about the machine, is it looking good ?

[Wicky]

Looks cosmetically very fine for its age - but you'll need to check that it has been just as obsessively serviced/maintained as well as it has been polished.

[edk]

As its an early model check that it has manual CCTs and an upgraded R/R.

@Wicky: What do you mean with "R/R" ? And about the CCTs, is a new automatic tensioner not easier for me ? I am not a technician in motorbikes, so for service I have to go to the motor garage. Maybe my father can help me with manual tensioners, but how often do they have to get checked / maintained ? Every year once ?

Erik

[Wicky]

The standard R/R (regulator rectifier) has a nasty habit of cooking itself / the battery and other electrical gubbins - best replace at minumum with a later finned version or best of all a MOSFET type.



And the other main weakness with the VTR is the self-imploding Honda automatic Cam Chain Tensioner which also a nasty habit of doing damage to the engine internals and wallet! (Rob de Hoo in Holland has manual CCTs in stock from Krieger US)

Have a good read through the *** Read Me for New Members *** http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 23&t=31345 esp. the Bike Maintenance and Upgrades/Modifications parts - and loook a the Workshop knowledebase section of the forum and use the 'Search' function...

[edk]

@Wicky, thanks for the quick replies ! I will defenitely read it. Tomorrow I am going to enjoy a nice few hours test riding a Honda VFR 800 (1998) and a VTR Firestorm (1997) for a few hours more.
Then sleep a few nights over it, and decide.


Greetings,
Erik

[agentpineapple]

I bought a brand new vfr800 in 1998, very capable bike, but a tad boring compared to the vtr, the vfr's more comfy and has a much better tank range, but the storm has character and soul, something the vfr will never have, I suppose it depends on the riding you do, if you do big mileage then go for the vfr, but if you ride for fun get the storm.
btw I disliked the linked brakes on the vfr, you couldn't use the rear brake to control slow speed riding, because it would activate the front brake as well.
you'll no doubt enjoy both bikes, but I know which one i'd choose....

[edk]

Hi all,

I just came back from a day of some touring on both the VFR800 and VTR Firestorm. Excuse me if talking a little about the VFR800 is not really alowed on this forum. I will keep it very short, if its no problem. Otherwise please remove this.
Both bikes are really fine, though the VTR is more fun because of its vtwin sound / character. At the moment I am thinking of buying the VTR (my heart says so). And if this bike is not what I want after all (say, several months) I can allways look for a VFR800 later on.

I will sleep a few nights and think all over before I decide.
When I buy the VTR it comes with new tires, CCT's renewed if necesarry, oil and filter renewal, new spark plugs, new air filter, that is included the original exhaust and belonging footpegs. Cost me 750 euro less compared to the VFR. And they will check and re-grease or renew bearings whatever is necesarry.
For the price the VTR is in reach of my budget, VFR is just litte over my budget now...


Thanks all for your feedback and advice ! Appreciate it a lot.
And about the tank fuel range of 16 litre is not a problem for me because I will not ride very long distances with it. Just for fun riding really, and ocassionally a longer distance say 250 km once a while.

...Need a few days to think about it....

Erik

[edk]

This topic may be closed. Unfortunately I have not bought a Firestorm, although the choice was very difficult.
Thank you for replies.

Erik

[Furrybiker]

What made you choose the VFR, assuming that did buy one?

[adewhitmarsh]

Hi,I can supply manual ccts at £46.00 a pair with postage,many vtr owners have purchased them from me . contact email address adrianwhitmarsh@yahoo.co.uk