Hello

[vtr..al]

Hi there,
Sold my thunderace last week and i'm looking for something a little different and thought i might try a big twin ....never ridden one before but i'm off to look at a VTR this afternoon.

Is there anything i should be looking out for?...Any info would be appreciated

The bike is a 97 R reg and done 30,000 miles and the guy selling it says its like new!!....also the previous owner was the type to get anything done that it needed and there is lots of history and paperwork with it.It is all standard(would have liked race cans )and he is asking £1500 but will take less!

Will let you know how i get on!......see you later :wink2

Al

[sirch345]

Welcome aboard Al

A little late with a reply for yesterday afternoon's test ride. But Timbo has mentioned the CCT's which there's loads on here about that if you do a search. The other weak point is the rectifier, it's located on the right hand side of the bike in behind the seat plastic fairing/tail piece. If it's the original item it will be without any cooling fins on it, and that is the problem. Most of us replace it with a Yamaha R1 unit from Ebay for around a tenner.

Apart from those two things the Firestorm is normally a pretty reliable bike, with very few other problems,

Chris.

PS. How did you get on with your test ride they're a completely different bike compared to an inline four.

[vtr..al]

Cheers for the welcome.....really liked the firestorm and it felt tiny compared to the thunderace i'm used to...but typical british weather it was fine all day until the test ride when it stareted to pour down...still enjoyed it though.

The bike was very clean with just the odd mark here and there it had just had chain and sprockets and the cct's changed at 14,000 miles.Loads of paperwork with the bike and receipts for servicing,alll the old mot's from new,the original bill of sale,original handbooks,datatag certificates and haynes manual.

He wanted £1500 and i thought more like £1250 seeing as it needs a new back tyre before long.Also it only has the standard cans(sounded very quite) and i wanted race cans so it would sound like it should!!

I also thought i could hear a clicking sort of noise from the front of the engine when travelling at low revs but that could just be me not being used to the sound of a twin....it sounded fine when parked and revved.

I left the guy my number and an offer of £1250 cash....we'll have to wait and see

What do you guys think about the price for an R reg 30,000 miler considering what i have said?

Al

[sirch345]

A bike is only worth what someone's willing to pay for it. But after saying that it's down to the seller if he lets it go for that price!

Normally going on I would say your price (especially at this time of the year) for the mileage is not that far out. But this particular bike does have all the following (quote below) which you don't often get, plus you say it's a very clean bike. So IMHO would be worth a bit more than normal

.Loads of paperwork with the bike and receipts for servicing,all the old mot's from new,the original bill of sale,original handbooks,datatag certificates

As you say time will tell If the guy needs the cash then you may be lucky, but if not you may have to increase your offer.

One thing that could go in your favour is, at 32,000mls the bike will need the big service again, that includes having the valve clearances checked. This should have been done at the 16,000mls service, worth checking the service records on that.

Chris.

[bikerpiker]

As a guide, i bought mine off ebay 2 years ago R plate,19k miles , fsh, etc for £1220 ,but i believe i got a great buy there, and could probably get my money back and poss more on a good day

The prices do vary considerably , i think you've just got to compare like for like , check the classifieds in your area.

You can do a baffle modification on standard cans , like i and a few others have done ,then you'll have noise

P.S deano (or is it dean o)who is a member of this forum, is still, as far as im aware , selling a real tidy firestorm ,...im sure he was looking for roughly what the other seller is asking ,but you never know .........it might be worth giving him a PM,

ps..not sure what area you are in mate ,it doesnt say in yer profile ,but Deanos around Whitby/Scarborough area

[vtr..al]

The guy has just got back to me saying he will take £1300 as he needs the cash.....mmmm desicion time

Al

[Pete.L]

Welcome Aboard Al
Go with your gut feeling. It's still a lot of bike for £1300 If you're happy pay the price, if not, walk away. There will always be another one out there somewhere:P

Pete.l

[Bluefox]

That dont seem to bad price wise,
you can probably get a year or two out of it with out & still get most of yer cash back.

Just bear in mind your gonna be due a set of tensioners again,(if my math is right)

Good luck with it.

Thinking about it ,i've got a 97 in red,and i'd begrudge letting it go for that sort of money,but there you go!!!

[vtr..al]

Well after a lot of thinking i phoned the guy and offered £1275 cash and he accepted ...so as of 6.00pm tonight i have become the owner of a nice firestorm

The ride home was very impressive...i love the riding position and the motor is just fantastic...very torquey and will sound ace once i drill the baffles.Just been in the garage and noticed its got Hel brake lines on the front ......i'm very happy with it and think its a hell of a bike for the money i paid for it.

Just took a couple of pics...will do some better ones tommorrow.....



Al

[bikerpiker]

Nice looking 'storm at a good price , well done

[stormingjoe]

rather strange colour.

[tony.mon]

I think you did well there.

I had one that looked standard and yellow for a while- then I found this forum and its "helpful advice" and started fiddlin around with it...............

My crystal ball says that you will lose hours on E-bay....

[vtr..al]

Yes mate looking for engine parts...went out on it tonight and the cct on the front has let go and bent me valves....i'm not happy at all...spent tonight stripping it all down

Al

[bikerpiker]

Aw sh1t,...sorry to hear that mate ,pure bad luck ,theres obviously no good time for that to happen, but, a few days after you buy it, the chances of that happening are surely slim

[vtr..al]

On a more positive note,at least i'll get to know the bike a little better for having to work on it.....i've hardly rode it and was only doing about 40 when i heard an awful clattering noise so i stopped it right away.Have stripped it down and the rear cylinder is fine but the front timing as slipped a few teeth and when i try to align the timing marks the engine turns over a while then goes solid which i suspect is the piston against a valve!!....will strip off the head tommorrow night and inspect the damage.