To buy or not to buy...?

[kwak246]

Hello guys & girls

I'm new on here and need some help please. To give some background - I've always loved twins (used to have SV650) but didnt have any intentions of buying a road bike (currently race motocross) until I was offered a VTR1000 buy a friend yesterday which has now made me really want one just for a Sunday afternoon in the summer kind of thing.

I'd really appreciate your opinions on what I am being offered - it's a 1997 VTR1000 Firestorm in red, my concern at this stage is the mileage which is 31k. After a bit of googling it's seems pretty apparant they have problem with the CCT. If I did buy it the first thing I'd want to do is carry out the relevant CCT work as a precaution - unfortunately I have zero mechanical knowledge so would be using local bike shops for all the work. Can someone please explain what exactly needs doing to the CCT's, I've heard about replacing with manual ones. Is it an expensive job to have done?

Secondly - are there any other things I need to consider with a bike of this mileage?

Finaly - Its been offered to me at £1500 which I could maybe get down to £1400 - does this seem about right?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Ta, Rob

[bazza696]

For a start you have got the best colour, the mileage is not a problem due to these bikes being made well and very low stressed engines. Tony.mon and others have over 55k on theirs.

The thing to look for is any damage to the plastics cause mine is a 97 and they do get a bit brittle with age.

The bike should have been looked after, as we are those type of people on here you don't usually get hooligans riding these bikes.

See if it still has the Honda automatic CCT's, I say that cause itt is getting rare to find a `storm that age without someone possibly fitting them.

They are expensive if you buy APE's, about 100 notes shipped, but I convert dead autos to manuals for not a lot of money, see pictures here

http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=16419

Something else to consider is the rectifier have a tendency to die, it is because the original does not have a heatsink on it to allow proper cooling, have a look with the seat off on the offside of the sub frame to see if there is a metal box with fins on it, or just a block of metal.
If this fails then it usually takes the battery out, and you get angry cause the rectifier does not charge the battery and the bike uses it up and stops, and no matter how much bumping it will not start, as `storms need a battery to run.

Finally, 1400 is not bad, mine has 27k on it and is 97 plate and I paid 1800 last september.

[Mick B]

Hi welcome Rob.

I bought my storm last year with 22,000 ish on the clock.As Bazza said rectifiers can cause issues but one from a R1,R6 sorts this out and needs very basic skills to fit(£15-£20 from ebay). Some people are happy to just change the CCT to stock ones but after hearing what damage they do when they fail I didnt want to risk Honda ones and fitted Ape manual tensioners.There is loads of help and advice on both topics but as Bazza stated he can sort you out with tensioners cheaper than originals or Apes.

The price of the bike sounds ok and i have been told Storms last forever if serviced regular and have the above 2 mods done.

Go for it fella. I was in the same boat and a year on still

[Firestarter0230]

You could always buy my one, the cct`s are done , it has 23700 miles , has an uprated rear shock , new avon tyres , and had an r6 reg/rectifier.

All for £1750.00

Have a look in the for sale section!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rst steve]

Hehe mines up grabs to again in the for sale section dare to be differant lol