Honda VFR 750 (1995-1998) Review and used buying guide

Version: RC36/b

Year: 1997

Comfortable and excellent long distance companion you can have for current prices.

Buying experience: I took 6months to find my Vfr as because it had to be one with SBK bars and low mileage. It was advertised for €3500 and I managed to privately reduce the price by 10%.

Version: RC36

Year: 1997

Have owned 25+ motorcycles in my lifetime, ridden many more. I commute every day. Done track days and some light enduro. Worked as a London courier. I am trying to review this bike from the perspective of a real-world motorcyclist. To my mind this is one of the most soulful/reliable/enjoyable and well built motorcycles out there. On the road (where it was designed to be ridden), it is absolutely impeccable. The 750cc V4 is almost flawless, it just rolls through the power curve in any gear. I have ridden the ballistic big superbikes/nakeds (currently own a Fireblade too) but would rather jump on the VFR every time - it just works so much better on the road and is so much fun. It is more comfortable than a naked above 60mph because of the proper fairing and wind protection/and it handles far better than an obese tourer. It is also has gorgeous aesthetics in my opinion - looks a classic 90's sports bike with flowing lines - and a single sided swingarm like Joey's RC30! You can also see how Honda wanted it to imitate the NR750 visually. It looks far better in the flesh than it does in pictures. Very high quality fit and finish.

Buying experience: Bought privately, low mileage. Spent time to search out the best condition example could find. Couldn't be happier. Iconic machine - this ones a keeper.

Version: F

Year: 1995

Classic style, classic looks, modern super bike speeds (150mph +) more than enough for 99% of riders

Buying experience: Lucky to get a low milage (less than 5000k miles) it was winning the lottery!

Version: VFR750F (USA)

Year: 1997

Annual servicing cost: £150

Best: nothing keeps going wrong with mine at 49k miles, sublime unique engine sound, zero leaks, excellent comfort, no vibration at all RPMs, all the acceleration I need (0-60 in 3.2 sec), 155 MPH top speed, great brakes with braided line upgrade, large fuel tank, perfect instrument panel, silky clutch, decent MPG, and stunning timeless looks. Only complaints: could loose 50 lbs, and the NACA duct inapproprially adds pressure at the rear of the engine compartment which is where you want low pressure to exhaust the hot air.

Buying experience: $1,000 cash from private seller, stored for years under a ripped tarp in rural California desert. Looked bad, but ran perfectly (still does).

Year: 1996

The best all around street motorbike I have ever owned. The only non-factory modification I made was the exhaust to raise the muffler position to show off the rear wheel & give it a deeper (not so much louder) sound.

Buying experience: Private purchase

Version: FR

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £200

Superb reliability and quality of finish. All-round rideability with simplicity compared to contemporary bikes. Great power delivery, pulling throughout the rev range. Not overly powerful by today's standards but very usable no matter cruising, touring or commuting. LIghting upgrade to LED, maybe abs and brake upgrade. Fairing might needs maintenance after 200,000k on mine

Buying experience: Bought from a dealer second hand with 64,000km on the clock. Was the cleanest of two VFR's offered. No issues.

Version: RC36

Year: 1996

Annual servicing cost: £1,000

Loved by owners but never graced a bedroom wall. Heritage of iconic Honda V4 RC30 but a sports tourer so not flickable nor heart pumping like a Fireblade. Mine is painted Castrol Honda colours , and I like the grunty performance and sound. Ideal for a road trip. Slightly top heavy when tank is full and weight means a a lot of momentum to shift. But that means great stability too.The VFR is a great and competent compromise between a Fireblade and a CB.

Buying experience: I bought mine surfing the internet one sleepless night .... £1k , yeah why not !

Version: 750f

Year: 1997

I’ve owned two R6 Yamahas, and I now own an RC51, and a 97 vfr I bought for $2300 with only 5k miles. It is incredible and accelerated like butter, so smooth. I replaced the R/R before it went out, with a Shindengen and upgraded wiring harness. Also Delkevic exhausts are what I have on both my bikes and I highly recommend, for the money.

Buying experience: Privately. Asked $3000, I gave home $2300

Year: 1996

4 or 5 stars is a tricky choice but - given the poor charging system design and the adequate suspension and braking setup - 4 stars it is.

Buying experience: Bought from a dealer well over a decade ago. Once I'd chopped in the (ordinary) CBX750 I had.

Year: 1997

Annual servicing cost: £100

Best bike I've ever owned! I have had 3 VFRs in total (the other two were c2000 800cc pre-VTEC versions), and I MUCH prefer the 750. It's lighter, more flickable, slimmer, better looking, easier to work on, and even though probably not as quick in a straight line, fast enough!

Version: rc36-II

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £80

Definitely a collector's item! Like some Honda bikes, these V4 examples seem like something timelessly and alienly built, and when you find one in mint conditions... KEEP IT! Something drawn and built like a Star Wars or Star Trek episodes and ships

Buying experience: Private seller, that works on a "Motospazzio".

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £300

Best motorbike I have ever owned. Stylish, reliable, great handling & performance, and comfortable.

Year: 1996

best bike i have ever owned, owned mine 12 years and it never fails to make me smile, I race a Fireblade and so ride my VFR v hard every time I use it , if you want a tourer that'll keep up with any modern 750 sports bike in the twistys, then this is the tool for you. It's 110% reliable and unbreakable, The only way to stop this bike being the best thing you've ever ridden is to hit a tree with it.

Version: VFR750FS

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £500

4 out of 5 because I would have preferred a slightly more racy position. Subsequent models (VFR800) were even more bolt upright and so for that reason and the introduction of a linked braking system I never considered upgrading. Until now. Mostly I would echo Stuart Mudd's comprehensive review except I rate the engine a solid 5. Having just returned to Sydney from the Phillip Island MotoGP including several hundred kms of fast twisties with 10 other bikes, all 1000cc or above, I had plenty to test it against. BMW k1300, Harley, Ducati, Yam R1s, even a Hyabusa...all excellent powerful engines piloted by experienced and capable riders. The light and flickable R1s were like rapiers in the bends but NONE of the bikes accelerated away from the VFR. The key is dropping down a gear. VFR has low down torque enabling a higher gear to be used but comes alive if you slip back a notch. Ducati Diavel could use its grunt to accelerate away on a long straight. BMW had the extra legs - fab bike, well ridden, but they're discontinuing production - but VFR kept up easily In the tight conditions. My bike has done 115000km and so far have replaced chain and sprockets twice and steering head béarings twice. Minimal upkeep. I have a swept up after market exhaust which sounds beautiful without being overly loud and adds immensely to the look of the bike. Gripes? High centre of gravity and high seat making it even worse. As a result it can feel pendulous (slow handling). Keeping steering head bearings in top condition and choice of tyres - and good riding technique - can quicken the handling. Dull? In terms of styling I would be first to say this is an ugly duckling. In fact I bought it 22 years ago despite its looks. Front fairing was styled after a samurai war bonnet (I recall) - not very successfully imo - and the duck tail is big and FAT. Side fairing is nice but only gripe is the little tabs that lock into the front fairing simply wore off. It still stays in place with screws etc but annoys me that this was not well designed. This has been and still is a fabulous bike but time to move on. Contenders are likely to be BMW R1300RS or Honda VFR1200F depending what the new year unveils. It will need to be as good as my 750 so I'm setting the bar pretty high.

Buying experience: Dealer. 22 years ago. Traded in my Honda Spada 250 plus $10000 cash for a rare (at the time) shiny black VFR. I never actually asked how much the VFR was? (Might have been $13k?) I asked if they could give me one for 10k plus trade-in and they agreed. Oh they also sold me an Arai Mick Doohan helmet for wholesale as part of the deal. That was Frasers near Strathfield - the sales guy was great. But their servicing was ordinary - you'd get your pristine bike back with greasy prints all over the tank, missing and/or foreign screws. I would hope they've learned since then but I never went back after several repeat experiences.

Version: F-V

Year: 1997

I've mistakenly looked to have an affair with another bike, out of curiosity of course, but have not found anything that even comes close to the VFR (Vercitile Fast Reliable)

Buying experience: I bought this brand spanking new from C J Balls in Norfolk.

Version: FV

Year: 1996

Everyone knows how good these bikes are. Owners tend to highly rate them and their qualities are widely acknowledged throughout the interweb. Even on this very website. Yet I am left wondering: did these people ride the same bike as me? What people want to know is: what's NOT so good about them? 1) People sometimes call them all rounders. They're not. They're sports tourers. The riding position cripples wrists in the stop-start of city traffic. They're comfy at 50 mph or more. 2) They're really, really dull. No character. And also, kind of....gutless. They don't sound particularly amazing either. For that sole reason, i.e. lack of soul, although the bike is very very good at what it does, it's not a keeper as it's not a machine that gets under your skin and you fall in love with. Alternatives I would buy instead: BMW R1100S: looks mean, shaftie, has that BMW transverse rocking thing. THAT was a quality bike too. Yet somewhat unloved and un noticed. I would buy one over a VFR. Trumpy Sprint ST: more cc's and fewer cylinders = more grunt. The engine is more entertaining which is a big plus for me. It has a bit more soul than the VFR, but less refined. Which may be a good thing. Got caught at 170km/h in a 70km/h zone on Victoria Island once. Happy days.

Buying experience: Paid nothing for it. My mate snapped his CCL in his knee and I got his bike for 6 months.

Year: 1997

Annual servicing cost: £50

I would certainly recommend this bike to anyone. It's the type of bike that'll surprise you and thrill you and you will grow to love it.

Buying experience: Privately from a guy who was moving up to a faster bike to keep up with his friends. Advertised at $2400 Canadian, purchased for $2000. Two years later I was having a bad day and sold it for $3000 and just recently I purchased it back from the buyer for $1500. He wasn't using it and had only put on 70 miles in 2 riding seasons!!!

Year: 1996

Never thought I would like a '96 sports touring as I like the VFR 750. For an almost 20 years bike it still turns heads.

Buying experience: Bought mine privately, it was listed €2300 and I bought it for €2000.

Year: 1997

One of the best bikes I have ever had

Version: FV

Year: 1997

THE best all rounder bar none

I have a 1988 vfr 750 fj in red its like new done 45000 k which is nothing for a vfr . the bike is almost 27 years old and still can keep with new bikes I also have a triumph st 1050 , the brakes on the vfr are not as good as a modern bike, but hay how fast do you want to go.The build quality on these early vfr's is to a very high standard .That v4 engine has plenty of torque sounds well mine has had the exhaust changed for a full stainless steal one as they rot . You get early vfr's at a good price now and they are value for money, had mine 7 years use it as a second bike and it still brings a smile to my face when I ride it .

I owned an '86 VFR 750 years ago but being young i didn't appreciate what it offered. Now 12 years on, i own a '97 VFR750 and it is a brilliant all-rounder bike. Handles the commutes to work as well as weekend trips all without fuss. Will average 58mpg sitting at 70 mph on the motorway, or in traffic commuting it returns 50mpg, but average overall is 54mpg. Genuine Honda build quality and reliability along with a charactorful engine note from the gear driven cams. Valve clearances check every 16k miles, after the initial 16k one they rarely go out of spec after. Engine feels very smooth with no vibrations, mirrors stay blurr-free at all speeds which is a joy! Plenty of useable torque from low down. Standard gearing is ok but me personally i would go +1 tooth on the front to lengthen the gears. The only not so good points to mention are the front brakes lack power, typical of 2-pot calipers, but genuine Honda pads and braided hoses help get the best out of them. And its not the lightest at around 226kg. Also it would be nice to have more storage under the seat, but a tailpack will cure this. If i had to have just one motorbike, it would be a VFR.

Tried the whole gamut: R1,Blackbird, TLR,TLS,RSV,RST,900SS,ST4,Bandit12,ZRX12, even a`96 VFR750&`99 VFR800, nothing comes close to my lil,old`92 Veef 7.5,for larfs & jollies. I sold it once to my son to move up to the later models,then pestered him till he sold it back. 49k`s on the clock & still runs like a Rolex.Sorted the jets,+full Carb.Can Co exhaust,stiffed the suspension,it pulled 260kph last June down thru the plains & up into the montanas,Spain, on rails & still accelerating, only bike that comes near it for sheer excitement is my `fully sorted` SV650 but it cant hold a candle to the utter creaminess of the `Veef` on big trips..F.

Bought my 1996 Viffer a couple years ago with about 9800 miles on her. The regulator/rectifer is shite but everything else on the 4th generation is near bullet-proof. Changing the exhaust to a D&D; immediate sound change and it seems quicker as well when rolling on the throttle. Ripping through the curvy country roads here in the hilly confines of Southern Indiana/Kentucky, the bike handles confidently and inspires you to hit the corners faster. I do like the single-sided swingarm. Yes, most gixxers and ninja liter bikes would thrash it. But that's not the point. From touring to corner carver, the VFR 750 is a do-it-all bike. And comfortable, too. The V4 sound with the aftermarket exhaust really does make it sound like a Chevy V6 small block, as some have described it. Deep and a bit nasty...people have to turn their heads when they hear it coming and going. It's a bit heavy at slow speeds but it's very stable at higher speeds. I probably won't sell it as it pretty much is as fun to hit the twisties on it as well as commute. And people still comment on what a nice bike it is...not that it's a deal seller but the bike doesn't look very dated compared to others of the same era. To me, the 4th generation is best of the VFR's; too bad the newer 1200 isn't like the 750.

Living in rural Sweden means a season only April-October so something reliable and with a descent fairing that protects you from the cold wind is a necessaty. While wife and I enjoy touring in Scandinavia and rest of Europe VFR seems like the sensible choice when I enjoy a bike that can turn in a better way than for ex a Pan or a big BMW. Its also a great way to stay out of the GS-armada that has reached our shores as well. I just bought a blue VFR -97 with roughly 30000 km on it because my old red VFR -90 needs a new and friendlier home. I bought her 2003 with 43000 km on the clock and now more than 7 years later you can read +150000 km on the clock. The only thing I have swopped is of course the rectifier but also the petrol pump. A friend welded the exhaust some years ago and the Hagon shock I bought 2 years ago is the worst of crap coming from England, never again. 150000 km is what I think you should expect from a VFR but what impresses is that she is in such good condition even though I haven´t paid much attention to her except riding. Cleaning once a year and many nights out in the cold rain and too long between services. She has taken me and wife to many parts of Europe incl Italy, Ukraine and 2010 on honeymoon to Dubrovnik in Croatia. The honeymoon turned out to be her probably last trip abroad. Probably because of too many nights out in the rain the keylock gave up near Dubrovnik so a local mechanic fixed a switch from a lamp for on/off. Also on our way home on autobahn we had a long quee (stauh in german). Bike fully loaded +30 hot and upphill the clutch began to fail. No problems to get home but when giving full throttle the clutch slips. I´m 46 tomorrow and hope to enjoy VFR:s for more years until I will retire on a GS.

I bought my 97 vfr750 about a year ago with 50,000 miles on the clock and a full main-dealer service history . I only bought it because i was a bit skint and it was a good price . I also remembered a despatch rider i used to work with that owned an older one and had covered 170.000 miles on and swore he had only ever spent on service parts . 1 year and 6,000 miles on i just cant fault it .I did my first ever track day last week at Snetterton and i love the bike even more now !.....obviously fireblades etc came flying past on the straights but nothing pulled away on the bends....wet or dry track . I have a bit more money now and have been looking around for something newer to buy but i just cant see what i will be gaining apart from a different number plate . Pound for pound it the best bike i have ever owned.

I bought mine in November 09, an FT with 21k miles. Paid £1850, so top whack, but it is near mint with service history and old MOTs to back it all up. In our 3 months together so far (through a very cold and icy winter) I have covered 3000 miles and finally, just about, got to grips with it. The paintwork is deep and still polishes up to a nice shine. The original exhaust is rotten and will fall off soon. There is a lot of plastic to take off to do any servicing, and balancing the carbs will result in much swearing and burning of hands. Chain adjustment is literally a 5 minute job if you have the original Honda spanner. The engine is torquey, and burbles satisfyingly at tickover. Rev it hard and it unleashes super acceleration over 6k revs, accompanied by a snarling, growling exhaust note. I had problems getting it to handle right. The front end felt wallowy and oddly detached. I spent a couple of days playing with the suspension and it feels a lot more nimble and planted now. The front is only preload adjustable, so fork oil changes are a must. The problem is that you lose some of that armchair comfort by winding up the preload to make it handle, but it is still all-day comfortable (400 miles in a day is easy with no real comfort issues). My first tank of fuel, when I was tickling the throttle, lasted me over 200 miles before the reserve light came on. Now I get no more than 150, but nearly all of my riding is round town and on twisty roads. Front brake pads wear quickly, as it is a heavy bike to stop. Make sure you use the front and rear brakes together to keep it balanced, or you will find the back end skipping all over the place under heavy braking. The weight means you have to get your bum off the seat to make it handle on twisty roads. With the weight it is prone to falling into corners, but the power available means getting it back upright is easy enough. I am running Michelin Road Pilot 2 tyres, and have had no grip issues as yet, no squaring off and little to no wear after 3000 miles. If you are buying look for rotten exhausts (replacements are not cheap), knackered and rusty rear shocks, as they don't come with a hugger as standard and the shock collects a lot of crap. The front spark plugs are a bitch to get at (you have to remove the fairing and the radiator) so make sure these have been changed recently, and are not 16 years old and seized in place. I know I have only done 3k miles but there is nothing to suggest it will give me any problems. It feels like a new bike, it is built like a tank, and still looks relevant when you pull up in the car park on a Sunday rideout.

Beautiful, powerful, unique! I've had my '97 VFR750 since April this year. It's done 28k altogether so far. I have no intentions of changing it for another bike until it hits 100k, at the very least. It is all the bike a passionate motorcyclist will ever need. Just a shame that Honda charge £3.50 for one fairing bolt. Otherwise it is uncomplicated and cheaper to service (but also thirstier) than later VFR's. I prefer the individual brakes.

bought my 1995 VFR in 2005. its been 4 years with her and she is just stunning although the clock shows 53k miles. this is the most comfortable bike i ever own, passenger love it :) the engine perform more then your expectation. it last like a beemer boxer. for 53k miles on the bike, all i have done is just normal service.. no major service done before but the engine still run strong and smooth. i put my finger and rub at the exhaust and its clean!! the engine does not produce high BHP but the torque is brilliant! this bike could handle properly, very stable in freeway and twisties road, its easy to handle to town as well.. don't let the weight fool around, its light when the bikes goes. many beginner tried my bike and their feedback is easy to ride and friendly. she is so proud, everybody love her! i have change a braided hose and sintered pads and the brakes are just astonishing! ground clearance is good but if getting the bike lower, you'll scratch the center stand with the ground. rear suspension is weak now, properly its time to replace a new rear spring.. some said the rectifier will not last, been use more than 3 years now and it still working :) some people offer me with great value but i'll still keep this until i got a V5 VFR in 2009? :)

Having just sold my V-Strom I bought my 1995 VFR in June 08 with a mere 21k on the clock for commuting and the odd bit of fun. My idea being - smaller engine better fuel return. How wrong I was, with a mere 19 - 21mpg the VFR drinks like a fish and giving me only 95-100 miles to the red fuel light. At first I thought in town, be better on a run... Quick blast on the motorway later and I still only got 100-110 to a tank pathetic for the "best Bike Ever" Besides the fuel non economy it is a nice bike but was draughty on a run until I fitted a double bubble screen. The riding position is quite comfortable and at 6 foot I dont feel cramped at all on it. The rear passenger seat is more than big enough for a pillion with pegs placed so their knees are not up around their ears. Handling is good even when 2 up on it. Brakes are excellent and pull up the mass of bike and rider very quickly even when on the motorways. The rear shock does feel a bit soft but that is probably down to it being 13 years old and it may be changed if I keep the bike. I'm still not sure I like the single sided swinging arm or to be more accurate the adjusting of the chain. Which reminds me I have to adjust the chain, now where did I put that spanner.....?

I haven't been riding to long but I bought an 1999 R6 and got so into riding wanted to ride through winter not wanting to ruin my R6 as it is immaculate I started looking for a winter commuter. I came accross a 1989 VFR FK. What a bike been riding it to work and back for around 3 months now and it is brilliant. Easy to ride very comfortable and still has plenty of power and speed when needed. I had heard reliability was excellent on these and through all weathers has made my 40 mile round trip to work everyday no problem. My bike has 37K on the clock but still is as smooth as anything can't think of a better everyday bike. You can ride as quick or as slow as you like. Only fault suspension slightly spongy but my other bike is a R6 so most bikes ride feels spongy.

I have just bought my first vfr I bought it for £900 with 2 spare screens a wheel hugger and a brand new rear wheel and new tyre. it came with a part service history as well, well i think the bloke I bought it off has fiddled himself out of some of my hard earned money. Well anyway what a comfortable bike and its quick off the mark and riding along at 85/90 mph seems like your not moving very fast at all, so I will have to be carefull otherwise my licence will go up in smoke. I'm really happy with this bike and I would buy another one anyday. HAppy safe riding everyone.

Bought my 97 after researching for 6 months. I wanted something that wouldn't break the bank was comfortable enough to ride all day without destroying my spine, fast enough to ride freeways and get out of danger but not so I'm popping wheelies, and nimble enough for fast rides through twisties on the weekends with some inline 4 friends. Extremely tall order for all this and after looking at all the reviews there was only 1 obvious choice. The Honda reliability makes this bike a steal with all the good deals to be had buying a used in great condition VFR.

I bought my VFR750FV new in 1997 for £7250. Having previously put up with a Ducati 851, I read all the wright ups before purchasing what was at the time being called "the best bike in the world" by many journalists. I was not disappointed. It just did everything soooo well ! From touring to track days - simply brilliant. BT012 tyres and an end can improved it still further. The V4 sounds delicious through it's Renagade pipe. In ten years of ownership I've only ever had one problem - failed voltage regulator. A known issue with VFR's - which perhaps should have been resolved by the time I bought mine in '97. Replacement parts where modified, so if you buy a VFR check the bike you are looking at has a modified item, or you may cook your battery far from home. Most aftermarket items are as good as the Honda item. In 1997 best bike in the world ? In my opinion you bet ! My only problem now after ten yeras of ownership is finding something as good to replace it with. Maybe I'll keep her for another year. Cheers all.

Having owned vfr's from 800fiw thru to '05 vtech. I can honestly say that the 750 fv in no way dissapoints! Comfier riding position,( for me at 6'1") very smooth engine - no snatchiness like I had with the vtech. Quality parts like the brake callipers etc and nice styling although rather dated now. Strengths: Great engine, very clean and smooth carburation,good build,100% reliable and fast enough in the real world. Weaknesses: none

Bought a year or so ago with under 10,000 miles on the clock and fsh to prove it. Price was top-end for the year but still good value. Many people think the late model 750s are superior to the later 800s and VTECs. Lovely torquey, smooth and well-tempered engine and a comfortable ride. Fit bar risers and a vario-screen to avoid wrist-ache and buffeting and you can ride all day in comfort. Sporty when you want it to be, relaxed if you're not in a rush. Will keep it until it falls apart, which to judge from the build quality, will be many many years hence. Strengths: Great engine and comfort, all-round versatility, rock steady handling. Weaknesses: Servicing costs, regulator/rectifier (but OEM versions are available and better), heavyish at low speed.

Having ridden several brand new bigger bikes ie Blackbirds and CBR1000F, ZZR 1100 s, I came to this machine by accident, I popped into a bike dealers to have a look around, and ended up purchasing a 2 owner VFR750FN with 19000 on the clock. The machine had brand new bridgestones, Disks, Exhaust, Braded Brakes, and Sealed Battery, Plus single seat. Immaculate cosmestically. The machine was on a J plate 1991, but looked 3 yrs old. It had been well looked after by people who just holidayed on it Strengths: I have never experienced the pleasures of a V4 Engine before. You can thrash it till it redlines and screams . The handling and cornering is brilliant, fuel consumption 45 to 50 mpg. The braded brakes and hard pads stop superbly with single finger action. Weaknesses: The only thing I truthfully dislike is the colour, a rather dark metallic green. Also a small piece of plastic under the double headlight has got a small crack. To replace it, it looks like every piece of plastic at the front has to be removed first.Also it doesnt have bungee hooks.