Thoughts on VTR Interceptor 250?

[Sheresh07]

After doing some extensive digging I found this guy locally (http://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/717727676.html) for 950$. Anyone know anything about these bikes? How they stack up with the newer Ninja 250R? Good deal?

[jeffcoslacker]

Never even heard of one before.


Apparently only made from '88-'90 in that form with full fairnings, from what I can find. The ones after that are naked sport with a trellis frame.

They seem to have a good following, same kind of comments as with the 250R, great mileage, handles as well or better than larger sport bikes, no ball of fire but an acceptable trade-off for the sharp handling, etc.

They said it's capable of 100+mph but feels a little dicey that high, but runs comfortably at highway speed...

11:1 compression so it'll probably need premium fuel. 32 hp and a little over 300 pounds, not too shabby. Sounds like fun to me.

My guess would be that roll-on torque has got to be better than the 250R's paralell twin (the VTR is a V-twin), so it might have a slight edge there.

Ask him why the fairings are primer?

[jeffcoslacker]

A little more...KBB puts retail value at $1535 and trade at $995 (with normal miles), so he's close....private party value should fall between those two figures, minus some for the miles and whatever's going on with the primer...

If it checks out and has a title with no funny business I'd offer $750 and see what happens...

[Sheresh07]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

A little more...KBB puts retail value at $1535 and trade at $995 (with normal miles), so he's close....private party value should fall between those two figures, minus some for the miles and whatever's going on with the primer...

If it checks out and has a title with no funny business I'd offer $750 and see what happens...

Yea I emailed him and asked him a few questions, a few of which centered around why the fairings were in primer and what kind of work has or has not been done.

[richtazz]

I believe that in a very un-Honda fashion, the decals on those bikes had an issue with fading and peeling, which may be why they are in primer. It's a pretty sharp bike otherwise, and it should make you a nice bike if he has the information such as maintenance records and such.

[speediva]

A friend of mine started on a VTR and kept it for a long time after just because it was reliable, fun, and cheap.

They are older (seeing as how they only made them in the late 80s - early 90s, but it's a Honda - really, can you go wrong?

[Sheresh07]

Guy hasn't responded back to me at all so, we'll see if I can go wrong.

Just registered for the MSF course so I SHOULD have my license this coming Monday!

[Sheresh07]

Well he finally got back to me, although a bit vaguely. Here are the following questions I sent him, and below them are the answers I got.

1. What year is the bike?
2. Do you have a Clean Title?
3. Do you have some or all maintenance records?
4. Has the bike ever been raced?
5. Has it ever been dropped or crashed?
6. When was the last time you put new tires on?
7. Are there any after market modifications?
8. If you were going to keep it for another year or two, what service if any would you have done to it to keep it running?
9. Looks like thats primer paint on the fairings, repeat of an earlier question I know but has there ever been any minor/major damage done to the bike?

================================================== =

1989
Texas Title
Never raced
droped never crashed
four or five year old tires
no aftermarket mechanical changes
i just drive it
I fixed a crack in a fender and primered all.

Little worried that he didn't answer #3, or #8. Based of his responses what do you guys think?

[kelwa1]

I'd be more concerned with the parts availability, or the lack of. It was only a 2 year offering here in the U.S. and Honda has a way with NOS parts inventory. The smaller the inventory quantities, the higher the price, as an ex-parts manager for an Atlanta Honda dealer. Trust me on this. The 1975-77 Goldwing GL1000 fuel tank, (at my last availability check when I was still in the business 1999-2000), was $1200,,,,, new. 1986-87 GL1200 fuel tanks were going for $250-300 new at that time also Lack of parts support means lack of maintenance when it comes time for it. Boo. There are no aftermarket parts for the VTR250 except for cables, sparkplugs, oil filters, and maybe brake pads. It's a desert.

I'd also be concerned with the inboard front brake disc and caliper. Whereas on the standard sportbike front brakes, your rotor and calipers are outside of the wheel, they are inside the front wheel on the 1989-90 VTR250F.


IMHO, if you want a sportbike, and it has to be a 250cc machine, I'd go for the Kawasaki EX250 Ninja. Kawasaki has been offering this motorcycle for close to 20 years now, if not longer. They've got to have all the bugs worked out by now, and parts are super-easy to get, Factory OEM and aftermarket, new and/or used.

Based on his response in addition to the info I know about the VTR250F, I'd look elsewhere.