I have a question that only a young dumb rider like myself would ask. Are VF1000s any good for wheelies?
I will preface this by saying I do not intend to do any stunting with my bikes. I only ask because I know temptation is bound to get the better of me and I’m going to try it eventually. My Sabres don’t wheelie, shaft drive doesn’t seem to jive with it. Geometry is a bit weird and they tend to just break the tire loose with that kind of input.
Do the interceptors have any sort of oil/fuel issues when popping wheelies or have frame/motor weak points when coming back down.
Basically I just want to know if it will be safe to do one or two wheelies just to get it out of my system.
The old VF’s in general don’t tend to “wheelie” well, they certainly can wheelie…but they’re basically too heavy and the forks, fork seals, head bearings and upper frame around the steering head will suffer badly…and they can come down “hard” if not careful. Just be aware of the consequences of too many wheelies.
We here are mostly VF owners who “appreciate” the old school character of them and wish to keep them running as well as possible…rather than trying to throw them up the road.
Just be aware the VF1000F’s are in the 233kg+, (dry), region…add 20+L of fuel, oil and coolant to that and they can get quite heavy…up to ~258kg.
Smithy.
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When I was young and dumber I would pop wheelies on all kinds of bikes including the vf1000 I had in 1992.
But why run the risk of destroying an old classic. These need to be savoured while we have them.
However a good twist on the throttle and a quick tug on the clutch at 30 mph should do it. First gear though unless you have a tricked out monster.
There are enough people and things out there trying to kill, cripple or maim us without you trying to do it to yourself or somebody else. Take it from someone who knows and ride safe.
John
