Questions about buying a 98 vtr1000 superhawk
 

I'm looking at buying a 98 superhawk and had a few quick questions. Quick answers are cool and I used to have a 02 RC51, so you don't have to sell me on the superhawk, just tech. stuff I don't know about the hawk. How prevalent is the problem with the CCTs with the 98s. When I compression test the cylinders, what should I be getting in PSI? What are the general weaknesses with the hawk I need to look for before buying? I'm reading old posts and searching, but some quick answers would be very much appreciated. Thanks for any help in advance.

CCT's: before 15,000 miles or so, you need to have manuals in there or don't bitch if it blows up.
https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...t=cylinder+PSI
RR; for some: forks, shock, brakes, seat

Thanks Linearray, I appreciate the direction. 164 PSI.
anybody else willing to throw more info. my way, I appreciate it.

i hear alot about the front brakes and forks being changed out for beefier ones. cct are cheap and easy. there is a guy on here who makes great ones when he is making them for around a hundred bucks. the milage sucks donkey nuts. but the torque is insane. the bike sounds really good, feels really good to ride on, looks pretty good with a nice set of pipes. the hawk does not really have much weakness other then the low range little tank and the cct issues.

Again with the CCT gloom & doom...... I didn't change my stockers until I had over 65k on my bike so........ and yes I replaced them with factory auto units

regulator/rectifier if the bike doesn't already have a newer (finned) version...

How many pintos had to explode or Explorers roll over?

It's not the sucessful near misses you hear about, it's the Tenerife's.

And it's a statistical probability that if you know about it and don't, it will - Murphy's that way...

Definitely replace the RR. Its cheap & easy but when mine went on my '98 I had to push start it 4 times to get home. It fails unpredictably & can kill a new battery. I had my stock ccts in until @20k miles. (then manuals). You can buy an r6 RR & swap it out. These bikes are pretty reliable as per usual honda. The front forks tend to bottom easily in stock trim. I raised the oil level til I got race tech springs & valves.

in a nutshell:

the standard stuff for any price point bike...
jetkit, suspension, brake upgrade & lines and a good set of tires.
i'd add a set of head bearings, tapered from all balls.

problems with the bike: CCT's, R/R & and the very odd ECU killing
the bike if holding in the clutch at speed. it can die at hard stops
but there is a tech note on gregs site to fix that.

enjoy
tim

at first and before anything all i would worry about is the cct. i changed my stockers to manuel A.P.E cct. after seing all the low mile bikes just blowing up out off the blue i couldnt take it. i wouldnt even ride mine till i had honda install the ape cct. my.02

Thanks
 

Thanks everybody for the help and direction. I'm going to go look at the bike this afternoon and I'll post later to let you know if I bought it and post some pictures. The bike has been mildly wrecked, all of the fairings were junked and it is a poor looking street fighter at the moment. We'll see what comes of it. I've got a 71 cb 350 cafe racer in need of a stable mate: thinking 98 VTR1000 cafe racer? Now where to put those radiators, hmm?

Okay, no decision yet, but... 98 Japanese spec model with japanese vin number, motor very strong and still tight with 30,000 kilometers, jardine high mount complete system with stage 1 jet kit, fork tubes are tweaked in the triple clamps but tubes look to be straight, left side radiator slightly dinged but not significantly damaged, mild head shake from the bars when released at speed, gas tank and tail section replaced with good units from 2000 model, still has original CCTs, no apparent damage to the frame due to installed frame sliders. Guy is asking $1600.00 and has a clear title and currently registered. Also, liked the guy because he has an all original Kaw KZ1000 in the garage with 5500 miles on its clock. I'm thinking its a good starting platform for a fighter/cafe racer: give me your thoughts... Thanks

for that price,, buy it!! and welcome to the forums.:)