Hi there....i am completely new to this sites and also bkes...i got my first big bike yesterday its a 1988 VFR400R NC21 (the earlier derestricted model). I brought it for 350 pound which i intended on just using and bashing around for a few months till i get a bigger bike....things changed already lol....i love it !!! i want to spend the money on it and get it to look like a nice bike.... The fairings i have on it are all battered and i have been told the NC24 fairngs fit the NC21 also.....does anyone know how true this is as i dont like the look of the NC21 fairings and theyre very hard to find???? let me know please

They stopped making the NC21 in 1986.

The NC24 has the same side panels / tank and nose-cone as well as main-frame.

The differences are the rear panels and seat.. both of which you can swap with the NC24.

The single-sided swiningarm from the NC24 is also a straight swap.



NC21



NC24.

I wouldn't spend too much money on it to be fair. Ride it for a while first and see how you feel about it. No matter what you do it'll never be worth a great deal.

Espeically if your new to bikes you'll probably like anything! So i'd hold fire with your money until you've been riding a while and ridden some other bikes.

Not that the NC21 is a bad bike, it's just they can be expensive to keep on the road.. fairings might be the least of your worries after you've ridden it for a bit.. (depending on how it's been looked after in the past)

Listen to Neo...he talks sense.

Welcome to the site...

And listen to CMSMJ1

He's not just good with the welcomes

Plenty of people on here know the bikes inside out and will be able to point you in the right direction

OK thanks for your advice.....but now im confused about something else.....basically i was sold the bike as NC21 another newbie who knew nthig about it......but after i looked at the MOT its said NC24???? so i researched on here......it has a single swing arm (pro arm) and the chasis says NC24 xxxxxxxxx......is this a bonus or a downgrade to been a NC21???? is it still not worth spending much on??

Also it has a longer solo seat like the NC21's.....s this because its an older 24....the year of manufacture was 1988.....if i buy a nc24 fairing kit will the 2 separate rider and pillion seats be a problem to fix........

soooooooooooooo many questions lol sorry to be a pain

Compare your frame number here:

http://members.multimania.co.uk/stevejb ... nual_1.jpg

bricknell wrote:OK thanks for your advice.....but now im confused about something else.....basically i was sold the bike as NC21 another newbie who knew nthig about it......but after i looked at the MOT its said NC24???? so i researched on here......it has a single swing arm (pro arm) and the chasis says NC24 xxxxxxxxx......is this a bonus or a downgrade to been a NC21???? is it still not worth spending much on??

Also it has a longer solo seat like the NC21's.....s this because its an older 24....the year of manufacture was 1988.....if i buy a nc24 fairing kit will the 2 separate rider and pillion seats be a problem to fix........

soooooooooooooo many questions lol sorry to be a pain

It's an NC24 then if the frame number is NC24 and it has a single sided swinging arm.

The two bikes are pretty similar so it's not a 'downgrade' and it's 'newer' and probably more desireable due to the single sided swinging arm.

I still wouldn't spend any money on it until you've ridden it for a few months and got to try out other bikes.

If it has the NC21 seat (1 long seat) instead of two separate seats all you need is the NC24 front and rear seats and they just bolt on.. same subframe.

You'll be left with a big seat and a piece of plastic that goes in the rear.

Although the NC24 seat looks more 'sporty' - in an 80's retro style I prefer the NC21 seat.. it's more comfortable and bigger, especially good if you ever carry pillions :)

Start with mechincal bits first if you want to do it up.

When was it lats serviced and what was done.

What are the tyres / chains / sprockets like.

Suspension usually always benefits from an overhaul.. new springs & oil refresh, better rear-shock.. these will transform the bike 1000x better than some shiney plastic will.

These bikes (like all VFR's) suffer from charging problems so if it's not been fixed no doubt you'll have the reg/rec problems to deal with at some point.

As your new just worry about keeping it on the road first and keeping it running right :) If you come off it and wreck old plastics it's not as bad as wrecking your new pride and joy! :)