VFR 400 reliability ? (1987 model)

[blitzer]

Hi All

I know someone who wants to sell a 1987 VFR400, now there are plenty of other bikes to choose from i know but compared to the choices looking at my strict budget, obviously the 400 is tempting.
He said he had redone the engine:

"re done whole engine. New plugs battery mirrors coil tyres. Bored engine a bit. It's top end clocks out at 243km. Taken fairing off just need to mount back on put petrol and oil in Bike. Only problem I've had was the pilot jet was clogged up. So it was running on choke because of that."

It seems tempting to buy this bike however on the other forum it seems like everyone is cautioning against the VFR400 in general as they say it was a grey market import, parts are scarce and no one wants to work on it:

https://forum.thinkbike.co.za/showthread.php?72931-VFR-400-as-a-commuter&s=86f52590928dd163c5f356b6271746e2

Still i am curious and attracted by the power this little pocket "rocket" as some have said provides.
Should i knock myself firmly out of this spell that seemingly tempts me to get this bike ?
Or is it not as bad as they say it is ?

I'm not planning on riding it more than twice a week. And i'm not planning on pushing it to the 200km/h mark.
However, if i do ride it, will it breakdown next to the road ? what can go wrong on this bike and what parts are so hard to find?
How often will it need servicing and tuning, i am not a mechanic but a good all rounder, is it easy to learn to self servie, as i understand it the engine is not so easy to work on ?

Will i be buying into trouble ?

 

[Dux]

 

[the_BOBNOB]

 

[LouisXander]

 

[subie]

 

[Rufus115]

 

[Wayne]

 

[2StrokeDan]

 

[Dux]

 

[IceCreamMan]

 

[subie]

 

[Edgar]

 

[Lem]

 

[blitzer]

 

[Dux]

 

[IceCreamMan]

 

[TheBear]

 

[Dux]

 

[Kortbroek]

 

[Dux]