Basic question, but I got offered a fairly cheap 1986 Honda VFR 700. It looks clean, plastics in good shape, runs, but the carbs probably need cleaned. I have not seen it in person yet. It is the red white and blue paint scheme.
Maybe this should also be a "learn me" thread...
I see comparable ones with $2500 asking prices. No idea what they actually move for. 700 is less desirable than 750. They were getting around taxes on 750 or larger bikes, or some such thing. The V4 rumble is sweet. Aluminum frame, I believe.
I'm a huge fan of that era of sport bikes. No idea if there is a market for them.
Plenty of market for 80's bikes again where a few years ago you could not give them away. That said many people out of frustration give away VFR's due to carb problems. There a major PIA to service so get a book study it take your time do it right and once. make sure to add a drain hose to every carb and leave them long so you can drain fuel anytime its going to sit more then a day. if its going to sit a month or so at a time you may wish to back feed the drains with Marvely Mystery oil to coat the jets. you'll need to drain before riding, but the time it save is worth it!
Occasionally I see a nice example of a bike I would have killed for back in the 80's for fairly cheap. Things like your VFR or an FJ1100 or early GSX-R 750. I wonder if at some point we will regret not buying them for the prices you can get them at now.
Would be nice if I knew my way around bike carbs, as 44Dwarf says you can get them cheap with messed up carbs.
I was going to say no, but that particular bike is my favorite 80's sport bike. It was designed to avoid the Harley tax, but Honda nailed the styling with that one.
Unmolested early GSXRs will definitely be worth real money someday soon, early VFRs might be too. All the others have a long way to go IMO, and only the cleanest low mile specimens at that.
Honda V4s are awesome. I had a later 90's VFR-750 that was practically perfect in every way. I'm not sure if the later model carbs can be retro fit to the 700 but they were care-free for 30k miles on mine so it might be a better solution than draining the originals every 15 minutes.
Are you thinking about buying it for yourself, or do you plan on flipping it?
Watch raresportbikesforsale.com, 80's bikes in good shape are definitely starting to appreciate, especially the suzukis. It was an interesting time for innovation in sport bikes, a lot like the early 2000's, another time period that I think is well worth investing in.
As a bike to ride, I prefer stuff from the early 90's...you can often find examples selling in a similar price range and will still have to deal with multiple carbs, but are likely to find 17" wheels front and rear. That VFR, and a lot of other bikes of that era have 16" front, 18" rear wheels. There are replacement tires available, but not a huge selection, particularly towards the sporty/grippy end of the spectrum.
YMMV, but something to think about.
The 80's sport bikes might be more collectible soon, but condition, mileage, and specific model will be big factors. Around here there are often ratty, trashed 80's bikes for cheap. Sure, a showroom-floor looking bike with documentation might be worth something, but for each of those there seem to be a few dozen streetfightered, or "slight rash" rattle-canned, "ran great, just been sitting a while," or "easy fix, just a minor electrical problem." 
When you price out chain, sprockets, brakes, tires, fork seals, carb rebuild kit, oil, not to mention bodywork, etc. you start to see the money pit potential for the rattier project bikes.
Huckleberry wrote: Honda V4s are awesome. I had a later 90's VFR-750 that was practically perfect in every way. I'm not sure if the later model carbs can be retro fit to the 700 but they were care-free for 30k miles on mine so it might be a better solution than draining the originals every 15 minutes.
But you were not using "p4" (sound it out) fuel... The 10% alky kills... and on a bike it takes hours to pull the carbs it saves time to drain. I picked up a 500 last year at an auction in hopes of turning it in to a production four race bike but sold it to another racer due to double carpal tunnel surgery. Love those bikes would really like to convert one to EFI.
This would be for me to enjoy for a little while and maybe sell on again later. It has low miles 16-17k but has pretty much sat unused for years.
Not sure it matters, but far as gas, it is easy for me to get 100% ethanol here. I currently run that in the 911, Ducati, and all my yard equipment. The rest of them get the cheap crappy gas.
Like with most stuff I buy, I like to know if I will be able to move it quickly or if I'd have to sit on it and wait and wait for the correct buyer to come along.
Just for giggles, try to find a rear shock for it. Problems is. They have some collectability but parts can be tough and mods near impossible
There is for clean ones. I DD a BMW k1300s, but will eventually add a clean 80s sport bike to the stable.
Those Honda V-4s are awesome, torquey engines. I had a VF500F Interceptor and loved it. The sound through the Yoshi pipes was glorious....backpopping when the throttle was lifted, nice baritone wail when you are on the gas. It hauled ass too--- especially for a 500.
The carbs are a giant pain to work on though--- that's why I ended up selling mine and going with a newer bike. I found if it needed work, I just didn't ride it--- too many other projects. I've seen perfect VF500F's going for $3,500--- so they are still pretty affordable. I prefer the smaller bikes as they are so nimble, but still powerful.
I'd look for the early 70's Japanese bikes to jump in price first--- followed by the mid 80's sport bikes. These were a big evolutionary jump from the 60's bikes to where we are now---- of course where sport bikes have gone now is completely insane. 
Joe Gearin wrote: I'd look for the early 70's Japanese bikes to jump in price first--- followed by the mid 80's sport bikes.
They already have.
Check out the prices on a SOHC CB750, KZ900 or Z1R.
The Suzuki GS are still affordable unless you want an ELR or a Coolie.
Italian bikes from that era are going nuts too.
I think everyone who has tried British motorcycle ownership has learned their lesson and is moving on to better bikes.
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