Is a Honda VTR1000F a good first motorcycle? I've raced bicycles and have a fast car, so I'm not completely clueless, I'd be buying secondhand. Is there anything particular to watch out for on these motorcycles?

As long as you get an official greenbook (registration papers) and license plates with the motorcycle and able to register it on your own name at the local Department of Land Transport, you should be fine on a Honda VTR1000F (Firestorm). They're compact, easy to manage and the power's not too fierce for a 1000cc motorcycle. As for problems, the major common one is the cam chain tensioners or even the cam chains themselves, which can fail. It's pretty rare, and you should be able to hear the problem on an affected motorcycle; listen for a machine-gun rattle at or just above tick-over.

2001 – onwards motorcycles got a larger fuel tank, key immobilizer, taller fairing and other minor modifications. Maybe you need to sort-out the fueling, as lots of owners fit exhausts and remove them and may not always adjust the carburetors to suit. Even as stock, the Honda VTR1000F often run a slightly lean at low revs.

Before you buy a secondhand motorcycle it's a good idea to look in the owner's manual Honda VTR1000 Owner's Manual in English language.