Hey just a few things I was wondering about bikes with really low mileage. For example; I seen 2001 Honda with about 7000km, would there be anything I'd have to worry about or look for seeing as the bike has barely been ridden for 12 years? Any tips or advice we'll be greatly appreciated!
Low mileage
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Tires and changing all the fluid is where I would start.
don't forget that it's a 12 year old bike. Everything on that bike is 12 years old.
Depending on how it was stored, taken care of, etc., there could be a laundry list of things to look for.
Surprisingly a large number of small animals like to chew on wires and make their homes in exhaust pipes. Possible rust spots here and there. Definitely tires and new fluids are a must. Most likely have to lube/grease other bits here and there.
But if it's a great price/deal, then nothing a little elbow grease won't fix. Also, depending on the model, might be hard to source parts for a 12 year old bike.
Depending on how it was stored, taken care of, etc., there could be a laundry list of things to look for.
Surprisingly a large number of small animals like to chew on wires and make their homes in exhaust pipes. Possible rust spots here and there. Definitely tires and new fluids are a must. Most likely have to lube/grease other bits here and there.
But if it's a great price/deal, then nothing a little elbow grease won't fix. Also, depending on the model, might be hard to source parts for a 12 year old bike.
skapan
Well-known member
Really would be important to understand what maintenance was/was not done. As nfq said, everything is 12 years old. So - battery, tires, chain and sprockets, carb/throttle body disassemble and clean, master cylinder / caliper rebuild if there's any moisture in the brake system (and there will be if it hasn't been flushed), coolant - can you imagine how that looks after 12 years? Not saying it's a bad deal, just be aware of what MIGHT happen. Could be the best deal ever.
daught
Well-known member
I had a 91 CBR F2 and now I just got a 92 F2. I got the second one because my first one was bullet proof. Rubber and seals wise, the only thing I had to do were the fork seals at 50k. Didn't leak or eat a gram of oil, and I changed it every 10k. While the items mentioned might be a concern, chances are really low there are issues with it. My first F2 still runs, I got the second one because it looks much better.
I am curious how much is it going for?
I am curious how much is it going for?
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That's sounds like you've had some good Honda experiences with their reliability, thanks for sharing that info. Was originally going for $5000 then dropped to $4500 now, but I would definitely not spend that kind of cash on it. I'd be looking to get it around the $3500 price range.
Love it for it age, It has all the power of a 600cc with a tad more upright position. Great if you like longer rides.
You can go on a one-day trip with F4i without hesitation, especially if you have Corbin or Sargent seat on it. The only thing that tends to break on F4i is CCT (cam chain tensioner), but it's cheap and fairly easy to replace yourself.
My bike is 30 years old and came with 14000km. I've already put on 1/14 of that in a month.
It really depends on the bike, and how/when it got the miles. I picked up a 1983 CM250C with only 550 km (that's not a typo: 550)on it two years ago. Most of those kms had been in the previous two years, and the bike had been stored indoors all along, part of the time in the local Krown rustprofing dealership. Other than tires, the only issue I have is I think this year I'll need to do the fork seals.
Just to add to this, the CCTL doesn't really break it just tends to go out of spec which causes an annoying rattling. Nothing serious. I've heard of very few instances where the cam chain got so slack that it actually skipped teeth. Cheap and relatively easy to replace as ViperZ said.
My 2cents as well...
Look at the handle bars, mirrors, and engine casing for scratches. If there are any, ask why =P
A lot of used bikes have scratches there and those are signs of dropping/crashing. If the owner isn't upfront about it, I'd judge that he is either dishonest...or embarrassed. But I always default to dishonest and just walk away. Nothing wrong with a minor drop but if they aren't upfront about it =/
Look at the handle bars, mirrors, and engine casing for scratches. If there are any, ask why =P
A lot of used bikes have scratches there and those are signs of dropping/crashing. If the owner isn't upfront about it, I'd judge that he is either dishonest...or embarrassed. But I always default to dishonest and just walk away. Nothing wrong with a minor drop but if they aren't upfront about it =/
Yeah, CCT just gets too 'loose'. You'll hear rattling at, if I remember correctly, exactly around 4k or 5k rpm, at least it was like that on mine. A lot of people opt for a manual chain tensioner, but I just went with a new revision OEM and quite happy with it. It's easy to replace but takes 2-3 hours because of where tensioner is located (right behind the frame, on the side of the engine). Like AF4iK said, you can still ride with that rattle if you're lazy. I read of CBR forums that some people went for 10-15K before they got to replace it. Unfortunately, it seems like a super-common problem, so pretty much every single F4i has it. Mine had ~12K on it when I got it (5 yrs old) and developed this problem at around 14K. I read about people who had that problem at 10K and some got it at much higher mileage. Oh well, easy fix anyway.
