Buying and 10 year old bike good or bad idea
Discussion
Ok so I really want a bike again but building work on house and 2 kids means budget is almost zero. So I have been saving cash the old school way money in a jar etc (actually thoes tins you can't open without a tin opener). I estimate I have about 800 so far and target 3000 which will take another few years but I often look at late 90s bikes like gsxr 600 and thibk Hmmm 1500 how bad could it be. So over to you guys is a budget bike ever a good idea when you have little or no spanner skills as I do.
Its all down to condition.
Quite a few owners will run a bike down up to the point of sale i.e. it may need tyres, brakes, chain and sprokets all within a few 1,000 miles.
Others will have kept on top of everything and you'll have a nice bike for not much cash.
I've got a K4 750 with 30k miles on which is in fine fettle.
Quite a few owners will run a bike down up to the point of sale i.e. it may need tyres, brakes, chain and sprokets all within a few 1,000 miles.
Others will have kept on top of everything and you'll have a nice bike for not much cash.
I've got a K4 750 with 30k miles on which is in fine fettle.
That's sort of what I am thinking save 3k buy bike for 2k and then have 1000 to freshen it up etx the enjoy riding. I won't get pcp or finance (just my principle can't afford it dnt buy it) so cash purchase and then enjoy it.
A friend once told me by 20k a bike is like a car at 100k not sure of this is true but I assume if you buy a dud you can still overhaul it
A friend once told me by 20k a bike is like a car at 100k not sure of this is true but I assume if you buy a dud you can still overhaul it
Bikes seem to be in better condition than cars for a similar age. I bought a 17 year old bike (1998, doesn't seem that long ago to me 
) for £1,200, spent £300 servicing it and having a new chain and sprockets fitted, and it runs just great. I did over 400 miles on it last weekend, and apart from a few knocks and scuffs, there's nothing wrong with it at all.
) for £1,200, spent £300 servicing it and having a new chain and sprockets fitted, and it runs just great. I did over 400 miles on it last weekend, and apart from a few knocks and scuffs, there's nothing wrong with it at all.Very much depends. just bought a 16 year old r6 in immaculate condition for a lot less than 2k - fresh MOT, new tyres, the lot. Has the advantage it won't depreciate much too.
Equally, my 'commuter' is a lot newer than that, and is an absolute bag of nails. I keep it roadworthy, but little else (partly because it gets left all over the place, so to some extent the snottier it looks the better).
Equally, my 'commuter' is a lot newer than that, and is an absolute bag of nails. I keep it roadworthy, but little else (partly because it gets left all over the place, so to some extent the snottier it looks the better).
A £1500 bike soon becomes a £2000+ bike if the tyres, brakes, chain and sprockets are all past their sell by date.
You can easy buy a pup for £3,000 but a jewel for £1000, at this age/price, you need to buy on condition, paying close attention to any crash damage and life left in the consumables.
My best buy in recent years was this GSXR600 SRAD, I paid £1050 for it and sold it 2 years later for £1450, even taking in a 3,000 mile European tour..was still going strong when I sold it too.
I sometimes browze biketrader and search for bikes over 10 years and under 10,000 miles for £2000...you'd be amazed at what comes up!
just had a look myself...
This isnt the foxiest of things but it'd be a safer bet than buying a 5 year old GSXR/CBR/Zx whathaveyou
One lady owner from new even..
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
This isnt the foxiest of things but it'd be a safer bet than buying a 5 year old GSXR/CBR/Zx whathaveyou
One lady owner from new even..
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
I have a 97 zx6r f3, 35k miles has recent tyres, rides fine(son's just done a track day on it), brakes aren't the best but for a bag of sand its a cheap toy. 
i
Also have a 99 600 srad with 15k miles, recent tyres, that'll stand me £600 when back on the road. Theres definately some good toys out there
iAlso have a 99 600 srad with 15k miles, recent tyres, that'll stand me £600 when back on the road. Theres definately some good toys out there
I got my bike at 11 years (the bike, not me) for £2200. It was mint, and still is now with 33k miles and 19 years old. Last owner and I have maintained it carefully.
My other bike looked straight, ran ok, had an MOT and wasn't too pretty (had had a not-great respray). I got it for £1000, factoring in likely costs to put right any faults. I didn't expect £500 of costs though! (all work done at local garage, not by me). It needed new brake pads and discs, new footpegs (one was dangerously cracked!), new fuel filter / switch, gear linkage rod, can't remember what else plus a good service. But having done that, I ended up with a very reliable and great trackbike I've used for years.
So, my advice from my own point of view is: If you're not confident in assessing the condition of a bike, take an expert with you when buying. Bent frame, forks etc need to be detected. Budget for an extra few hundred pounds for getting it checked and serviced by a garage and having potential warped discs or fork seals, bearings, chain / sprockets, brake fluid change etc done. Get a Haynes manual and a mechanically minded friend and have a look at easily replaced parts like air box and spark plugs. As said above, there's shoddy 5 year old bikes out there and some mint older bikes for the same money.
My other bike looked straight, ran ok, had an MOT and wasn't too pretty (had had a not-great respray). I got it for £1000, factoring in likely costs to put right any faults. I didn't expect £500 of costs though! (all work done at local garage, not by me). It needed new brake pads and discs, new footpegs (one was dangerously cracked!), new fuel filter / switch, gear linkage rod, can't remember what else plus a good service. But having done that, I ended up with a very reliable and great trackbike I've used for years.
So, my advice from my own point of view is: If you're not confident in assessing the condition of a bike, take an expert with you when buying. Bent frame, forks etc need to be detected. Budget for an extra few hundred pounds for getting it checked and serviced by a garage and having potential warped discs or fork seals, bearings, chain / sprockets, brake fluid change etc done. Get a Haynes manual and a mechanically minded friend and have a look at easily replaced parts like air box and spark plugs. As said above, there's shoddy 5 year old bikes out there and some mint older bikes for the same money.
ge choice for 3 grand.If i sum up my three best buys over the last couple of years,99 mille £750,98 tl1000r £650,76 kh400 triple with dyson kit etc £1000,jeez,still another 600 to go?Just about fit in the other tlr i got for 800.All great running bikes which never caused me any problems.
Main point is loads of great bikes to be had out there for peanuts!!
Main point is loads of great bikes to be had out there for peanuts!!
My 2001 (so 14 year old) honda with nearly 30k on the clock has been chucked down the road twice in the 9000 miles I've done on it, hardly ever gets washed, and gets used in all weathers and (touchwood) it's not let me down yet. It's done 400+ miles in a day, riding for 12 hours and has sat on the motorway doing 8-9krpm for hours. Get something reliable (basically any jap bike) and they'll run for years. It's nowhere near mint but it gets used and abused and takes all the punishment I can throw at it.
Gecko1978 said:
That's sort of what I am thinking save 3k buy bike for 2k and then have 1000 to freshen it up etx the enjoy riding. I won't get pcp or finance (just my principle can't afford it dnt buy it) so cash purchase and then enjoy it.
A friend once told me by 20k a bike is like a car at 100k not sure of this is true but I assume if you buy a dud you can still overhaul it
I've got a mates Fireblade in the garage from the 90's it has done over 120K Miles and still runs fine.A friend once told me by 20k a bike is like a car at 100k not sure of this is true but I assume if you buy a dud you can still overhaul it
I bagged a GSXR1000K2 with 18K on the clock for 2.2K. 3500 miles later it has been faultless. I've thrashed it on 4 track days. Starts on the button, burns no oil. I also had the valves checked recently and required no adjustment.
All of my bikes have been purchased around 2-3K mark and none of them have been any trouble.
As for maintenance, Just have a go. I was given a Haynes manual so I do all fluid changes, adjust chain etc. But as for the Valve check I left that to a professional, but that only cost £120.
All of my bikes have been purchased around 2-3K mark and none of them have been any trouble.
As for maintenance, Just have a go. I was given a Haynes manual so I do all fluid changes, adjust chain etc. But as for the Valve check I left that to a professional, but that only cost £120.
I think it depends on what your priorities are.
My CBR600F is now 16. I've owned it four years. During this time it's 3 sets of pads, a set of discs, 1 downpipe, rear wheel bearings, valve clearances, throttle balance, a chain and sprockets, a new clutch, 1 refurbish of rear caliper, radiator refurbish, 3 tensioners, 2 batteries, 3 voltage regulators, a new stator, new fuel piping, and a new fuel pump. All fluids and servicing done as well. Needs the suspension and front calipers done and the bodywork is hilariously s
t.
I do all my work myself but I don't enjoy it. That said if I wanted a litre bike, and could only afford a ten year old one, I'd just try and buy the best one I could and not worry about the rest.
My CBR600F is now 16. I've owned it four years. During this time it's 3 sets of pads, a set of discs, 1 downpipe, rear wheel bearings, valve clearances, throttle balance, a chain and sprockets, a new clutch, 1 refurbish of rear caliper, radiator refurbish, 3 tensioners, 2 batteries, 3 voltage regulators, a new stator, new fuel piping, and a new fuel pump. All fluids and servicing done as well. Needs the suspension and front calipers done and the bodywork is hilariously s
t. I do all my work myself but I don't enjoy it. That said if I wanted a litre bike, and could only afford a ten year old one, I'd just try and buy the best one I could and not worry about the rest.
Prof Prolapse said:
I think it depends on what your priorities are.
My CBR600F is now 16. I've owned it four years. During this time it's 3 sets of pads, a set of discs, 1 downpipe, rear wheel bearings, valve clearances, throttle balance, a chain and sprockets, a new clutch, 1 refurbish of rear caliper, radiator refurbish, 3 tensioners, 2 batteries, 3 voltage regulators, a new stator, new fuel piping, and a new fuel pump. All fluids and servicing done as well. Needs the suspension and front calipers done and the bodywork is hilariously st.
I do all my work myself but I don't enjoy it. That said if I wanted a litre bike, and could only afford a ten year old one, I'd just try and buy the best one I could and not worry about the rest.
it sounds like Triggers broomMy CBR600F is now 16. I've owned it four years. During this time it's 3 sets of pads, a set of discs, 1 downpipe, rear wheel bearings, valve clearances, throttle balance, a chain and sprockets, a new clutch, 1 refurbish of rear caliper, radiator refurbish, 3 tensioners, 2 batteries, 3 voltage regulators, a new stator, new fuel piping, and a new fuel pump. All fluids and servicing done as well. Needs the suspension and front calipers done and the bodywork is hilariously s
t. I do all my work myself but I don't enjoy it. That said if I wanted a litre bike, and could only afford a ten year old one, I'd just try and buy the best one I could and not worry about the rest.
Edited by Fleegle on Wednesday 7th October 13:31
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