Buying a bike: Age shall not weary them, or shall it?

Shopping for a first bike at the moment. Having looked at a
whole bunch of stuff, ZZR250 is the type that has worked
it's way to the top of my list. (Had some brief interest
in GPX, but they *all* look like shit, and they've *all*
been dropped. CBR doesn't fit me, Across is jinxed and
therefore not an option.. ZZR floated to the top)

(FTR, I'm 75Kg, 5'10" tall, male, over 30, just got
NSW R-Learner license).

Prime candidate right now is a Blue/Silver 02/2001 model
ZZR250 with approx 1,600Km on the clock. The bike is
absolutely spotless, not a mark on it anywhere, and as
clean as a bought one. Fairings, mufflers, levers, all the
bits that touch roads when they're dropped, show no signs
of ever having been near a road. Dealer wants $7000. It's
obviously not worth that many money (a new one is $7950
before haggising(!!) ), so I'd be squeezing hard on that
bit.

Alternative is a Silver/White 2002 model, 16,000Km on
the clock, haven't had a chance to have as close a look
at that one, but it's a thousand bucks cheaper before
haggis.

There are *lots* of others about, all between $4,000 and
$6,000 with anywhere between 15,000Km and 45,000Km on
them.


My question without notice to the Minister(s) for buying
bikes is this: Does age weary them? If so, how much so?
Should I buy the young bike because it is young, or is
16,000-20,000Km insignificant in the grand scheme of
things?

Any other traps for young players while I'm asking?

Thanks in advance,

G

 

No 10-40,000K is neither here nor there.

The reality is care and maintenance is probably way more important - if they've
been regularly serviced and looked after a ZZR should happily do a 100000K
before any major work is needed (quite possibly more - ask BT) I certainly know
of several GPXs (same engine) with 60 and 70,000 K on the original engine.

The real danger is that being learners bikes they tend to change hands a lot,
and are far more prone to having been abused through ignorance. Look for service
records and evidence of care taken.

I'd take a 40,000K ZZR with full service history and one owner over a 15,000K
example with no history and 3 owners. ceteris paribus.

JL

 

[...]

OK, will do. With <2000Km on the clock, it's *probably* only had
one owner - that's gotta be a good start. Otherwise, what you
say re history, etc.

Thanks,

G

 

Don't make BTH come over there...

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

I'd also tend to say your not going to have this bike for long. And have
you also seen the list of ther bikes over 250cc that you can ride?.
I done my learner time over 2 learner bikes... one was a 1981 GSX250 and
the other a...19?? Honda VT250. They were old, had lots of k's. But to me
they were beautiful. Im now on a fully faired ZX9R, and can honestly say id
hate to drop it if i were still a learner...(equivelent being ZX2A), as the
repair costs would be phenominal.
If i were you id go a bit older (cheaper).... Then once your done with
it you can sell it with, hopefully, a lesser loss due to depreciation.

Josh - ZX9R

[...]

OK, will do. With <2000Km on the clock, it's *probably* only had
one owner - that's gotta be a good start. Otherwise, what you
say re history, etc.

Thanks,

G

 

My answer was more aimed at your other question - is mileage a problem. For that
particular bike ask for proof it got it's 1000Km service (that's the one where
after it's run in you change the oil), DONT ask the question until you've pulled
the dipstick out and checked what the oil looks like. It should be very fresh
('cos it's only had a couple of hundred kms use). If they produce docs that say
it has yet the oil is quite black then you're getting snowed.

For a bike that is 2 years old and with only 2000Km on the clock assuming
(they're genuine) you'd be pretty unlucky to have any problems, it's spent a lot
of time sitting in the garage...tyres may have gone hard and need changing.

JL

 

I'm a bit of a hoarder. So long as I have room in the shed
for whatever supersedes it, I'm likely to keep it forever.
I'm like that.

I have. It was all a bit too hard, so I just took the easy
route and looked at 250cc bikes. I came out of the pre-learner
classes competant, but not confident, and so I don't really
wanna push my luck with anything large, heavy, or even
particularly powerful (ACK that all the 'big' LAM bikes are so
'cos they're not powerful). I've been offered a long-term loan
of an RG250 at no charge, but I think it would only take a week
for that bike to kill me! I'll be happy to toddle around on
something small for a few months, build some confidence on
something that isn't likely to kill me, and upgrade it to
something bigger (like a mid-range non-LAM bike) in 4-6
months time.

G

 

In that case buy something older that's done it's depreciating, and don't buy
from a dealer, you're paying a premium for the 3 months warranty.

JL

 

the RG250 is quite a good easy bike to ride and doesnt have the 2 stroke
peaks
like the later RGV250

another option is the GS500 which would be a bike that you could easily hang
onto
forever or what about the VTR250/Spada

 

*choke!* *splutter!*

Well, he's got me there. ;-)

Couldn't have put it better myself!


BTH

 

118,000km so far (bought at 43,000km), still running quite well and
smoke-free.

I think general condition will be a good indicator of how well it's
been looked after. If they've gone to the trouble of keeping the
chain properly tensioned, adjusting the tappets and replacing the fork
oil then chances are good that the rest of the bike is OK.

Whatever it's age when you get it, I'd recommend immediately changing
the oil and filter, and then changing the oil at 3,000km intervals
with a new filter every 6,000km. The engine only holds 2 litres, and
it working pretty hard. Cheap SF grade 20W50 Valvoline has
(obviously) worked out pretty well for me so far, I'm hoping The
Jackal will make it to 100,000 miles. ;-)


BTH

 

Hint: It's not *really* an RG250, it just says that on
the rego label and the compliance plate. ;-)

RGV250 is one of the 5 or 6 bikes on the non-learner legal
list, presumably for that very reason

Tried. Too big/heavy for me. Need something little first.

Tried. Too tall :-/


G

 

Point taken. As it happens, a worthless little cocksucking
salesdroid wanker (I'm trying to be polite here) at Sydney
City Motorcycles in Lane Cove cured me of buying from
dealers this afternoon. I won't be making that mistake
again.


Poofter heard the key words "learner legal" and "first
bike", thought "Wooo! Cash Cow!!!" and proceeded to try
to sell me a three year old bike for $450 less than the
brand-new/drive-away price of the current model.

Wasn't in the slightest bit interested in talking to me
about the 6 or 8 other suitable motorcycles that they
have in stock in the other store - that would have required
effort on his part. He had the cash cow in his sights, and
the only thing he was interested in selling was the one
he had right there.

(I wanted to buy a bike from the shop around the corner
from home to avoid becoming an inexperienced rider on an
unfamiliar bike driving through the city and across
the bridge. Despite that they ship bikes between stores on
their own truck every day, salesdroid wasn't at all
interested in that proposal)


Sydney City Motorcycles have lost me for life now. Damn
shame really, 'cos they're quite literally just around the
corner from home. It could have been a wonderful thing!

**** 'em. No more dealers.


</rant>

Thanks. I feel better now! *sigh*

G

 

Surprise me ! You and half of Sydney have had a bad experience with SCM- LC's
sales droids - they cured me of buying an SP2 I was determined to buy, bought an
R1 instead. FWIW the southern SCM at Kogarah are OK. It's just the Lane Cove
store that are complete idiots. The sort of store that refuses to talk to you
when you ride up (on a TRX and a Bandit - ie not terribly expensive bikes), but
are all over you like a rash when you drive up (in the first instance in a Jag
which was worth barely more than the TRX.... fair enough the Audi is a bit
dearer) is probably not staffed by bike enthusiasts.....

Look on the bright side - you worked out what idiots they are BEFORE you parted
with money.

They're not all bad. Although I'm hard pressed to name one who isn't
Northside have only screwed me once, and done the right thing by me a large
number of times, so I go there for preference - on the other hand BigIain is not
<ahem> shall we say ummm, a fan ?

Seriously though, if you genuinely only plan on keeping it 6 months (and I think
it's a good plan) buy a 2nd hand dunger, get it inspected to make sure it isn't
too unsafe and then go buy a nice shiny one when you know what you want and like
more.

JL

 

Yep, in fact I'd suggest the owner of Northside came from the very same
gene pool as the aforementioned salesdroid...

big (not, as he says, a fan...)