Ouch! sigh, grrr, sigh. GN woes

[superjackal]

Couple of lessons here for newbies. I should have known better! Hopefully my experience may benefit others.

I bought my 2006 GN250 back in April and have only just taken it in for a service. It's my commuter, new job, just didn't have time to do it. The staff at Wellington Motorcycles were very good. But, I got given some bad news.

Firstly, it's my first motorcycle and I really like the GN250. It's comfortable, sips gas and I like looking at it. Would I have gone to a bigger bike had I known LAMs was coming? Nah, I wanted a GN250. When I bought the bike I couldn't even ride. The guy I bought it off was friendly enough and told me that he did his own servicing. Fair enough, right? So, I started it up, poked around a bit and bought it without having it inspected. Hell, it was cheap - what could go wrong, right? Back to Wellington Motorcycles and the conversation went something like, "How long have you had it? We haven't seen it in three years. Your engine is very noisy. We suspect... cams.... rockers... $2,000+ to rebuild...". For a bike that's only 6 years old, neglect can do wonders. The friendly seller probably thought he knew what he was doing but in the end just ended up ruining the engine. Lesson = mine. Get a bike inspected before you buy.

Now, $2,000 isn't that much to get the engine back good. But, it's more than I paid for the bike, more than I could buy another GN for, and, I only have 12 months left on my restricted, so I may as well wait. I'm a little attached to it now, so, I'll probably end up fixing it and keeping it.

The advice I got was to keep running the bike as is, apparently there are worse ones out there and it's not down on power. I'd feel "guilty as" flicking it off onto the next unsuspecting punter. Just bad luck it had a neglectful previous owner.

Wellington Motorcycles did a great job, it runs much better now. But they told me to listen out for when the sound of the engine changes!

Should I fix it or flick it?

Anyone else gone through this?


BTW, while I was in WM I LOVED the Harley Seventy-Two! Soon.....

[FJRider]

Keep the oil level correct. REGULAR oil/filter changes. Keep riding.

[GrayWolf]

Look through tardme or breakers// you'll pick one up complete, or a newish s/hand motor for a lot less.

[GSF]

Look through tardme or breakers// you'll pick one up complete, or a newish s/hand motor for a lot less.

Pretty much this. You could buy a complete motor if your current one shits the bed.

Or Ducatilover will take it off your hands... he seems to have a perverse thing for GN250s.

[Sable]

You WANTED a GN250? Do you have some sort of mental disorder? :shutup:

[superjackal]

You WANTED a GN250? Do you have some sort of mental disorder? :shutup:

Yep. Looking around at the time it seemed a decent cheap bike to learn on and it has been excellent. I think they're pretty (except for all the rust).

[ducatilover]

Get another motor.
Or PM me details of what exactly is going wrong with it and exactly what your mechanic said

I can do a full engine rebuild for under half that, waaaaaaaaaaaay under half of that including shipping myself to Wellington to do it...and beer, and labour.
If it's just cam/rockers, I'll send you a complete top half of the head with a brand new cam in Feb? Can also order new rockers and rocker shafts too, under $100nz

Otherwise, do the valve clearances and keep the oil in it topped up and fresh
I can do cam/rockers in under an hour, incl time to do clearances, plug change and an oil change

[Flip]

Get another motor.
Or PM me details of what exactly is going wrong with it and exactly what your mechanic said

I can do a full engine rebuild for under half that, waaaaaaaaaaaay under half of that including shipping myself to Wellington to do it...and beer, and labour.
If it's just cam/rockers, I'll send you a complete top half of the head with a brand new cam in Feb? Can also order new rockers and rocker shafts too, under $100nz

Otherwise, do the valve clearances and keep the oil in it topped up and fresh
I can do cam/rockers in under an hour, incl time to do clearances, plug change and an oil change

You should change your name to GN250LOVER?

Good job.

[Drew]

You know how I know you're gay?...
Get another motor.
Or PM me details of what exactly is going wrong with it and exactly what your mechanic said

I can do a full engine rebuild for under half that, waaaaaaaaaaaay under half of that including shipping myself to Wellington to do it...and beer, and labour.
If it's just cam/rockers, I'll send you a complete top half of the head with a brand new cam in Feb? Can also order new rockers and rocker shafts too, under $100nz

Otherwise, do the valve clearances and keep the oil in it topped up and fresh
I can do cam/rockers in under an hour, incl time to do clearances, plug change and an oil change

[Kickaha]

You know how I know you're gay?...

Because you've fucked him?

[Drew]

Because you've fucked him?

That was only my first clue.

[ducatilover]

Because you've fucked him?
I swallow.

[Geeen]

I swallow.

Ah, you must be that mythical perfect woman then :D:beer:

Not sent from an iDevice

[ckai]

Ah, you must be that mythical perfect woman then :D:beer:

Not sent from an iDevice

I'm soooooooo telling your wife. Personally I think it's just you :devil2:


Get another motor.
Or PM me details of what exactly is going wrong with it and exactly what your mechanic said

I can do a full engine rebuild for under half that, waaaaaaaaaaaay under half of that including shipping myself to Wellington to do it...and beer, and labour.
If it's just cam/rockers, I'll send you a complete top half of the head with a brand new cam in Feb? Can also order new rockers and rocker shafts too, under $100nz

Otherwise, do the valve clearances and keep the oil in it topped up and fresh
I can do cam/rockers in under an hour, incl time to do clearances, plug change and an oil change

Shit, this sounds like the best option if you don't want a guilty conscience.

[Crasherfromwayback]

BTW, while I was in WM I LOVED the Harley Seventy-Two! Soon.....

I'll give you what you paid for it if you come and trade it in on a new 72 mate. How's that for fair?

Pete

[ducatilover]

I'll give you what you paid for it if you come and trade it in on a new 72 mate. How's that for fair?

Pete
Even better option than having the bugger fixed! :yes:

[Paul in NZ]

I'll give you what you paid for it if you come and trade it in on a new 72 mate. How's that for fair?

Pete


Thats just his opening offer - hang out for extra tassels and a toasty maker. Oh and free coffee

[Grashopper]

So how did you decide?

Wish you had posted this before I bought my GN, without inspection cause it looked good and I didn't know any better... Of course the guy I bought it from didn't have any service record, because he had done everything himself. And the company that owned the bike before him did their own servicing, so there was no record either. Now that my life is actually in my bike's 'hands' so to say I would really appreciate to know how it was maintained, when it was serviced and which parts had been changed when.

[bosslady]

So how did you decide?

Wish you had posted this before I bought my GN, without inspection cause it looked good and I didn't know any better... Of course the guy I bought it from didn't have any service record, because he had done everything himself. And the company that owned the bike before him did their own servicing, so there was no record either. Now that my life is actually in my bike's 'hands' so to say I would really appreciate to know how it was maintained, when it was serviced and which parts had been changed when.

have you been keeping a notebook and recording what you've done to it / repaired in the time you've had it?

[Grashopper]

A notebook is a good idea. So far I've been keeping all the receipts somewhere safe but it might be good to note down even small stuff.

[bosslady]

A notebook is a good idea. So far I've been keeping all the receipts somewhere safe but it might be good to note down even small stuff.

Yea I need to take my own advice and do this (a notebook) shortly too before I forget.

[superjackal]

So how did you decide?

Wish you had posted this before I bought my GN, without inspection cause it looked good and I didn't know any better... Of course the guy I bought it from didn't have any service record, because he had done everything himself. And the company that owned the bike before him did their own servicing, so there was no record either. Now that my life is actually in my bike's 'hands' so to say I would really appreciate to know how it was maintained, when it was serviced and which parts had been changed when.

Is there something wrong with your GN? If you haven't already get it serviced and looked over by a professional. Then, at least going forward, you'll know its alright.

I haven't decided anything yet. It's my main commuter so if I sell it I'll be without transport. My wife's keen to ride, so I'll probably get it fixed eventually and give it to her. I've been approached by a forum member for much better repair prices, although that's not straightforward either.

I'm fanatic when it comes to keeping receipts etc.

[Grashopper]

Got the bike fully serviced after I got it. Cost me altogether 800 bucks... Adding to it was that the steering had frozen up totally while I was pushing it out of the garage one day, thankfully not while I was riding it.

And just about 2 weeks ago it broke down with no electronics - dead regulator - wasn't cheap either

OK, even an inspection before the buy might not have picked up on the issues, but it might have helped to have someone there who knew what they were doing, to give me some confidence in what I bought and to haggle a bit. I'm not good at that, you could see it on my face that I liked the bike :)

My bike receipts were the only things I filed. Now I've added the car receipts, too. Everything else though is in a big pile in a drawer... :whistle:

[silver_duck]

If you replaced GN with Ducati, this thread would make sense....

I thought those little buggers were built tough and never gave up.
I mean, they're sole purpose in life is to be man-handled and abused by every new biker until his/her licence grows up.

Paul.

[ducatilover]

If you replaced GN with Ducati, this thread would make sense....

I thought those little buggers were built tough and never gave up.
I mean, they're sole purpose in life is to be man-handled and abused by every new biker until his/her licence grows up.

Paul.
Chinese made ones are a joke.
Jap made ones are now a million years old :niceone:
A Chinese made reg can be had for a whopping $25 inc shipping...