Looking at buying a Honda CBR600RR - 58,000km. Is this too high?

[baxtersantix]

Hello everybody.

I wanted to get your opinion on purchasing a Honda CBR600RR with 58,000 clicks on the clock. The bike has been owned by a top-end mechanic for the last 18 months.

For the price he is asking it's probably a good buy, but am I better of spending an extra $2k and purchase something around the 30,000 mark?

I'd love to hear all your thoughts!

Cheers,:D

[Oakie]

:corn:
Well this'll be entertaining...

Oh, how much is he asking?

[sugilite]

imho a well maintained 58k version will always be better than a badly maintained 30k version. Doing accurate research is probably the trickiest part. There is the resale value, but I myself just buy a bike to ride assuming I will lose shitloads <_<

[rambaldi]

You say mechanic, was it the loan bike? Might be a bit farked after everyone else had a go on it.

[AllanB]

Interesting - don't know how long the buzz boxes last but as above it will be relative to it's history. By nature they get thrashed (designed for that race class of course) significantly more than a big bore.


If it was me looking, and I was very serious I'd ask the 'top' mechanic if he pop the cam cover so I could have a peep at the top. If it looks immaculately clean and not showing signs of oil varnish, gunk or associated neglect buy it. You could make your purchase offer subject to a perve of this nature.

I've done this on cars before where you cannot see the head gear through the oil filler - some are just walk away horrors and technically impressive that they run as well as they do with a cam full of baked sludge .....

[Ruahine]

58K isn't much really, there are guys riding CBRs with over 100K on the clock so I wouldn't be put off. Its a bulletproof engine thats been pretty much unchanged in its design for years.


As said above it depends on how well maintained it has been.. Should have had the valve clearances inspected at 50K.

How much is he asking?

[Hitcher]

It's not the km, it's how it's been tended and ridden. Mrs H has a 2007 GSF650S that has ticked over 150,000km -- nearly all of those ridden by her. It has been serviced every 6,000km as per Mr Suzuki's standards. It runs beautifully, burns no oil, which runs out at each service about the same colour as it was when it was poured in. I'd rather buy that than a similarly aged model that has done less than 5,000km.

[tigertim20]

there is a bloke on a US forum I frequent with a cbr600. hes done 300k on it - thats MILES, not KMs. hes done oil and filter every 5k or so and replaced a clutch a while back. other than that, untouched.

Kms mean fuckall. If thats the only thing you know to look at, I seriously doubt you have the mechanical nous to see the difference between a good buy and a bad one. get a reputable mechanic to look at it and tell you whether its worth buying or not.

[AllanB]

Kms and how people react to them are still a throw back to the bloody pre Honda CB750 days when crappy old iron would shit itself in under 10,000 kms .....

Times have changed. New car? 300,000 with consumables (subject to electronics ...)


There was a Hornet 900 running around Auckland some years back with 300,000 on it - well so the story goes -

[WristTwister]

What if he races the bike, it might have more wear on the motor, brakes, clutch and gears. If the mechanic has owned it for only 18months then he's probably not the only owner, so I wouldn't put too much weight on the fact he's a mech - I don't think there is much difference between a mechanics bike and one that was taken care of with regular servicing anyway.

I'm sure you could get something with lower Ks if that's really what is concerning you. I saw a nice red 2012 model with only 8,000Kms for sale under $14,000 (http://m.autobase.co.nz/details-vehicle.aspx?vehicleId=2476201)

[Gremlin]

There was a Hornet 900 running around Auckland some years back with 300,000 on it - well so the story goes -
The one I know of is now down in the Waikato, found out it was an ex courier one and he was doing a lot of open road work, so easy running. KB'er Warr has it, I think it's over 250k now (and has had gear work done now).

Mine is around 133k, and over 100k has been around town commuting... hard on the gearbox, clutch (on the 3rd cable now).

OP, 58k? As said, it's how it's been maintained over the mileage. That said, I love how people say that because a mechanic owned it, it's sweet. What about the saying a builder's home is never finished? I'm in IT, and my home network always needs something done. You do it day in day out for work, no motivation to do your own in your down time...

For reference, as said, 2005 CB919 has done 133k and just keeps going in for 6k services with no major issues. My 2010 BMW R1200GSA has done 111k and it spent the first year of it's life as a demo clocking up 4k. It would be more if work/life didn't keep interferring...

[mossy1200]

I have done just over 2tho km and mines in the shop for visit 4 now. One was for first service though.:shit:

[nzspokes]

Got a 600 Hornet in the shed, same motor as old CBR600. Its got just under 140,000ks. Uses no oil. When we got it recently I rebuilt the Cam chain tensioner. Runs well.

My Bandit 1200 has 110,000ks. I put a new timing chain in it at 100,000ks. Nice and clean under the rocker cover.

[Berries]

That said, I love how people say that because a mechanic owned it, it's sweet. What about the saying a builder's home is never finished? I'm in IT, and my home network always needs something done. You do it day in day out for work, no motivation to do your own in your down time..
I was always told that a car owned by a mechanic is probably the worst one to buy. Then I trained as one and found out there was quite a bit of truth to it.

My CBR had about 90k on it when traded and it would have gone forever. I would not be too concerned about kilometreage (?) if everything else looks ok.

[WNJ]

Different bike but my 04 636R has just clicked over 63ks,I have put on 45ks of those mostly 30/70% Waikato xpress way,rural north ham roads,and general north island day runs :doobey: mostly 100k zones :scooter: great bike for job, cheap commuter and FCKN FUN on the odd occasion :whistle:

[slofox]

My GSX-R600 is approaching 80,000km and still shows no sign of falling to bits. But then, I'm an ancient decrepit old grampaman who only uses it to go to church on Sundays...:blah:

[OddDuck]

A mechanic will also know exactly when to move a vehicle on - just before it's going to cost megabucks. Buyer beware.

Maybe your seller's OK but as other posters have mentioned, do your checks.

[iwilson]

87k on an 86 Honda GB400. It's only been running proper bike oil in it the last 6k since I got it of my father. Prior to that he only put el cheapo Castrol 20/50 car oil in it. Gearbox, clutch and engine still all original. But the majority of k's were long distance rallies.

[cheshirecat]

My 94 VFR's done 160,000 and might be run in by now. Still on its original discs, head bearing and only recently had its first new front wheel bearings and last needed valves checked some 10 years ago.

[stify]

I flicked an 06 cbr600rr with 40,000 kms to red barron a few years back and they paid good money for it(wasn't a trade in), bike was serviced as per book and was still sweet like a sweet thing...58k at the right price will be a sweet bike

[G4L4XY]

Ha! My CBR600 '08 is running mint. Around the same k's. Always change the oil every 5k. Get the shop to check out the valve clearances when the manual says so. Nothing to report here touch wood!

[5150]

My GSX-R600 is approaching 80,000km and still shows no sign of falling to bits. But then, I'm an ancient decrepit old grampaman who only uses it to go to church on Sundays...:blah:

Ahem.... I followed you to Raglan on few occasions, and it wasn't a Sunday.... :Pokey:

[Autech]

There was a Hyosung GT250 on here a while back which had clocked close to or over 100'000kms I think, and that's a cheap Korean bike.

Friend of mine is on his 2nd CBR600 which he commutes on it Auckland, he only swapped out for the 2nd one as he was worried about resale value if he let the km's run too high.

His friend has a CBR1000 which is nearing the 100k mark too. Honda's are bullet proof :)

It's all in how they are looked after.