Advice on buying 2000 CBR600 F4 (pics included)

[CBRAero]

Hi all,

if at all possible it would be great if the collective wisdom could give me a little advice regarding a CBR600 F4 I'm giving serious thought to. The price? $7300.

The bike was made in 2000, has 33,000 km on the clock and has had six owners (hmmm wonder why?) but apparently has nothing wrong with it, starts first pop, everything works etc. It has a recent wof and is still registered. It comes fitted with a scorpion exhaust. Whether thats just the can or complete system I don't know. It looks like sometime in its life the right side has had a bit of a scrape, but it looks to have been pretty minor. The insert for the right grip is missing however. Now, I'm down in Dunedin and the Bike is in Auckland, so I can't very well take it for a quick test ride. So, I was hoping to get a few opinions on whether its a sensible buy. Who thinks this is a sensible deal and who thinks I should stay away?

Here are some picture links... some are a bit smeared unfortunately.
http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/8940/pic000419ys.jpg
http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/9840/pic000428qt.jpg
http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/3938/pic000430rk.jpg
http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/1708/pic000489qp.jpg
http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/8919/pic000501eb.jpg
http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/411/pic000513dn.jpg

Currently I have a verbal agreement with the owner that I will purchase it provided it checks out, though I'm sure yet how I'm going to achieve that, because the price would seem reasonable?

This may sound like an crazy request, but I'll ask anyway, is there a fine forum member out there who happens to be local and who would be interested in going to check it out?
Thanks
Chris.

[boomer]

Hopefully this will give you some indication of prices.

I bought my '99 f4 6 months ago from a dealer, it looked like it had been down as the kerker exhaust had a bolt missing and some grazes other than that was mint;
Heated grips, Ventura light Gaurd, oggie nobs, back pack. I paid $9k i think with 31k on the clock and 6-7 owners. Last weekend i dropped it cleaning her and got the very same scratches this one has on the tail end.

Any hows i traded her in on thursday and got 8k for her with 36k on her and grazes.

My opinion, without getting the motor seen or finance checked etc.. a good deal.

Nice bikes too btw

ps. I'd check her out for you mate but i aint no mechanic. G/L

[Zed]

That is a good price for such a late model bike with low kms for 6 owners, couldn't say why so many different owners but sometimes circumstances demand drastic measures like having to sell your bike to finance something else??

I had the exact same model bike last year until I wrote it off. 10 full months of enjoyment on it though, plenty of smooth inline4 honda grunt in them machines! Pic of my old one attached.

I say get it checked out thoroughly by someone in the know and grab that deal while it lasts.

[boomer]

snap Zed ( poor quality pic sorry, yours does her justice)

[CBRAero]

Thanks for the advice Zed/Boomer. Feel free to keep it coming. Nice bike btw! Perhaps I can get hold of a mechanic up in Auckland and have them do a house call as I don't think it would be a good idea to buy it blind.

[boomer]

you could ask hime to take it into a shop and ask them to do an appraisal ( at yours or his cost). Only thing is he might ask for the book value and realise he's selling cheap.

I'm sure someone on heres got the nounce to go see for you Even if you are asoutherner

[Nutter34]

I've had two. Crashed the first one but liked them so much I bought another. The second one I sold with 56000k's on and still running smooth.
About the biggest issue I know of with them, are the cam chain tensioners. Mostly on the FS models, ie, fuel injected ones, but a mate recently replaced on on his 2000 bike.
It's also possible to put a later model single seat unit onto them with a bit of effort.... Did it to mine......

[Jonty]

Sounds good to me, but get it checked out first. I have a 98 with 18,000K (very low I know) with scott oiler for that price. They are great bikes and I have had no problems with mine (comfy seat )

[CBRAero]

Toast, bless him, has offered to go and have a look at the bike this evening. Thanks Toast, you da man! With only 33,000 on the clock I doubt there can be anything wrong with the engine (and the owner swears it runs great). It would have to have been seriously abused or never had an oil change for that to be the case. Provided theres nothing show stopping concerning the bike condition, in a week or so I'll be up one F4 and down around $7600 (including shipping).

Speaking of shipping, at this point I'm thinking 'Cycle move' as I hear good things?

[zooter]

check qantas for cheap cheap flights to Akl. 127 bucks from Queenstown with a weels notice, two days off is plenty of time to get up and down.

[CBRAero]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. As it turns out, its not going to be an issue as I've decided not to buy this particular bike. I was all set, but a ring to the dealer who sold the bike to the current owners confirmed that it had be dropped previously, something the current owner did not disclose when asked. Apparently the guy who crashed it sent it sliding down the road, caving in the clutch cover (since replaced) and the usual bits such as the indicators, handle weights etc. A section the engine (under plastics) had to be welded back. There really was no way to know if it had been dropped via a standard inspection. Also, money (2k) owing on the bike....

Toast noted the tires/chain/sprockets are approaching the end of their life as well, a tidy sum to replace that lot as well. Given both cycle move and Bike tranz quoted $450/$440 respectively, total costs on this bike would soon be closer to 9k, and thats without the little mods I had planned. So I've arranged to buy Andrews 2003 F4i. This is a really slick forum btw.

[Jonty]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. As it turns out, its not going to be an issue as I've decided not to buy this particular bike. I was all set, but a ring to the dealer who sold the bike to the current owners confirmed that it had be dropped previously, something the current owner did not disclose when asked. Apparently the guy who crashed it sent it sliding down the road, caving in the clutch cover (since replaced) and the usual bits such as the indicators, handle weights etc. A section the engine (under plastics) had to be welded back. There really was no way to know if it had been dropped via a standard inspection. Also, money (2k) owing on the bike....

Toast noted the tires/chain/sprockets are approaching the end of their life as well, a tidy sum to replace that lot as well. Given both cycle move and Bike tranz quoted $450/$440 respectively, total costs on this bike would soon be closer to 9k, and thats without the little mods I had planned. So I've arranged to buy Andrews 2003 F4i. This is a really slick forum btw.

Good decision in the end (esp with money owing). One thing that has interested me in buying decisions is the effect of a minor drop. Usually the first hint of a spill and a buyer will go running. In my experience, not all drops will adversley effect the bike and cosmetic damage such as indicators, handle bars ends mirrors and fairings can all be fixed to 100%. I agree that some damage may occur that is unseen, but what really can a careful owner do after an minor spill to keep the value of the bike??

[boomer]

good luck mate, if your still in the market then ring amps as my old bike should be for sale soon. 99 f4

[Zed]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. As it turns out, its not going to be an issue as I've decided not to buy this particular bike.

Good on you for doing your homework and recruiting others to help you CBRAero! Disappointing to hear the previous accident wasn't disclosed by the seller & that there's still money owing on it!!

Good luck with the '03 F4, should be a better bike.