Car or bike?

**ducatilover** · 11th July 2012, 21:40

I built my 600 for a lot less than your budget and that's faster than I need.
If I was in your shoes, I would buy 4k worth of bike, not borrow.

I'd be getting the tidiest 400cc bike I could, still a nice step up from a Hyo in terms of power and any CBR/ZXR 400 will run rings around a Hyowhale in the corners. Properly fun bikes, I'd take the 400cc toys over the 250s any day.
My 600 is hard to enjoy in terms of its power because you're doing stupid speeds by the time you hit the limiter in third, and that's with lower gearing. Then those speeds become... normal and you end up riding like a fuck knuckle.

Or at least I did

**Ender EnZed** · 11th July 2012, 21:55

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

I've had a few old cars and bikes and in my experience those old vehicles have cost a shitload of money to maintain. It's often cheaper in the end to spend more money and buy something more modern rather than keep chasing good money after bad by maintaining a vehicle which is well past its use by date.

I've definitely had enough of buying vehicles from the '80s. When you realise it costs $6k+ per year to run a car and a bike (~10000km) without anything going wrong it makes no sense to try and save money by getting the cheapest road legal option on TradeMe.

**SMOKEU** · 11th July 2012, 22:09

Originally Posted by ducatilover

I'd be getting the tidiest 400cc bike I could, still a nice step up from a Hyo in terms of power and any CBR/ZXR 400 will run rings around a Hyowhale in the corners.

Keep in mind that most 400cc bikes are around 20 years old and are worn out from abuse and lack of maintenance, so they will need a fair bit of work to keep going well. It doesn't really matter if the OP has a good mechanical knowledge, plenty of time and the right tools though.

**ducatilover** · 11th July 2012, 22:23

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

Keep in mind that most 400cc bikes are around 20 years old and are worn out from abuse and lack of maintenance, so they will need a fair bit of work to keep going well. It doesn't really matter if the OP has a good mechanical knowledge, plenty of time and the right tools though.

Not always. My CB400 had the smoothest engine I've ever felt and seamless power delivery, suspension was nice too and had Hagon rear shocks. The CBR motors are very strong a low maintenance engines, the VFRs are a bit pricier, but also excellent engines. ZXR400s are reasonably strong bikes too. And for 4k you'd find a far better 400 than you will a 600.

**SMOKEU** · 11th July 2012, 22:30

Originally Posted by ducatilover

Not always. My CB400 had the smoothest engine I've ever felt and seamless power delivery, suspension was nice too and had Hagon rear shocks. The CBR motors are very strong a low maintenance engines, the VFRs are a bit pricier, but also excellent engines. ZXR400s are reasonably strong bikes too. And for 4k you'd find a far better 400 than you will a 600.

True...I had a 1988 CBR250R which I thrashed the fuck out of for the 13,000km I owned it and the only thing that broke was the fuel pump, so I had a good run out of it. At the end of last year I picked up a 1998 GSXR600 for $4k with 60,000km on it and the previous owner showed me around $2k of receipts of money he just spent on it, so there are some good late '90s 600cc bikes for that price if you look around. I'd personally go for an SRAD or a late '90s CBR600 if it were me in that position.

A late '80s/early '90s CBR400RR would be a very good bike to get for that price since they're more or less bulletproof, although things like brake discs, fork seals etc may be an issue at WOF time.

**onearmedbandit** · 11th July 2012, 22:30

Nothing wrong with a loan if you are aware of all the costs and can service it.

**ducatilover** · 11th July 2012, 22:33

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

True...I had a 1988 CBR250R which I thrashed the fuck out of for the 13,000km I owned it and the only thing that broke was the fuel pump, so I had a good run out of it. At the end of last year I picked up a 1998 GSXR600 for $4k with 60,000km on it and the previous owner showed me around $2k of receipts of money he just spent on it, so there are some good late '90s 600cc bikes for that price if you look around. I'd personally go for an SRAD or a late '90s CBR600 if it were me in that position.

A late '80s/early '90s CBR400RR would be a very good bike to get for that price since they're more or less bulletproof, although things like brake discs, fork seals etc may be an issue at WOF time.

I raped my Spada for 130,000km

I'd pay $4k for an SRAD quite happily. But finding decent ones is hard. The CBR600 would be a great idea, not the sportiest but, after a Hyosung even a dead pig would go hard.

It's cheap to do seals and brakes on the CBR400s

**Ender EnZed** · 11th July 2012, 22:33

This looks pretty tidy, it's a lot newer than most of the other 400s too.

**ducatilover** · 11th July 2012, 22:35

Originally Posted by Ender EnZed

This looks pretty tidy, it's a lot newer than most of the other 400s too.

I love RFs, you could get an RF6 or 900 for that money though in good shape

**SMOKEU** · 11th July 2012, 22:37

Originally Posted by ducatilover

I raped my Spada for 130,000km

I'd pay $4k for an SRAD quite happily. But finding decent ones is hard. The CBR600 would be a great idea, not the sportiest but, after a Hyosung even a dead pig would go hard.

It's cheap to do seals and brakes on the CBR400s

I was stoked when a few weeks after buying it I found out about some extras that the previous owner didn't tell me about such as Ohlins rear suspension, Yoshi jet kit, Yoshi triple clamp etc...the thing fucking drinks like an alcoholic though, 9L/100km around town and 8L/100km on the open road without thrashing it much. I don't really care though since it's so much fun. Just had nearly $1k spent on the front brakes just before I bought it, too. New discs and pads.

**Ender EnZed** · 11th July 2012, 22:39

Originally Posted by ducatilover

I love RFs, you could get an RF6 or 900 for that money though in good shape

Yeah, but if I'd only ever riden a Hyosung I'd have way more fun on an RF4 than an RF9.

**ducatilover** · 11th July 2012, 22:44

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

I was stoked when a few weeks after buying it I found out about some extras that the previous owner didn't tell me about such as Ohlins rear suspension, Yoshi jet kit, Yoshi triple clamp etc...the thing fucking drinks like an alcoholic though, 9L/100km around town and 8L/100km on the open road without thrashing it much. I don't really care though since it's so much fun. Just had nearly $1k spent on the front brakes just before I bought it, too. New discs and pads.

I could do disks and pads for $500 on your SRAD, 600 if I rebuilt the calipers, tops.
That is ridiculously hungry for a 600! Mine's doing 5.5L/100k at the moment (I must ride like a pussy)

Originally Posted by Ender EnZed

Yeah, but if I'd only ever riden a Hyosung I'd have way more fun on an RF4 than an RF9.

Very good point. YOu could get a late model ZZR400 fro that coin, another very nice bike of that type. The RF is prettier though

**SMOKEU** · 11th July 2012, 22:48

Originally Posted by ducatilover

That is ridiculously hungry for a 600! Mine's doing 5.5L/100k at the moment (I must ride like a pussy)

It doesn't get any better than 8L/100km, even when I did a slow ride from Ashburton to Christchurch which is a long, very boring (unless you ride like a lunatic) straight road. I stuck to around 100kmh almost the whole time, except when overtaking. It doesn't seem to drink any more when I thrash it, either, so I might as well ride it hard and get the most out of my money.

**mossy1200** · 11th July 2012, 22:49

I think you have 3 options.

A-buy bike at 4k
B-save till 7k and buy private and use Public transport while saving
C-get bike from dealership on 9% interest at a rate you can afford at 8k+ low km and 2007 onwards

prefer order BCA

I dont think 4k bikes are the best value on our market. They seem to be 12year old plus medium kms.