Urgent - Need Bike Advice - Oh In Garage Now

zebidee1

OH has been looking for a Honda CBR 600F and has found an immaculate 03 plate with full Honda service history and fitted extras that looks good and he really wants it.

The only thing that he is a bit concerned about is the mileage - 20,000. This averages out at around 5,000 per year which he is told is the norm but he's still swithering.

The bike is very clean and has been well looked after and it comes with a fresh service and a new 12month MOT.

Anyone advise whether the mileage is a problem for a bike? He's not owned a bike before and isn't sure of things like this. Do bikes have a smaller engine life than cars or is this not worth worrying about?

Anyone help?

suffolkb

Not a problem at all on that bike. I would expect it to last another 40k if looked after. My own bike is an old fashioned German MZ and is now 13 years old with 35k miles and I expect it to double that.
Have a look at the Used Bike Guide for more info on his machine.

zebidee1

Thanks suffolkb. I'm glad you said that as he's just phoned to say he's bought it anyway. :rolleyes:

suffolkb

This is a very powerful bike for a first timer. Make sure he treats it with respect until he gets used to it. I`m jealous - my neighbour is trying to sell his to me, but I can`t really justify a bike that will do over 140 mph. I want it though.

Keith

Make sure its had it's valve clearances done at 16,000 miles as this is one of the bigger services.

Insurance on the 600F is much higher than the R6, but a little lower than the Kwak 636. Make sure the tyres have decent life left in them and are not squared off.

Hope he got a bargain, the bike should be 3k or under. Also good luck with it, I have one, and I'd not buy another

SuffolkB - It is only as fast as you take it. 1st time bike the CBR is fine.

vansboy

Have a word with Nick at http://www.forcemotorcycles.com he knows his stuff & specializes in ex Police machines - plenty of those are Hondas!

VB

suffolkb

Keith - I concur. As my middle 50`s approach, I rarely drive above 60 - 65 on the bike except when overtaking. Thats why I can`t justify such a fast bike. It would be wasted on me. Used to have a Honda 750 and CBX550 in my younger days. I agree though - the throttle works both ways is a good motto.

mrtg0525

I know I coming a bit late to the party...

I wouldn't worry about the mileage at all, people seem to think/been brainwashed into thinking that motorbikes self-destruct if you're (a) taking them out in the rain or at temperatures below 25C or (b) if you do more than 1999 miles/year as the friendly salesweasel will then instantly declare the bike to have "high mileage" on it when you come to trade it in.

In fact I've probably had to fix more issues that came from having the bike stand around too long (I've got a couple of classic bikes cluttering up the garage) rather than using it. I do commute by bike almost every day from Ashford to London so I'm putting lots of miles on my commuter bikes, to the tune of about 600 miles/week if I'm not using the bike on the weekend. So far, I haven't had a problem with the Hondas and most of the BMWs I've used for that task.

The only thing high mileage seems to hurt is the resale value, plus I obviously have to service the bikes (or get them serviced) more than once a year...

zebidee1

Thanks guys, all been very helpful.

Keith... big service was done at 16,000 miles & valves were done.

Bit shocked at the price you noted, we've been looking for ages and yet to see a bike in such good condition anywhere close to £3K near us. We've looked online and autotrader etc and there seems to be plenty all over England but a shortage of the 'F' model in for sale Scotland, lol. We've found loads of F Sports / RR's however.

Having said that, I do think he paid over the odds a bit but I think he was getting to the stage of getting fed up looking and work doesn't give him much time to travel very far afield to check bikes out. The bike he bought was 200 miles away as it was, but he was there working anyway so not so bad. I'm trying not to think about the price. :eek: Perhaps next time he'll be less desperate to buy quickly as he'll already have owned one. :rolleyes: He's also quite a quiet mild mannered type of bloke and I don't think he finds it easy to barter so he likely wouldn't have put much effort into badgering the garage to get the price down, lol.

Anyone offer suggestions on which helmet/leathers are good as a starting point or where to buy (cheaper online?). We've been looking at Shoei helmets as we were told you get what you pay for in a helmet and they were a good make. Any advice here would be good too?

Markyt

zebidee1 wrote: »

Anyone offer suggestions on which helmet/leathers are good as a starting point or where to buy (cheaper online?). We've been looking at Shoei helmets as we were told you get what you pay for in a helmet and they were a good make. Any advice here would be good too?

Above about £200, the difference in helmets is the extras - removable washable liners, extra vents, quick release visors etc. The level of protection doesn't really change. Buy a helmet that fits, first of all - some people have a head shape that fits a certain make. I can't get in Arai helmets, but the same size AGV fits fine.

As for leathers, I don't wear mine much now. I've got cordura all weather kit, with armour built in. I find it much more practical for all sorts of weather, and the protection isn't any less than with leathers. Again, find stuff that fits - armour is in the right place when sat on the bike and doesn't move about. Check magazines like Ride for their kit reviews and try on different makes. IMO, Dainese kit is overpriced for what you get.

Keith

Don't worry about the price

If he can get to a branch of Hein Gerricke or J&S he'll be able to get kitted out cheaply, try on a few different helmets before deciding on which one to wear.

Hein Gerricke's all weather gortex range is highly recommended by friends, I wear a Dainesse suit which has lasted well over the past 18 months.

Next thing - security. A decent chain such as an Almax should be attached to the bike and to a solid object a ground anchor if possible. Have no faith in, it's ok it has an alarm as it'll be thrown into a van and gone