Is this worth the money?

[Itxi]

So I'm thinking about getting a Hornet as my first proper bike, planning to buy it before I pass so that I can work on it and have it ready to ride the day I lose the L-plates.

Bearing in mind I'm willing to put the hours in and to learn, would this bike be worth the money?
https://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201214461546794/sort/default/usedbikes/model/hornet/make/honda/postcode/la14np/page/1/radius/1501?logcode=p

From the looks of it I stand to save about £500 on buying the bike, spending say £200 on parts? (Have a fair few tools already and willing to buy more since I'd use them for maintenance anyway, so not taking those costs into consideration)

I've learnt a lot about repair from my CG but I realise that something like this is on a different scale altogether, would repairing it be out off my league?

[Bomberman]

Hm. Whilst none of those are particularly difficult fixes, they're the more expensive ones. You'll be lucky to get away with £200 for new fairings (just front), radiator, screen and clocks. Very lucky. In fact you won't get close. That's ignoring the tank too. And assuming there's nothing else to find.
I'd pass.
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[map]

[garth]

Nah it's not worth it, for £1200 you'd get an ok non damaged one.

[DrDonnyBrago]

Whatever you think it will cost to repair, double it and you might be approaching an accurate figure.

That is overpriced for what is wrong with it, and it is a cat D so will be worth less at the end.

[andym]

Why not have a look at bike scrapyards, they usually have some cheap project bikes if that's the kind of thing you are looking for (usually pick up a cat c or d for a few hundred).

[Itxi]

Thanks for the replies everyone guess I'll pass on it.

I'm happy to look in bike scrapyards, no idea where to find one though. Done some googling and all I can find is people offering to sell me marked-up salvage that they've already found themselves, anyone know where to start looking?

[garth]

Buy a non broken one, spend the time before you pass servicing it.

[Bomberman]

Yep £1200 is more than enough to get a fully working bike in pretty fair nick. Do that instead
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[Itxi]

I'll do some research into Hornets to try and find the best model for me, I like the sound of the 2003+ ones since the tank is bigger and I've heard that's an issue with the hornets

[garth]

What do you want to know? I've got a 98 unfaired one and can give an unbiased view, after owning a fair few bikes, including much quicker ones, for example.

There's nothing wrong with a 16" front wheel bar tyre choice, 100-110 miles to reserve is about right with the early small tank, they're a bit buzzy, stupidly overgeared, revvy, light, flickable.

[Itxi]

I was originally thinking of a CB500 but so many people have recommended the 600 that I've decided to take their word for it.

At the moment I'm not sure exactly what I want from a bike, something dependable and more stable to ride than my 125 (wont be too difficult)

Apart from the front wheel and the tank is there much difference between the years? How many of the parts are interchangeable? Could I just fit a larger tank and wheel onto an earlier model for example? Were there many changes in the shape of the bike? Obviously availability of parts makes a difference, and I'm not really considering the new model they've released, would still be out of my price range.

Cheers

[MarJay]

Projects never save you money. Fact.
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[garth]

[map]

[Bomberman]

He was after the knackered bike for £995 and had £200 budgeted for parts, so I reckon around £1200
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Slacker24seve...]

I sold my cosmetically a-bit-shit but mechanically good Hornet for 1250 in April.

You can find one, don't waste your cash on that shitheap.
____________________
Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[Robby]

Don't buy a damaged bike from a dealer, you can spend about the same on a reasonable bike privately. In the £1-1.5k price bracket, everything is going to need something done. Could be new tyres, chains and sprockets, brakes, bearings, just about anything.

Don't discount a CB500 either. Not as quick as a Hornet, but will still feel like a rocket after a 125. I enjoyed my old one.

[Itxi]

Thanks for all the replies again

Budget has actually gone up to about £2000 since I'm buying it with a card that has 0% on purchases for 15 months, but I don't want to spend more than £15k (I can comfortably pay £100 a month)

I've heard people recommend the larger front wheel, partially for the ride quality but also apparently the larger wheeled hornets have better front brakes. Sounds like not a lot goes wrong with them, but that's why I'm sticking with Honda

After having a bit of a look round I see that there are much better deals out there, will probably go for something around the £12k mark.

[woodie]

My mate picked up a XJ600 the other day 2001 ...MINT...never been used in the wet and fully serviced ...

£875...

they are out there mate just keep looking

but that hornet looks to me like the handle bars are bent aswell ....

all the best

[Robby]

If you can afford to spend a bit more, then in this case I would.

As a rule of thumb, bikes in the £1-1.5k bracket will need some attention. Everyone will tell you how they picked up something great for 900 quid, but they won't mention the other 5 bikes they've bought for similar money that needed work.

Spend a grand on a bike, spend near enough another grand on it in the first year if you're not all that mechanically competent. Spend 2 grand and you may reach the holy grail of just having a bike that needs servicing at regular intervals, but not regular fixing.

That said, I typically fall into the former camp, but that's because I like spannering. I have spent a lot more on parts than on bikes.

This thread may descend into a "what bike" thread. Everyone has an opinion on what you should get. As long as you get something you like, it doesn't matter. Anything will feel quick, stable, and heavy after a 125.

[Itxi]

I guess it's just knowing what to look out for to identify a bargain really. I'm happy to tinker with a bike (enjoy it in fact) so long as the frame etc are in good condition and it runs reasonably, so I'll probably look out for those things above much else.

I'm getting there with the mechanical side of things, even though it seems like something is always breaking my current bike is undoubtedly better than it was when I first got it. (apart from maybe the paint job on the tank, but that's more down to halfords petrol-resistant lacquer being rubbish ) So I could hopefully save some money by working on a bike myself

EDIT

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-Hornet-CB900F2-2002-/221046604736?_trksid=m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D9148729973544922853&_qi=RTM1084480#ht_522wt_1185