Hornet left on display for 2-3 years

[DonDino]

Hi everyone,

I just passed my mod2 last Tuesday, and I am hoping to become a regular in the forum

I am looking at which bike to buy, and came across a 2009 Hornet with only 420 miles on the clock.
The dealer says it was on display for most of the time, then someone bought it and did only 400-odd miles on it during a long period (another year?) then traded it back.

They are listing it as immaculate condition, and they mention no first service due to mileage.

I am going to go have a look at it tomorrow.

Now, from one perspective, this bike is practically like new, but from another... what should I watch out for when examining and test riding it? What problems could 2-3 years of non-use create that regularly used bikes wouldn't normally have (if any)?
If it does look and feel OK, and I happen to like it, should I buy it, or is there a chance of a more serious potential problem that might crop up later?

I am also looking at a Kawasaki ER6, also test riding it tomorrow. I am reading about vibrations and on YouTube it sounds a bit 'rough', but at the same time it's a lot cheaper.

Any ideas and suggestions would be most welcome!

[_matt]

can't comment on specific problems with that bike but:
Tell them straight, full service/mot before you make a decision to buy it.

Only real issue that springs to mind would be corrosion of rubber bits and maybe sludge in the filters etc from fuel/oil/etc left standing
____________________
1990 Yamaha XV 535 (Alive Again!) / 2007 Jinlun Texan 125-11 (formerly 2k3, wrong details, now going rusty in the back garden )

[weasley]

The service interval will probably include a time interval, and you can bet it isn't "6,000 miles or every 3 years, whichever is cheapest".
____________________
Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[Matt-]

Should be fine to honest, full service & MOT chucked in with it should do the trick, then just have a good going over the bike, if it hasn't been take out in rain or has been dryed off after wet use it should be free from rust.

Matty
____________________
RIP jack (wheelie king), you will never be forgotten.
Current Bike's - Road Legal TZR 125 Pitbike, Aprilia SR50R 2010

[ScaredyCat]

[janner_10]

Sounds like there is room for bartering there. Dealer may want it turned into cash.

Go for a service and MOT thrown in and a discount on the service after that
____________________
Yamaha FZS600 (Now gone to heaven) > CBR600F4i (SOLD) > '99 YZF-R1

[anthony_r6]

If the service period is ever x miles, or 3 years - then it probably hasn't reached either milestone yet. Depends on how well they've looked after it I guess. MOT and Service are a given if you're going for it though.
____________________
Ted : "Maybe he's agoraphobic."
Dougal : "Jack scared of fighting? I don't think so, Ted."

[Matt-]

[Islander]

Recommended service intervals on a Hornet are: 600 then 4000 then every 4000 miles or yearly intervals.

Full service and MOT before purchase - that'll cover any potential bearing problems too.

[janner_10]

Or second thoughts, get the money off to get it MOT'd and serviced elsewhere, not to cast dispersions on dealers but I wouldn't bet any money on the dealer doing his most thorough service ever on a bike moving out the door the next day.
____________________
Yamaha FZS600 (Now gone to heaven) > CBR600F4i (SOLD) > '99 YZF-R1

[Matt-]

[goto10]

First service ought to be 600 miles or 6 months, whichever is sooner. If you do buy it then change the oil asap. (It'll probably be a mineral oil to help run the engine in, which'll need to be changed to a synth)
____________________
'12 NC700S & '12 CB600F Hornet [Stolen by some dickless twat] Suzuki GT500 shed

[jay12329]

May also need new tyres if they have been stood baking in a window for 3 years.

HTH

J

[DonDino]

Thank you all for the really helpful replies!

I mentioned service & MOT from the start of the conversation with the dealer. The bike looks very clean, and rides OK (judging from a minute's ride around the dealer's premises).

He was reluctant to do a service, saying the oil looks clean (there is a little window where you can check it apparently, I'm still learning), but he'd service it if I wanted to... this might just mean a meaningless stamp on the service book as someone else here mentioned.

The tyres also looked fine. Would I expect to see any visible deterioration, or is it a case of internal degeneration after standing for 3 years?

In any case, I went on to see more bikes, and the dealer rang me twice to see if I wanted to confirm or not. Seems very eager to turn it into cash, as janner says, perhaps it's stood there with him for a long time.

And I think it will stay with him a little longer (if anyone wants the link let me know, not sure if I can post it here).
Later, I ended up at another dealership, and saw a Kawasaki ER-6N, they let me test ride it on the road, loved it, and bought it

Riding the Hornet I found no faults at all with it, but for me personally, it was a bit on the bulky side, compared with the ER, and also the seat was a bit too high so had to stand on my toes. These reasons, as well as the fact I liked the ER sound much more, is why I went with the latter.

[anthony_r6]

Show us the link then, since you're no longer interested

Congratulations on your new bike, I'm sure you'll love it.
____________________
Ted : "Maybe he's agoraphobic."
Dougal : "Jack scared of fighting? I don't think so, Ted."

[DonDino]

[covent.gardens]

Lol @ the price of £4,291 weird price and that was Meldrew's number in One Foot in the Grave if I remember right

Yep https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szUCG6iHxnQ