Upgrade/Downgrade from a cbr600f?

[tk338]

3 months ago I passed my restricted license, and 2 weeks on, I saw and bought a 2000 cbr600f from a local dealer, part exchanging for my ybr125 which I had owned from new. The ybr being flawless, but too slow.

Now 3 months on about 15 breakdowns (no exaggeration, honestly) later, 4 of those have resulted on having to be towed, the final straw snapped when I left work , pushed the starter, the engine cranked and nothing more. Theres obviously some problem with the fuel system, quite what I don't know but it seems the poor old girl with 20k on her and 10 years old isn't up to the job, so what to do now?

Option 1 is spend more and more money on her, fixing her up, once she goes, she goes like a dream, when she wants to, absolutely brilliant ride, and looks stunning, but I no longer feel I have any confidence on it, as to relying on it for full time transport.

Option 2 is part-ex for a used bike, something I'm not keen to do, but if money won't allow anything else, it'll have to be a used bike, and hopefully more reliable.

Option 3 is part-ex a new bike. New bike wise practically the only thing I can afford is a ninja 250, possibly an sv650, but I'm working on that. My main concern is what the power difference would be like going from the 33bhp 600 to a 250. Also I do a fair bit of 2-up riding, maximum 20 or 30 mile journeys but would the 250 be suitable for that?

Option 4... Well lets not talk about that, lets just says your mind can wander to having an extra 2 wheels when you've spent 4 hours at about 5 degrees C waiting for a recovery truck.

If someone could say to me theres your 600 fixed it wont break down... I'd keep it, but carb icing, and some serious engine problems just seem to be getting in the way of it, I've been offered a part-ex price of practically what I paid for it by the same dealer because I'm not overly happy, so part-ex is an option... What to do... What to do?

[StevenF]

Can I ask how much they're offering you for your bike? Could help deciding what to replace it with.
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My Project - Honda CBR 600 F2/FM

[CaNsA]

Is there no warranty from the dealer?

that would be my 1st stop.....

[chris-red]

What is the point of paying over inflated dealer prices if you can't take the bike back when it is fuckered.
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[tk338]

I paid 2400, offered 1900... But I'm hoping to twist their arm on that a little too, that was a just brief over the phone conversation, as they do have my bike at the moment.

Also it has a warranty which it is currently being fixed under, but I think in the 3 months I've had it its been in the workshop 3 weeks (Admittedly 1 week due to snow)... And getting around without your own transport here is a nightmare.

My ybr from them I had no problems with, I looked after it too, I don't know the cbr has had the same TLC all its life...

[pinkyfloyd]

I'd tell them to fix it properly so you dont have to keep coming back in every couple of weeks or give you either a full refund or a full PX value if you decide to stay with them for a new bike.

You've been sold a dud. Chances are the prev rode it like he'd stolen it and left it riddled with problems. Every time you get one fixed something else goes wrong. They need to give the bike a full inspection to see what shape its in.
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Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[CaPo]

Out of curiousity, what are the prolems youve been having with the bike?
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Had: NS125R
Got: GPZ500s, '02 R6

[StevenF]

Well if it's under warranty, do as above and tell them your fed up of going in and out the garage getting it fixed, get them to give it a full inspection and get the problem sorted. You paid £2400 for a bike, you expect that bike to be working as it should, especially if bought from a dealership.

I take it you don't have a courtesy bike through your insurance or through the garage?
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My Project - Honda CBR 600 F2/FM

[madturk999]

In the first place in think you paid to much money for that bike mate if i was you get my money back or get px same value and less miles for 2400 you can get a mint bike mate
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Yamaha r1 2008 mod 2 passed 09/11/2010

[Polarbear]

I understand how you feel. Some times all you want to do is get shot. If you can get your money back there are a lot of good deals on new bikes around, see George whites deals.

I know there are pros and cons about going down that road, but if you need a reliable bike and are not very mechanically minded I feel you nee something a bit younger than what you have now.
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Victory Cross Country American tractor.

[Teflon-Mike]

If your CBR6 is genuinely 33bhp restricted, then, that might account for a few of the niggles, like your mentioning carb-icing.
It'll have jets in it sized to flow nearly three times the fuel, with a simple restrictor plate choking the flow over them, some-what screwing the carburation.
I've always said that restricting a bike that much is just fool-hardy, bikes that make more than twice the restriction limit aren't going to work well strangled so much.
Consequently a 30bhp 250, will probably surprise you.
CBR's lugging a lot of mass around, intended to keep nearly three times the power and probably twice the speed capability in check.
250, with 30bhp, designed to handle 30bhp will be lugging about only what it needs.
It'll carburate more cleanly and crisply, and respond more eagerly.
And it'll be a new, hopefully trouble free bike.
Best analogy I can come up with is you have, in your CBR an ex national level middle distance runner, who you have loaded up with a back-pack to slow him down. 250 Ninja, probably only a County contender in the shorter distances, but off the line, probably the better runner...
So I'd not be too concerned down grading to the 250, and for what you want, and as you seem contientiouse enough to respect the 33bhp limit, probably your better bet.
600 I suspect, with the restrictor kit removed and a little propper fettling, could be completely transformed into a brilliant bike.... but it wouldn't be 33bhp complient... and I doubt that the dealer would do it. They dont make much money on second hand bikes, and work-shop times to paying customers makes a lot more than muggering about with a trade-in they have sold on, and are providing the warranty themselves.
They'll resent paying for new parts, and many will rely on 'twiddling out' niggles, handing back bikes with little more than a carb-balence, and bouncing it to and from until the warranty expires....
Personally, I'd fault find the bike myself, or get a decent trusted mechanic on it, rather then who-ever sold it to me, and a little money in the right place could go a long way; CBR6F2 is a very sweet bike when set up properly..... but that would preclude the restrictor kit, unfortunately.
Think, it IS a case of the wrong bike for you, and you would be happier with the new Ninja.
SV's oft vaunted, and not a bad choice, but again, would still have to be strangled... just not as much!
So, I think I'd steer you ninja-wise.....
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[tk338]

Wow thanks for the replies!

I'm really annoyed not having my bike over christmas, really dying for a ride now and theyre closed till wednesday so the bikes stranded there till then. The 250, especially after reading teflon mikes much appreciated, detailed comment is very very appealing and something I would almost put down a deposit on on Wednesday, but for one thing, I can't seem to get an insurance quote cheaper than for my 600!? The only thing I can think is a 250 would be easier to nick, but currently paying about 1400 a year for my cbr (yeah it stinks, but I can accept that) But after 2 comparison websites, one where I got my original cbr quote from, and then direct with MCE, the cheapest quote was 1500 a year. Madness!

[Teflon-Mike]

[P.addy]

[CaNsA]

Prolly an issue of age to be honest.

also, being honest when declaring how many miles a year you do wont help.

/me says less than 3k and when they ask for my current mileage i add a couple of K to it.

[P.addy]

[tk338]

[flumpy7]

Whilst Teflon-Mikes opinion is yet again expressed so thoroughly it verges on boring ( ), i would tend to agree with him on the 250 Ninja.

The 250 will probably actually be nippier than the restricted cbr, and you;ll have the benefit of a shiny, new bike. I think they are nice machines for the money. You can always trade it in at a later date, when you've got a bit more dosh, by-pass the 600's altogether and get a 1000cc bike
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2012 Sinnis apache

[tk338]

Went to the dealers, who were very nice and understanding, they're working on the bike again, but cant find anything, it seems the cbr just doesnt do cold weather and restrictors... While I was in there my eye caught on a k8 650 bandit, very nice condition, fuel injected, unlike the cbr, and only 1,500 miles on the clock.

I went home got an insurance quote on it and its half what I'm paying at the moment for cbr too... So as it goes at the moment I'm in the process of buying the bandit, thanks for your help, would have tried a 250 but it seems half their stick was missing refurbishing half the shop or something so they didn't have one there, the outcome could have been different otherwise, but the bandit feels like a very very nice bike.

[tk338]

After a week of pissing around, they've come back to me and said they need a HUGE deposit on this bandit so its a no go, no way can stump up that sort of cash! So think I'm going to get the cbr back, not something I'm reluctant to do actually I've hated the thought of selling it, but im still stuck with a bike that doesn't work that way >.<.

The only other solution I can think is get a cheapy 125 for the days that the bigger bike is temperamental, but I'm sure 99.9% its not the restrictor doing that to the bike... Its a fuel pump or a clogged filter/pipe somewhere I guess the only other option is to take it elsewhere where the warranty wont cover it risk a lot of cash on another fix... Or remove the 33bhp, which for reasons of my license I'm very reluctant to do...

[Shaft]

Frankly, I wouldn't put up with that.

You bought a bike for top dollar, expecting it to do a job for you; the fact that it's been restricted is neither here nor there, you bought it to use it and you've been prevented from using it, on several occasions, over a short period of time.

It has a warranty and it's not fit for purpose, so make your dealer fix it, or give you reasonable compensation (your money back would be a good start) it's your right as a consumer.
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