Looking for my next bike

[andym]

And I need a bit of help really... So far my track record hasn't been very good:

Intruder 125, bought for £250 - spent about £800 - sold for £950, thieving wife got the money
Diversion 600, bought for £175, spent about £30 - sold for £670, thieving wife got the money (then threw me out the house a couple of days later)
GPz 750, bought for £250, spent about £400 - currently broken
Zxr 750, bought for £301, spent about £650 - sold for £410.

So now I have about £650 burning a hole in my pocket, will be about £800 next Tuesday, £950 the tuesday after that and £1000 the tuesday after that (short week). Could be a little more if I scrap the GPz though.

Now I just want a bike that runs, doesn't need a lot of work, preferably late 80's early 90's (or anything that can get classic insurance), I'd prefer something over 600cc, something that can be checked before I part with the cash (even by a forumite who is local), a faired bike, maybe a little bit of tax and mot (again not needing anything major to pass another mot).... and maybe a fuel gauge.

I've been having a mooch around ebay and although there are plenty that look good enough, I don't want to be buying yet another money pit that I can't use.

So help please with suggestions (and possible links)... I should point out some that were suggested in chat last night were: cbr1000f, fj1100/1200, vfr 750 (watching a couple of them), gsx750f, srad gsxr600, cbr 600, gsx 1100f, zzr 1100, gpz 1100, fzr 1000, gts 1000

[moppy]

The most half assed search brought up this:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/yamaha-xj-600-11-mths-mot-5-mths-tax-lovely-runner/1019909799

Don't need to worry about MOT for a year, £550 so plenty left for any expenditure from your budget.

Go have a look and see what it's about?

[c_dug]

HA! GTS1000 for a grand? You high?

The fj's are a good bet for sure, plenty of xj900s around for that money too, even the diversion models are dropping below the 1k mark now.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[andym]

Moppy, I am looking, and I don't want to just throw money away yet again. I could go on ebay now and pick the first thing that looks 'nice' and end up with yet another bag of shit.

c_dug, that's the stuff that was suggested last night, so they must have been the ones that were high.

anyway, some that I'm watching:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151050556108?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121117382939?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130912614017?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Ended but might send a message about it: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111081277394?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[c_dug]

With the VFR's I would be a bit cautious just because if they do need service work or if something does go wrong it is likely to be very expensive to fix (v four and geared cams).

Edit: I get the impression they are generally reliable bikes just saying if something goes wrong.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[moppy]

I'm not trying to have a go at you Andy, it's just that (for me atleast) there's no way of assessing the condition of a bike without actually going to look at it. So we can post all the links we like, but without giving it a thorough looking over, there's no way of telling if it's a good un or not.

Hell I thought I gave my bike a good look over, but no test ride. So far, the fork seals have gone, one of the stanchions needs replacing and the calipers were fucked with the dust seals blown on them. Had I gone for a test ride, I might have realised this, but the guy had a 12 month fresh MOT on it, so I figured it would all be good.

What I would suggest is:
- Definitely go for a test ride. Fork seals which don't leak when you bounce them up and down might start leaking once you hit a pot hole or two. Prise the dust seal down a bit and check for pitting which might be hidden there. Wish I'd done this on the bike I bought.
- Take a tool kit with you when you view the bike. Take calipers off and have a look at the state of them. Since this is such a ball ache to sort out (and expensive too) it's well worth the test. As long as you look like you know what you're doing, surely the owner won't mind. Hell if he's scared of taking calipers off, then you definitely want to see a fully stamped service history don't you?
- If owner won't let you go for a test ride, stick it on centre/paddock and run it through every single gear.
- Check fluid levels of absolutely everything. I bought my bike, and ran it for a month before I realised it had absolutely NO coolant in there. I'm an idiot for not checking earlier, if I'd seen something like that when I looking the bike over, I wouldn't have even bought it.

Final piece of advice is: If you can, buy newer. My current bike is a 92 ZXR 750. I love it, but wish I'd saved up a £500 more and I could have got something from the 2000s for that kinda money.

Sorry if this is a little bit condescending, if itsnt of use to you, it might at least be of use to someone else.

TBH, I wouldn't even bother with those "it's scruffy, but it works" bikes. I've had enough of buying bikes like that, the next bike I buy will be tidy and looked after properly. It's a pain in the arse when the previous owner seems to have rounded off nuts and bolts/not bothered with basic things like chain/fluid levels/caliper maintenance.

But it's a learning curve I guess and I'm quickly realising how little I know. I've bought 3 bikes now and have learnt a bit more about what to check for with each one. I think my first purchase may have been the best one. But it was also the most expensive one.

Anyway, ramble over. If you see something near Sheffield you're interested in, gimme a shout and I'll go look it over. I don't know much about bikes, but can check basic things at least and let you know if it's worth the hassle to come view.

Oh and this link is something I read through a couple of times before going to look at bikes: https://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html

Edit: Some bike suggestions. I'd be looking heavily at GT550s. I've seen some go very very cheap with 12 months MOT and being unfaired, it can't be hard to give it a good looking over and easier/cheaper to restore to a nice level.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-KAWASAKI-GT550-IN-KAWASAKI-COLOURS-GREEN-VERY-NICE-/261221042286?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item3cd1fcc86e

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-GT550-1992-shaft-drive-/190846476193?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item2c6f561fa1

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1989-KAWASAKI-Z550-G4-BLUE-/140982534626?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item20d336c1e2

[andym]

moppy, I didn't think you were having a go, just that I want to make sure I actually get a bike that I can use straight away, and something that doesn't need to be stripped down every couple of days for a rebuild.

Anyway, I got in contact with the person from ebay, and I can buy this: https://i.ebayimg.com/t/honda-vfr-750-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/mcoAAMXQ-3NRlTNE/$T2eC16R,!zEE9s3!%28YuyBRlTNDlZ7w~~60_12.JPG
for £700

2 problems with it though:
1 it's in Esh Winning, Durham or 288 miles away, so I can't actually get there to give it a good going over and make sure it runs OK etc
2 I'm £85 short otherwise the impatient side of me would be snapping hands off etc

[Fisty]

Firstly, STOP BUYING SHITTERS THAT NEED WORK!! Any bike that "needs a tyre for MOT" will need much more than that they are cheap for a reason. Especially id dumbo sells it.

Secondly gumtree is your friend, many a desperate soul selling on there.

IF you can up your budget to around a grand there is plenty out there, and as I said I am more than happy to come look at stuff with you.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/vtr-1000-firestorm/1019903881

https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/zx6r-g2-kawasaki-ninja-red-600cc/1015619862

https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/90-91-zxr-750-j-model/1018779702

https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/yamaha-xj900-f-1992/1017118503
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Quietly and consistently taking the piss.
TL1000R | Hayabusa | ZXR400 | TL1000S | Bandit 400 V
Fatter and faster than Fret

[Sako]

I've seen SRAD 750's in your budget plenty times, older ninjas too. Just spend more time looking, less time buying.

[Moxey]

[bladerunner]

If your saving hard for a grand to spend then can you afford to run a sports bike? Tires and chain and sprockets along with brake pads etc are big running costs .... The cheaper bikes usually need all of them changing! Look at the bikes your buying and make sure they have been well maintained before you part with your cash....there are good bikes to be had out there for your money but you need to know they have been looked after! Me.... I have a soft spot for the older Hondas like the vfr 750's but the early ones have 16" front wheels and are hard to find tires for and are have soft suspension. You should pick up a good zx6r for that money as well. If you can find a clean 750 srad for a grand then you'll be happy for a few years motoring. But the vfr will be better as a day to day only form of transport .....the 750 srad will be the best sports bike but also capable of doing everything.
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[P.addy]

Save your money currently.

You'll see a decent bike on ebay soon, what you should probably grab is something that is known to be bullet proof, like a low miles bandit 6/12.

I go through loads of bikes, a handful are shitters which get passed on very quickly, but I only buy if I know it will make a profit. Most I've spent on a bike is £2800 and lowest is £20. The £20 one ran and I used it for 6 months with no issues. So bargains are there, you just need to get that little bit more saved, 1k is quite a bit for a nice bike on the bay

[Sako]

Decent...

https://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=321126179273&index=7&nav=SEARCH&nid=19998727900