High-Miles Hornet. Advice wanted

[Charginglemon]

Hey all,

I am looking at a 2008 Honda Hornet with ABS on the weekend. It looks pretty neat and tidy in the pics, and having had a chat with the owner it sounds like it's been looked after and is running well. Of course, things could be very different when I get there.

Here's the kicker.. its clocked up 56k miles. I once had a CBF500 which had over 68k miles on it, and still ran perfectly well. But my knowledge of the 4 cylinder 600cc lump in the Hornet is not up to much. So I have some questions I'd really appreciate some advice with:

1. The miles are so high, should I just walk away from this one?
2. Does this engine/gerbox combo historically do well with these kind of miles?
3. What are some things I can look for / check as signs troubles brewing?
4. Is there any particular work I should check has been done in the service history.
5. Given the miles are there any other common areas I should pay attention too.

Notes for consideration.

The bike is priced at a bit over 2k which is nearing my limit.
I will use the bike for commuting around town 15miles max a day.
I want a 3 or 4 pot lump with ABS in whatever bike I buy (open to suggestions).
I have a above basic level of home mechanical knowledge and tools (able to to servicing adjustments on bikes / cars that don't require special tools / diagnostics)

Many thanks in advance

[DrSnoosnoo]

How is it priced compared to lower mileage examples?

If it's been serviced, with receipts of parts as proof etc I wouldn't be turned off.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[MarJay]

It's not the engine you need to worry about. Those CBR based lumps will go on for 100k+ miles I'm sure.

The issue is the chassis parts, the bearings, the bushes, the seals etc. If those are worn, it can cost a bomb to put right. Similarly brake discs, calipers, chain and sprockets etc. Also with older bikes which have been hammered throughout their life, I'm noticing that wiring and electrical faults are some of the first things to come up. Japanese wiring looms don't seem to be really designed for prolonged use in UK winters and so you start to see bad earths, burned stators, reg-recs blowing (especially on Hondas).

I'd be FAR more concerned about that stuff than the Engine, gearbox and internals.
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

What I'd do: offer them 1500, wait for them to haggle to 1750, then shake on 1650 cash if it's cosmetically excellent, looks like it's never seen winter, and is a 2 or 3 owner bike. I'd want decent tyres and I'd also be preparing for the fairly imminent appearance of gremlins like notchy headstock bearings, a bindy calliper or a slimy fork seal.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Ash-69]

You want that ABS looking at too if it only works Saturdays and Sundays ..........
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FZ1-S Fazer (licence killer😢) , CRF1000L - Adventure Sport

[Evil Hans]

[Kentol750]

Trevor scg has got it bang on. It's a cheap new shape model with very high mileage, don't be afraid to walk away once you start spotting flaws that could be costly.
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Some bikes.

[Rogerborg]

[Tdibs]

Id want to see engine service history, oil changes and valves, overall condition and if you are getting lumped with worn out tyres and a knackered chain/pads.

If its all been kept on top of and owner seems to have cared for the machine not just ran it into the ground, that mileage would not put me off in the least. Deffo try and work down the price on that though, to try and get it down to below 2k.
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Previous : 09 Vanvan 125| 02' Sv650s || Current: 1999 Xj600n | 1992 DR650 RSE | 2005 Fazer 1000

[ThatDippyTwat]

Local training place has one that's about 80K now, and 2 or 3 others on 60K+. Zero issues other than consumables and a split rad hose. Bombproof motors if looked after.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Ste]

Link to the advert?

[Motorhate]

[Charginglemon]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the replies, really appreciate all of the different points of view and advice.

The Ad Lists 'recent new parts' as the rad, reg/rec, tires (both), rear brake pads, chain and sprockets.

'Receipts for services and repairs done on a regular basis' he said over the phone.

2 keys + v5, 3 owners from new.

Adding everything up it sounds like it's been used regularly and looked after well. For another grand tho (circa 3k) you can get one of these with 10-20k on the clock typically. See it on Monday, already thinking 2k is top money for it.. just spotted a dent in the tank in the pic too.

Whats a good way of testing abs with out slamming on (not a problem if it works)?

Any further thoughts welcome.

e

[Kentol750]

It looks pretty well looked after. However for around 2k there's a lot of slightly older ones with far lower mileage. It's mot history shows a lot of miles over recent years too... suspension could be getting tired to the point it spoils the value.
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Some bikes.

[Ste]

Go on, post a link to the advert.

[Kentol750]

gumtree.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/honda-motorbikes/honda-hornet-cb600f-abs-version-56k-miles-2008-3-owners-11-months-mot/1299674836
____________________
Some bikes.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

fts
____________________
"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Ste]

Hmmmm

The ad was posted 24 days ago, if it was a good deal then it would have sold by now.

Maybe it would be okay for £1,500 but even then I wouldn't be certain of it.

The front wheel has a slightly distorted bead rim.

This sold for £1,850 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/173296993757?nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l10137

You've got a lot of choice for less than £2k: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=honda%20hornet%20600&_dcat=9806&rt=nc&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo&_udhi=2000

I'd keep looking.

ps. the dent in the tank is mentioned in the advert.

[stevo as b4]

Buy your bikes as keepers instead of wanting to say buy a nice 5year old bike, keep it for two years and sell it on, with one thought always on the resale value/residuals etc.

You won't ever really enjoy owning a bike that your trying to preserve it's value for when you sell.

Buy it, fettle and fix it, and upgrade/modify as you desire, but never add up the cost or think about what you'd get back if you sell it on. There's no fun in owning bikes like that.

I've spent more on two of my old bikes mainly 125's than I paid to buy them, and way more than I can ever get back if I sold them. In fact they are probably worth more broken for the parts, but break your own bike? You'd have to be a raging loony to do that IMO.

[Rogerborg]

Downpipes are manky and would need a good looking at (lots of studs to snap there), and the silencer appears to have fallen off.

I'd consider that as a charity purchase.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Charginglemon]

Cheers for continuing advice.

Getting a bike in general with abs for less than 2k seems pretty tricky... it either got gigga miles or an old VFR as far as I can see.

Had to re-arrange the viewing today to later in the week. I shall report more back then. Essentially if all looks well I don't think I'll be paying the full wack. The level of certainty I fell having heard all the comments has taken a bit of hit - I'd like a spare few hundred quid to get it down to the garage and deal with any surprises.

To be continued..

[Charginglemon]

Heres another thought

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2009-09-HONDA-CB-600-F-ABS-HORNET-BLACK-TRADE-SALE-PROJECT-17K-CAT-N-NAKED-CB600/323300084594?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D0179523e0ab54a2a9b27ed3e4f758b61%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D223020469604%26itm%3D323300084594&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A69d09795-7317-11e8-896f-74dbd180a2ce%7Cparentrq%3A13cc24521640aa416ff1104affffef8a%7Ciid%3A1

Cat N write off.. needs handle bars, binicle mount, foot peg hanger(easy), brake lever (easy).

Thoughts?

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

My immediate thought is I don't get why you're that bothered about ABS. I'd rather have an uncrashed bike with normal brakes than a crashed one with ABS.

But that's just my weird eccentricities coming to the fore.
____________________
"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Charginglemon]

The point is it's cheap.. and only looks like its been on its side so relatively easy to fix within the budget.

Bothered about ABS as I don't fancy going over the handle bars.. all to easy to have to snatch the brakes in London at rush hour. Crashed or not I've decided it's a necessity I'd like to have.

[Rogerborg]

It's been down on both sides, but it does looks repairable.

V5's in the post, as usual.

The one key might give me pause. It's a H.I.S.S. system, you really really don't want to be losing that key.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike