Too Many Miles?

[james_goku]

I'm wanting to buy a used cbr 400 or some kinda 400cc bike.

I'm wondering what should i look out for?

how much is too many miles on a bike?

whats a good range for the miles to be at?

[PeaceBlondie]

The Japanese bikes I bought new in the 1980's included a Yamaha 550 Vision, Yamaha 400 Seca, and Suzuki GS850 - all 1982 models. I drove the each bike at least 50K miles, which is 80K kilometers. I maintained them very well from new, using franchised dealers in big cities in the US. My main problems were from heat damage to sensitive electrical systems, such as the starter, CDI, alternator, and coil.

Later in third world countries, I bought used Yamaha 200 and Suzuki 250. I wasted money because in both cases there was something critically wrong with them. That is why I refuse to buy a big, used bike in Thailand, and I am often mistaken. You might find a pristine BMW F650 from original owner, meticulously maintained by a pedantic German. More likely, I suspect you find a ten year old abused and neglected bike that has been through a succession of unknown Somchais, Pharnapats, and Clydes. I would not buy a used bike in Thailand if Warren Buffet volunteered to be the mechanic. But you see used large bikes every day in the big cities, so maybe they run and run without any problems.

[thaicbr]

And then if my Thai friends are anything to go by they fix them,they run for a week or two then they fix them again etc etc etc. same with my cbr250 looked good ran sh**. thats why i'm gonna get me a Kawasaki ninja 250 all legal and all nice and new. but fair to say my cbr was very cheap when i got it. if you spend maybe 70-80thousand + you should get a reasonable bike but make sure it haS green book registration and check the frame and engine numbers not just for correct numbers but to see if the are stamped on correctly. dont forget cbr's are old,old,old now go for something abit newer or make sure its a nc29 1994.

hope it helps

Allan

[PeaceBlondie]

And what about resale value, when you tire of that 1994 bike and try to sell it onwards to owner #9? I think that one reason I got decent trade-in value on my very used 2003 CBR150R is that it was one owner, farang owned, maintained by the dealer I was buying a new CBR at, and my boyfriend talked to the wholesale buyer in local dialect, at the dealership. That surely beats trying to sell a pig in a poke in a Bangkok market or your condo parking lot. As Jonathan Winters said about the starving settlers crawling across the desert, "Martha, don't eat that lizard; you don't know where it's been!"

[biker Bob]

Hi there

I bought a 1999 Yamaha Dragstar a year ago and all i have done so far is change oil and filter, but maybe i have been lucky.

Jan.

[dotcom]

FACT: You can't trust the odometer reading.

Goes double for any 4 wheeled vehicle in LoS.

[Thanh-BKK]

FACT: You can't trust the odometer reading.

Goes double for any 4 wheeled vehicle in LoS.

Hi

That is SO true. I often see motorbikes (and cars, specially taxis!) where the odo/speed meters don't work because the cable is not installed - on purpose, to sell the vehicle later with "low mileage"!

My own motorbike is one of those - when i got it it showed some 41,000 kilometers but the numbers were so bleached out, it must have been used for years without the cable being installed.

However close to 77,000 now and still working

Best regards.....

Thanh

[submaniac]

I would add one thing into the mix...most of the bigger bikes that you see in Thailand are OLD, and those that are fairly new are EXPENSIVE. On an old bike, things WILL go wrong, no matter if it was well maintained or not. I mean things like clutches will eventually wear out, and rubber seals and gaskets eventually go bad, electrical shorts, whether or not the owner was pristine with maintenance or just didn't give a rat's.... And on the bigger bikes, AFAIK they were never 'officially' imported until fairly recently. I think the old CBR 400's where pretty much all independently brought over from Japan, meaning I don't think there is much of a dealer network for parts, and if you need something you are going to have to special order it, AND it will probably be expensive, more so than the 150's that are running the road. At least with the small cc bikes here, they were officially on the market in thailand, manufactured in Thailand, there were so many on the roads, and a large number still on the roads that 1) the parts are ridiculously cheap 2) labor is cheap because all the bike shops know how to work on them. Bring in a CBR 400 to Somchai's shop, and you may have some problems.

[submaniac]

Hi there

I bought a 1999 Yamaha Dragstar a year ago and all i have done so far is change oil and filter, but maybe i have been lucky.

Jan.

The dragstar is a really good choice. I just picked one up in the states (called the "V-Star") over there, a used 2001 650 model to ride (whilst I fixed the harley), and it is the most trouble free, reliable bike I have owned. The dragstar's engine and transmission are actually from the now defunct Virago, which has been around for a long long time, and they have ironed out any kinks in it.

[H2oDunc]

If you are considering buying a big bike here you need to follow a couple of rules. If you dont know jack about engines then take somebody with you who does. I always turn up earlier than Im expected as I like to see if it starts straight away and they havent pre warmed it. Look at it! has it any signs its been a rental ??? Always take it for a good ride, get it warmed right up. If its still sounding and pullng nicely when warm its a good sign. Mileage means very little these days. Back in the old days an engine that had done 50-80,000 miles was finished. Now with better metallurgy and lubricants engines will last a very long time. It all depends on how they have been looked after. I change my oil every 5000 km and always use fully synthetic. As for Thailand being a minefield to buy anything its no differnt to back home. I know loads of dealers who would take your last penny for a crate of sh*t. Only thing to stick with though is make sure the book is a good one. Another thing to consider is join a local bike group. The tend to know where the good rides are and will keep you clear of the dogs!! Good hunting and enjoy your ride whatever you get

[biker Bob]

submaniac you are right. I had a dragstar back home as well and never had a problem. Not good in Bkk traffic though.

Jan.

[Richard-BKK]

If you consider a new bike, BMW has just introduced the G 450 X, which is a sort of a Trail / Enduro bike. It is said that BMW would position it in price below the Kawasaki KLX450 and Honda CRF450X.

Even if you not like to go for a new bike, the introduction of this bike would surely put some pressure on the secondhand market.

[thaicbr]

And Richard what an ugly arse motorcycle that BMW g450x is saw it on a write up on gt-riders i think.... pig ugly was my first thought, then pig ugly again was the second thought.

allan