Hey guys, checked in a couple of days ago as a newbie.

Im an Englishman in Oz, and now im settled im looking for a bike....an F3 to be exact.

I have had a couple of bikes before so the basics of buying arent new to me; just the F3.

What are the known faults I need to look for? I'm budgeting for a cct, a carb overhaul, regulator, tyres, and service; but what else should I be expecting?

Ive searched every corner of the forum, and found snippets....but i'd like real world experiences and advice.

Many thanks in advance.

 

There aren't really any "common" problems on the f3 that i know of. Mine's got 45,000 miles and running strong as ever! It's a honda man! Buy with confidence hope to see pics soon!

 

Thanks mate.... I'd kind of deduced that since I couldnt find out about problems meant they probably didnt exist.

Im just factoring in the things in my original post, so I can bargain a bit when I find the right bike.

Hopefully i'll have pics soon, but I know the colours etc I want and may have to wait to find one.

 

Inspect the Regulator/rectifier (R/R) and it's connector for heat sign. i.e. warped/melted plastic, burnt pins, cracked epoxy on the r/r itself.
This is a common flaw across the whole range of Hondas for almost 2 decades
(80's thru 90's). It's a relatively cheap fix, at about a hundred bucks for a new replacement.

Other-wise, the usual suspects, dirty brake-fluid, leaking fork seals, steering bearings
gone bad, chain and sprocket replacement, old coolant/coolant leaks, low
compression/gasket leaks, dirty/fouled carbs, bad battery.

Be sure that the bike is cold when you start it. If it's warm when you get there to
check it out, odds are there are starter/starting issues, the owner is concealing.

The above are issues that, ALL older model bikes will have as potential areas of
concern. None are deal-breakers, just need to be aware of as bargaining points
BEFORE the sale, and/or after-purchase budget items to bring the bike up to a
street-worthy condition.

Ern

 

Thanks for the replys.

Another question though.....

Did the F3 change much during its production?

In Aus they seem to run from 1995 to 2000 and the earlier models look a lot like the F2 (but have the remote shock). The fairings certainly differ between the years especially the seat and fender.

 

There are four years for the f3, 95 thru 98. The 95/96 and the 97/98
pairings are pretty much exact, within their grouping. The differences
between the two groups is fairly minor, but where caution needs to
be exercised when buying parts.

At least, that's my understanding.

Merry Christmas, Ern

 

Thanks Ern,

It looks like just seat, tail, and fender differences from what I can see.

Merry Christmas too.

P.

 

i would change the oil for your area (i use shell rotella 5w40)
get a k&n or oem honda oil filter
clean airbox, new air filter
change your rad fluid
change abs fluid on front and rear.
get new brake pads
clean your chain. she loves you.
make sure your bearings are good
LUBRICATE ALL THE THINGS.
new rubber if needed.
adjust all cables to your liking aka clutch, push/pulls

buy beer. consume.

 

The fuel pumps are a common problem with these bikes.

 

Looks like you have already uncovered the areas to watch for - the standard Honda weaknesses of this era. Not much really. You can get manual CCT's if you can be bothered - I have one as I use mine for trackdays so it's regularly on the limiter. If replacing the regulator use one with better cooling - you can get them with the same connector and mounting holes. The bikes are generally considered fairly bullet proof.