This will be my first bike, and I only really know what i've read online and what not. the bike is from a dealership so its not some sketchy deal on craigslist lol. But is there anything specifically i should ask about or look for on the bike?

Its a 99 cbr600f4 with 13,500 miles on it, with a muzzy exhaust(or slip on not sure which)

Any advice would be great! thanks everyone

 

If they let you start it, let it warm up and then give it a good blast on the throttle to over 5krpm and see if you hear a loud rattling sound.. If you do you'll need a new cam chain tensioner £80 its a common fault on Cbr's nothing huge..

Ask if the cam chain tensioner has been changed
Ask if theyve ever had problems with batterys
Check the seat lock works
Check the steering lock works on the ignition - someone may have had a go at stealing it in the past.

The Reg/Rectifier is also a bad point on cbrs it can cause the battery to over charge and get damaged or not charge at all..

Have a good look at the fork stantions (chrome bits coming out of the grey lower bits) and see if theres any pitting or rust spots on them.
Check the slack in the chain should be about an inch of play and where the chain adjustment is set too, might be on its last legs.

The frame and swingarm on the 99 is ally so cant rust so nothing to look at there..

On my 99 the brake lines were knackered when I got it, so had to swap them..
Hold a front brake line and squeeze the front brake and feel to see if the hose expands, if it does lots your brakes will be a bit crap with a pillion.

At only 14k miles on it you shouldnt get any major problems though, a service history is always nice...


Im a real tyre kicker :P

 

First, welcome to the forum! :-)

Start here... https://cbrforum.com/forum/general-t...ng-guide-3025/

Next, read as many Used Motorcycle Buying Guides as you can find online.

If you have a friend that knows about motorcycles, take them w/ you to look it over. 4 eyes are always better than 2...even for experienced riders/buyers.

Are you buying from an authorized factory Honda dealer?

From a dealership, especially a Honda dealer, their service shop should have done a mechanical inspection on it. Ask to see the results & any other service records on it.

Does the dealership have a warranty on the bike?...Will they stand behind their sale?

In general...

13,500 mi isn't all that much mileage...its just a matter of how it was maintained during that 13.5k. There's a major service due at 16k (Honda's recommended service interval).

Visually inspect the bike & look for signs of it being down. Does it have original plastics? Are they rashed any at all? FWIW, I won't buy a used bike unless I can see the bike w/o the side fairings off the bike. I want to know what's underneath. Its simply too easy to buy replacement fairings & put them on bike that's been down. Avoid any future surprises by looking behind those fairings.

Check condition of the tires, chain, sprockets, brake pads, rotors, hoses, cables, etc. Having to replace these items immediately after a purchase can add significantly to your purchase.

The point is to buy a solid reliable bike that's ready to ride when you buy it...not to have to spend significant amounts of money to get it where it should be in the first place.

As mentioned, the R/R i.e. Regulator/Rectifier is problematic on the F4s, especially as they age. I've outlined the newer finned version of the R/R in detail here on the forum, that superseded the old flat version - which is prone to overheating & failure. Generally, when the R/R decides to go, you'll know it. The newer version that Honda upgraded to - is a direct replacement part & is very nice quality.

The F4 is a great bike. W/ proper maintenance & care, it will last you a long time. Hope the one you're looking at is a good one. Also, hope your buying experience is a good one.

Let us know how it goes. Good luck.

 

Let's see... For the F4 you'll want to check the CCT as somebody has already mentioned. You can actually see if there is an aftermarket manual tensioner on there. It's on the right side (on the part of the frame on which the tank rests) and I believe that if you take the seat off, you can just see it. Being a carbed bike it might have sat for a while so if you can, start it up and let it idle for a bit.

If it has a center stand, have someone lean on the passenger seat to get the front wheel of the ground, sit in front of the bike and try to move the wheel front to back. If there is any weird freeplay there then the steering head bearing might be out. Do the same for the rear wheel. Any weird freeplay and something will need to be replaced. Now that it's on the center stand, check the oil level. It should be right in between the two marks. You can check the coolant level on the right side too.

Take the seat off and check the R/R. I think it's on the right side, put your hand in there and if you feel something with fins. It has probably already been replaced. I believe you could even see it just by peeking in. If the original toolkit and manual is in there, then you are in good shape.

Anyway, before getting into a very general bike purchasing guide. For the F4 I think I mentioned the main parts. The R/R and CCT are the two biggest gremlins on this bike but there is a big chance both already have been replaced.