G'day and Kia Ora from NZ.

Seriously considering purchasing an early 'blade' to get a cheap biking fix after kid no.3 arriving forcing me sell my k4 Gixxer.
There are a few 92/93 models here in NZ for sale that have caught my eye, but I need to know what I might be letting myself in for as far as maintenance issues go for a oldish blade these days. So maybe you guys can put together a definitive list of what to look for and what to expect to go wrong or need attention. Being 15 years old, there will be natural wear and tear on stuff, plus previous owners may have done bits to them which makes it hard to trace what has been rectified, modified or replaced. Concerns for me would be the obviously expensive repairs or the irritating stuff that stops the bike being enjoyable.
I'd be using it everyday!
The limited research I have done so far shows that a well maintained engine is good for 200kms in it's life and will do over 100kms before having any major work done to it.
If I can find one that's straight and original then it could be an investment as I see these bikes becoming collectible.
Cheers

 

Oops sorry for the double up post

 

I've seen a lot of this model blade that is not only in good running condition but smokes as well. Since you owned a bike previously, I didn't find any reason for you not being able to look for any major defects on any bike that you are interested at. Apart from that, a Honda will always be a reliable and made to last!

 

I agree with Dinez.

You want to look for, obviously, bikes that have been well-cared for and not neglected or abused.

One area of concern is the charging system. I bought a '93 Fireblade and everything was fine until the bike started dying out at traffic intersections.

I had to change the rectifier which was bad.

I also had to buy a new left headlight, since the bike was missing one. A genuine, Honda 900rr headlight (brand new) was very expensive with the mounting screws and everything that was needed...about $197 US dollars. [&o] That did not include installation.

Another problem was that the bike had custom rims, and I had to have a custom rear sprocket made for my bike that fit the custom rim's bolt pattern. While it was not very expensive, I had to wait a bit longer for mine to be made and shipped to me.

Good luck in your hunt!

 

Another thing to watch for is second gear. Take the bike on a test ride and run it hard from 1st to 4th gear. Transmissions on these bikes are touchy and if it pops out of second then you don't want it. Repairs at the local shop will run you over 1k to replace.

 

Man I hope I never have that bad 2nd gear problem. It would be a tough fix I hear. [&o]

 

I have that problem now and it sucks but I still ride. You just have to be careful with it

 

ya me to i had to do my G box 2 times it good now but fu#% it sucks the power band should be strong in all gears and not get soft thats a good thing to feel for also