Hi all, I am new to this forum and to the CBR. I would like to say that I have been researching this bike for quite a while and this forum has been a huge help in answering questions.

The reason for my post is I am looking to buy a 2002 954 with 20000km from a friend of mine in Montreal (I am in the states, but as I've read its a push of a button to switch km to mph). I was hoping for some advice about what to watch out for. I currently ride a 1982 Yamaha Vision 550, so this will be a considerable upgrade for me. The only issue with the bike that my friend has mentioned is that the other day he noticed it was coming out of second gear, which he will be having looked at within a few days. The price on the table is $3000...Is this a reasonable deal for a bike with ~12500 miles? Anything I should be on the lookout for?

 

Yes, it would be very except for the popping out of second gear. I would look for another bike, but thats just me.

 

Majority of the time when it is popping out of 2nd is from excessive wheelies.

 

Why would that be the cause of it? Just wondering. And if the bike looks good, and runs good, I would say go for it if they can fix the 2nd gear problem, those low mileage for that price

 

Popping the clutch for second gear wheelies puts excess strain on the transmission which usually causes increased wear on the shift forks. If the problem is just a shift fork its not that expensive to fix and can be done without removing the engine from the bike. If the problems is in the gears then its a major fix requiring the engine to be torn apart to replace the transmission.

If he fixes it and the rest of the bike is in good condition then 3k is a good deal. If you plan to have it fixed I would pay no more than about $2300 not knowing the extent of the problem. I only paid $3500 for my 954 back in 2009 in great condition but I did buy it in late October at the end of the riding season.

 

It's my understanding that he's getting it looked at and fixed...he's not into wheelies and has owned the bike for all but 600 miles of it's life. I was hoping for advice on some other things to watch for along with the shift fork. Thank you for the quick replies by the way.

 

Apart from that i understand there is not much else at all, i have recently bought an 02 954, but in the UK, its done 5,000 miles and pulls like a train ... on heat ! Like all bikes there can be issues that come as part of that model or issues caused by the previous owner, i doubt there is one bike on the market that does not have these issues, but i would say the 954 (for the money) is one of the more sensible buys. Good luck.

 

Why is your friend selling the bike? Transmission problems are common and are probably the most expensive to fix unless the motor itself has problems. Next the fuel pressure regulator, servo motor for the HTEV in the stock exhaust, stator and rectifier are all known to fail on these bikes. Look the bike over for signs of crash damage.

Next just check all the normal stuff:

1. Look for leaking fork seals.
2. Tires for age and wear, just because the tires look ok they may still need replaced if they are several year old.
3. Rotors and brakes. Front rotors can be bent easily in a wreck.
4. Chain and sprockets for wear.

A bike that requires several of the items above could cost you another $500 or more to get it in proper riding condition. Ask about any maintenance history. Does the bike have any other aftermarket parts added?

 

Backdoc- He is selling because of how much it costs to register and insure the bike. He's also older and ready to move on from the liter bike.

I will certainly look for the fork seals etc. I am not sure on aftermarket parts, although he doesn't seem like the type to go beyond possibly a steering damper. I do know that the bike has been professionally serviced, and I will of course be looking for records. I would certainly like to avoid a stator nightmare, happened on my old Yamaha and left me stranded in a bad part of town. How can I check for fuel pressure regulator problems?

 

Insurance is not cheap here either. I keep full coverage on mine the first year I had it to give me time to get comfortable on the bike. Then I dropped it because in just a few years I would have spent more on insurance than I paid for the bike.

Below is a video on how to check the FPR. If you get the bike there is a prop rod for the tank attached to the bottom of the front seat to hold the tank up. The guy in the video didn't know about it.

Diagnose bad fuel pressure regulator on CBR954rr - YouTube