Looking for my first bike and found a '92 F2 that won't start. Seller says that a Honda tech recommended a carb service - asking $900 (has minor cosmetic touchups/repaint and needs a turn signal fixed)

Granted I have zero experience with sportbikes, I'd like to learn a bit on something older. I drive an old saab as a daily driver so I'm used to meticulous maintenance.

I know this isnt a great idea, I'm just trying to get a feel for how much of a nightmare it could be. I have some help available to clean carbs, but not sure about how to sync them.

Any opinions are greatly appreciated. Looking to buy an older CBR before the desperate sellers pull their ads for winter.

 

so it will turn over?

Have the seller pull the fuel tank, and intake cover/filter. spray starting fluid down the carb throats and see if they can make it at least fire off. It'll be rough, but will at least tell you the ignition system is working.

I'd also feel better with a compression test performed that shows good. Milky color in the coolant is another thing to look for.

 

Not sure if it turns over. Im hesitant to believe anything the seller would tell me. He could say "Oh well it turned over yesterday..." etc. I'm apprehensive that a carb service would make someone get rid of a bike for so cheap but I'm hoping that's the case.

Discolored coolant would indicate headgasket correct? Compression check was on my mind also.

Any trouble with trans/clutch/electrics on this model? How much can I inspect if the bike doesnt even want to cough over? (besides bad ignition system)

Thanks for the input.

 

Man - I'd hate to buy for that much money without knowing the engine is in running condition. I paid $900 for a running bike, that I was able to drive, even though it had a broken brake lever, scraped up plastics, terrible chain/sprockets and worn out tires.

Hearing the engine at least turn over would be something I insist on, even if you have to jumpstart from a car battery (don't have the car's engine running.)

oil in the coolant could be headgasket, but also could be the oil cooler. On these bikes the oil cooler is in a cavity that is filled with coolant. the gaskets for the oil cooler can degrade and allow oil into the coolant. It's a $20 simple fix.

CCT (Cam chain tensioner) tends to weaken over time and create a top end "nails in a tin can" sound. A manual CCT is the solution, and costs about $65. Simple install. Also - if the seller doesn't know this, the noisy motor is a good way to talk them down on price, cause they might think the motor needs a lot more work than it really does.

No regular electrical gremlins other than fried R/R's, and a rare tendency for the solder joints to crack in the start/run housing, and the headlight switch housing - easily fixed there too.

2nd gear can develop a tendency to pop out on hard 1-2 shifts due to rounding off of the gaer dogs over time. Most of us learn to deal with it. Clutches are usually solid for a lot of miles, and straightforward replaced.

Fuel petcock is something that can develop issues - but rebuild kits for the vacuum operated diaphragm is about $30.

If you work on cars, you can work on bikes - all in all it's just turning a wrench and knowing the basics.

 

Even if you have some experience with auto maintenance, bike wrenching has a learning curve.
More importantly it has a specialized tool curve. Be prepared to spend between $300-$500,
on the tools needed to do your own maintenance properly/efficiently.

I generally recommend against learning to ride AND wrench at the same time, on the same bike.
It can be very frustrating and/or discouraging to the novice.

If you want to learn to ride, buy a working bike in decent condition. Ride it and start learning
to do the basic maintenance tasks. Slowly get familiar with the particulars
of bike maintenance and repair.

After you decide that biking is what you really like to do and you get good at taking care of your baby...
THEN, get yourself a project bike to play/experiment with.

I'm basing these comments (in part) on the type of generalized questions you're
asking. If you were really ready to buy a 'fixer-upper', you would be asking more
specific type questions.

Hope this helps, Ern

 

I bought a f3 for $500 the owner swore wouldn't start. A friend and I busted our asses for a half hour pushing it into the bed of a truck. When i got it home, I tried the key just to see what would happen. Fired up strong :P

I got lucky... Sorta. I spent about another $500 getting her into running shape. All the while learning to wrench a carbed bike and smacking myself with a torque wrench trying to do so. I pulled the carbs 4x in 2 weeks trying to fix a "carb issue". Clean, rejetted, replaced filters etc. Turned out to be completely unrelated to carbs. I learned new curse words. But in the end, I got a good deal. Mostly because I'm a stubnorn S.O.B.

So if you're willing to ho thru all that WHILE itching to ride, you can go for it. But if not... find a running ride

 

i had an f2... those bikes are ridiculously easy to take a part and learn to fix. i had an f2 that i bought for 800 bucks and I completely rebuilt the bike. with less than a grand. If you plan on doing your own maintence, i would get it and let it be your learning curve if you plan on getting another bike in the future