Hey guys and gals I'm new to the forum and wondering if I could get a few answers from you guys, I'm looking at purchasing a 2001 with 60000 kms and wanted to know what to look for. The bike looks fantastic from the pics and i,ve wanted a CBR for a long time, I just don't want my excitement to overshadow the quality of the bike. Any tips on what to look for would be greatly appreciated.. Thanks again.

 

With that much mileage make sure he has service records or he can physically point out the work he has done if he has done it himself.
Ask when the valve clearance was done last.
Ask when fluids were changed, brake fluids, coolant, etc
Make sure you are getting it for a nice chunk under the going rate as it does have a fair amount of mileage on it and it might be hard to re-sell if you put alot on it as well. I picked up mine in Canada (Higher prices then the states with 16,000kms in mint condition for $4000 certified 3 years ago.)
F4i's are tanks and if it was taken care of you should have few problems.

And when buying a bike don't let the joy of owning a motorcycle get in front of getting a good reliable machine for a good price, If its not for you, there are hundreds more out.

 

check if the fork seals are leaking.... run your finger along them...if oil.. boooo
check the paint job on the gas tank...lumps and things out of the ordinary...may point to a previous accident.

ride it.. if you open throttle and if there's a delay and/or the exhaust is yelling but it's not really taking off...then you may want a new clutch....along with a valve job. which is $$

 

thanks for the reply,the valves were just done last fall along with all fluids. it has the white and red color scheme which i really like ( I AM CANADIAN ), getting it for $3000 besides checking the fork seals is there any other things i should look for. thanks again for the reply..

 

I would see if you can get him under $3000 for that mileage.
You should be able to get a 20,000ish km F4i for about $3500 and will give you a much better chance at resale.
But if its in good condition get what makes you happy

 

Just the usual, check the tires aren't old hockey pucks, check the chain and sprockets aren't dirty, are properly adjusted, and are in good condition, brake fluid color, listen for cctl rattle from 4-7k rpm. The cctl isn't expensive to fix just a bit of a PITA to get to, it sounds like bb's rattling in a can.

 

I just paid $1700 CAD for a 68,000 km 2001 F4i. It had some fairing damage which I didn't care about as I was replacing them anyway. Fork seals had to be replaced, spark plugs, cam tensioner (from manual aftermarket to proper new Honda fix.) Aside from changing the fluids... It also needed a really good cleaning.

It pulled really good (might be the PC III installed or the 520 conversion)

I'd say after my experience $3000-$3500 should by a lot in the 30,000km range with little to no work. You better be quick on Kijiji however they go fast in spring market if their priced right...offer a deposit on anything that looks good right away. Never negotiate over the phone/text/email. Cash in hand in person.

 

Lot of good advice so far. I have a couple more bits to add:

Remember that a clean title means nothing when it comes to motorcycles except that no accident/theft has ever been reported.

Ask to see it with the side fairings removed. Fairings can be repaired and repainted to look like new from the outside, but the repairs will show on the inside.

Also, this will give you a better view of the engine to see if there are any leaks. You wouldn't buy a car without looking under the hood, would you?

If it has aftermarket parts on it, like mirrors, clutch/brake levers, or turn signals, ask about them. It's one thing to put on high-quality aftermarket parts, but if it's cheap ebay stuff, that may be a sign those parts were broken in a collision or drop.

CCTLs and FRPs are common parts that go bad on the F4i. Ask if they've been replaced, and if so, when. A bad CCTL will cause a rattling sound between about 4-7k RPM that sounds like a piece of light-gauge sheet metal that's not fastened down.

A bad FRP will cause the exhaust to smell of gas and lower the gas mileage. Ask the owner if they know what kind of mileage they get and how they ride. Average mixed riding should get around 40 mpg.