I am new to the bike world. looking at buying one went and looked at a local used bike dealer and they had over 80 bikes. sat on a few and like the way the f4i feels i am just curious what to look for when buying a used bike? alot have been beaten on and i understand they are suppose to be driven but i just dont want to get screwed. i looked at the split seat ones as well as the newer 'banana' seat ones and i am curious what one is more comfortable for the gf riding along maybe a girl could chip in? i LOVE the way the exhaust comes under the seat on some bikes i am curious if anyone did a custom install like that on a f4i? i know this is alot of questions but thank you for your help!
look forward to owning one!
Thanks
Bee

 

No under seat exhaust on the F4i without extensive modifications.

Things to look for are generic for any bike. Look to see how clean the crack and crevices are. Look around for cracks in plastics, stripped bolts, hack wiring jobs, etc. Ask to hear the bike started up cold, take it for a test drive.

 

look at brake pads, dark brake fluid says it needs changed. look at the color of the oil. look at the radiator to make sure it isnt smashed bad. look at the tires and chain. look for a tool kit. theres plenty more but im off to work...

 

The three main things I see popping up are the speed sensor, the cam chain tensioner and the fuel pressure regulator. If the speed sensor is bad, the speedo will do some weird stuff; if the CCT is bad, you'll hear a rattling noise at around 5000 RPM that sounds like someone shaking a can full of BB's; and if the FPR is bad, it'll dump fuel with the key on, engine off. All are very easy fixes, but if you're buying the bike from a shop, they should fix those as part of the agreement.

Generic things to look for- the stuff others have said, and general condition of the bike.

Undertail exhaust can't be done unless you have it custom made.

Regarding the seats- the '01- '03 split tails are less comfortable than the '04+ bananna seats. However, I've gotten used to mine and have no problem on 2+ hour rides. I'm 5'8", 175 lbs, and I ride tucked up against the tank... when my wife is on the back, there's a 4"- 6" gap between us unless I scoot all the way back, which isn't that comfortable for me for long periods. She says she doesn't like riding like that because she can't hold tight, so I'm working on adding foam to the rear seat cushion to fill the gap and give her something to sit on.

If you're new to the bike world, spend your money on gear and education before you mod it for looks. You also might want to look at a smaller bike. Ninja 250's are great learner bikes and unless you ball them up, you can generally sell them for what you paid when you're done with them. I speak from experience, as I've owned two of them and currently own a 175cc Scrambler, and I can tell you that the only guys that talk down about smaller bikes as first bikes are the guys that have never owned one. Yeah, you can't do 120 on one wheel, but you also have more room for error and more time to think about other stuff... like watching for cars, proper shifting and braking, being smooth with your control inputs... without having to worry about the bike wheelieing out from under you, or low siding/ high siding because you gave it too much throttle in a turn due to lack of muscle memory. Do what you want... You'll hear equal arguments from both sides of the fence, and ultimately, it's your decision and your ***.

 

Although I have not tried the 01-03's split seat, I remember reading that the banana seat of the 04-06's is more comfortable for the driver. Not sure about the passenger.

 

i have a 02 f4i, split seat, i love it. i think its quite comfortable and if its not u can always get a new seat. my girlfriend never complains about the passenger seat. I think the split seat looks better as well. but like ppl said its all on a personal preference.