HI Folks,
I'm new here, but not new to riding.
I'm in the market for a 2001 or so F4i and I need to know what should I be looking for as far as problems?

Thanks,
Troy

 

First if you can get a vehicle history report would be great. if it has a salvage title, if it has be laid down. How many miles it has? If there are any records of work done to the bike. What mods have been done to it?

 

I know how to buy a bike, I've owned 44 vehicles, I just need to know what kind of trouble I need to look for on the F4i.

 

Here are a few things you can look for.

Check the CCT - if you hear what sounds like BB's rattling in a can then it wil probably need to be replaced at some point. your looking at around $150 - $200 CND to have a shop do this for you.

Check the chain - see how much life it has left on it. check to see if its been cleaned regularly and maintained properly.

Other than that if it runs fine and looks good your probably looking at a decent bike, but I'm no pro so maybe some of you more experienced guys/gals can chime in and mention what I may have missed.

 

Just like buying any usedcar, you can never really know what’s going to go wrong. Best precaution is to determine if there have been any past problems with the specific bike to avoid any future complications. The only problem we generally see is the CCT as scattabrain mentioned above. But I have yet to run into that problem so its all about the condition of the bike. You’ve owned one before so you know what to look for. Good luck on the new purchase.

 

Yeah, the CCTL is the only notable problem with these things, and it is not actuallya problem if you don't mind the sound. I had a co-worker that was looking at a used F4i at a used car dealership. I went by to check it out and noticed scratches on the brake lever, stator cover, right peg, etc. and told him the thing had been on its side. He didn't notice when he checked it out. Will they allow you to test ride it? That would bea good opportunity for you to listen for that CCTL, and other potential problems.

 

Let's be realistic here. What used motorcycle 6 years old HASN'T been down? It's to be expected. Just don't buy anyone's problems. You never can tell unless you have someone remove the bodywork and go over it. A professional M/C mechanic helps here. Test rides can reveal only so much, but they reveal things that a mechanic would likely miss. Slow parking lot rides reveal more than brisk rides. Full lock turns in the parking lot can tell much of the story.