I'll post pictures when I can take them in the daylight, but I bought a project bike for a pretty good price cbr 1000 04 with 13k miles on it.

the Good :: runs great, shifts smooth, mechanically sound engine and transmission wise.

The bad :: small hairline crack in the frame very small on the left side barely below the rider seat, and the front left fork is slightly bent (barely noticable even if you stare)

Here's my problem, my mechanic sounds great, (first time through referral) but he's telling me my frame is garbage, and to buy an entire front end? I understand the fork seals are leaking and there's a slight bend on the front left, but it sounds strange for such a slight bend he's telling me to get a entire new front end and a new frame over a hairline crack on the frame that's not even towers the load bearing sections.

The forks also have a light scratch he says to run your nails over it and you'll feel it, and that's why we can't have these repaired at a machine shop, few of my friends looked over the bike and we were all unable to feel the scratch although visible very slight, the same types of scratches was found on every bike we had going from gsxr600 zx6r r1 and another cbr1000...

I honestly don't know how to feel about this mechanic, but I'm definitely going in for a second opinion, I understand it needs some work, but as it is, it rides straight, shifts smoothly, and has no problems what so ever at this point minus the front calipers need to be fixed.

 

You'll have to post up some pics.

But, look at it from the mechanics side. He tells you it will be ok, you ride the bike and it falls in half. Im sure you would be the first one to call that mechanic and have it out with him. He's covering his butt by telling you the safest thing you can do. Will the frame hold? who knows, but there if there is a crack, there is chance it will break and no mechanic out there is going to tell you it will be ok. If you find one that does, don't go back to that mechanic. I would rather go to a cautious mechanic than one that doesn't care.

As for the frame. Your missing a huge part of the picture. The entire frame is under stress, not just stress points here and there. When your bike is leaned over and your hitting bumps, that frame is tweaking sideways and a lot of force is being applied to it. There is a lot more force being applied to the middle of the frame than you think. Probably more so than any other part of the frame. The load bearing sections have suspension to take care of bumps, when your leaned over, the suspension doesn't work and your frame is taking all of the load directly. You'd be suprised what slow motion camera's show as a bike goes over bumps at full lean. Its crazy how much a frame can flex. The other issue with the crack is that the rest of the frame, although it may look ok, was put through just as much stress as the part that cracked. even if you fix the crack, the rest of the frame could easily be stressed and ready to fail as well. You may not see the cracks, but I bet they are there.

As for the forks. Replace them if they are bent. You can buy a set of used straight ones for under 300 for the entire front, there's no point in trying fix a bent fork. It will cost more and it will never be truly straight again. any fork set from 04-07 will fit.

I haven't seen the damage, so I can't say 100 percent, but I feel pretty strongly I am able to agree with the mechanic you spoke with. It sounds like he told you straight up what the issues are. Its up to you whether or not you take his advice.

 

He's definently correct on the forks. A slight bend will always mess with the steering and the fork seals, not to mention the handling.

In regards to the frame, at the very least i'd have it welded and professionally looked at. Personally i'd just swap a newer frame as well.

Good luck

 

Sounds like the mechanic is giving you the straight skinny , based on what you said. He took the time to explain too.

Besides being bent, if there is a scratch, as desribed, you'll never have a intact seal on that tube. And if one is bent, the other is suspect. Thus, get a new set.

On the frame issue, if there's a crack, the frame is racked. Repair with a weld or not, the frame is racked. Straightening it isn't cost effective. Get a new one, a strong, straight frame is too fundamental to a safe, functional bike.

After all, you did say you bought it as a project bike, I assume you are budgeting for the "project" half of the investment. lol

If you watch for the right moment on ebay, that $300 will get you both tubes and a frame. Just takes patience. I just got a brand new Smokin Joe exhaust can for $30+16 shipping. I just kept watching for about 2 months. The deals are out there.
Luck, Ern