Close call for a co-worker
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Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,471
Likes: 4
From: West Philly, PA!
Close call for a co-worker
No, nobody almost hit him. He's straight up new to riding, going to take his BRC later this month. Will be his 1st time on 2 wheels. So he's been trying to find a bike. I've been keeping my eyes open for something that won't break his wallet or his a$$, since he insists on getting a 600. Well today he calls me over to look at a bike he found that he wants to buy: 1999 Yamaha YFZ-R1 
I was highly reluctant to even go look at this. All the way over I'm telling him "Dude, keep looking" and "You're not ready for a liter bike" and "Knowing you, you'll be down or dead within a month". But he's made up his mind so the best I can do is go make sure it won't blow up when he hits the starter. We get over there, the girl opens the garage and It looks cherry
Fork seals are good. If she wheelie'd it, she set it down gentle. None of the usual tells that say its been down. Nothing. Clean title. Flat tires from sitting for 3 years. No leaks anywhere. And no clean up job to hide anything (bout an inch of dust and cobwebs on her). Battery is dead so I can't start it up or check the mileage, but near as she can remember it was about 6k. No start so I'm very skeptical. Then she says the price: $1000
Her hubby is in jail and they needed bail money. So its a Fire Sale. A brand new, never been on 2 wheels, rider with a liter underneath him has all my alarm bells (and a few borrowed from yall) going
. But $1k asking has me checking my own bank account. If anything, it could be flipped or parted out to get something more tame. Yet he's insisting he'll ride it. I can't lie so I shrug and say "I'd get it, if it were me".
So what's his close call? He told her he'd have the money at the end of the week. She said first come, first served. Guy snatched it 2 hrs later
I was highly reluctant to even go look at this. All the way over I'm telling him "Dude, keep looking" and "You're not ready for a liter bike" and "Knowing you, you'll be down or dead within a month". But he's made up his mind so the best I can do is go make sure it won't blow up when he hits the starter. We get over there, the girl opens the garage and
It looks cherry Fork seals are good. If she wheelie'd it, she set it down gentle. None of the usual tells that say its been down. Nothing. Clean title. Flat tires from sitting for 3 years. No leaks anywhere. And no clean up job to hide anything (bout an inch of dust and cobwebs on her). Battery is dead so I can't start it up or check the mileage, but near as she can remember it was about 6k. No start so I'm very skeptical. Then she says the price:
$1000 Her hubby is in jail and they needed bail money. So its a Fire Sale. A brand new, never been on 2 wheels, rider with a liter underneath him has all my alarm bells (and a few borrowed from yall) going
. But $1k asking has me checking my own bank account. If anything, it could be flipped or parted out to get something more tame. Yet he's insisting he'll ride it. I can't lie so I shrug and say "I'd get it, if it were me".So what's his close call? He told her he'd have the money at the end of the week. She said first come, first served. Guy snatched it 2 hrs later
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 879
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee, FL
I would have went to the bank, got the money out bought it, fixed it and sold it. Probally would've road it around for a little while just because. I love the newer R1s but 1999 is a little dated. ohwell someone got a good deal. Not a first bike but still a good deal.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 739
Likes: 0
From: J-ville, FLORIDA
maybee its a blessing, kuro , id steer him twards a F3, or an F4 , that is still a lot of bike for a newbie...sucks for the hubby in jail to see his ride short-sold...i guess it pays to keep yer nose clean...
