I really need some advice from some people more knowledge than myself. Tomorrow I will make a purchase, I just found out about both of them.

The first is a 1991 GSXR 750 with 28k miles. It need a front fairing, turn signals, steering damper, left mirror, center piece for the lower cowl, tires, and some repairs to the lower cowls both sides, and speedo needle is broke off. Also it needs a new lock cylinder for the gas tank since the ignition key doesn't fit it, but local locksmith will do it for $60 if I bring it in $120 if they come to me. I have talked the price down from $1500 to $1000 cash in hand.

The second is a 1997 CBR 600 F3 with 32k miles. It needs tires, and almost all the body need replacing, right mirror, seat recovered, and turn signals. I talks the price down from $1600 to $1200 cash in hand.

Both run. I am just afraid of the availability of aftermarket body parts for the GSXR being a '91. Just the steering damper alone for the GSXR OEM is $550. There is almost nothing on eBay, and OEM costs way to much. I can get a whole body kit for the CBR for $300, painted. there is also a ton of parts for it on eBay and mass amount of aftermaket part from various dealers.. Also the '91 gixxer weighs a ton, 516lbs as opposed to the the '97 CBR's 409 lbs.

I am 32, 6'3 and weigh 210lbs and have moderate riding skills. My last bike was a '85 VFR700F Interceptor and before that a '77 Suzuki GS 750, my first bike. This bike will be a daily rider used to commute to work in town and some trips out of town when work permits. I realize that the responses may be a little biased asking on a CBR forum, but I hope you will all try to be as unbiased as possible.

I am mainly worried about upkeep costs and reliability along with the availability and cost of parts.

Thank you for any feedback.

 

It's a Honda forum full of people that are VERY knowledgeable about.....you guessed it, Honda's.

Get the Honda.

 

go honda, its much newer, and only $200 more. Just to say something about the GSXR, from what i know,a steering dampener is not something that you need, but an aftermarket part to help prevent tankslappers (an expensive part at that).

besides, if you buy the zuki then you have to join a gixxxxer forum and we cant have that now can we

 

Its an obvious choice, get the F3. The 750 is a bad *** bike but I don't feel comfortable of the age factor.
Better still to wait, save more cash and get a newer Honda.

 

Well. Even though the f3 is more you would put more money into fixing the GSXR. And it would be way more fun to buy a bike that you can ride soon. Not look at it beat to hell in your garage. Just pick up some ebay plastics for the f3. my friend got a painted set for $400 shipped. they might not line up like OEM. But you will probably slide it and rash it.

 

The honda is a better choice for a daily driver. Also something simple like oil changes will be much much cheaper for the honda... the 91 gsxr is oil cooled so ittakes a lot more oil.

 

having experience with both these bikes the f3 is a much better choice 100% .

you can recover your seat for 20 yourself.tires are gonna cost you, mirrors are like 25 new aftermarket ones (endergo? something like that) turn signals aftermarket like 20-30 bucks. and the body work can even be fixed yourself depending on howbad it is.

now important questions... any problems with the charging system, which components has he replaced already ? (battery, stator, regulator/rectifier) any rust on the swing arm or the chain tensioners... also can noise from the cct ? (chain cam tensioner, usually around 3-5k rpm loud buzzing noise) how does it run ? does it idle correctly ? any frame damage since you said all the body work needs to be replaced?

 

The damper was a stock part, they come with a side mounted one. But you are right, not required and useless to me as well as way overpriced.

What do you mean; is that a shot?

No an option. The wife would kill me if she knew I was spending this much. I'm going to have to tell her I got it for $500 because it's in rough shape. I have two other bikes and an old pickup she wants me to get rid of already.

I hope not but anything is possible (knocks on head), I've been riding since I was 17. That's when I bought the '77 GS 750 and then got the Interceptor in '03. I've been cautious and lucky (more luck and less caution), I've never wrecked and only time I nearly dropped a bike I did about three 360's in a patch of black ice in Atlanta in '00. It was a low speed corner taking off from a light. I was determined not to drop it. It looked damn funny according to a friend. Like I was dancing with the bike on ice. But now saying this I have probably jinxed myself. So maybe I'll leave the trashed plastics on for a few weeks and prepare to break my luck streak.

Yes, good point. One of my concerns in maintenance costs.

Almost all the mounting posts are broken off and most of it is either just barely hanging on or held on with wires. Like the lower cowl is wired to the radiator to hold it in place. Left lid set is missing and the right side has been cut up to make room for the crash bars around the engine case.

I will find out about those tommorow. It's actully on a dealer lot. The sales man was busy when I went to look at it and I didnt want to wait to hear it run, I was in a bit of a hurry. I just looked at the body and left to go see the GSXR. The lot guy said it ran solid and asked if I wanted to wait to hear it run. I didnt think I would be getting it until I saw the condition of the GSXR. I called back the dealer and offered him $1200 cash in hand provided it ran well, after telling him that I would have to replace all the plastic and tires he was hesitent but agreed to it. It was 15 mins before the shop closed so I told him I'll be there at opening the next day. I will listen for the CCT and ask if he knows anything about the history. The tires are soo bad, you can see a 3/4 wide cloth down the center of the back tire and the front was maybe 10% tread, that I dont think I want to get it on the street to test drive it. I may ask him for a 24 hr warranty so I can get new rubber and see if it acts right on the street. Not sure if that is something dealers do if you buy a used bike outright.


Thank you for all the responses. I am pretty sure now I'll be getting the CBR, that polished chrome frame did look sweet on the GSXR, but it's not worth the cost to restore it.

EDIT: Oh yeah and I forgot to ask, is $1200 a fair price provided the engine is solid?

 

The early GSXR's were fine bikes, but unless you have a full history on it, I'd avoid a bike that old.
I have no bias on the issue, my last rebuilds were a GPZ900R 1984, and a GSX1100E 1982, before that. My current bike's a CBR1000F 1990, bought 4 years ago from a friend, so I knew the history.(Had to be a Honda, or I wouldn't be here........)
My suggestion would be to look around some more, take your time, the F3's a good bike but sounds as though it's been hammered. Of the two choices, I'd go for the F3 because of Honda's build quality, and parts availability. Plenty of advice on the Forum on how to get it back to a great looking bike. The 600 section are experts, and helpful. Good luck.

 

Buying a secondhand item will always be a gamble. Normally to reduce the risk its pretty common for not going for much older bike and in your case its 6 years different here and thats a lot man.