Hey everyone,
I found a 2000 model R1 for sale on Craigslist with 22,000 miles. Just judging from the pictures, it appears to be a mostly clean bike, but as we learned in 2006 with MySpace, looks can be deceiving, either with old sport bikes and girls you haven't met in person just yet.
Anyway, I have had a lot of luck with 2005 R6. It's never given me any problems beside cleaning and re-calibrating the TPS and that was a thirty minute fix. I really like this generation of R1 I've found for sale and have been wanting to get the jump on one for a while. However, there are some weak areas that bug me about old sport bikes that I could use the forum's collective input on.
1.) The second gear issue. I won't dive too deeply into this subject and I think there are some variable that come into play. Was the bike abused? Did it see a lot of stop and go riding or consistent miles? Even preferences on drive chain slack can have an effect on the wear and tear of a motorcycle's sequential gear box. I think this issue comes down to seller honesty and being able to test ride the bike to know what you're getting into. Easier said than done, though.
2.) Charging system. A sport bike's charging system isn't meant to handle the load of a depleted battery that's set dormant for a couple of months without a trickle charger. It seems most owners are unaware of this fact, and when their bike starts to eat stators and regulator/rectifiers it's already too late. Age can only make it worse. On the flipside, with a little bit of effort on my part, my 2005 R6 is still on its original battery so it's not all doom and gloom.
3.) Suspension. If it hasn't been looked after every couple of years, the internals of the suspenders are probably the equivalent to the insides of a middle-school cafeteria microwave. Think about it.
4.) Engine. The engine on these bikes seem pretty solid. Does anyone know what the recommended service internal is for checking the valves? I know my bike is 26,600 but I don't know about these model R1s. Also, I know nothing about carbs. I imagine as long as you don't deviate too far from stock and the gasoline has never been left to ruin, the carbs shouldn't need too much attention. Also the Cam Chain Tensioner. Are the spark plugs easy to service on these bikes? I know the frame rails on my R6 obscure the outer cylinders and it takes a lot of know-how and elbow grease to get them out.
These are just some of my thoughts about the idea of picking up what I would like to think could potentially be a nice bike. It wouldn't see track days or any kind of hard riding, just easy cruising and possibly commuting for work. If any other forum members have any helpful input, I would be really grateful. I also have some pictures of the bike I can post if anyone would like to see. The graphics aren't quite right to the factory Cocktail Red and it has aftermarket fasteners.
Thanks!
I found a 2000 model R1 for sale on Craigslist with 22,000 miles. Just judging from the pictures, it appears to be a mostly clean bike, but as we learned in 2006 with MySpace, looks can be deceiving, either with old sport bikes and girls you haven't met in person just yet.
Anyway, I have had a lot of luck with 2005 R6. It's never given me any problems beside cleaning and re-calibrating the TPS and that was a thirty minute fix. I really like this generation of R1 I've found for sale and have been wanting to get the jump on one for a while. However, there are some weak areas that bug me about old sport bikes that I could use the forum's collective input on.
1.) The second gear issue. I won't dive too deeply into this subject and I think there are some variable that come into play. Was the bike abused? Did it see a lot of stop and go riding or consistent miles? Even preferences on drive chain slack can have an effect on the wear and tear of a motorcycle's sequential gear box. I think this issue comes down to seller honesty and being able to test ride the bike to know what you're getting into. Easier said than done, though.
2.) Charging system. A sport bike's charging system isn't meant to handle the load of a depleted battery that's set dormant for a couple of months without a trickle charger. It seems most owners are unaware of this fact, and when their bike starts to eat stators and regulator/rectifiers it's already too late. Age can only make it worse. On the flipside, with a little bit of effort on my part, my 2005 R6 is still on its original battery so it's not all doom and gloom.
3.) Suspension. If it hasn't been looked after every couple of years, the internals of the suspenders are probably the equivalent to the insides of a middle-school cafeteria microwave. Think about it.
4.) Engine. The engine on these bikes seem pretty solid. Does anyone know what the recommended service internal is for checking the valves? I know my bike is 26,600 but I don't know about these model R1s. Also, I know nothing about carbs. I imagine as long as you don't deviate too far from stock and the gasoline has never been left to ruin, the carbs shouldn't need too much attention. Also the Cam Chain Tensioner. Are the spark plugs easy to service on these bikes? I know the frame rails on my R6 obscure the outer cylinders and it takes a lot of know-how and elbow grease to get them out.
These are just some of my thoughts about the idea of picking up what I would like to think could potentially be a nice bike. It wouldn't see track days or any kind of hard riding, just easy cruising and possibly commuting for work. If any other forum members have any helpful input, I would be really grateful. I also have some pictures of the bike I can post if anyone would like to see. The graphics aren't quite right to the factory Cocktail Red and it has aftermarket fasteners.
Thanks!