How to buy a good R1 (used guide)

Hi all, Can some of the more experienced owners post some of their comments on choosing a used R1. Common and expensive problems to be avoided etc. The model history is pretty well known, but if any unusual points about the different versions are interesting, please make my day :) My apologies if this has been posted previously, I couldn't find any. Cheers mike

Welcome to the Forum Mike.. I'll copy this thread to Martin. I'm pretty sure he has a writeup laying around somewhere. :fact

Well its no different than any other bikes really..... -check the frame for dents -check if the bodywork is not crooked by aligning it front and back(look carefully) -check if the wheels are true(jack/lift -check if the chain is shot/sprocket wear -check if all recalls have been done It would also be a plus to try the bike,but that can be a bit hard... if you can: -Check for excessive backlash in clutch/transmission -Check for excessive noises(R1 motors are noisy though) -Check for any signs of knocking(bike at idle,put your hand on a rearset then on the triple clamp,feel for knocking) -Check for any signs of coolant leaks(usually around the head,easily seen through the vent openings on each sides of the mid panels) -Check for excessive brake discs wear -Check and compare mileage vs overall state of the bike -Inquire about where it was serviced(then compare mileage) -Check if all recalls were done(98-99 models only) Maybe anyone else can add their 2c.

If you get to ride it make sure its not jumping out of any gears, second in particular.

If the owner has the service records can be a good thing :thumbup

Hi, im going to buy one too ! :-) How can you tell what year the bike is, the 2002 and 2003 being identical bikes with only a $$ amount between them?

on the right side of the frame.. next to the steering stem.. you will noitice a black engraved panel.. this panel will read the year of the bike.. and it's VIN number.. the frame is also engraves with the bikes VIN number... on the steering stem.. So is the engine.. and other various parts

Is there an equivalant to "Carfax" for motorcycles? I'm just curious if they've developed anything like that, could come in very useful. Definitely try and get an accurate mileage for the bike. With the R1's it's very easy to replace dashboards and show less miles than there really are. If the bike's been re-geared that could also effect mileage but it would show more than there actually are (unless geared down-very rare). Check to see if there are any aftermarket sprockets, and they should be 16 front 43 rear. Service records will help determine mileage a great deal. Take a peak at the oil filter too and see if OEM parts were used. If you see a Fram then I'd say run. If you can't ride it, at least make the dealer/person let you take the lower off, takes 2 minutes and it can give you a real good idea if there's anything wrong. See if the fluids appear clean (just like a car), oil, brake fluid, coolant etc. This is anal but that's how I'd do it, I'm not a big fan of used bikes so unless I know the person, I'd go over every inch. Especially if you can't ride it. Hope that helped, good luck.

Someone was telling me the 10th digit of the vin number would be a 2 or a 3. A 2 means its a 2002 model and a 3 means 2003, ive looked at that plate and didnt see a specific year, the compliance date is 2002 build date july 02 and that 10th digit of the vin is a 2... the person said its quite normal for a 03 model to be built in 02 seems a little weird to me ?!. Any of you can help with this bit of confusion would be great :-)