Buying High millage FZ1

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garrettIssacs

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Hey guys

First time posting here and thought I'd start by requesting assistance in buying my first FZ1. I'm looking at a 2004 model with 75 000 Km on the clock. I'm a bit ignorent when it comes to mechanics and so on. What should I be looking out for with buying a high mileage FZ1?

Cheers
 
Why not buy something with lower miles and maybe newer? I've seen some really good deals out there lately around 3k?

garrettIssacs said:
Hey guys

First time posting here and thought I'd start by requesting assistance in buying my first FZ1. I'm looking at a 2004 model with 75 000 Km on the clock. I'm a bit ignorent when it comes to mechanics and so on. What should I be looking out for with buying a high mileage FZ1?

Cheers
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I recently purchased a 2003 FZ1 with a little over 80,000km. I was hesitant about the mileage at first but upon inspection and after looking into the history of the bike, I was sold. I ended up selling it later on with 95,000km and the bike never missed a beat the entire time, nor did it need any special maintenance. I didn't burn a drop of oil, never had a stutter, never had a worry.

I was so confident in the bike I planned on taking it across the country & back but ended up selling it because I am a bike whore.

I would not hesitate to buy another high mileage bike as I believe if the bike has been ridden well it has probably been well maintained.

You are better off worrying about the 5 year old bike with 6000km as that is probably more of a maintenance nightmare than something with 60,000. Someone who barely rides will probably barely do any maintenance.

Come to think of it, my last bike with over 80,000km was also a Yamaha--an FZR400. That bike ended up being sold and also didn't miss a beat the entire time I owned it.
 
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:+1: our bike whore, Dustin nailed it. What I would really want to see is service records and most important is valve adjustments as this is costly.

Check the chain for wear and look at the sprockets. Start it, ride it and let it idle until the radiator fan comes on to be sure it's working.

Do the cables move smooth and are all the lights working?

Tires will be obvious, but just a few things to look at.

Of course if the bike seems good and IS priced to sell-go for it!

Really 75km / 46,000 miles is not all that much for an inline 4. I would suspect 150,000-2000,000 Km is not unusual for a well cared for FZ1
 
Remember, it's easier to talk down someone's asking price when the mileage is high. Because of the stigma of high mileage vehicles, people are often turned off.

I got my 2003 for $2800 Canadian because of the mileage and it turned out to be a gem!
 
garrettIssacs said:
I cant buy newer due to money, for 5,000 I can get a 2004 at 75,000 or at 7,000 a 2005 at 16,000
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You could find a left over 08 on e bay for 7000.00 with no mile. For 3000 to 3500 you should be able to get a sweet Gen I. Unless you are they only want 1500.00 or thats all you can currently afford I would look for a few less miles. Just to maximize resale should you have to.
 
Do not forget guys... he's not in the US so pricing is much different for him.

OneSizeFitsAll said a lot of what I would have said. Look for the open and obvious stuff. If the chain and sprockets are worn, the bike doesn't start up easily or idle smoothly, the tires are in shreds, the oil is black, it is likely the bike was neglected so you can take your chances and talk them way down citing all the stuff you'll have to fix, repair or replace, or, walk away and find a better deal in better shape.

Don't be afraid to low-ball the price but don't make it totally insulting... You can always start with, "What's your rock-bottom cash price?" and see what they say, then start picking it apart if there are obvious problems. See if they budge.... If they don't, then ask them to put new stuff on the bike and you'll buy it with the repairs/maintenance in place. Even better, if you can have them bring it to your local mechanic (not theirs) and have it checked over thoroughly.....

Hope this helps! Good luck!!
 
The miles or kms on the bike mean little compared to how it was treated and the type of maintenance done on it. Last year I bought a 1981 Honda Goldwing 1100 for a second bike. It had 61,000 documented miles. It started right up, did smoke just a bit at start-up, which for those things is an indication of worn seals on the valves. I used it for about six months and it ran great then I sold it but it was a perfectly running machine.

As already stated, ask as many questions as you can about the owner's riding and maintenance habits and check it from top to bottom for signs of wear. If it's a real smoker, I'd pass it up but otherwise if all looks, sounds, and suns well, you'll probably have plenty of fun miles ahead.
 
Dittos to all who posted that how a bike is ridden and maintained is far more important than the odometer reading.

I worked as a bike wrench during most of the 1960s and it was clear then that the customers who rode sensibly and either did their own maintenance well or brought their bikes in regularly to us for service had the least problems and the greatest mileage on their odometers.

A motorcycle has very little in common with a car in terms of how it's used. Very few cars on the road can approach a good liter-bike, like our FZ-1s, and even most of the 600cc sport bikes for performance, and younger riders tend to "get on the throttle" with a somewhat heavy hand, power shifting, doing wheelies, etc. 5000 miles in the hands of one of these "street squirrels", as we called them, often relegated their bikes to rolling parts bins.

Buy a bike that dazzles you with its condition in spite of higher mileage. Get a sense of the owner, too. Finally, get a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic familiar with the bike model that you purchase. Enjoy!!
 
I like your post and I like to drive bike. You shared best information about this bike. Its good looking bike and there are many good features in this bike. In this bike mileage have good.
 
Well my 03 Bee has turned 178,009 KMS, and apart from regular services and my loving care and attention it is in superb condition. 1 month ago I splurged out $4000 on it in order to bring it back to new, all bearings, new camshaft, new rotors (first time), new sprockets (4th time) new chain (4th time) still original battery, 4th set of brake pads front 2nd rear, Pazo levers "shortys"

I did up my suspension 40,000 KMS ago, Racetech front, gold valves, Wilbers personalized rear setup (Beats my previous Ohlins hands down) I run Michelin Pilot Pures and they are a superb tyre.

After my mechanic thoroughly tested the bike (a bit of carb work and jet kit "Ivans") were done years ago and I run a Titanium Yoshi RS3 Slipon, he asked for first refusal if I ever decided to sell, not surprising as he has looked after it since 2003.

The bike now Dynos at 173 HP which is more power than I even use on track days and runs beautifully.

I also have a modified Suzuki 2009 1250 Bandit which I use for touring with my wife which is also a magic bike but all Torque and a bullit proof motor but does not handle like the FZ1.

All in all these bikes will accompany me to the next world.

I am now on my 64th and 65th Bikes (yes I am in my 60s) and have raced bikes since I was 13 (BSA Bantams 173cc 2 strokes) and the Gen 1 FZ1 is easily the finest bike out of the box I have ever owned.
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I'm with Dustin on this. I'd rather have a bike with the proper amount of miles per year than one that sits around. I'm not a mechanic but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I have dozens of mechanic fiends; people I really trust, and they trusted me when they came to me for my doctor skills, so trust is a good thing. Every one of them will tell you that the worst thing for an engine is to sit around. Have the bike looked over but if its been ridden regularly and the bike records indicate it's been maintained I say go for it and don't fret about the miles. Of course I'm an idiot so read all the posts carefully.
 
I am with you Norm, I have only owned one car a 1979 Diesel Toyota Troop Carrier which took me and my family around Australia 4 times and was sold last year having done 470900 MILES most off road, the rest of my millions of miles have all been done on bikes.

As a non driver, I do about 2000 Kms a week in bad weather more in drought (Please return oh drought)

I came to Australia in the early 70s and if there ever was a land built for two wheeled fanatics this was it so I stayed, sadly I have buried some 40 friends since then including my best man who was the only man I ever loved (Platonically) but by Christ we lived and my wife of 31 years who never sat on a bike for 28 years of our marriage told me to buy my Bandit 3 years ago and outfitted with Givi Panniers we have done some 40,000 Kms on the Bandit together since then.

The FZ though with many klicks under her belt is a thoroughbred and will probably outlast me and for that I thank God.

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Welcome back Cookie! Hope you stick around and add some of those years or experience to this site. The Gen I riders would appreciate it!

I'm also with Norm... a bike that sits isn't one to go buy unless you know it was sitting and properly maintained starting with fresh, unused oil for that period of time and maybe run once in a while up to temperature.

A well maintained bike with a fair amount of miles could be the better purchase. I still like new first. Like Cookie, I hope my FZ1 outlasts me as well. I'd rather throw a few $k into her and keep it than try and replace it. I've yet to see a better bike for my tastes enter the market. Gen III with a cross-plane though? Well...... ;)
 
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