General used bike Q: How old is too old?

adouglas · February 25th, 2013, 12:35 PM

Context: On the local CL a 2004 CBR600F4i just popped up. Appears to be a good deal... 5200-ish miles, looks clean, priced between KBB retail and KBB trade-in. Might make a good daily driver.

Question: How old is too old?

There's a point at which a car moves from readily maintained and repairable with easily sourced parts to "vintage" and hard to support. No matter how good its condition, it's not a good deal because you're just not going to be able to run down to the local dealer and expect them to have what you need.

Plus you'll have real trouble unloading it later, in a market full of clean used bikes.

So what's your take on this? Anyone know when the manufacturers stop making parts for older bikes?

Alex · February 25th, 2013, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adouglas

Question: How old is too old?

This is too old:

A Honda F4i isn't going to be too old to support economically for 10 or more years from now.

Bigballsofpaint · February 25th, 2013, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adouglas

Context: On the local CL a 2004 CBR600F4i just popped up. Appears to be a good deal... 5200-ish miles, looks clean, priced between KBB retail and KBB trade-in. Might make a good daily driver.

Question: How old is too old?

There's a point at which a car moves from readily maintained and repairable with easily sourced parts to "vintage" and hard to support. No matter how good its condition, it's not a good deal because you're just not going to be able to run down to the local dealer and expect them to have what you need.

Plus you'll have real trouble unloading it later, in a market full of clean used bikes.

So what's your take on this? Anyone know when the manufacturers stop making parts for older bikes?

I sent him a message on friday, as did my friend, he still hasnt replied to either one of us!!

Whiskey · February 25th, 2013, 01:20 PM

F4i still goes for a good bit of money, Hondas are usually bulletproof (except for the reg/rec) and the F4i was a popular machine so spares should be easy enough to come by.

soggybottom · February 25th, 2013, 02:35 PM

It really depends on your skill level as a mechanic, and the popularity of the bike when it was in production. If there were millions made, there will always be parts. If it was only made for a year and few were sold then parts can be a nightmare. But if you are a skilled mechanic/fabricator, then none of that matters.

An 04 is still very new in my book and the cbr is a popular bike.

alex.s · February 25th, 2013, 04:06 PM

"how old is too old" : no such thing as too old when it comes to vehicles.

Motofool · February 25th, 2013, 04:17 PM

My brother still rides and repairs a motorcycle manufactured in 1964.

I am too old !!!............machines are ageless.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CBR600F4i

KawiKid860 · February 25th, 2013, 05:17 PM

Can't go wrong with an F4i, dead reliable aside from CCT which I hear you just have to replace with a manual one and problem fixed. Guy on youtube has somewhere around 240k (yes, 240,000) miles on his F4i with no major work done to it, just normal maintenance and its still on the stock clutch! The F4i is at the top spot on my "Bikes I really want to own" list and right under it is the SV650. Ahhh I'll keep dreaming

Jesse8931 · February 25th, 2013, 05:39 PM

Nothing is to old. I have lots of vintage bikes and I like then more then my new bikes. but at the same time im the kind of guy who loves to wrench on bikes.

blink · February 25th, 2013, 07:04 PM

Its a honda. Buy a 90's civic, youll have parts for the next 10 years lol

LoneRonin · February 25th, 2013, 08:42 PM

9 years is not old especially with that mileage...F4i's are super popular especially with stunters. You should have no problem sourcing parts.

csmith12 · February 25th, 2013, 08:48 PM

You can only buy as old as you can afford to wait for or have custom parts made. Or your back account has many 00000000's.

February 25th, 2013, 12:35 PM	#1
adouglas Cat herder Name: Gort Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 6 MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13	General used bike Q: How old is too old? Context: On the local CL a 2004 CBR600F4i just popped up. Appears to be a good deal... 5200-ish miles, looks clean, priced between KBB retail and KBB trade-in. Might make a good daily driver. Question: How old is too old? There's a point at which a car moves from readily maintained and repairable with easily sourced parts to "vintage" and hard to support. No matter how good its condition, it's not a good deal because you're just not going to be able to run down to the local dealer and expect them to have what you need. Plus you'll have real trouble unloading it later, in a market full of clean used bikes. So what's your take on this? Anyone know when the manufacturers stop making parts for older bikes?

February 25th, 2013, 02:35 PM	#5
soggybottom Aimless Name: rory Location: eau claire wi Join Date: Feb 2013 Motorcycle(s): 01 ninja 250 Posts: 69	It really depends on your skill level as a mechanic, and the popularity of the bike when it was in production. If there were millions made, there will always be parts. If it was only made for a year and few were sold then parts can be a nightmare. But if you are a skilled mechanic/fabricator, then none of that matters. An 04 is still very new in my book and the cbr is a popular bike. __________________________________________________ I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

February 25th, 2013, 04:06 PM	#6
alex.s wat Name: wat Location: tustin/long beach Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 5 MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14	"how old is too old" : no such thing as too old when it comes to vehicles. __________________________________________________

February 25th, 2013, 04:17 PM	#7
Motofool Daily Ninjette rider Name: Hernan Location: Florida Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2016, MOTM - Dec '12, Jan '14, Jan '15, May '16	My brother still rides and repairs a motorcycle manufactured in 1964. I am too old !!!............machines are ageless. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CBR600F4i __________________________________________________ *Motofool* *.................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly* "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí

February 25th, 2013, 07:04 PM	#10
blink Always. Name: Alex Location: Calgary, AB Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250, '05 GSX-R600 Posts: A lot.	Its a honda. Buy a 90's civic, youll have parts for the next 10 years lol __________________________________________________ blink-182

February 25th, 2013, 01:20 PM	#4
Whiskey ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Morgan Location: A city twinned with Kawasaki Join Date: Nov 2011 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250, 2010 STR 675 Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 1	F4i still goes for a good bit of money, Hondas are usually bulletproof (except for the reg/rec) and the F4i was a popular machine so spares should be easy enough to come by.

February 25th, 2013, 05:17 PM	#8
KawiKid860 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Murphey Location: Eastern Washington Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2002 Honda 919, 2004 Ninja 500R NAKED Posts: A lot.	Can't go wrong with an F4i, dead reliable aside from CCT which I hear you just have to replace with a manual one and problem fixed. Guy on youtube has somewhere around 240k (yes, 240,000) miles on his F4i with no major work done to it, just normal maintenance and its still on the stock clutch! The F4i is at the top spot on my "Bikes I really want to own" list and right under it is the SV650. Ahhh I'll keep dreaming

February 25th, 2013, 05:39 PM	#9
Jesse8931 ninjette.org guru Name: Jesse Location: Ann arbor mi Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 ninja 250r Posts: 374	Nothing is to old. I have lots of vintage bikes and I like then more then my new bikes. but at the same time im the kind of guy who loves to wrench on bikes.

February 25th, 2013, 08:42 PM	#11
LoneRonin ninjette.org sage Name: Jason Location: Mississauga Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250r Posts: 634	9 years is not old especially with that mileage...F4i's are super popular especially with stunters. You should have no problem sourcing parts. __________________________________________________ ”Any man dies with a clean sword, I’ll rape his f*ing corpse!”- The Hound

February 25th, 2013, 08:48 PM	#12
csmith12 The Corner Whisperer Name: Chris (aka Reactor) Location: Northern KY Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much. MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13	You can only buy as old as you can afford to wait for or have custom parts made. Or your back account has many 00000000's. __________________________________________________ Goal: Shake A Million Hands \| Look through the corners \| Track Day Prep \| Closest track? \| The Mid-Ohio School

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