Topic: Yay or nay

[ifizzy]

Simple one really.

Spend £900+ on fixing a 7 year old bike or buy a new one for £9000.

Lines are open NOW!!!

[Big Brown Beaver]

The answer is obviously both but it won't let me vote twice !

lash it together for as little as poss and flog it, you'd get more than £900 quid if it was a runner with an MOT, then take the money straight to the Yamaha dealers and give it to them ! '>

you know you want to and who ever regretted getting a new bike ?

[ifizzy]

Quote (Big Brown Beaver @ Sep. 22 2007,20:20)

... who ever regretted getting a new bike ?

Me again!

Sent my spanking new CBR125rr down the road on the A2 a year and a half ago causing great pain to my new machine and a rip in my new richa textiles!!!

Which in turn... caused me to accept a loan scooter, which was hit by a car, with me on it at the time, resulting in 4 months off work, and 2 broken bones in my left wrist.

NEW BIKES ARE DANGEROUS!  

[Big Brown Beaver]

You've probably just been cursed by an evil witch living in a tower somewhere, rub your new bike with a toad, or a newt (can't remember which, do both to be on the safe side) and everything will be fine '>

[Mr Rizla]

Q, how much more life will you get from your engine if you spend this £900, would it not be a better investment of your money to get a reconditioned engine (preferebly with warranty) and keep your existing engine for bits, or break it up and sell the good bits on ebay

[**SPIDER**]

New 1'>

[Alba]

fix it. nothing better lifts your spirit than spending time and money on your bike, just to see it blowing up after 500 odd miles '>

[riz K5]

Are we talking about YRDIB old R1 here?

Sell it and get a Rizla Suzuki K8 before Ken does. '>

[BikerBeth]

what about a nearly new one if you are fated with new new ones

[Big Brown Beaver]

Quote (BikerBeth @ Sep. 23 2007,14:01)

what about a nearly new one if you are fated with new new ones

might then "nearly" have accidents too, you never know '>

[Aceman]

If money is a significant factor, don't get a new one.  Consider a 2004 model R1, a 2002 model R1 or a 2002 Fire Blade.  Well that was my preference after test riding most of the 600s & 1000s between 2002 and 2004.  

I'm interested to know what your mechanic claims need to be replaced.  And why.  The why is important because if it is a factor that is connected with your riding, then it may occurr on your next bike too.

[ifizzy]

Quote (Aceman @ Sep. 23 2007,19:16)

If money is a significant factor, don't get a new one.  Consider a 2004 model R1, a 2002 model R1 or a 2002 Fire Blade.  Well that was my preference after test riding most of the 600s & 1000s between 2002 and 2004.   I'm interested to know what your mechanic claims need to be replaced.  And why.  The why is important because if it is a factor that is connected with your riding, then it may occurr on your next bike too.

Some good questions there fella.....

Detonation damage to the crank casings, causing oil to burn in the chambers, barrel, and piston ring damage.
Compression leakage through the breather system.

The engine was and I quote " probably f**ked when I bought it" as the detonation damage in the block was quite severe.
I ride fast, but within the rev limits, and my own bike skills.
I never scream the bitch for a couple of reasons...

1 I love the bike too much to abuse it.
2 I like living and dont want to die....yet!
3 This is an expensive passion.

The previous owners have probably thrashed it at some point
which is understandable.
I did give the engine a bit of work to do on the Scotland trip, but again, well within the engines limits.
A combination of factors, a variety of owners, and constant use recently havent helped.

I will probably fix her up, but trick it up a bit too..... what the hell I love the bugger!!!!!!!!!  

Money is a factor, as I can only earn so much in a day.
Its not enough to throw £9000 at a new one on the spur of the moment.
And would probably require some saving for a few months and no bike in the meantime.
I cant have that!!!
I prefer this shape R1 to the new bikes anyways.  

Quote (ifizzy @ Sep. 23 2007,22:30)

Quote (Aceman @ Sep. 23 2007,19:16) I'm interested to know what your mechanic claims need to be replaced.  And why.  The why is important because if it is a factor that is connected with your riding, then it may occurr on your next bike too. Some good questions there fella..... Detonation damage to the crank casings, causing oil to burn in the chambers, barrel, and piston ring damage. Compression leakage through the breather system. The engine was and I quote " probably f**ked when I bought it" as the detonation damage in the block was quite severe. I ride fast, but within the rev limits, and my own bike skills. I never scream the bitch for a couple of reasons... 1 I love the bike too much to abuse it. 2 I like living and dont want to die....yet! 3 This is an expensive passion. The previous owners have probably thrashed it at some point which is understandable. I did give the engine a bit of work to do on the Scotland trip, but again, well within the engines limits. A combination of factors, a variety of owners, and constant use recently havent helped. I will probably fix her up, but trick it up a bit too..... what the hell I love the bugger!!!!!!!!!   Money is a factor, as I can only earn so much in a day. Its not enough to throw £9000 at a new one on the spur of the moment. And would probably require some saving for a few months and no bike in the meantime. I cant have that!!! I prefer this shape R1 to the new bikes anyways.

That's abit Rich coming from you Alex !!!

I'd expect that sort of Comment from a Mechanic Not from Yourself who Hasn't got a clue about mechanics .......  

My Reply to your comment The engine was not f**ked when you bought it

I recall when you start tampering with the bike yourself and then needing help to complete your tasks.

The bike and Engine was excellent when it was sold to you,

I read the scotland Articles very clearly  that's when you Cleary severly damaged the engine ,out of common knolwedge

You were Running and riding that bike while you knew there was loads of oil pissing out of it meaning bike was then officially in critical mode all over a loose nut, interesting to know how that nut come loose but despite AA's only options to recover you you then went to make the unfounate journey of risking knackering the engine to get to your destinations and getting the bike to a better mechanic whilst on a scotland trip

With the masses of oil as you described you were losing and whilst having to ride it didn't it ever Come to you how that damage was caused .

Understand how fustrating it must of been when you with a group on a trip with oil pissing all over the place then you getting stuck with aa and the garage which was no help to you ,then you made the wrong decision for your bike to then complete your journey on the bike to get it fixed at another Garage ...

I hope this clears your misunderstood Quotes that you have suggested from you'r inexperience with mechanics ...For your information i take your comment as an insult towards myself as i strongly disagree with you as i knew the bike and owned the bike and was fully maintained by myself and Capital bikes in Gatwick , Whilst engine still in peak untill your big oil loss and neglective thoughts to your engine to get you thurther in to the problem by travelling on a bike that relisticlly needed recovering Properlly and fixed,

But despite having oil on your tyre/s and engine unloading oil whilst losing compression on your pride and joy you rode it all the way to scotland after constant stops emergency oil top ups. ect.........   , Sounds to me and to an average mechanic your a Chancer you took a Chance and took it and this is the Consequences of it Blame yourself for not thinking mechanically minded just like your Quoted Wrongfull comment !!!

for your information Alex i'm not looking to go into a Public debate about it , anyone who would like to see your scotland trip problems and neglect to the engine will see under the scotland trip under daysout/events , just thought i'd set the record clear to give Public understanding of your wrongfull accusations as a result to your negligence and not mine as you need to learn facts before accusing the past of the bike think of how good a bike it was untill you had it!!!!!

[CaptMoto]

Fix it! Better the devil you know

[trouty]

replace the motor. its an older carbied r1, right? should be able to get a lump for that and swap it in a weekend.

[MATTP]

In short mate, if you buy an R1 and think the person has been riding it at 30mph then I don't think a superbike is for you. The key to all bikes is oil. Have no oil then best get the credit card out as the motor will be ducked soon.

[Matt zx9]

Bikes are supposed to be thrashed.

No, really.

The engine (and oil) functions most efficiently at high revs. You'd need to be bouncing it off the rev limiter pretty much 100% of the time to wear it out in less than tens of thousands of miles. I think the critical point here is that it does actually need some oil in there too....

Get it running. Sell.

[eezyrida]

I agree with MattP.  Any bike that was engineered purely for performance and winning races on a track will have been taken "through its paces" as soon as the engine has been run in, and sometimes even before that. Also the racing pedigree of this bike is likely to have involved the assumption of the constant availability of a team of pit mechanics to tighten up bolts etc.

Alex - Sorry to hear of your woes, and I hope you get this resolved as soon as poss. My unqualified advice is that you either sell this off as a work-in-progress and get a brand new R1 with no previous history or mileage, or take an evening course in bike mechanics and get a recon engine and keep the bike (or even fix this engine yourself, once you've completed the course). Then you should be able to service and repair it yourself.

Otherwise you could get a 2nd hand sporty tourer engineered to cover millions of miles and only be seen by a mechanic once every couple of years. There are lots of those on the market.

I wish you all the best, whichever route you take.  '>

[Burger]

Alex, There is no point buying a new bike if your only gonna murder it by not putting oil in it like the Sv and this one. I have broken more yamaha's than soft mick and the engines are the most reliable things I have ever had the pleasure of killing. These engines can survive Iraqi bombs and ask anyone thats ridden with me they will tell you my engines DO NOT GET an easy life but they do get fresh oil and filters every 2000 miles which equates to 10,000 of your normal riding miles lol. Serious, Get a second hand engine, slap it in, you can pick one up for peanuts, call breakers etc etc they will have all you need to do the job and honest it aint that hard, I have re-built bikes with an allen key an a spanner set and WDZ for lifting power.

I dont wanna defend clint cos Im not sure of the situation but I almost bought that R1 when it was up for sale and I went through it with a fine tooth comb, I rode with him whilst he had it and I have to say it was in ok nick and the engine seemed sound. The only reason I did not buy it was cos my R1 came up so so so so cheap to ignore.

Just have a little mechanical sympathy when running these things, Warm it up whilst your sat on it (oil will be level then ), dont rev it till its showing 40 deg+ and dont ride it till its showing 70 deg+ certaintly dont spank it till its above 80deg+ Just think of it this way, if you had no water to drink for 3 days and then someone asked you to run to the shops whilst smoking a fag think what your body will do to you??

For example, I can ride my bike for 100 mile blast on every sunday for 2000 miles and most of the time I check the oil and its fine. I do a 1000 mile stint to spain and WE ALL used 1 quart of oil. Constant running requires constant attention.

[Burger]

Quote (eezyrida @ Sep. 24 2007,12:58)

I agree with MattP.  Any bike that was engineered purely for performance and winning races on a track will have been taken "through its paces" as soon as the engine has been run in, and sometimes even before that. Also the racing pedigree of this bike is likely to have involved the assumption of the constant availability of a team of pit mechanics to tighten up bolts etc. Alex - Sorry to hear of your woes, and I hope you get this resolved as soon as poss. My unqualified advice is that you either sell this off as a work-in-progress and get a brand new R1 with no previous history or mileage, or take an evening course in bike mechanics and get a recon engine and keep the bike (or even fix this engine yourself, once you've completed the course). Then you should be able to service and repair it yourself. Otherwise you could get a 2nd hand sporty tourer engineered to cover millions of miles and only be seen by a mechanic once every couple of years. There are lots of those on the market. I wish you all the best, whichever route you take.  '>

I disagree, If Grandma can spank the living shit out of her R1 on a daily basis (and she does ) and can get 40,000 miles out of engine trouble free with no glitches, no specialist mechanical engineering expereice and only standard servicing and meticulous care Alex can. Might I remind you a chap went all the way round the world on the same R1 as alex. These things aint designed to race, they are the ultimate sports tourer. I mean, how many miles is on this engine Alex?

[Burger]

R1 Video around the world

His website

[eezyrida]

Quote (Burger @ Sep. 24 2007,13:07)

These things aint designed to race, they are the ultimate sports tourer.

Thanks for correcting me, Burger. I never knew the R1 was not a racing bike, but was actually a sports tourer. Shows how much I know!!

[trouty]

Burger is right about warming the engine up.  If you watched the motogp on sunday where pretty much everyone did a bike swap, you would have seen that the bike was on stands, tyre warmers on and engines running. The engines weren't running to make the swap quicker, it was to ensure that everything had expanded evenly.

we used to cane the ass out of the gsxr's for 6 hours straight, stopping every hour for a 12 second refuel, and the end of the 3rd hour would see a 1m20 front/rear wheel swap plus refuel. 1h20 before pitting in if we were running the larger fuel tank (24litres)  But you can guarantee the engine was warmed up to temperature before the bike even left the garage at the start of the race.

[Burger]

Quote (eezyrida @ Sep. 24 2007,13:38)

Quote (Burger @ Sep. 24 2007,13:07) These things aint designed to race, they are the ultimate sports tourer. Thanks for correcting me, Burger. I never knew the R1 was not a racing bike, but was actually a sports tourer. Shows how much I know!!

No no Ez, your bang on, ITs a racing bike in all respects, I would say the Fazer thou is a sports tourer, I was just trying to say that these things are made of the same components and they will run and run if you look after them. The R1's you see at BSB are not the ones we can buy, they will not run and run and they need constant mechanical attention. yamaha have been making bikes since 1955 and Im sure they are doing something right. I mean if you go into the Rookie paddock of a BEMSEE meet you will see moderatly tuned engines being thrashed the hell out of. A good racer will only ever have to change consumable parts and if lucky will keep the same engine for many many miles. You can go and buy a 99 R1 which has been raced from day one out the crate and you will find its running the same cranks for the last 7 years. They work, there reliable.

Alex, Fix it, If you need help there are people here who for beer and fags will sit in your garage and tear the thing apart and put it back togever again. '>