Hi,

I have been looking at this bike on ebay a while now (its reasonably local, unmodified - funny paint job but I can live with that/get chinese fairings), milage seems pretty low HOWEVER there is one thing that is a minor concern for me and I am wondering whether there might be a reasonable explaination

Here is the bike in question:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270984547477? ... 1423.l2649

Now my concern is this: when I looked at the MOT history the milage seems to have gone DOWN by 12 miles between the 2007 and 2011 tests (heres a screenshot):



Am I right to be suspicious of this? The gentleman in question selling the bike has been more than helpful answering my questions however I have only just asked him about the decrease in milage (had only spotted it last night) so I am awaiting a response.

Any advice no matter how small (on topic of course ) will be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance

fitted replacement clocks sometime in between?

with the bikes being 20+ years old then don't worry about it. Matters not. Condition is key and to be fair that looks alright.

£1500 a touch salty but other than that, it seems OK.

Thanks for the advice so far, I was thinking of offering ~1300-1400 (if this seems reasonable? I have been looking at a number to get a rough guide of price over the last couple of months) obviously dependent on my mechanically-minded friend and I having a good look over it and finding nothing out of the ordinary up with it.

Said friend had some minor concerns that it might have been raced however I have my doubts (apparently it has been in storage for a number of years).

I have read through a number of excellent guides (the one on this website and this one http://www.clarity.net/~adam/buying-bike.html ) which I hope will give me a good idea of what to look for myself

Feel free to keep the input flying in, I like to try to get as many opinions as I can (from either end of the scale) on anything!

You want to go and see it to be fair - nothing like speaking to the owner and seeing it first.

The bikes are top quality - nobody makes bikes as good as these anymore - the fittings, the mechanicals etc should all be spot on.

Check the usual stuff like the chain (and the adjuster), the brakes and whatnot. Check the rads - the lower can be battered. If it has been stored then be prepared for a carb strip and clean...valve clearances are due at 16k kms - not too tough, but fiddly!

£12/1300 seems alright for it - If it was raced, then it will likely have had more oil changes and been looked after.

Hmmm, it's hardly "unmodified" though is it?

Just to my uneducated eye:
Screen, indicators, rearsets, seat fairing, pax footrests, exhaust and heat shield are non-standard or not there.

Nothing wrong with a slightly modified bike though, as long as that's what you want.

There's no servicing information on the ad at all either, so buy on condition, ignore the stated mileage and price the bike accordingly?

Edit: Also, are those holes in the fairing??? The photo of the clocks suggest they might be?

I was informed that everything was standard except the exhaust - fairings are original but painted, however I certainly do not know anywhere near the amount any of you will (I assume) about what is standard and what is not; so I will definately bear in mind that there are more non-standard bits that I previously thought.

He has no service information (as far as I am aware - for a start he stated he never got the past MOT certs). I dont mind SLIGHTLY modified (obviously in an ideal situation id love it fully standard bar exhaust but I have to think realistically considering my price range and location - near lincs or bucks)

I was also looking at this one http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3898526.htm however it seems very much out of my price range (suppose it might be worth an offer, worst thing he can say is no!)


edit: yes I believe they are holes in the fairing, if you also look on the middle-bottom looks like the same kind of thing

TBH, I read that Pistonheads advert as "I bought this bike a couple of years ago and it was well sorted, but I've done nothing in the way of servicing to it since... and it still runs ok" lol. It seems well overpriced for what it is unless it's a really exotic exhaust system? Non-standard paint as well, standard schemes shown here:
http://www.vsource.org/VFR-RVF_files/Bvfr400r-mi.htm

I agree it does seem overpriced - I had no idea that was non-standard paint (shows how much I know eh), if i could beat him down to 1600 ish (dependant on condition upon seeing it in real life) id be a bit happier, but with it priced that high I think it would be unlikely he would accept such an offer!

For what its worth i will add my 2p
The first one may be a well sorted useable bike, but with that paint job and after market seat unit it will never be anything but a useable bike and never one to restore or one for the collectors.
Its got some mods, some better than others thats for sure, but if it floats your boat and ticks the box's go for it.
In my eyes its a £1200 tops and more like a grand.

Second one on piss heads again non std paint and panels, and certainly not worth anything like the asking price IMO

Dont rush and buy one of these, there are good ones that turn up and are far safer bets to purchase and often for not much more money.
As i have always said buy the best you can find not the one you can just afford.