[nemo963]

I have been helping a freind shop for a bike. He is a fairly new rider, and has been looking at the used market. A local dealer ran across a new (zero miles) 2002 Honda F4i, it will carry the full Honda warentey, and looks very nice. They are asking $7100, but after talking to them they got down to as low as $6400. The only F series bike I have ever owned/riden was a '95 F3, and I loved it. He is looking to me for advice and info, and I think it seems like a real good deal, but was wondering what everyone else thought.

 

[Guest]

:waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo:

 

[Dclxvi]

wow where was the bike sitting for such a long time?? I checked out the 2003's when i was bike hunting.. they were very nice bikes.. but I still am not a fan of the 1 peice seat i hate that look lol.

 

[nemo963]

I guess the warehouse that they use found it in a crate, not sure if it was mislabeled, hidden, or what, looked it over real close, did not notice any damage. It has been on the showroom for a week or so now, but they don't move alot of volume, especially this time of year. This one actually has the two piece seat, I think the 03 is when they went back to the large one piece.

 

[Dclxvi]

bah thats what i get for not looking at the picture! ya the 2 piece is alot more sexy

 

[novos]

sounds like a good deal, and if the bike is clean, why not?

 

[ononewheel]

Decent price, but not the deal of a century. Can't really go wrong with it, but the 600s have evolved quite a bit since the F4i. Take it from somebody who is selling the F4 they raced for two years.

$5500 would be something you'd struggle to walk away from, but even then unless you HAVE to have new for $5500 - $6400 you could get a used 600RR, R6, etc that have come quite a ways since the F4i.

Hard situation to be in.........

 

[Dclxvi]

But ya gotta remeber the guy he is getting the bike for is a newer rider. So overall he is out like 15-20HP it isnt going to be the end of the world. The bike isnt that outdated.. as long as its EFI i would be all over it. (I will never ride another non Efi bike after owning a Gs500F choke and carbs are a pita)

 

[LabRodent]

new bike with warrenty I will give it a :waytogo: choice bike for a new rider to, think most will agree

 

[f2benny]

I'll bet there's a hitch. Argo is not known to have a good reputation. Their business is rebuilding salvage bikes and then charging an arm and a leg for them. Moreover, motorcycle inventories are carefully kept. The days of the bike in the crate at the back of the warehouse that everyone forgot about are long gone.

 

[TravellinJones]

Nemo was just guessing it was "forgotten" in a warehouse.

What's more likely is that it was acquired from a dealer who overstocked and couldn't sell it. Dealers trade bikes among themselves all the time. Check to see if it's a California-spec model.

The buyer should ask himself two questions -- is it a bike he wants, and what else can he get for the money.

 

[south]

[ QUOTE ]
Dclxvi said: So overall he is out like 15-20HP it isnt going to be the end of the world. The bike isnt that outdated.

[/ QUOTE ]

15-20HP? If he was buying an F2 or F3 then, sure, but F4i to 600RR isn't anywhere near that much difference in peak HP; plus, the f4i offers (a little) better midrange and weighs about 10 pounds less than the RR as well. Then, there's the less radical, and considerably more comfortable, riding position which can benefit a new rider. All in all, having ridden both--and every other CBR600 from the Hurricane to my present 600RR--IMO, the F4i is much more user-friendly and an all around great bike. H*ll, there are (a few :wink times when I've wished that I bought an F4i instead--because while I as a rider can make the F4i go faster (by just riding harder/being a better rider), I can't really make the RR any less radical/more comfy for those times that I'd like it to be.

To me, $6400 sounds like a good deal. I could see paying over $5K for a clean, used '02 F4i, so $6400 for a new bike with a full warranty and zero miles works for me. I mean, the decision of paying over $5000 for a used bike of unknown history that could break tomorrow (not highly likely, but you never know), vs a new, warrantied bike that you KNOW hasn't been thrashed, or crashed and "repaired", for, say, $1K more, is an easy one for me: I'll take option 2, thanks.

Plus, since the prospective buyer is a new rider, it's always nice to be able to put them under a "break-in" onus for the new bike--by telling them to stick to rpm limits for X number of miles, etc., for the good of the bike, they are given the opportunity to acquire a comfort level and some experience on the bike under mild(er) riding conditions without them feeling like you're "babying" them or questioning their (still developing) abilities.

 

[nemo963]

Yea I guess I should have given more on the guy buying it, this is his first sportbike, he has some experience and the MSF corse under his belt, but he is new to the power/weight of the sport. He did alot of research, and decided to go with the F4i (so that is what he is looking for) and I think the lower horsepower and slightly (very slightly) better ergos was what he was after. I also forget to mention that the bike isn't from the dealer in the picture, it was the only pick of a 2002 F4i in that color scheme I could find, I neglected to notice the number and such on the photo. So far thanks for the feedback, I did a little more research and talked to one of the mechanics at the store who rides with some freinds, he said they occasionally get some "creat damaged" bikes from honda that are last years models, he said they did assemble this bike out of the crait, and he though it had some mild upper fairing damage. Since I didn't notice this damage I am assuming they either replaced the fairing or was able to buff it out. At any rate I think my freind is going to do a VIN check, and will probably end up purchacing it. I will let you know what else I find out.

 

[f2benny]

Repaired damage makes sense given it's Argo. Sounds pretty good then.

 

[zxniner]

[ QUOTE ]
f2benny said:
I'll bet there's a hitch. Argo is not known to have a good reputation. Their business is rebuilding salvage bikes and then charging an arm and a leg for them. Moreover, motorcycle inventories are carefully kept. The days of the bike in the crate at the back of the warehouse that everyone forgot about are long gone.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point.