A very non-gs question - Help appreciated!

[Funderb]

So I have been looking at other bikes on the market in my price range, which is low.
I found a guy with a 1989 yammy fzr1000 with the magical exhaust regulating thingy.

I am not familiar with these bikes from my lengthy google research. Any opinions, things to look out for?


Its been sitting for a while, no battery, carbs gunky prolly, seller claims it runs/ran, but who knows. I offered between 4-500 and he wants 6, so i said i'd come and take a look tomorrow. (with trailer in case I want it)

I'll be looking at - rubbers, leakiness, tank rust, fork seals, and crash damage.
Anything else you brilliant brain trusts could add would be nice.
This isn't my first auto sale, so I wont be going in blind, but advice is always nice.

[Suzuki Stevo]

1989 $2,085 http://www.kbb.com/motorcycle/retail/1989/yamaha/fzr1000/82010/

[Funderb]

cmon, stevo, you know i used KBB and NADA. haha Anything related specifically to the bike itself?

[BVA1]

Fork Seals. Seems to the recurring theme with that bike. Other than that,you will have 20 valves to shim  Good luck,hope it works out for you as they are fast solid bikes.

[Funderb]

Thanks BVA1, I hope so to. I am probably picking it up as a track bike, so i can go have fun and not wreck my commuter.

shim kit for 20v bike..... oh dear. I can only hope it doesn't need valve shims any time soon.

[craigs449]

The good news is that the valve shims for the 89 FZR 1000 appear to be the common 7.48mm diameter ones that are SOOOOOOOOOOO much cheaper than the monsters that are on the GS500!  A Hot cams valve shim kit for the FZR should run you about $70.

[shonole]

Did someone say track bike?

http://tallahassee.craigslist.org/mcy/2882856901.html

Or even better

http://tallahassee.craigslist.org/mcy/2886545606.html

[SAFE-T]

I thought Yamaha's had fairly long intervals between valve checks...

Anyway, it's a big heavy bike for the track. Good luck finding parts if you biff it. Can't you find a newer GSXR750 instead ? Up here guys buy salvage bikes and use them.

[SAFE-T]

Insurance companies will write off any bike where there is visible damage to the frame ~ often just a dent or scratch but that's enough to do it

[SAFE-T]

Yeah, get that non-running GSXR1100 with the stretched swingarm for a track bike LOL

[shonole]

Yeah, get that non-running GSXR1100 with the stretched swingarm for a track bike LOL

Hahaha.  Drag bike?  My thought was, for the price (obviously offer less), you could do SOMETHING with it.  If it wasn't stretched, I'd be all over it.

[Juan1]

As a guy bringing a bike from 1982 back from the dead, I can tell you:
1.  There will be age-related problems.  That means you will have leaks, rust, and bad wiring.  Strange parts will give out.  Once you get the thing running, you will find new problems that are only apparent when the bike is running.  This is all part of having a 20+ year old bike.
2.  The bike won't handle as well as a modern bike.  The forks and frame simply aren't as well engineered as a modern 600-1000cc bike.

[Funderb]

Dang, I go to sleep for a couple hours and you guys load me up with info.
Thanks!

I'll definitely take all this into account when I take a look. My offer is staying pretty low, so
if he says no, I wont be sad. I know there are better things out there.

If there is some way to get a title on the thing, and it runs well with minimal problems, it might be worth turning into a highway commuter rather than a racer, as you said, it is old technology.