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What to Look For - High Mileage Bike

2K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  johno-slc 
#1 ·
Greetings, first post from me. I’ve been toying with picking up an FJR for several years now. Sold my ‘08 VStrom DL650 about two years ago and have been in-between bikes ever since. I’ve kinda had the bug lately, specifically for something that needs a little TLC. There’s an ‘05 local to me with 136k miles on it that I think I can pick up relatively cheap (listed at $3k right now, which is a bit high, hoping for $2k or less).

Everything that I have read convinces me these are high mile bikes and that, if cared for properly, 200k isn’t impossible. So I’m not asking if it’s safe to buy a high mileage bike. I’m curious though what I should look for in a high mileage FJR. What typically fails at 100k+? Should I have a local shop do a compression/leak-down, or are the failures more around transmission, etc.?

I anticipate immediately having to service the front forks (10w, possibly .94kg rated progressive springs), an Ohlins rear shock, all the fluids. There’s a crack in the plastics which I’ll repair and, for this season at least, I’ll probably just plasti-dip the thing with a unique color while I decide on what to paint it. Oddly enough, PO just installed new tires, so there’s a savings there! I understand the cam chain tensioner can be iffy, so I may do that if the PO hasn’t had it done recently.

Thanks in advance, looking forward to picking up some new knowledge. And I’m not afraid to wrench a bit on my toys (I leave my primary vehicles to a trusted mechanic), so it’ll be nice to get into some of these projects—yet balancing that with getting some miles behind me again, finally. :)
 
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#2 ·
Shop around, be patient.... you need that '05 for $2k or less. You are going to spend some bucks cleaning up things anyway. There are lower mileage ones for under 3k out there. Cleaned up nice, you can't sell it for 3k, so it has to be a keeper bike for you. When you're done with suspension, etc. you'll be in over 3k.
Engine will not wear out.. although the usual over 150k, may burn a smidge of oil at some point, won't blow up unless you have the dreaded catastrophic cam chain tensioner failure. Get a new CCT immediately, even if the last one in there is the latest. New cam chain as well.Certainly you can do compression and leakdown, hopefully the PO didn't ride it like grandma and carbon it all up. No worries, can be fixed without tearing it down.
IF ever it does "wear out", you can't rebore the Nikasil cylinders, you could put new rings and do valves... way way cheaper to find a donor engine and drop it in (hint, you can use any Gen engine if you transfer original electrics and valve cover). I put a 2014 engine in my 2006 project bike....
 
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#4 ·
I'd say go for Gen2 or newer. My choice would be 08+. Bugs worked out from 08 on. Although an 06 or 07 has probably had the recalls done and throttle addressed so don't overlook those.

The 07 is the only year for that color and it is very desirable.

2014 is the only year for that color and they are by far the fastest FJR ever built.
 
#5 ·
Fifteen years old and 136000 miles, seems over priced.
If it has been loved and cherished with 1 careful owner it could be a good bike, but if it has had many owners it may have had a hard life. Looking at ebay there are plenty of FJRs to choose from and with lower mileages.
 
#6 ·
K what I'm hearing is maybe consider it if the owner will drop to $2k and they're not, well, a "lid".

Otherwise, spend the extra few bucks for an '06 or newer, preferably an '08.

My maintenance ideas are in track with what others have seen.

Very cool, thanks for the info. I'll go into this test ride eyes wide open, looking only for an incredible deal. Otherwise... Keep looking.

Thank you everyone.


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