Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What have I done to fucking deserve THIS?!

[red98]

Ok...a new year and time to sort crashto out  ....you looked at the bike yet......is it seized.does it run.is it in a thousand bit scattered down the road ?......got to be worth looking at and see if its repairable.....if its just rings thats fairly straight forward, most exsensive bit will probs be the gasket set......dont know the model but are you sure it has cylinder liners ?.......give us a bit more info inbetween us taking the piss we might be able to help you........happy new year matey, its got to be better than the last one   

[ChristoT]

Just to set the record straight...

The Kwaka is at a garage, hopefully being looked at tomorrow.

I wanted a Fazer 4, but couldn't find one in time.

I am skint. As in zero money.

My parents have offered to lend me money for a new bike, BUT, it must be new, have a warranty, and be under £1500.

My hands are tied...

[mickvp]

Seems a pretty obtuse attitude to demand it be new. Why not even buy something second hand with a third party warranty on it? Admittedly this would be a struggle for £1500 but the choice of new bikes for £1500 is very limited (to Chinese bikes basically).

Surely if they are agreeing to loan you money, its wrong of them to place demands on how you use it. Different if they are giving you money IMO?

Not a good predicament to be in at any rate, as driving a new Chinese bike is not something I would like to entertain, I've had a go on a lifan bike before and it was woeful quality

[midden]

Perhaps his parents are worried about him buying dangerous tat with poor tyres and worn out engines and they feel if they lend him the money to buy something new they can rest a little easier.
I think it is good of them to offer and I imagine the lend part of the offer is given knowing he probably wont pay it all back.
At the end of the day Christo if it were me I would attempt to discuss the options of secondhand (decent) and see if they can be persuaded. If not and they are adamant on you having a chinese bike, then go for it
1. It gets you on the road (hopefully trouble free)
2. If it falls apart and turns out to be that pile of shyte, they can't put the blame on you

[Hedgetrimmer]

Christo, if you absolutely have to buy Chinese, DO NOT BUY OFF THE INTERNET!!!! Go to a dealer with a workshop - at least that way you'll get some warranty/comeback if things go wrong, and spares back-up. On the internet, there are too many people who think they can make a quick buck from importing cheap crap; you buy the bike, and then there's no help when it all goes tits up.

[Tori]

If I were your parents I'd buy you a bus pass

[ChristoT]

Christo, if you absolutely have to buy Chinese, DO NOT BUY OFF THE INTERNET!!!! Go to a dealer with a workshop - at least that way you'll get some warranty/comeback if things go wrong, and spares back-up. On the internet, there are too many people who think they can make a quick buck from importing cheap crap; you buy the bike, and then there's no help when it all goes tits up.

I'm not that thick!

The bike shop in Chatteris is a Lexmoto dealer, gonna see if I can test ride an Arrow 125.

Anyone know of a 200 to 400cc cheap new bike?

[ChristoT]

If I were your parents I'd buy you a bus pass

It's bad enough already, don't give them ideas!

Busses aren't very practical in Fenland, pubic transport, on the whole, sucks.

[Tori]

Fenland? You didn't used to have a scooter did you?!

[ChristoT]

Fenland? You didn't used to have a scooter did you?!

Nope. Unless you count the 1971 Honda Amigo I rode round fields in France yonks ago!

I'm working in Cambridge for the year on internship, and living in Chatteris for the time being. That's the Fens link.

[mickvp]

Anyone know of a 200 to 400cc cheap new bike?

not too likely:

Honda CBR250,Kawasaki Ninja 250R, Daelim Roadwin Roadsport 250, Hyosung GT250, Daelim VJF250, and the Suzuki Inazuma 250 are all between £3-4000 brand new

[JoeRock]

Christo, if you absolutely have to buy Chinese, DO NOT BUY OFF THE INTERNET!!!! Go to a dealer with a workshop - at least that way you'll get some warranty/comeback if things go wrong, and spares back-up. On the internet, there are too many people who think they can make a quick buck from importing cheap crap; you buy the bike, and then there's no help when it all goes tits up.

I'm not that thick!

The bike shop in Chatteris is a Lexmoto dealer, gonna see if I can test ride an Arrow 125.

Anyone know of a 200 to 400cc cheap new bike?

I suspect anything cheap is going to be cheap for a reason mate!

Look up insurance on a 500, surely they can't be that much? I'm pretty much your age (although admittedly got a no. of no claims), and they want about £70!

[Aegis Bearing Mel]

 

[Deefer666]

I have complete engines and stripped engines on the shelf if needed?

[Lawrence]

If you're thinking of buying a Chinese bike take a look at my thread from 2012 here.  It had 7500 miles on it and was less than two years old.

Don't buy an import which is hard to find bits for.  Get something cheap, common and reliable.  Unfortunately this will pretty much limit you to really boring things and 125s but needs must.

You could pick up a nice YBR or CG for £1000, boring but it won't go wrong, will get you from A to B and when you come to sell it in a year or two you'll get back what you paid for it provided it's not been smashed up

If I was in that situation I'd go for something like a 600 Diversion, a GPZ500 or even a Deuville if you can get one for a grand.  Will go on forever and not be horrible to do distances on like a 125.

[Dead Eye]

Surely its better to try and find a replacement engine for his Kawasaki - its the cheapest option as it avoids the extra cost of a new bike, changing the insurance and having to possibly sort out tax and MOT.

The other benefit is that he can write it off as a bike to learn on and give up on trying to keep it in mint condition - he doesn't have to be worried whilst riding, that if he drops it, he is going to lose money instantly in resell value.

The only real consideration is the time cost involved but in any case he is going to be off the road for a few more days at least.

[Fuzzy]

Busses aren't very practical in Fenland, pubic transport, on the whole, sucks.

I agree pubic transport does suck 



I think Dead Eye makes a good point. If only ZX4 engines were in abundance - but an engine from something else might fit?

[Lawrence]

Surely its better to try and find a replacement engine for his Kawasaki - its the cheapest option as it avoids the extra cost of a new bike, changing the insurance and having to possibly sort out tax and MOT.

That might be easier said than done, it's not like it's a common bike.

[wezdavo]

Here is one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KAWASAKI-ZZR400-ZZR-400-1991-ZX400D-COMPLETE-ENGINE-MOTOR-ONLY-58K-MILES-/200877501845?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item2ec53b6d95

[Lawrence]

Here is one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KAWASAKI-ZZR400-ZZR-400-1991-ZX400D-COMPLETE-ENGINE-MOTOR-ONLY-58K-MILES-/200877501845?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item2ec53b6d95

Makes it easier if there's a UK model that's the same I suppose

Fwiw I bought some coils from them (motorcycle_recycle) and they turned up pretty quickly, seem like a decent seller.

[Dead Eye]

Yeah, its definitely easier said than done, but the logic is sound at least :P

Pretty sure I've used Motorcycle Recycle as well - bought a second hand thermostat housing from them for the 600

[JoeRock]

Would help if that was the right bike unfortunaetly - that's a ZZR400, and christos is a ZX-4 (which I'm pretty certain was never actually imported officially to the UK)


http://www.conceptofcars.com/post/kawasaki-zzr-400.html


ZZR400 ^


http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Gallery/Kawasaki%20%20ZX-4%20%2088.jpg


ZX-4 ^

[wezdavo]

zxr engine?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ZXR400-engine-complete-running-engine-zxr-400-H-or-L-/190995835086?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item2c783d28ce

[JoeRock]

Unfortunately again that's not the right engine for Christo - he's got an incredibly rare bike, to the point where i SERIOUSLY doubt buying a new engine is an option, and I suspect even getting parts to service what is now a 25 odd year old Kawasaki will be a nightmare!

[JoeRock]

Christo - ZX400G, that's your bike isn't it?