Buying 749 2nd Hand!
 

Right, found what seems to be a very reasonable deal for a private sale, seems in line in comparison with the dealer price (about £700 less).

So my question is, as a 749 virgin, what should I look for on the day (which is tomorrow)? The oil-cooler has been changed and has had all services done apparently, so I'll be checking paperwork for all of that.

Things like fork-seals I could do with a bit of coaching on.... and other tell-tale signs of abuse would be good, also any specific 749 issues which are obvious. Cheers

J

[Edited on 11-4-2005 by Jayse]

Not got anything by way of 749 experience matey
 

but the tried and tested methods for any bike will see you through the first stages. Check for obvious signs of damage, have the ends of the mirrors been scatched against a wall, has it been dropped whilst moving it around (in the garage for instance), look for scuffs and scratches and touch ups, usually a good sign if someone is prepared to touch up stone chips but if you spot fresh/different shades of paint anywhere on the top or sides look closer. Ask pointed questions like has it been dropped/crashed/damaged in any way, and always ask the bare faced question "Is there anything wrong with it?". Check for general mechanical wear and tear, have the tyres got a good amount of tread left, how many miles has the bike done on them, same with chain and sprockets. See if you can pull the chain away from the rear sprocket, if you can it'll need replacing. Get them to start the bike from cold, most Dukes are happy starting warm/hot but dislike the cold so you can hear any quirks when it's fired up. They all misfire and stall occasionally until the first service but should be ok after that so check for smooth running, when th engines ticking over nice and warm feel the throttle grip for free play, turn it so you take up the slack and give it a short blip, make sure it doesnt rev up high but ensure it picks up quickly and smoothly, take it for a short ride if you can, but be very careful about riding a bike so different to what you may be used to. Try not to let the excitement of such a beautiful bike distract you from HAGGLING ;)
Hope fully somebody with specific 749 knowledge will post a reply to help out more.
Good luck J!

You could ask if the bike has had ECU or Clock related problems. I think early bike could have had problems with the ECU etc. My own ECU and Clock ware swapped under warranty, these are linked and programmed to each other. I would not be put off by hearing that the ECU has been changed, but, at least you would know it has been sorted.

Not 100% sure but, I think when you hit the starter button the newer ECU takes over and will automatically turn the bike over for about 15 seconds without having to hold the starter button down. Very early bikes did not do this. Also another tell tale sign is the bottom locating pin on the back of the clocks. Early clocks have plastic locating pins, newer clocks have an ally pin with a clamp around the wiring loom plug.

[Edited on 12-4-2005 by Carbon749]