had around 8 of these 9r ,s over the years ,easy to live with ,very confortable,cheap to repair, these bikes are still quick for what they are , a useable sports tourer
I think that you maybe doing the bike down somewhat in terms of age and having to move it on. I've got 2 bikes and the ZX9R E1 is one of them. I don't have a problem paying what it takes to maintain it, regardless of whether it's the fairing or mechanical bits and pieces. I think that we as a society have over time come to value material items as merely the next step towards the next big thing. Enjoy a 20+ year old bike for what it is.I'll keep mine for years to come,I'll buy a donor bike rather than shell out the current fashions which by their very nature will quickly go out of fashion. The ZX9R is an accessible crotch rocket with the only rider aids being a clutch a throttle and front and rear coward levers. What more do you need, get one!
I put steering head bearings right up there with worn tires, but advances in bike technology also means that more modern bikes have really stout head bearings. Darn near 100% of bikes I've checked (or bought) made before 2000 had head bearings that needed attention regardless of age, while 100% of bikes made after circa 2005 have stout head bearings that require no attention regardless of mileage. It's almost freaky how solid modern bikes feel. It used to be you'd get some click or very slight movement out of any bike but nowadays it's all just feels like it's milled from a solid block of metal. Worn steering head bearings used to be a BIG deal in bike handling, and modern restorations on classics reflect that; steering head bearings are almost replaced on bikes such as yours. The sad thing is that worn steering head bearings are the easiest problem to prevent (unless you do a bad wheelie). During break-in, the original owner needed but to turn the main steering head screw to tighten the bearing which is easily accessible on the top triple clamps AND it is clearly stated in the user's manual ("tighten steering head bearing"). I personally won't ride a bike until the steering head bearing is fixed. It's so easy to fix but bikes with bad steering heads can wobble really badly on fast sweepers.
I run a 27 yr old Ducati that I also ride on the track, and a 53 yr old VW van. The key is maintenance. Do you wanna be a modern HP/PCH buyer where you just hand your problems and your money over to your finance company, or do you take care of business like real men did in the good ol days?
i been watching alot of your videos lately as just getting my first bike (yamaha r6 2005) couple weeks ago. you have helped me alot with tips and stuff. we dont have to take a course in the states like you all do, i have signed up for one and am taking it in a week. thank you
good luck they are decent bikes, however if its gone over 25,000 have the valves adjusted to keep it ticking nicely. Regular maintenance and it will run for a long time mine is on 31k
Grea5 vid! I practically rebuilt most of my '97 ZZR250, aside from the engine & trans. Probably spent at least the buying price again ($1400AU), if not more in parts & repairs. But I'd do it all again in a heartbeat, you simply can't put a price on our passion for these modern classics, and I've thoroughly enjoyed every moment of riding her. Now I have a ZZR600, and she will probably get the same treatment, if not more, as a much longer term bike. ❤ 👍🏼
There's a clear message in this video. Things age and go wrong, sometimes at once, sometimes gradually. And then you need to spend money and fix stuff! Who would have guessed?! Or you won't pass the check. Or you crash when a faulty bearing on your 25 years old 1000 bhp bike, that was ok for a year, finally chips and locks your steering in 100 MPH corner and now your wife is a widow. Life can be so complex and complicated and unfair sometimes! Anyhow many happy journeys! ...and remember to fix your machines when things break!
Head bearings aren’t hard to do. Fairing will probably have to come off, forks out etc. Warm the head stock gently with heat gun, knock the tracks out with a long bar or an expanding drift. You will have to remove lower track from fork yokes too. Replace with a taper roller setup. Grease well and reassemble.
I loved my old kawasaki zx9r ninja c1 model had 2 in the past Unfortunately frist one gearbox went 2nd gear which is a conmon problem c1 2nd c1 model one in beautiful blue best colour No problem with this one Lots off power 170 mph Very easy two ride comfortable and lots off fun Still my favourite bike Very underrated I had over 200 bikes in time always regret Saling it Now am older sold all my big bikes now on suzuki inazuma gw-250 gutless but still having fun which it's all about Keep up the good work enjoy your videos Ride safe
22 year old fazer 1000 owned for 12years only failed one MOT in my ownership lost reflector. change oil and filter every year regardless of mileage never let me down.
I also own a 25 year bike, has problems? Absolutely 🤣, but im learning, im enjoying it, doing the maintenance myself now, the ammount of money we save for not going to a mechanic is fairly high here, what im doing now i need to take the clutch cover of, take out the water pump for a new rubber seal, take out the fluids, and so on, i actually saved more than 200€ not going to a mechanic wish is nice. Its risky buying an old bike, of course it is, but if you are willing to learn, it is worth it, puts a smile on our face 😁
I have a 33 year old Honda cbr1000f and this year's mot cost me zero, not even an advisement, the same as the year before look after your bike, and it will look after you.
to right these mot testers can act like God the have a big ego problem at its rife now some are real crooks to get money out of folk I had my 1989 cbr 600 mot this year he yanked on the exhaust pipe so hard he broke one of the bolts then had the cheek to fail it what a crook
Of course faulty steering bearings matter - even in the UK.
had around 8 of these 9r ,s over the years ,easy to live with ,very confortable,cheap to repair, these bikes are still quick for what they are , a useable sports tourer
I think that you maybe doing the bike down somewhat in terms of age and having to move it on. I've got 2 bikes and the ZX9R E1 is one of them. I don't have a problem paying what it takes to maintain it, regardless of whether it's the fairing or mechanical bits and pieces. I think that we as a society have over time come to value material items as merely the next step towards the next big thing. Enjoy a 20+ year old bike for what it is.I'll keep mine for years to come,I'll buy a donor bike rather than shell out the current fashions which by their very nature will quickly go out of fashion. The ZX9R is an accessible crotch rocket with the only rider aids being a clutch a throttle and front and rear coward levers. What more do you need, get one!
chains,pads,tyres,clutches all part of bike ownership no matter what the age
I put steering head bearings right up there with worn tires, but advances in bike technology also means that more modern bikes have really stout head bearings. Darn near 100% of bikes I've checked (or bought) made before 2000 had head bearings that needed attention regardless of age, while 100% of bikes made after circa 2005 have stout head bearings that require no attention regardless of mileage. It's almost freaky how solid modern bikes feel. It used to be you'd get some click or very slight movement out of any bike but nowadays it's all just feels like it's milled from a solid block of metal.
Worn steering head bearings used to be a BIG deal in bike handling, and modern restorations on classics reflect that; steering head bearings are almost replaced on bikes such as yours.
The sad thing is that worn steering head bearings are the easiest problem to prevent (unless you do a bad wheelie). During break-in, the original owner needed but to turn the main steering head screw to tighten the bearing which is easily accessible on the top triple clamps AND it is clearly stated in the user's manual ("tighten steering head bearing").
I personally won't ride a bike until the steering head bearing is fixed. It's so easy to fix but bikes with bad steering heads can wobble really badly on fast sweepers.
thats great advise, recently got my RF900 head bearing replaced and it now handles great.
I run a 27 yr old Ducati that I also ride on the track, and a 53 yr old VW van. The key is maintenance. Do you wanna be a modern HP/PCH buyer where you just hand your problems and your money over to your finance company, or do you take care of business like real men did in the good ol days?
i been watching alot of your videos lately as just getting my first bike (yamaha r6 2005) couple weeks ago. you have helped me alot with tips and stuff. we dont have to take a course in the states like you all do, i have signed up for one and am taking it in a week. thank you
good luck they are decent bikes, however if its gone over 25,000 have the valves adjusted to keep it ticking nicely. Regular maintenance and it will run for a long time mine is on 31k
My C1 has just gone straight through its MOT. 26 years old. Its good to see you get stuck in with doing jobs, i've got time for people like that.
I’m on a 22 year old TDM900, it never fails an mot, but then I have full workshop facilities to look after it.
Grea5 vid!
I practically rebuilt most of my '97 ZZR250, aside from the engine & trans.
Probably spent at least the buying price again ($1400AU), if not more in parts & repairs.
But I'd do it all again in a heartbeat, you simply can't put a price on our passion for these modern classics, and I've thoroughly enjoyed every moment of riding her.
Now I have a ZZR600, and she will probably get the same treatment, if not more, as a much longer term bike. ❤ 👍🏼
There's a clear message in this video. Things age and go wrong, sometimes at once, sometimes gradually.
And then you need to spend money and fix stuff! Who would have guessed?! Or you won't pass the check. Or you crash when a faulty bearing on your 25 years old 1000 bhp bike, that was ok for a year, finally chips and locks your steering in 100 MPH corner and now your wife is a widow.
Life can be so complex and complicated and unfair sometimes! Anyhow many happy journeys!
...and remember to fix your machines when things break!
Head bearings aren’t hard to do. Fairing will probably have to come off, forks out etc. Warm the head stock gently with heat gun, knock the tracks out with a long bar or an expanding drift. You will have to remove lower track from fork yokes too. Replace with a taper roller setup. Grease well and reassemble.
Same here my twenty one year old bike costs me more than what it’s worth.
But you forget that as soon as you get on it and get out there.
I loved my old kawasaki zx9r ninja c1 model had 2 in the past
Unfortunately frist one gearbox went 2nd gear which is a conmon problem c1
2nd c1 model one in beautiful blue best colour
No problem with this one
Lots off power
170 mph
Very easy two ride comfortable and lots off fun
Still my favourite bike Very underrated I had over 200 bikes in time always regret Saling it
Now am older sold all my big bikes
now on suzuki inazuma gw-250 gutless but still having fun which it's all about
Keep up the good work enjoy your videos
Ride safe
only red & kawi green. 200 bikes , wow!
Sounds like the MOT inspector is the problem more than the bike. That old bike looks beautiful
Doing clumsy wheelies probably did your headset bearings in.
22 year old fazer 1000 owned for 12years only failed one MOT in my ownership lost reflector. change oil and filter every year regardless of mileage never let me down.
i draw the line at carbs nowadays *gets on fuel injected 1983 xj750*
I also own a 25 year bike, has problems? Absolutely 🤣, but im learning, im enjoying it, doing the maintenance myself now, the ammount of money we save for not going to a mechanic is fairly high here, what im doing now i need to take the clutch cover of, take out the water pump for a new rubber seal, take out the fluids, and so on, i actually saved more than 200€ not going to a mechanic wish is nice.
Its risky buying an old bike, of course it is, but if you are willing to learn, it is worth it, puts a smile on our face 😁
I have a 33 year old Honda cbr1000f and this year's mot cost me zero, not even an advisement, the same as the year before look after your bike, and it will look after you.
I got an advisory on my z1000 for that. But I can’t feel it.
Does it need an oil change or is it still running on vegetable oil ? Lol
cool I fancy one of these
im about to get a 24 year old cagiva but its worth the effort
older 2005-6 GSXR 1000 or 750 be great - another good ones
Suzuki RF900R is cheeper and possibly more comfortable, but heavier.
to right these mot testers can act like God the have a big ego problem at its rife now some are real crooks to get money out of folk I had my 1989 cbr 600 mot this year he yanked on the exhaust pipe so hard he broke one of the bolts then had the cheek to fail it what a crook