SV650 or CBR F4i?

[HiImBrian]

I've had my SV650 for not quite a year and put around 3000 miles on it. I like the bike, but catch myself trying to lay down on the bike so that I don't get blown around so much on the highway. This causes me to get sore after long rides. I love the torque down low, and the rumble of the 90 degree V twin, but I'm not sure if this is enough to keep me from switching over to a cbr.

My roommate has a 2001 cbr f4i and I've ridden that a fair amount. The bike feels about the same weight and isn't much harder to turn/lean with. I really like the fact that it's lower to the ground which makes it more comfortable when I'm at a stoplight and can sit flat footed. The cbr doesn't have the torque that the sv does, but it shines a lot more at higher speeds. One of the biggest things I like about the cbr is that it's 4 cylinder motor is much smoother than the Vtwin.

I'd like advice on what stands out to you guys. The cbr is selling for about $3000 w/ 3700 miles on it. I feel pretty confident I could resell the bike and make a couple bucks if I change my mind later on.
http://images.craigslist.org/5L25H15J63k23La3N4c54c5d9bf19ab3d1a22.jpg
vs
http://images.craigslist.org/5Id5Fa5J13E93G93N3c534dfca0db8f431399.jpg

[tpunx99GSX]

Ive always been a fan of the CBRs, i almost got a 600RR before i left for california. Love the look of those.

[HiImBrian]

You got that right! I can't help but feel a little "less cool" when I pull up by a rocket or ride up by one even though the SV is a pretty quick bike.

[93gtpeater]

I would buy that cbr f4i. Thats a really good deal if you look at cl they go for more. I rode a friends cbr and loved it for an older 600. I bought a cbr 929rr and I love it. I know its bigger then the f4i but its a honda and runs forever. I say buy the f4i and put some miles on that bad boy.

[1999Gst]

Yea that's really low miles and a awesome price, I would buy it in a heart beat .

[blackawdtsi]

That bike's just a baby. Make sure the seals / hoses / any rubber isn't rotting since it's sat it's whole life. And where is the front sprocket cover?

Other than that it appears to be a nice bike.

ETA: Just looked again, it's also missing the chain guard.

[Super Bleeder!!]

You know you can lower the SV right? Lowering links are your friend.

[HiImBrian]

That bike's just a baby. Make sure the seals / hoses / any rubber isn't rotting since it's sat it's whole life. And where is the front sprocket cover?

Other than that it appears to be a nice bike.

ETA: Just looked again, it's also missing the chain guard.

Already found replacement parts for $40 locally. This does however, raise a flag to me. I'll be asking plenty of questions and looking over everything is close detail.

[blackawdtsi]

Already found replacement parts for $40 locally. This does however, raise a flag to me. I'll be asking plenty of questions and looking over everything is close detail.

I'd only go to yellow at this point. He may have had different sprockets on there (which is very common) and brought the bike back to stock gearing to sell. The front rotors are not stock and it has a steering dampner also if you hadn't noticed yet.

I just bought my 02 F4i three days ago. And looked at plenty that were no where near this condition and had zero aftermarket on them for more than this guy's asking. You might've found one of those great deals but try to get a back story for why he's selling it. And remember, bikes go down all the time. Even if this one was down once or twice, as long as it was fixed right (and everything else checked out), I'd still buy it for $3k.

The one thing I wish the state did, since they require engine #s; is to have a way to ask if what's on the bike is what they have without having to call and wait an hour on the phone. Because if the motor was replaced and you don't have a receipt, you're screwed. This isn't related to your purchase, just something that came to mind.

[HiImBrian]

The bike was a bust. It looked like the bike had been down on both sides, and the muffler was all crunched up and there was a huge kink in the exhaust. The grips on the side of the tank were all nasty and there were lots of marks where there used to be duct tape or something. I rode the bike up and down the block and it felt nothing like my friend's cbr. I was initially going to offer $2800 for the bike, but didn't even do that. I'll stick with my sv and maybe get some more aggressive handle bars or something.

I thought it might be too good to be true, and it was. I'll probably bank up some extra cash and buy something a little nicer next summer.