1990 GSX-R400R SP and 1993 GSX-R400R   

I know I’ve said it before but in my humble opinion the 1990 GSX-R400 SP is one of the best looking motorcycles ever built.  It has the classic GSX-R looks with a bit of TT-F3 race bike sprinkled on and to top it off it has one of Suzuki’s best paint schemes ever.  Okay, with that off my chest we can get down to business.  If you happen to be in the market for a little GSX-R you have here your choice of a SP or standard model.  To be honest with you it really isn’t that simple.  I just went through this process and found it can get a little confusing shopping for these beauties.  First off, you have to  be mindful of model year. Starting with the 93′s horsepower was reduced from 59 to 53.  From 1991 onwards adjustable suspension became standard, not just an SP feature.  Other than that not a whole lot changed on the bikes from 1990 to 1995; the last year they were produced.  Once you’ve settled on year you need to decide on SP, SP II or standard.  If you are like me you see SP and think  that is the one you have to have.  One of the features of the SP is a close ratio gearbox.  I’ve had more than one GSX-R400 owner tell me the SP is almost unrideable on the street due to it’s incredibly tall first gear.  The SP’s also have larger carbs (35mm to 33mm) with a throttle position sensor.  They also have slightly different cams, CDI, wiring harness and Dzus fasteners on the lower.  Then there is this shadowy figure of the SPII.  As far as I can tell it is almost the same as the SP but with different ratios for the gearbox making it a bit more street-able.  I have a service manual on the way so hopefully I can shed more light on this in the future.   

Once you’ve figured it all out it is time to go shopping!  These two are from the same seller and both are currently located in Mexico.  The seller is very clear that all types of shipping is availbable.  No mention of what the title status is on the bikes.    

Let’s start with SP.  It looks almost completely stock.  The only thing I notice is braided brake lines.  It has extremely low miles, with just over 3,100 miles on the clock.  Other than that the seller hasn’t provided much info on the bike itself.  The standard bike, although listed as a 2002, is a 1993 model.  I have to admit, something about that bugs me when a seller can’t get the model year correct.  This bike is also low mileage, 3,995, but it has a few scrapes on it.  The pictures aren’t detailed enough to tell if it might have taken a small slide.  It is also sporting an aftermarket muffler.  Considering how old these bikes are these are nice finds in close to stock condition.     

Now normally I include some details from the auction but both of these auctions have generic, copied info about the bikes.  The seller is clear though that if you want more info or more detailed pictures to contact him.  So that leaves us with price.  I’m going to put two and two together and say these will be offered on the high end of the scale price wise.  Both auctions have reserves and the seller has other 400cc bikes for sale in the mid 7′s.  So with the low miles, great condition and other bikes available from the seller I’d guess these would also be priced in that range.  Yes, that is pretty darn high but as the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for”.  I happened to find a basket case 1990 model for a few hundred dollars.  Great price right?  Yes but I will spend the next year or two tearing down the bike, hunting for parts, rebuilding it  and having it repainted.  I like a good project but if you want to purchase and ride you need to look at bikes similar to these. You can and the .  

Here is one side note for any potential GSX-R400 owner.  No matter the condition of the bike be prepared for carb issues.  The GSX-R’s are notorious for carb problems.  They have approximately four (per carb) rubber o rings that fail over time giving different symptoms.  Due to the age of the bike a lot of people recommend going in and changing out all of these rubber o rings.  A wealth of info can be found at 400greybike.com. 

IK  

This is a mint FZR1000 with 6k original miles!

Bike:  1987 Yamaha FZR1000 Genesis

Location:  Fremont, California

Mileage:  6,000mi

Price:  $2,800 USD

This was the Bike of the Year for 1987 and this bike is, supposedly, in mint condition with only 6k miles.  The seller states that this bike has new Bridgestone’s.  At $2,800; I call this a great price if the condition is accurate.  You’d be unlikely to find a decent example for less than $2,500 let alone a mint, 6k mile, one.  Give this seller a call!  See the bike on Craigslist here.

AG

This is a one owner, showroom condition, ’94 YZF-750R!

Bike:  1994 Yamaha YZF-750R

Price:  $2,950USD with three days remaining.

Location:  Cincinnati, Ohio

Mileage:  2,590

Located in Cincinnati, Ohio is a 1994 Yamaha YZF-750R with 2,590 original miles with no scratches or marks on it.  The seller states that this is a one owner bike and has the following modifications:  Vance & Hines carbon fiber slip-on, Goodrich Kevlar clutch & brake lines, carbon fiber front fender with original included, K&N filter, smoked windscreen and lastly a fender eliminator kit.  The seller also states that this bike has a new battery, all fluids were flushed and replaced within the last 50 miles, and the EXUP valve was serviced.  This bike has always been stored inside and shows no scratches or marks.

The United States never received the SP variation of this bike which was the homologation special but, we did get the R which was a very capable machine at the time.  This bike was based on the OW01 which preceded it but, the bikes share no interchangeable parts.  The standard R model is more usable in the rear world as it doesn’t feature the homologation pieces (close-ratio transmission, big carb’s, hard suspension, etc.) which are needed for competition use but can sometimes make the bike peaky or contribute other tendencies that aren’t positive aspects on the road.  This YZF was the first bike to feature six-piston front calipers as standard.  The bike also features:  The 5-valve head Yamaha adored during the ’90′s, 41mm, adjustable, USD forks with an adjustable rear shock; a wet weight of 215kg and a BHP number of 125.

I find these YZF’s to be very cool.  Regardless of how you may feel about the colors, they still have the presence and look to remind you that this is still a serious superbike.  Sadly, not many of them are out there and the ones that are, aren’t usually in very good condition.  If you’d like a fantastic example of a YZF-750R that can easily be returned to stock, you should definitely have a look at this example.  Some hi-res photos of the bike can be viewed here.  The eBay listing can be seen .

AG

This is the real deal, a 1999 YZF-R7!  Located in Spring Valley, California is a 1999 Yamaha YZF-R7 titled and registered in California.  This example has been used with 21,835km (13,567mi) on the clock.  The seller states that the bike is “All stock with the stage 1 mod, white wire cut activating the second set of injectors, full AKRO exhaust.”  No mention of the replacement crank or other maintenance history is made however, I’m going to assume the bike is in pretty good condition based on the photos.  In March, we saw an R7 out of Florida with 2,800km on the clock and an asking price of $26,500 which can be seen here.  See our other R7 postings here.  The pricing on this one seems good for an R7 but, a little high for one with 13k miles.  The seller does state that they are firm on the price and that “If you don’t want to pay the price go buy a different R7.”  Err, good point.  The R7 was Yamaha’s homologation bike for World SuperBike when they were racing 750cc inline-fours and is truly exotic; not sharing anything with the mundane R1 except for it’s look.  If you’re looking for a usable R7, have a look at this nice example in Southern California here.

AG

A 1990 FZR400 with only 5,176 original miles in Southern Oregon!  Located in Medford, Oregon is a 1990 Yamaha FZR400 with 5,167 original miles and an asking price of $2,800!  The seller states that this bike is completely original but, has been sitting for some time.  I posted another ’90 in Southern California with 1,830 miles and an asking price of $3,785.  The asking price of the California bike makes this bike look like a steal as it is priced where we are seeing other FZR400′s but, this one is wholly original and only has 5k miles.  The 1990 FZR400 is the most desirable of the three years it was officially imported as they feature an aluminum swingarm, brakes, and some other bits.  These little FZR’s are only becoming rarer in this condition and I should say that this one seems like a very good deal for mileage and condition.  This is another bike I wish I was buying instead of posting!  See this Fizzer on Craigslist here.

AG

Here is another CBR400R coming out of Washington state that is also registered!  Located in Seattle, Washington is a 1994 Honda CBR400RR registered & titled with 23,000km (14,300mi).  The seller states that this is a two owner bike (Two in the U.S. or…?) and it is a “…7 out of 10″ in regards to condition.  The bike is fitted with a hideous–fact, not opinion–GP-style exhaust.  The bike has recently had a tune up, the oil changed, and new tires.  The asking price is $3,800; putting it in-between the other two CBR400RR’s we’ve posted which is correct in terms of their condition too.  See the other CBR in Washington with an asking price of $3,500 here, and see the Rossi replica example in Florida for $4,500 here.  See the bike currently for sale on Craigslist here.

AG

This is another R1 Limited Edition with insanely low miles!  Located in Mission Viejo, California is a 2006 Yamaha YZF-R1 Limited Edition with less than 100 original miles.  For condition the seller states “Never been washed or exposed to the sun. It’s been under a cover in my garage since new.”  That’s a bit of an embellishment as it is in the sun for the pictures but that’s nit-picking!  I don’t doubt this bike is in fantastic condition as it has only had to fend off lawn mowers and old furniture in it’s short life.  The asking price is $13,500.  The price is high but it isn’t completely outrageous as the other LE’s we’ve seen were listed for $11,995 and $12,995 respectively.  These bikes are amazing performers and come outfitted from the factory better than any other production R1 that we’ve seen in the U.S.  See this shining example on Craigslist here.

AG

This is an iconic CBR1100XX with 113 original miles!  Located in Smithtown, New York is a, one owner, 2003 Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird in showroom new condition.  The seller states that for personal reasons, and having two other bikes, he was unable to use this bike and that is why it has accumulated such low miles.  No mention of maintenance history is given but, it is a Honda and only seven years old so a fluid flush and once over should cover it.  The Blackbird remained, relatively, unchanged throughout it’s production life as  a testament that the original design was enough to carry it through to the end regardless of what the competition had to throw at it.  This was the the fastest, production, motorcycle when released in 1996 but, it’s crown was usurped by Suzuki in 1999.  These are larger and heavier bikes–267kg wet–but, I’m sure the additional weight is comforting when wind speeds approaching 200mph.  This bike will always be my preference over the other super-supersports from the late 90′s as it started out as the fastest production bike and aged gradually into a more mundane super-tourer while skipping the airbrushed skulls, spiked fairing bolts, and neon all together.  If you’d like a museum quality example of a Super Blackbird, see this bike on eBay .

AG

Here are two, rare, FZR600 Vance & Hines Edition replicas!

First, located in Worthington, Minnesota is #353 with 9,132 original miles.  The seller, a dealer, says that this bike is in collector condition which agrees with the mileage and condition in the photos.  No asking price or further information is given.  See the bike on Worthington Sports Center’s website here.

Second, located in Burnsville, Minnesota is #376 with 22,600 miles.  The bike has recently been serviced which includes fuel system flush, carb cleaning, and ceramic coating of the  header.  This bike also comes with the factory shop manual, tank bra, and some other bits.  The current owner is the third owner and has owned the bike since 1998.  This bike looks to be in very good condition in the photos.  The asking price is $3,000 which isn’t outrageous compared the the majority of FZR600′s out there.  See this example on Craigslist here.

I’m quite sure, from what I remember, these bikes were just replicas and didn’t feature any additional mechanical features (Other than a Vance & Hines exhaust system) as with the SJR CBR’s and Rossi R1′s–please correct me if I’m wrong.  Either of these bikes look to be in fantastic condition even though one has more than ten thousand more miles.  The choice, for me, would come down to what the dealer is asking for their bike and how much I valued a sub 10k mile bike.

AG

Here is a VFR400R located in California!  Located in San Mateo, California is a 1990 Honda VFR400R.  The seller states that this bike has been “…brought up to EPA and DOT standards.”  At a cost of $8,000.  However, registration hasn’t been renewed since 2007.  It should be known that, in California, you’re required to pay all back licensing fees when registration is finally renewed; that means by, you, the buyer should you choose to keep it in California.  For being a 1990, this bike has a different headlight and tail piece.  Does anyone know the reasoning for that–certain market pieces?  The bike also features a non-stock paint scheme.  The asking price is $5,000; which is higher than we’ve seen for California titled NC30′s but, it would be interesting to know if this bike is completely legal without any loopholes or grandfathering in it’s past.  See this bike on Craigslist here.

AG