Hey guys, so I kind of went MIA for awhile. Mainly because I got super caught up with my move from home to my new University I transferred to (3 hours away from my home) since I graduated my 2 year college. Also had a new job that completely killed my riding time.
So anyway, lets get to the story!
Anyway I sold my 08 ZZR in December for $4000 (bought it for $3500 with 3700 miles in the summer, sold it with 5400 miles for 4k lol). I sold it because I found a ZX-6R that was just an incredible deal I couldn't pass. Well go figure my luck it sold the day before I was going to get it. I was SO not happy. I loved my ZZR and only gave it up because of the allure of a mint low mile 05 636 for $4k.
However then I encountered a lot of extra costs from my move since rather than my original plan of going to a dorm, me and a couple friends from my hometown decided to rent a nice house. This meant a lot more money for things like a bed/desk/other furniture&house supplies that normally are provided by a dorm.
Anyway now that semester has started and all my spending is pretty much over, I've ended up back to feeling financially stable enough to bike-shop again. Really was looking for about anything, no bike for a month was killing me. I have my ruckus back home but while it's super fun it isn't the same.
Upon my searches, lo-and-behold - an 08 ZZR, same blue as mine. Literally the same damn bike I sold. The awesome thing? Only 900 miles, and my ZZR had some damage from being dropped in a driveway, this one is mint. The better? $3500 - same price i payed for my 3.7k mile ZZR with a little damage.
The bad? I damn near killed myself trying to get it. I went for it Wednesday evening because it was supposed to be 35-42degrees all afternoon (this is in Northern Iowa in the US where it has been in the low-mid teens for temperature lately). Me and my room mates left after we got out of class at 1pm. We actually hit the road at around 2pm. The plan was to get there around 3pm, buy the bike, aim to be home by 4:30pm. I actually already stopped and checked on the bike solo a couple weeks ago, but he wouldn't let me ride since I didn't have cash to let him hold onto, which I don't blame him. But it ran perfect.
Well, the guy had a loan on the bike apparently so he had to get the loan papers all pulled which took about a half hour. I wanted to test ride but we couldnt get it started due to dead battery - so we put it on the charger and went to get the title from the bank which sucked because I basically was buying it without test riding. Definitely was putting myself out there on that one. Anyway we get the title after a 45 minute or so ordeal.
We get back to his house, bike still wont start. We mess with it for about an hour trying to get the battery to take a charge. Just gets deader and deader. Guy proceeds to attempt to pop start it, I eventually ask him to stop since he obviously has no clue what he's doing and nearly lays it over 2-3 times going down his slanted driveway and kicking it into first. If I hadn't already given up my money to his bank and had my name signed on the title I might of let him keep going lol.
Anyway, he brings up the idea that maybe the tender cables weren't working. So I took the seat off, we hooked up jumpers and it fired right up with it connected to the battery. So at 6pm it's now dark, and the temp is dropping rapidly. My phone says 16 degrees the last time I checked it while at an intersection before getting on the highway. Being that I had been off a bike for a month, I guess it isn't surprising I stalled it right in the middle of an intersection. Then of all things the bike wouldn't start, the starter button wouldn't work. I sat in the intersection jiggling the handle bars, slapping things hoping something would make a connection. Then suddenly it worked and fired right up. On the highway I went.
The forecast had been for a clear day/night - another reason i chose to get the bike during this time. less than 5 minutes on the highway I start getting pelted by rain out of now where that's turning to ice soon as it gets to the ground as the temp by this time is getting even lower. Then I notice the aftermarket mirrors he has the bolts in wrong, and anything more than 20mph of wind blows the mirrors in, I had no tools with me to tighten them - so I did the entire hour trip without any mirrors. I stop for gas at the first gas station about 10 minutes into my trip, and again fight to get the bike started.
I was in ridiculous amount of layers of clothes, my gear being one of the bottom layers. About 6 total layers of pants and shirts. Thermal undergarments underneath everything. Still wind was cutting through it all right to the bone. On top of all this the rain/snow started to pick up and along with it heavy winds. I constantly was fighting gusts, low visibility, and at 65-70mph the 10-15 degree temperature was wreaking havoc on me. On one overpass a gust literally nearly blew me and the bike over, it was massive. I've absorbed some gusts before but this one was a doozy. It was then I decided to get off the highway and take a bit of a longer way home even though I only had maybe 10 minutes left on the highway, and I extended my trip to about 20 minutes with the longer route - it kept me off the highway and feeling much safer where I could do 30-40mph without worrying about cars flying up on me not being able to see me. Still was contending with all the rain that had turned to ice all over the roads.
So, that's my long story about what I went through for this damn bike lol.
But alas, I made it home safe and sound and the bike as well. Although it really seemed the weather was determined to kill me and completely be the opposite of the forecast!
The bike is all mechanically stock. However as you probably gathered, it has a couple aftermarket mostly cosmetics. Tinted tail, bright LED license plate light - both of these things are probably getting changed.
Then it has aftermarket mirrors with integrated turn signals. I don't mean to be rude but the previous owner should stay far away from wiring work. The wiring is all hanging loose and the copper hanging in the open just lightly finger twisted around each other. I re-wrapped some wiring and used heat-shrink tube and electrical tape to make it look a bit less janky. Now my electric start works, however I've noticed it only works with the bike in neutral. It won't start if I'm in any moving gear with the clutch in, kickstand up, etc. But at least it reliably starts. Also re-installed the mirrors correctly and now they're great. Still need to do some more touch up with the wiring. I actually hate wiring and barely trust myself putting in a headunit - but compared to how the wiring was set up it makes me look like a master electrician.
Today was the first day I actually rode it for enjoyment since it hit 45-50 degrees today. It rides brilliant, I love it. It feels like having a brand new bike(although it really should). Overall I'd certainly say it's worth the minor touch ups to the wiring I've had to do. Definitely wouldn't attempt that ride home again though!!
Anyway thats my super long story of buying this damn thing! I still wouldn't mind a newer ZX6R or ZX10R. Maybe I'll try to profit and sell this thing for around $4500 or hell maybe even more depending on the market when it's warm out and look for another ZX.
So here's the only pictures I've taken so far of the bike:
This was about 5 seconds after I got it to our house and pulled it into the garage. I was flooded with relief, or hypothermia lol!
Random one I took after fixing mirrors/electric start
One I snapped today after my joy ride before I parked it for the weekend while me and my room mates head back to our family homes for the 3 day weekend.
And heres a couple pictures of my ZZR I sold over a month ago, so you can see why I'm not even sure if I see this as a new bike lol:
So anyway, aside from that while I was without a bike - I tried to stay entertained on my ruckus. The blizzard we had about 3-4 weeks ago really made for a lot of fun! I definitely don't have a problem riding my ruckus in crap weather
Stopped and visited my mom during that blizzard, she wasn't to happy to see me on the roads on the ruckus in that crap lol. She took this pic as I was leaving
So anyway, lets get to the story!
Anyway I sold my 08 ZZR in December for $4000 (bought it for $3500 with 3700 miles in the summer, sold it with 5400 miles for 4k lol). I sold it because I found a ZX-6R that was just an incredible deal I couldn't pass. Well go figure my luck it sold the day before I was going to get it. I was SO not happy. I loved my ZZR and only gave it up because of the allure of a mint low mile 05 636 for $4k.
However then I encountered a lot of extra costs from my move since rather than my original plan of going to a dorm, me and a couple friends from my hometown decided to rent a nice house. This meant a lot more money for things like a bed/desk/other furniture&house supplies that normally are provided by a dorm.
Anyway now that semester has started and all my spending is pretty much over, I've ended up back to feeling financially stable enough to bike-shop again. Really was looking for about anything, no bike for a month was killing me. I have my ruckus back home but while it's super fun it isn't the same.
Upon my searches, lo-and-behold - an 08 ZZR, same blue as mine. Literally the same damn bike I sold. The awesome thing? Only 900 miles, and my ZZR had some damage from being dropped in a driveway, this one is mint. The better? $3500 - same price i payed for my 3.7k mile ZZR with a little damage.
The bad? I damn near killed myself trying to get it. I went for it Wednesday evening because it was supposed to be 35-42degrees all afternoon (this is in Northern Iowa in the US where it has been in the low-mid teens for temperature lately). Me and my room mates left after we got out of class at 1pm. We actually hit the road at around 2pm. The plan was to get there around 3pm, buy the bike, aim to be home by 4:30pm. I actually already stopped and checked on the bike solo a couple weeks ago, but he wouldn't let me ride since I didn't have cash to let him hold onto, which I don't blame him. But it ran perfect.
Well, the guy had a loan on the bike apparently so he had to get the loan papers all pulled which took about a half hour. I wanted to test ride but we couldnt get it started due to dead battery - so we put it on the charger and went to get the title from the bank which sucked because I basically was buying it without test riding. Definitely was putting myself out there on that one. Anyway we get the title after a 45 minute or so ordeal.
We get back to his house, bike still wont start. We mess with it for about an hour trying to get the battery to take a charge. Just gets deader and deader. Guy proceeds to attempt to pop start it, I eventually ask him to stop since he obviously has no clue what he's doing and nearly lays it over 2-3 times going down his slanted driveway and kicking it into first. If I hadn't already given up my money to his bank and had my name signed on the title I might of let him keep going lol.
Anyway, he brings up the idea that maybe the tender cables weren't working. So I took the seat off, we hooked up jumpers and it fired right up with it connected to the battery. So at 6pm it's now dark, and the temp is dropping rapidly. My phone says 16 degrees the last time I checked it while at an intersection before getting on the highway. Being that I had been off a bike for a month, I guess it isn't surprising I stalled it right in the middle of an intersection. Then of all things the bike wouldn't start, the starter button wouldn't work. I sat in the intersection jiggling the handle bars, slapping things hoping something would make a connection. Then suddenly it worked and fired right up. On the highway I went.
The forecast had been for a clear day/night - another reason i chose to get the bike during this time. less than 5 minutes on the highway I start getting pelted by rain out of now where that's turning to ice soon as it gets to the ground as the temp by this time is getting even lower. Then I notice the aftermarket mirrors he has the bolts in wrong, and anything more than 20mph of wind blows the mirrors in, I had no tools with me to tighten them - so I did the entire hour trip without any mirrors. I stop for gas at the first gas station about 10 minutes into my trip, and again fight to get the bike started.
I was in ridiculous amount of layers of clothes, my gear being one of the bottom layers. About 6 total layers of pants and shirts. Thermal undergarments underneath everything. Still wind was cutting through it all right to the bone. On top of all this the rain/snow started to pick up and along with it heavy winds. I constantly was fighting gusts, low visibility, and at 65-70mph the 10-15 degree temperature was wreaking havoc on me. On one overpass a gust literally nearly blew me and the bike over, it was massive. I've absorbed some gusts before but this one was a doozy. It was then I decided to get off the highway and take a bit of a longer way home even though I only had maybe 10 minutes left on the highway, and I extended my trip to about 20 minutes with the longer route - it kept me off the highway and feeling much safer where I could do 30-40mph without worrying about cars flying up on me not being able to see me. Still was contending with all the rain that had turned to ice all over the roads.
So, that's my long story about what I went through for this damn bike lol.
But alas, I made it home safe and sound and the bike as well. Although it really seemed the weather was determined to kill me and completely be the opposite of the forecast!
The bike is all mechanically stock. However as you probably gathered, it has a couple aftermarket mostly cosmetics. Tinted tail, bright LED license plate light - both of these things are probably getting changed.
Then it has aftermarket mirrors with integrated turn signals. I don't mean to be rude but the previous owner should stay far away from wiring work. The wiring is all hanging loose and the copper hanging in the open just lightly finger twisted around each other. I re-wrapped some wiring and used heat-shrink tube and electrical tape to make it look a bit less janky. Now my electric start works, however I've noticed it only works with the bike in neutral. It won't start if I'm in any moving gear with the clutch in, kickstand up, etc. But at least it reliably starts. Also re-installed the mirrors correctly and now they're great. Still need to do some more touch up with the wiring. I actually hate wiring and barely trust myself putting in a headunit - but compared to how the wiring was set up it makes me look like a master electrician.
Today was the first day I actually rode it for enjoyment since it hit 45-50 degrees today. It rides brilliant, I love it. It feels like having a brand new bike(although it really should). Overall I'd certainly say it's worth the minor touch ups to the wiring I've had to do. Definitely wouldn't attempt that ride home again though!!
Anyway thats my super long story of buying this damn thing! I still wouldn't mind a newer ZX6R or ZX10R. Maybe I'll try to profit and sell this thing for around $4500 or hell maybe even more depending on the market when it's warm out and look for another ZX.
So here's the only pictures I've taken so far of the bike:
This was about 5 seconds after I got it to our house and pulled it into the garage. I was flooded with relief, or hypothermia lol!
Random one I took after fixing mirrors/electric start
One I snapped today after my joy ride before I parked it for the weekend while me and my room mates head back to our family homes for the 3 day weekend.
And heres a couple pictures of my ZZR I sold over a month ago, so you can see why I'm not even sure if I see this as a new bike lol:
So anyway, aside from that while I was without a bike - I tried to stay entertained on my ruckus. The blizzard we had about 3-4 weeks ago really made for a lot of fun! I definitely don't have a problem riding my ruckus in crap weather
Stopped and visited my mom during that blizzard, she wasn't to happy to see me on the roads on the ruckus in that crap lol. She took this pic as I was leaving
... Story how I near died for it l
