Advice: Buying Tips & What to Look Out For?

[Skybone]

So I've had a wee look around the site, and it got me wondering if there were any good tips/"things to look out for" out there for anyone who's looking to buy a TRX (like me).

Anything over and above the usual suspension/chain/sprockets/brakes/general maintenance/cans (road legal/not road legal)/etc?

Any mods to look out for (blue spot calipers etc), any mods to avoid (other than heinous attempts at "modification").

Just thought we could maybe tap into the collective wisdom of those on the site, who've owned & run TRX's for some time, and come up with some sort of "Buyer's Guide" to help the newbies (like me) to the TRX.

[andyaber]

Hi Skybone

Always worth asking about oil change routine and frequency.

Plenty on here about it, just make sure the previous owner knew what he was up to.

Cheers, Andy.

[cobbadiggabuddyblooo]

You may find Imports from Japan have limiters on them so you'll only get 180kph out of them. I think you'll find all Aust and euro models have speedo's goin upto 260kph and some with MPH on there also and Japanese imports the speedo is only metered upto around 180/200kph. I've always seen them with black motors and brembro brakes also

[Skybone]

I forgot about the Japanese home market limiters, should have remembered that from my days of riding "grey imports".

Does anyone know if the early UK bikes that had the KM/H clocks, and the Euro & Aus bikes (KM/H as standard OE), had the limiters, or were they derestricted?

Are the restrictors a physical thing, or are they some electrickery?

[cobbadiggabuddyblooo]

isn't that big chunk of Iland floating off the coast of France a part of europe???? If not well for the sake of this conversation just throw it in there for now cause I'm sure there the same I'm pretty sure there's a physical disc mounted in the speedo that triggers a modified limiter in the electronics(black box under your seat)

[slow codger]

You're right there Cobba, that they do. They also have brembo brakes though, better than Euro Sumitomo rubbish. To derestrict, you can put a euro CDI in by the way. Do a search under imports, should find all you need to know. I like my import, but then its been sorted for me.

Dave E

[fung]

you dont need to change the CDI.
Deconstruct the speedo.
Bend the offending tab back just far enough so it no longer makes contact.
Voila !
Cheers
Fung

[cal]

Check the frame, where the pillion footpegs mount on, seems to be an area sometimes affected by rust,
It wont affect the rigidity of the frame for a single rider, but, the weight of the cans also stresses this part and can lead to the footpeg mounts coming off, not so good if you are the pillion passenger
Its an easy fix, with a welder, but something to look for, I wouldnt let it bother you regards not buying a bike because of this fault, but may get a bit off the price,

[cobbadiggabuddyblooo]

I wonder if thats another issue because of the salt layed down on the roads and flicking up from the rear wheel causing this on your bikes over there in Great Britain.. Like the issue you have with exhaust bolts snapping

[Con Rod]

I wonder if thats another issue because of the salt layed down on the roads and flicking up from the rear wheel causing this on your bikes over there in Great Britain.. Like the issue you have with exhaust bolts snapping

no, mine lived in Queensland before Sydney and had the same problem with corrosion on the pillion peg / exhaust bracket.

[bagmaker]

If you cant find stock perfection (and you probably wont, they arent a new item) look for something tastefully modified.
It will show you the owner has cared enough for the bike to change it for the better instead of just riding it.
Look for an owner who has the time to point out the FAULTS of the bike.
There are plenty of bargains around given time. Usually the thing has been sitting around for a while unridden or there has been an addition to the family (in the shed) and there is no more room or SWMBO has said "new one? sell one then" or similar.

Better still, ask here and hang about until one comes up here in the classifieds.
We all check out the papers, mags and internet for bikes being sold and chat about the item on sale. If you are really keen ASK us and we will all keep an eye out for a bargain or something specific that you want.

When you find something, let us know and maybe someone will join you at the inspection for a once-over to check it out.

What do you want, how much do you want to pay for it and where in the world are you?

[handsomejackuk]

beautiful bike well looked after not many one or two owner examples about now... expescially real well cared for examples. mine has 12,000 miles 2 onwner first owner 760 miles. only thing i wish i kept was the original screen... i love my bike to bits... regularly does 55-60 mpg... just change the oil and keep it maintained.

[Skybone]

Great tips folks, many thanks, and hopefully, it'll help other newbies to the TRX look for decent bikes as well.

My plan was to look for an as original as possible bike rather than one that's been played around with too much.

There was/is a "streetfightered" one on the "local" Gumtree, digi dash & FZS1/6/8 style headlight & loud cans, for £1400, no mention of when the work was done, whether he'd still got the original clocks/fairing/cans etc. When there's decent, standard looking TRX's going for around the same kind of money. Missed out on a blue one at the weekend on eBay, but it's a long way away, and I didn't have the cash at that time.

Budget's around £1400-£1500 for a decent, standard TRX... (or another Hinkley Triple). From the research I've done, at the moment, it seems like the going price for a good one with reasonable miles on it (seems to be around 20k). Loads of dealers in the UK seem to be asking top dollar for their second hand bikes, even with big miles on them. It seems like people are keeping hold of their older bikes for longer because of rising prices/priorities elsewhere (and the fact that dealers are asking more money for their bikes doesn't help the market either, which is the viscous circle really).

The search goes on...