s reg, 1998 model with 47k on it. its not a bad looking bike at all and its £1800. 3 month warranty for peace of mind.

ive read about exup valves seizing or messing up but i dont know what else to look out for. i want a test drive of it but never having ridden one before,i dont know what will feel right or wrong about this old well used model.

any thoughts?

thanks

Not owned one but this is the original model and they were supposed to be handfull. The handling got more civilised after that.

Beyond listening to the engine and using the gearbox. Accelerating from low revs in a high gear, etc, then the same applies as your mountain bike.

Tyres/brakes/chains/sprockets nr there weight limit?

Check bodywork to see if the fastenings have been araldited back into place.

Check to see what the lockstops look like?

Very carefully check all the numbers tally with the log book.

Is it an import/does the headlamp dip the right way?

Is it road legal? Noisy can, tiny plate?

And remember back in 2002 you could buy a GSXR600 for £6000 but to build it out of new parts would cost £32000!

As for the exup, yamahas YPVS made a whirring noise as you switched the ignition on. Ask a yamaha dealer or forum if EXUP valves should do the same?

Well it's a R1, therefore it's boring…
But don't you already have a **** in line 4?

It'll either been really looked after, or not.

Either way, as on any s/h bike check that all the 'consumables' are ok – otherwise there's upwards of £1k.

The bodywork will be a fight to get off, and an even bigger fight to get back on. The suspension will have sagged, and could probably do with a refresh. The discs will be past there service levels. The coolant/brake fluid will need changing.

If the EXUP valve is kaput, on start up the rev counter will register – 3k I think.

I took a zx9r to higher mileage, quicker – and I sold it on when the rad split – as practically every bolt holding it on had corroded beyond, plus the rad itself had barely any straight fins – mainly winter crud.

Spend a bit more, and get something newer and with lower mileage.

I'd have said suspension components will be the big issue at this age and mileage. All the pivot points may well be kaput, the shock and fork will probably need a rebuild, head bearings may well be shot. If so, think £500 at least to get it sorted. If brakes need sorting (new rotors and caliper rebuilds) you're probably looking at another £500.

Above this, it's the list as Mugboo states above.

Unless the bike is in a really good state, I'd avoid – bikes this age can well be a money pit, and getting parts (bodywork particularly) might be hard.

The 1998 (4XV?) models are quite highly sought after.

Best place I have found for help, information and a laugh is http://pbmagforum.co.uk/

mate at work has one ( same age ). had to have a new exhaust. the yam one has a valve in it to help low rev behaviour. he couldn't afford that at the time, and went for an aftermarket job – said it was his worst mistake ever. made it awful at low revs in comparison apparently. otherwise he couldn't bear to sell it.

Some of it depeds on how much you want this model an d why you are buying it.
This model will be a future classic in standard trim.

A mate has a restored YPVS and any trip to Sherburn or Th Sun Inn means loads of interest with everybody walking past the new stuff to check out the stuff of their childhood dreams….

Hi
I would also say check as above.
Not owned one but had a go on one (although it was an import)
On a long straight (private obviously!!)road in Scotland saw 275kph on the speedo with ease. Scared the sh*t out of me in a good way.
Seen a few good examples so dont rule it out.
Must admit they keep winking at me too!
Cheers
Steve

First bike i rode was a YPVS…. I nearly died! 😀

I had a YPVS after having two 350LC's, it just wasn't the same – felt all 'grown-up'.

Likewise. I got an owd RD400 after the Power valve! Happy days.

Ahh 2 strokes 😀

Inline fours are boring IMO, V twins are better all round

It was a bloody awesome bike when it came out. I was riding a Ninja 900 at the time & the first time I rode my mates R1 (which he paid full whack RRP for – shocking) it was sooooo much faster.

AS others have said I would expect an awful lot of worn out cycle parts. Jap motors are pretty reliable these days so there is a fair chance it won't need engine work – but both the gearbox and clutch might be reaching the end of their life.

However – chain and sprockets, rear shock, sus linkages, fork service, wheel and headset bearings can soon add up to a lot of cash.

So IMO only if you are prepared to put up with worn cycle parts ofr are prepared to refurb yourself

Gearbox problems weren't uncommon on early R1s.

So IMO only if you are prepared to put up with worn cycle parts ofr are prepared to refurb yourself

Well it will still be a R1… If martin is really looking forward to do some spannering he could buy something with a bit more character…
Dunno, a WS650 or a VINCENT BLACK SHADOW and make some CF job on it 😀

Vraoummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Had 2 4xv 98 & 99 worst problem with them is 2nd gear doesent matter if you cain em or ride like a fairy, Problem lies on the 3 slots on the gear they wear, IJN modles have 5 slots.

a few years back i worked as london bike courier. my bike broke and i had to hire something to stay at work. long story short, it was an r1 for 3 days. totally inappropriate for work, but a hoot anyway – wheelies aplenty and hooligan behaviour. today, i'd be worried that previous owner treated it the way it was meant to be treated – wheelies and revved to death

hahahahaha …………WHAT?
3 month warranty!!! ..
bombproof, just run in engine??
buy it, BUY-IT-NOW!!!
exup valves are piss easy to sort
you could run it for a couple of years then sell it for £1500
………….if you dont kill yourself first! 🙂

If your considering it, you probably already know, but thats high mileage for a bike. A sports bike in particular. It wouldn;t overly bother me, provided it had been well looked after, had full service history with it and was the right price. £1800 sounds high when you can find newer (02ish plate)good clean private examples with low miles for £2500, remember its the end of the season now too and there is still a recession on. At that mileage too, it will probably afect its ability to resell / trade in. No service history could be a nightmare waiting to happen.

The early R1's were carbed rather than injected, so a bit more snatchey on the throttle, but still really powerful. If your test riding it, put it in second and (CAREFUULY!!) wind it on into the high revs to make sure the gearbox isn;t jumping under load. Becareful though, the front will get flighty.

Aftermarket cans, etc, shouldn;t really make a jot of differece and don;t pay extra for them, amke sure it comes with the original kit too.

Also, the 3 months warrenty is rubbish. There isn;t a lot of serious riding to be had in october, novemeber, december in my experience, so, not a massive amount of time to ride it for yourself.

Saying all that though, the oiginal R1, like the blade, is getting more desirable, it was the original nutter. There are plenty of spares around from knackered and crashd ones, so spares should be readily available and fairly cheap too. I wouldnlt have thought there would be much wrong with the engine, provided its been well looked after, ask them to take the fairings off and see how well its really been looked after behind there, have a look at the suspension too, it should have had a strip / rebuild at that mileage at least twice, but budget for new springs and it being set up properly. The front brakes can bind too, so check that, all your consumables, and go from there.

I'm assuming its from a dealer with a 3 month warrenty, but ask for the HPI anyway, or do it yourself. If you can find any history, have a word with a few of the last owners, see why they sold it.

Have a look on parkers too, they say:

Yamaha YZF R1
1998/S
Original Price £9,199
Independent Dealer £1,940
Private Good £1,640
Private Poor £1,180
Part Exchange £1,340

thanks for the reality check,folks. i was considering phoning up and asking to see it properly and maybe test ride it. i know its not spotless and right now it could do with a good clean. i have a feeling theres not much history but the owner said the previous owner traded it in and had it serviced at the shop over the past 3 years or so. i doubt i will see any paperwork to go along with that. who knows. i can only ask.

theres a few nice examples for sale right now elsewhere. one has around 4000 miles costing about £4500.. and theres also a brand new unregistered one for sale that i found earlier. i think its a 99 model and its about 6k.its been in demon tweeks showroom for the past 10 years.

go on… you know you wanttt ittttt ;O)

I rode a race-kitted one that a friend had borrowed (he actually owned an MV, nuff said) to go to Assen a (fair) few years ago. Very quick and lively but still didn't have the top end (nor wind protection) of my 9.