View Full Version : Bought a bike off ebay, loads of issues, what to do?
So I bought a CBR400RR off ebay this week.
2nd time I took it out it broke down, the carbs are effed, think the floats are sticking but I don't really fancy taking them apart myself to check.
The bike was cheap and it is 25 years old so I didn't expect everything to be perfect but he told me it had just been serviced and MOT'd so I was expecting trouble free riding for at least a few months.
Bloke seemed pretty genuine when I bought it, told me the bike had been stood for a while and he'd serviced and MOT'd it to sell it.
If you were in this situation what would you do? Contact the seller? Ask for some money back? See if you can return the bike?
I know legally I don't really have a leg to stand on but is it worth any effort contacting ebay and/or the seller?
Chz
I'd say you take your chances on eBay and get what you get - if you want a warrantee it has to be a shop and pay the extra. If you got it cheap enough you'll get most of your money back selling it on with the fault if you can't sort it yourself.
At least you had the chance to test it on the road before wasting a track day, Snetterton will be my first ride on the blade and that hasn't been serviced or MOTed. For the price I got it I'm expecting the worst, if it runs fine it's a bonus.
Yeah, was thinking the same but a few mates have said I should report him to ebay etc, just wondered what the general consensus is.
Looks like I'll be on the SV for Snetterton. Or maybe the V-Strom, that would be fun :)
its a 25 year old bike what do you expect, yes its true old bikes need more loving care and attention. its a cbr400rr it will have been thrashed the living daylight out of in its past. if you got it cheep then use the money you saved on fixing it.
no bike is a pos, its the owners who are responsible for maintaining them. its not the bikes fault if its not been maintained properly.
from what i seen it looks tidy apart from the odd paint colour and once fixed i bet it runs for another 25 years (depending on the owner).
if the bike was yours and you sold it and someone came back saying its broken would you take it back?
Cheap off ebay - sold as seen mate, sorry.
As bibs said - would you take it back ? I wouldn't. He'll just say it was running when it left him.
If you want a warranty, you have to go to a dealer and pay a lot more money.
Fix yourself, pay to get fixed or sell as spares or repair.
nutzboutbikes
05-07-15, 09:18 AM
As others have said you pay your money and take a chance, no harm in trying though you could get lucky.
Before you go mad an start spending money on her do a quick compression check would be my advice to make sure all is well with the engine before getting stuck into it, could just be someone has played around with the carb's and not done it very well, people like setting them so fuel is being dumped in cause they think it will go faster!!.
nutzboutbikes
05-07-15, 09:29 AM
Just out of interest Lenny when it broke down did it stink of fuel and restart after a minute or two?
Just out of interest Lenny when it broke down did it stink of fuel and restart after a minute or two?
That's exactly what happens. Big puddle of fuel from the left hand overflow pipe as well.
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nutzboutbikes
05-07-15, 01:46 PM
sounds like some body has played around with it not knowing what they were doing and set the floats to high they have probably fitted a jet kit as well.
Hope you get it sorted bud.
If you need any parts or advice,contact Graham France Racing in Brigg,he is a wizard with these and VFR 400s,he has worked on my sons VFR 400 and I can vouch for him personally !!!
Thanks Trev
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No comeback (you've got that by now!)
But - fixable. Give it some extended TLC. Get the carbs off and see what is going on in there. Even if it hasn't been fiddle with, it will warrant a good carb clean if it has been standing a while and it isn't new.
Specialone
06-07-15, 05:58 AM
It's probably (more than likely) just a gummed up carb, the sticking float is just over flowing the carb with fuel (stating the obvious).
Fordward
06-07-15, 08:09 AM
Don't think you have any comeback, nor should you expect any TBH, you bought a 25 year old bike cheap from an Auction. Stick in a complaint to ebay and someone in their offices is going to start laughing pretty hard. Tell your mates to take a reality check.
Buying a bike like that for me would always be as a project, eventually I'd want to have some fun riding it, but I'd expect to spend a lot of time in the garage with it first.
Personally I'd use it as an opportunity to learn how carbs work, get on a CBR forum, and break out the spanners. It's not difficult, you just need to take the jump and dive in there.
Before you know it you'll be doing a full on restoration project. If you do that though, do it properly, the second you get the urge to bodge something, put down the spanners until another day. Don't do it on the cheap and start bodging your own solutions either, buy the correct parts and put it back to how it was when new, or wait until you've got the spare cash. You've got a future classic there, it doesn't matter how long it takes, it's not going to depreciate any more.
No comeback unless you can prove he's made false claims in his description. If everything he has claimed is true then what do you want to shop him for?
Serviced means changed the oil. MOT means just that. None of this will make it run properly if it's got faults.
I got the carbs on my mrs' bike cleaned and serviced for under £200 and it's gone from unrideable to splendid. It was all gummed up from being sat too long.
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