The CBR6 or new bike?

[Kram]

Week before the covid lockdown my bike died with engine timing trouble, which I fixed, then started other repairs like the fairings and got out of hand. An ebay seller issue plus ULEZ in 2023 killed any motivation to get her back on the road.

I'd been using up the previous fuel in tools so wasnt much in there, but I did return the small amount of spare 2T mix to the tank.

In 2023 I put a gallon of fresh fuel in the tank but found the fuel pump didnt want to run and thats where I left it. This appears to have gone bad very fast! Also I left battery to go flat.

I now have 1.5 gallons of dirty fuel to dispose of. Im suprised there seems to be no seperation of a water layer which may mean the rust has consumed all of the water?

Anyway that is where I'm at. The bike wont take long to get road worthy. Going to pour this fuel through a coffee filter to hopefully remove the rust colour then it might go in to the car, couple litres per tank or something.

ULEZ is still a problem. Perhaps I should get a 2004 version which I think had a cat and was ULEZ and use this as spares. What do you think?

 

[Chillitt]

Never put anything but new premium petrol in modern bikes and try not to leave it in if you are parking it up for a while, they just dont like it. That brown stuff is only fit for cleaning really greasy stuff or lighting bonfires if you are feeling adventurous. On the plus side, Honda injectors seem much less bothered by crappy old fuel than the pumps and filters are. You need to get all that rust out of the tank before you try again...

 

[dobbslc]

I had a full tank of stinky ****e fuel in the TRX but just put it in the missus Honda HRV, seems ok...

 

[dobbslc]

I think you can get bikes tested and past the stupid ULEZ regs so it might be worth looking into that rather than spending on a new bike.

 

[dobbslc]

Yep

ULEZ Testing UK

Our ULEZ emissions tests take only 30 minutes, located within easy access of central London on the A1

www.uleztesting.co.uk

 

[Kram]

Hmm I wasnt aware that was possible and Im sceptical that they allow it! Know anyone that successfully used it?
My bike would probably need a cat converter to pass the NOx test so wont be cheap.


At 22 years old, its well past the silly 15 year limit that most breakdown providers seem to have, so thats another problem..

 

[frank horton]

If u think ur fuel is bad u wanna see the fuel thats in some of the mowers I get to work on......my Ultra Sonic cleaner works overtime....
I used to repair stuff like chain saws etc but with the above fuel probs and the high cost of parts I wont do it any more.....
My K1100 was laid up fuel free for 3 years, that f/pump died as well....just got rid of it as it was to heavy anyway......
Personally I'd go for a new bike if u commute.....

 

[Greeves246]

Hmm I wasnt aware that was possible and Im sceptical that they allow it! Know anyone that successfully used it?
My bike would probably need a cat converter to pass the NOx test so wont be cheap.

Several of the C90 club lads have done it.

 

[dobbslc]

Several of the C90 club lads have done it.

It's unbelievable that something that does 120mpg isn't automatically ulez compliant when a Merc G Wagon is!

 

[GRW]

An old CBR600 is capable of starship mileages (as I'm sure the OP knows) - a very good, reliable bike. IMO not the most inspiring middleweight perhaps, but a fine machine.

Use emissions to force the older vehicles into extinction..... force Spending & Turnover & Tax Revenue to purchase newer machines - or onto Public Transport.

Its a money-making scam, nothing more, & the further & wider & tighter the Daylight Robbery Zones get, the more perfectly decent, maintainable, reliable older kit goes to the crusher .

I live in rural Wales but even here we have the draconian (& Orwellian and Victorian) blanket 20mph travesty, & a relentless war on the motorist.
I cannot imagine how miserable & frustrating it must be, to have to live and travel in London (or Bristol, or....) ULEZ Zones (neither of my vans or my bike would meet ULEZ, only the missus' wee Kia Rio petrol would..... atm).

 

[jmp49]

8 more years and it'll be classic. How often do you travel into london by bike? Does it justify having something compliant?
I used to live in Sussex and work in the city, and it was a horrible dice with death doing it by bike so most of the time I just avoided going in when I could. Better solution all round.

 

[Kram]

An old CBR600 is capable of starship mileages (as I'm sure the OP knows) - a very good, reliable bike. IMO not the most inspiring middleweight perhaps, but a fine machine.

She has done 125 thousand miles so well into starship status for a bike. Theres some sentimental reason for keeping her, and near zero value if sold. I know her history and easier to get her on the road than fix an unknown.

London has the issue of average speed limits everywhere, cruise control has been essential in the car. I dont know if modern bikes have it...

 

[premmington]

It's unbelievable that something that does 120mpg isn't automatically ulez compliant when a Merc G Wagon is!

Explain to me this - my Honda AFS110i will do in excess of 130mpg and it costs £25 a year to tax.

Where I got a little fleet of loaner/courtesy cars - Skoda Citigos/VW UPs - all are £20 a year - one is free roadtax (for an indentical car to the others)

 

[GRW]

She has done 125 thousand miles so well into starship status for a bike. Theres some sentimental reason for keeping her, and near zero value if sold. I know her history and easier to get her on the road than fix an unknown.

London has the issue of average speed limits everywhere, cruise control has been essential in the car. I dont know if modern bikes have it...

I'm pretty sure some of the big uber-tourers have Cruise, not sure how easy it is to set/use compared to cars.

Average speed areas really suck, & yes cruise helps a lot to stop you having to focus so much on your speedo & throttle for ages ( or sat nav generally better). Bad enough in a van, worse on a bike (& more dangerous).

Carp like this and the veritable plague of Scamera activity everywhere is a big part of why my motorcycle is now zn ornament and never used. All the joyand feeling of freedom & pleasure I used to get from riding has been sucked dry by the licenced persecution & thievery.
The best days for riding a m/c ended over a decade ago in this country IMO

 

[Hood]

..

London has the issue of average speed limits everywhere, cruise control has been essential in the car. I dont know if modern bikes have it...

Lots have cruise control now. My Africa Twin has it.

I'm pretty sure some of the big uber-tourers have Cruise, not sure how easy it is to set/use compared to cars.
....

Lots of bikes nowadays have CC, not just tourers.
Simple to use, I have it enabled all the time and to activate I just have to push down on a lever and it is set, push up/down on that lever to adjust.
Even adaptive CC is becoming common on bikes now.

....
The best days for riding a m/c ended over a decade ago in this country IMO

Depends where you live I suppose

 

[dobbslc]

Explain to me this - my Honda AFS110i will do in excess of 130mpg and it costs £25 a year to tax.

Where I got a little fleet of loaner/courtesy cars - Skoda Citigos/VW UPs - all are £20 a year - one is free roadtax (for an indentical car to the others)

I can only say it's prejudice against motorcyclists. It's always been the same.
If they were taxing us like this because of the colour of our skin or religious beliefs there'd be outrage across the media about it.
It is completely ridiculous that a 2.0 diesel car can sit in traffic all day long going nowhere polluting the air but I have to pay £111 a year to tax my bike that only does a few hundred miles a year!
Those in power are all boat anchor's.

 

[Kram]

Im going to order the fuel pump kit for £25 and get her back on road tho I think it is newer bike time.

I'd like a modern version of the same bike. I dont want a silly race replica sports that the newer ones became. Could use suggestions what to look for..

Plenty of good roads around me or atleast would be good with the power to overtake, that my car simply doesnt have.

 

[Hood]

The CBR650R looks sort similar in design to the older CBR600F2.

The CBR600RR is a bit more sporty .

 

[Kram]

Heavier and less power than mine, and the extra 50cc puts it into higher tax band (Tho it might be different for newer bikes, havent looked)

Any other brands worth a look?

 

[dobbslc]

The CBR650R looks sort similar in design to the older CBR600F2.

The CBR600RR is a bit more sporty .

I was going to say the same, I didn't count for the extra tax though

Any other brands worth a look?

Yamaha is the superior choice obviously.