NooBloo in Denver
06-18-2011, 01:49 AM
#1
Junior Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Denver
Posts: 9
NooBloo in Denver
Hello, all. Well, completing maybe the most protracted transaction ever (I put $100 down on 11/3/10), I’m due to pick up my 2003 Hawker from the dealership tomorrow!
From their web ads:
Honda Media Demo, Full Warranty!
Lean, light and incredibly agile with all the torque you expect from a twin. This is a Honda Medai Demo bike that we bought direct from Honda. It has only 1000 miles on the odo and still carries the full factory warranty. Never sold or registered. Save big $$, buy a piece of history, have fun with an awesome bike!
To my dismay, they held firm to the $5599 asking price. Then, turns out it had been previously titled, therefore must be a third-party rather than factory warranty (leaving this purported history a bit in question…).
So not such a bargain, but: bottom line, I get a sweet stock low-miler – 1019 including my hard-won 5-6 mile test ride (but I did get a better one on another dealer’s used bike).
BTW, this follows crashing my ’93 blue Nighthawk 750 nearly 4 years ago (after riding 34 years = about 100k mostly trouble-free miles). Anyone else graduate from Night- to Super- ?!?
From their web ads:
Honda Media Demo, Full Warranty!
Lean, light and incredibly agile with all the torque you expect from a twin. This is a Honda Medai Demo bike that we bought direct from Honda. It has only 1000 miles on the odo and still carries the full factory warranty. Never sold or registered. Save big $$, buy a piece of history, have fun with an awesome bike!
To my dismay, they held firm to the $5599 asking price. Then, turns out it had been previously titled, therefore must be a third-party rather than factory warranty (leaving this purported history a bit in question…).
So not such a bargain, but: bottom line, I get a sweet stock low-miler – 1019 including my hard-won 5-6 mile test ride (but I did get a better one on another dealer’s used bike).
BTW, this follows crashing my ’93 blue Nighthawk 750 nearly 4 years ago (after riding 34 years = about 100k mostly trouble-free miles). Anyone else graduate from Night- to Super- ?!?
Last edited by Shawk & Awe; 10-18-2011 at 07:23 PM.
06-18-2011, 12:38 PM
#3
Member
Squid
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 55
Welcome. Hope you love your new Super Hawk as much as I do.
Now for the bad part. Sorry.
That is a 2003 SH, probably mfg. in '02. I would have told Sun, "Yeah, I'll pay your price if you replace all the fluids, including brake, clutch, oil and gas and coolant. Next, it's been sitting unridden for 8 years. Replace every hose, seal and the tires. Remove the carbs and clean them. Also, the stock battery is probably toast. The stock tires sucked when they were new, sitting and drying out for 8 years didn't make them stickier. Oh, and make them provide the passenger seat cover if you didn't get it.
Really, I do wish you the best with your 'Hawk, I just worry about vehicles that sit for long periods. That's almost harder on them than an abusive owner. That said, I'm not a mechanic, but Bart at Faster Motosports in Denver is and he owns a Super Hawk and knows them inside and out. Sign up for the Colorado Sportbike Club and get 10% off at Faster. I recommend you take it to Bart and let him look it over before you trust it completely.
Good luck.
Now for the bad part. Sorry.
That is a 2003 SH, probably mfg. in '02. I would have told Sun, "Yeah, I'll pay your price if you replace all the fluids, including brake, clutch, oil and gas and coolant. Next, it's been sitting unridden for 8 years. Replace every hose, seal and the tires. Remove the carbs and clean them. Also, the stock battery is probably toast. The stock tires sucked when they were new, sitting and drying out for 8 years didn't make them stickier. Oh, and make them provide the passenger seat cover if you didn't get it.
Really, I do wish you the best with your 'Hawk, I just worry about vehicles that sit for long periods. That's almost harder on them than an abusive owner. That said, I'm not a mechanic, but Bart at Faster Motosports in Denver is and he owns a Super Hawk and knows them inside and out. Sign up for the Colorado Sportbike Club and get 10% off at Faster. I recommend you take it to Bart and let him look it over before you trust it completely.
Good luck.
Last edited by SloBlue; 06-18-2011 at 12:47 PM.
06-18-2011, 06:10 PM
#4
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 3,451
Welcome!
My second bike was a 1986 CB700SC Nighthawk S. I bought it new and put 48,000 miles on it in 5 years, mostly commuting. Stock except for the 4 into 1 full stainless Supertrapp. I owned a 1983 BMW R100RS for the years between the Nighthawk and Superhawk.
The 700 Nighthawk S was sadly lacking in the torque department. That was one reason I gave it up for the RS. But the torque of the VTR will keep a full time smile on your face.
My second bike was a 1986 CB700SC Nighthawk S. I bought it new and put 48,000 miles on it in 5 years, mostly commuting. Stock except for the 4 into 1 full stainless Supertrapp. I owned a 1983 BMW R100RS for the years between the Nighthawk and Superhawk.
The 700 Nighthawk S was sadly lacking in the torque department. That was one reason I gave it up for the RS. But the torque of the VTR will keep a full time smile on your face.
10-18-2011, 07:45 PM
#5
Junior Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Denver
Posts: 9
Belated thanks for the welcomes, particularly SloBlue with your candid remarks --
I raised virtually EVERY point you brought up before buying, and got lots of lip service back – repeated assurances that ANY issues would be addressed: “we’ll go through it thoroughly”, “we’ll take care of you”, [insert favorite ad nauseam dealer rhetoric] etc. This after paying full price, then adjusting to a “mistake” re: the motorcycle’s being represented as “as new” with factory warranty. But when I picked the bike up, there was no report of any service work done; instead, I was unceremoniously blown off!! And the mileage, same as before -- so obviously no test ride! Was it looked at -- at all?
Next I notice she’s running warm: though a hot summer in Denver, coolant temp 220+ to even 245! Or now, as it turns cooler: should the fan really come on at all (@ about 215)? Consensus: inconclusive!! Shouldn’t they just drain, flush and refill the cooling system if there’s ANY question?
Needless to say, I’m about to tell Sun Enterprises to stick it where their “sun” don’t shine -- but will adamantly hold them to the passenger seat cover, if nothing else! This damn deal has been entirely one-sided!!
Meanwhile -- good tip, SloBlue! -- have visited Bart McKiernan twice at Faster. He didn’t find any critical issues, but recommended slip-ons and a jet kit. What, is this bike in stock condition sluggish @ altitude? None of those fabled instant power-wheelies here! I admit that I’m top-speed challenged (higher gears may see little use). BUT!! Surely good for more than just making lots of V-twin noise like a Harley! Where’s the frisk at a moderate pace?!?!
Suggestions??
I raised virtually EVERY point you brought up before buying, and got lots of lip service back – repeated assurances that ANY issues would be addressed: “we’ll go through it thoroughly”, “we’ll take care of you”, [insert favorite ad nauseam dealer rhetoric] etc. This after paying full price, then adjusting to a “mistake” re: the motorcycle’s being represented as “as new” with factory warranty. But when I picked the bike up, there was no report of any service work done; instead, I was unceremoniously blown off!! And the mileage, same as before -- so obviously no test ride! Was it looked at -- at all?
Next I notice she’s running warm: though a hot summer in Denver, coolant temp 220+ to even 245! Or now, as it turns cooler: should the fan really come on at all (@ about 215)? Consensus: inconclusive!! Shouldn’t they just drain, flush and refill the cooling system if there’s ANY question?
Needless to say, I’m about to tell Sun Enterprises to stick it where their “sun” don’t shine -- but will adamantly hold them to the passenger seat cover, if nothing else! This damn deal has been entirely one-sided!!
Meanwhile -- good tip, SloBlue! -- have visited Bart McKiernan twice at Faster. He didn’t find any critical issues, but recommended slip-ons and a jet kit. What, is this bike in stock condition sluggish @ altitude? None of those fabled instant power-wheelies here! I admit that I’m top-speed challenged (higher gears may see little use). BUT!! Surely good for more than just making lots of V-twin noise like a Harley! Where’s the frisk at a moderate pace?!?!
Suggestions??
Last edited by Shawk & Awe; 10-18-2011 at 07:47 PM.
10-18-2011, 07:59 PM
#6
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,869
1) Fan will switch on in stop and go traffic, switch off at around 212*F I believe. Flushing/cleaning the coolant system is recommended every few years for bikes that HAVE been running, so I'd just do this regardless. 245 is too hot. Your fan is switching on?
2) Read through 8541Hawk's Carb Setup... get the carbs cleaned and gone through first before even thinking about jet kits. Sitting that long, they're probably not even close to running as well as they were designed to.
3) In first gear, hold the bike at about 5k RPM and snap the throttle open. And watch out. A power wheelie should follow.
4) Slip-ons save you weight and add maybe a hp or two. They really shouldn't restrict you or be the solution to a poor running bike.
Sorry to hear about getting the shaft end of the deal. Mistakes come and go, though- at least you have a Superhawk now! Plenty of people on here to help you out and get you to know your bike...
2) Read through 8541Hawk's Carb Setup... get the carbs cleaned and gone through first before even thinking about jet kits. Sitting that long, they're probably not even close to running as well as they were designed to.
3) In first gear, hold the bike at about 5k RPM and snap the throttle open. And watch out. A power wheelie should follow.
4) Slip-ons save you weight and add maybe a hp or two. They really shouldn't restrict you or be the solution to a poor running bike.
Sorry to hear about getting the shaft end of the deal. Mistakes come and go, though- at least you have a Superhawk now! Plenty of people on here to help you out and get you to know your bike...
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