Considering 2004 Rockster Edition 80 - Any thoughts?

[jniels]

Hi All,
I'm pondering buying an '04 Rockster E80 for $5500. It's a 3 owner bike with just under 10,000 miles. It has OEM Bags and windshield, Sargent front/rear seats (also comes with original seats), an after market top case (name escapes me but I've seen it mentioned on this forum), and no center stand. It's been lightly dropped on the right side, so the valve cover and plug cover are slightly scuffed, as is the right pannier. Paint is in good shape, no dings in the tank. Sounded very quiet when he started it. Not sure if it had been warmed up prior to me seeing it. Current owner has only put 190 miles on it since he bought it less than a year ago, but in his defense, he does owns 3 other cruisers. I didn't think to check the fuel fittings, and I didn't ask to see the bike without the panniers on, so I'm not sure if the canister has been removed, etc. Rode the bike for 2 miles and liked it, but obviously that's not enough to know what I'm getting into since I never made it out of 4th gear. Was hoping some of the seasoned Rockster owners would chime in with their opinions on price and specifics of what I should look for? Is there anything that might make this deal a show stopper? I'm definitely not a mechanic and I'm not looking for a project, but I'll be doing my own oil changes, possibly the TB sync and the valve adjustments, and if necessary I could probably manage replacing the fuel fittings with Colder SS QD fittings. I look forward to your input. Many kind thanks!

[mambopalace]

Hopefully, it doesn't need any work. If it does, and you are not mechanically inclined, be prepared to pay a dealer big time.

[jniels]

Yes, one has to wonder why this bike would have 4 owners in 10 years. Maybe I'm over analyzing it. I know they have their quirks, but this will be a weekend driver and them some (5 - 8k miles a season) so I was curious what else to look for, what other questions to ask, and whether $5500 is reasonable or perhaps a bit high. This E80 is the second Rockster I've considered in the last 3 years. Owned a couple air heads many years ago that I was the 3rd owner on. They were reliable and I enjoyed them.

[sweatmark]

If maintenance records exist, and mechanical condition is good, then I'd consider the bike.

Won't comment about price, because many bikes are available in the $5-6k range... It's gotta be sufficiently valuable to you to be the better of many possible purchase options.

Edition 80 did not get an OE centerstand, but its easy to install used item from Roadster.

[jniels]

I agree with you, sweatmark. I was considering a newer (stock) CBR600RR to replace the one I just sold. Also considering a new '13, but then a 10 year old E80 pops up for half the price, not to mention insurance. There are a lot of nice used bikes out there. Saw a '13 GSXR-750 with 1K miles for $11,000. I don't know how to break it to the owner that I can purchase the same bike new (0 miles) for $11,730 OTD (tax and license). When all's said and done, that's less than the used bike. NADA prices seem a bit high to me. If I could get the owner of the Rockster E80 to come down to $4900 I'd probably take the chance and buy it. He's already told me $5500 is as low as he'll go, though. Thanks for the input and btw, I liked your tank removal vid.

[sweatmark]

Quick word of warning: if you're looking to replace a sportsbike with something promising similar handling and legs, then a BMW boxer is not going to satisfy. The R1100/1150/1200 work well as general purpose moto transportation, with a balance of utility and civility and reliability. But performance bikes they are not.

[jniels]

I know what you mean. Apples and oranges. The CBR600RR was my first pure sport bike, but I have owned an R80/7, an R100RS, and I've put some miles on an R1100S. When I rode the '04 Rockster E80, it felt familiar. I dig the boxers for what they are and would not be expecting too much, other than everyday reliability. If I could be fairly confident in putting 7K miles on it with no more than a set (or 2) of tires, a couple oil changes, and maybe a throttle body sync (or 2), then I'd buy it. Frequent breakdowns or major expenses would be a bummer. Hence, my apprehension. Thanks again for your feedback.

[sweatmark]

So.... What's the verdict? Joining our motly crew?