That's a Katana frame I pictured with the bracing, and the real enthusiasts don't like anything but a real Katana, so the few that want a little more performance from theirs will brace the frame and upgrade the suspension and wheels to keep the original looks. For what it's worth, I didn't brace the frame. I just ground off all unused bracketry and had it all powder coated. With the new brakes up front and the wider tire and stiffer shock ('06 R6 I believe) out back, it tips over awesomely.
Example of said lusted after katanas:
http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Cus...35R%20%201.jpg

Any other V-Twin bikes I should consider other then the SV?

What about a Harley sportster?

Ducati Monster? Never head one but I hear they are good bikes. Parts might be expensive though. Kawasaki has a small v-twin as well that came out about 3 years ago.

^ Ducati, lol. One day, but not for a first bike.

kawasaki ninja 650r and versys. Two incredible bikes, the versys has won BOTY a couple of times through different magazines, for reason. I've ridden my buddie's 650r, and it's an incredible bike. Very comfortable, lots of torque, fairly easy wheelies in 1st and 2nd gear, 50-60mpg, cheap, easy to ride, nothing wrong with 'em. Apparently the Versys is better, I couldn't imagine.

Very nice looking bikes, parallel twin is a nice option too.

To bad they are new, and not available cheap yet. I am looking at like 02 SV's and they can be hand in like the 2 - 3k price range for pristine examples, which is perfect.

I have always used about 80/20 when it comes to brakes. The proper use of back brakes comes with LOTS of experience. I used my BB's to slide around a stalled car in the middle of the road last week. You will find that once you are completely comfortable riding you can use many of the bikes "faults" to your advantage as long as you dont freak out.

What can you guys tell me about buying salvage titled bikes? Is it a cat in a bag, or depends on the damage that was done?

Depends on the damage. Some guys will total a bike if a rock chips the paint on the frame. That's probably not the kind of damage you'd see, but you have to asses how much damage is present. Most frontal impacts will require replacing the froks, same goes for the back and the swing arm. You'll hear lots of guys tell you never to do it. I'm interested to hear what the rest of the DIY guys here think.

I would like to say go ahead, as I've looked at several *salvage title bikes, but then again I've never bought one. I've owned one, my own, that was totaled for what was basically fairing damage.

They run cheaper, and they're more abundant, and shouldn't be cast out, as long as you have some knowledgeable help. I would definitely at least take a salvage title bike to the shop I would have repairing it, or look online for replacement parts/tools if I was doing it myself.

I went down on my Ninja 500R (R does not always mean fast), and it was easily totaled due to scratches on fairings, forks, and exhaust. I lived with it for another few months, but my front fork was a little out of whack. I fixed that by a method found on the forums which can't be done with all bikes. Since the accident wasn't my fault I actually made out on the bike.

Moral of the story: Salvage bikes usually have a healthy mix of cosmetic and mechanical damage. Sorting out what is superficial and what is substantial can be the key between a bargain and a bust.

So who's got one? Oh Oh me me!!

What kind do you have? 2004 Hayabusa and a YSR50

How long have you been riding, history behind it? 24 years, my Father started me on dirt bikes at age 6 and I'm 30 now. Been riding on the street since I was 16.

One piece of wisdom you would like to pass on to a new rider? Don't get a Busa!! Seriously though start out slow, the day you hurt yourself on a motorcycle is the day you think you have gotten it all under control. Always know that there are so many variables in riding a bike that you don't consider. People will try to race you in ANYTHING no matter what you're driving. Pay them no mind. You will always be the fastest thing on the street and the fastest to get killed.
The one thing I have to pass on is the samething my Father told me when he gave me my first bike. It's not YOUR riding that scares me, it's the other cars that scare me.
Oh and one more thing, some people aren't as ballsy as me but I ALWAYS ride around with marbles in my jacket pocket, my safety isn't a joke...

One more thing, a salvage title bike is fine. Infact I bought a Ninja 600 from a police auction for 1000 bucks that was about 5 years old. No keys, had a guy come out make me a key and after a push start rode it around the block. Don't worry about what it looks like, you're probably going to lay it down anyway. There are 2 kinds of riders, thise who have layed it down and those that are going to lay it down.
Buell Blast is my vote!! They can be had for dirt cheap, and I mean 1200 bucks cheap for one that's 2 years old. The riding position is comfortable and they look pretty cool, plus when you want to upgrade you can go get a chopper frame for it and swap over all the parts!!

Yeah, that's exactly what Sam wants- a bike that looks like a Buell and sounds like a lawnmower. :D


If you're a Japanese schoolgirl.

I would rather be seen on Abe's pink and black tiger-striped homocycle.

Parallel twins sound like sewing machines on their best days. Unless they're 270* cranks, which nothing modern is, their even firing order sounds like a half displacement single at twice the rpms. Not pretty. Otherwise the Kwaks are great bikes.

The little (620, 695, 696, old 750) Ducati Monsters are good first bikes if you have the cheese for one. Personally, I don't have the money to fix an Italian bicycle, much less a street bike.

Harley's suck. Period. An 883 Sportster is slower than your Miata. And it handles like shit. And it leaks. Always. Avoid.

Buell Blasts are SOOOOOOOO slow. I'm all for a new Ninja 250, but a Blast... uh-uh. At least the 250 looks cool...

The moral is that a naked 03-04 SV650 is the correct bike. You can get into one cheap enough that it's disposable, and you will be able to ride it to work for the rest of your life, even after you buy other stuff. That is, unless you are tall enough to be comfortable on a supermoto....

Well I figured since everyone was going for the naked look then the Blast would be fitting. Ninja 250 doesn't look cool at all, it looks like someone trying to hard. I was just giving options a friend of mine had one and he loved it.
Joe you have experience with a Japanese schoolgirl?

I knew a couple of guys that had Buells, though I think they had the Lightning or whatever it is called, not the Blast. They liked theirs a lot.

Not that it matters, but almost no one really races Buells. Hell the AMA had to jerrymander the hell out of the rules just so the Buells could be competitive with the Japanese bikes. They do have aggressive numbers for the frame geometry, and the rim brakes are kinda kewl. I would not get one myself, but to each his own.

Yeah when I mentioned the Duc Monster earlier I was thinking one of the small ones. I am sure though that parts are more expensive than for the SV.

Servicing a Duc isn't cheap but they look cool...

my first bike was a ninja 500 (parallel twin) and it was sweet for like a month or 2. tires are crap, suspension is crap, engine is crap, and they're not as light as people would have you think, in fact it's about the same as my 929. what they are is a cheap ugly bike you get rid of quickly and then get a real bike. I'm also not really sure why everyone is so afraid of a bike with a little power i think they are easier to ride than a 600 that's gutless unless up in the rev range, ride a gear up and it's smooth and powerful but not jumpy enough to get away from you. Besides most of times a new rider goes down is due to inexperience and panic manuever, not so much how powerful the bike is. so my vote is a get something you can afford with a great suspension, tires, brakes....and full coverage. after all that you may go the way many of my friends have and decide after the fad had worn off that they didn't even like bikes.

I have to admit, I like the XB9. I can't explain why, I just do. I know it's not a race bike, I know it's overpriced, and I know it's air-cooled. There's just something about it that prevents me from affording it the animosity which the logical part of my brain knows it deserves.

More than you can possibly imagine.


But getting back on topic, I have to concur with vehicular & co. The SV is the correct bike for this application. If it were me, I'd try to score one of the second gen models ('03+) as, even though I like the curvy looks of the earlier bikes, I just absolutely love the fuel injection system on the later ones. You push the button, it starts, you ride. Every time.

I recon twins be em parallel or V-twins are a personal thing.

For me i prefer a straight 4 or a V4 (or a straight 6 ;)), but that's probably more a case as that's what i'm used to.

Part of the package of a bike for me is a screaming motor, in the past you'd have to juggle the gears to keep the motor on cam or in the powerband, but with modern bikes even my cbr600 pulls away in 4th.


So my advice is just to ride as many and as many different bikes as ya can they're all good (except Harley's ;)).
If you have mates into bikes then usually it's dead easy, you just nick his/her keys and try the bike, if not many of your mates are into bikes though then just visit a few bike shops and make it look like your interested.

Most places are more than happy to let you test ride bikes, and most of the bigger places have demo bikes for the newer models.

Alternatively you can hire bikes out either for the track or road.

Once you've riden a fair few then you'll know exactly the type of bikes you'll like.


I love all types of bikes on-road off-road, street, hypersport, classic Jap, classic Brit etc etc i'm not really loyal to any manufacturer either, i've got Kwaks, Yams, Honda's etc.

But when i bought a bike for everyday use then i bought and would only buy a Honda.
They just seem to use better fasteners and bolt em together fractionally better.

The 2 CBR's i've owned since living here were used daily as they were my only mode of transport, when i owned the FV i used to have to ride off-road for 5 miles every day (airport was being built) a quick bucket of water though and it came up like new every time.
The other bikes i've owned just don't seem to brush off daily use as well as Honda's.



Cheers
Mark

I was heavily considering the 02, cheaper due to the older fuel injection system and I also really like the curvy frame.

I think im gonna shy away from the Buells. They are great looking bikes which are impressive in their own right but I need something with a developed community I can turn to for help when I need it. The SV rider forums are extremely thorough and everyone knows their shit, so that is a big positive.


One of the reasons it would be pretty cool to score a Kawasaki W650.

I have no friends that ride, most are terrified of the idea. The locals that I found on the sportbike.net forums dont like sharing their bikes, overprotective sonsabitches they are.

Theres a place by my house that sells all kinds of bikes, mostly used. Soon as I get my permit converted ill go down there and ask them to ride one. I doubt they would let me with a permit though.

I heard people referring to them as "Italian Hondas". True or False?

99-02 is carbureted only. 03+ has fuel injection. I have a '99 but it has 41mm flatslide carburetors (not stock).

Word. Lots and lots of good information on SVrider.com, street and track. I have not been on there lately but spent a lot of time there when I was researching mods. IIRC my user name there is ZX-Tex also. There are some people that have modified their SVs into some really cool looking bikes. Carbon tanks, one-sided swingarms, crazy stuff. I bought the bearings for my GSXR fork swap from Zoran, who is one of the gurus of SVrider.com. Come to think of it, I got my flatslides from him too. I have all of the parts for the Busa piston swap, just have not done it yet. Already did the int-exh cam swap.

Mentioning all of this because you have already read it, or are about to :)

Right, thats why I am favoring the first gen bikes. It would make the bike cheaper.

But on the flipside, I am also hearing that the first gen bikes have a worse suspension when compared to the second gen and depending on how significant that is it may make sense to stay away.




Oh im way ahead of you then, im trying to figure out if im gonna have to fab a custom manifold for a turbo, or they sell kits. ;)

I would not sweat that at all, especially on the street. The stock forks are a lot better with a 'gold valve' kit when set up properly, but really they are OK as-is unless you are dragging your knee in the corners. I think the second-gen forks are still damping rod anyway, not much difference if any there. For me the GSXR swap was more about the brakes than the suspension. The stock SV brakes are fine, especially with Vesrah pads, but the GSXR brakes are awesome, easier to trail brake into corners for example.

The stock rear shock is probably the worst part. I cannot say how much it sucks because mine had a Fox shock on it when I bought it. But again that should also not be a big deal.

In other words, I would not just get a second-gen just for the suspension. I would be more inclined to get a the second-gen for the FI and the 41mm throttle bodies. The stock suspension is certainly good enough for a beginner. Just make sure the suspension is in good working order. Fresh oil in the forks, no seal leaks, bleed the brakes, good pads, etc.

LOL. Yeah, try fitting a 24x12x3 IC onto an SV. Anyone on SV rider successfully turbo one yet?

Yeah, the guys complaining about the stock suspension on either gen are the ones riding on the track. The issue is that while a lot of the higher-end sportbikes are coming stock with inverted tube forks and fancy valving, the SV ships with a more conventional system. IMO, it's perfectly adequate for the street. Some folks (including my next-door neighbor, who also had a pair of KTMs) will actually swap out the whole front end for one from a higher-end sportbike, but I just don't see the point. Despite all the hype, I never felt the need to so much as change out the valving on my forks. Of course, for me the SV was simply a commuter bike that never saw a track, and I don't much care for scuffing up the knees on my suit either.




Not sure about the SV, but it seems like the bike turbo guys in general aren't real big on intercoolers. Even the high-dollar >500HP kits that BigCC makes for the ZX-14 / Busa are non-intercooled. Example: Big CC Stage 3 Race Turbo System: Hayabusa - Big CC Turbo Systems Turbo Motorcycle and Performance Bike Tuning by Big CC Racing for £10.348, you get complete system with a dyno chart showing 700bhp, and no I/C.

How hard would it be to fit the FI system from the 2nd gen into the 1st gen. Not actually gonna do it, but im curious. I just really really like the rounded frame of the first gen.

Guys on SV Rider dont know anything beyond what a power commander can do. I made a thread asking about tuning bikes, and only one guy chimed in knowing something remotely to what I was asking.

It wouldn't be worth the effort to swap the EFI onto an older bike. Your only real option would be squirting it, and you would do beter for yourself to just buy an 03-04 once you put all that effort into it.

It would ruin an SV to turbocharge it. One of the guys on sv-portal turbo'd a 1000 and it sucked. If you want to go faster, buy a faster bike, don't try to make an SV into something it's not.

Thanks for the warning.

Wanted to pull the trigger on this last night, couldnt do it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...lenotsupported

Yeah do not read too much into my question about turbocharging. I was not saying it was a good idea, just wondering if anyone had tried it yet. Also I agree about swapping the FI system into the carbureted model, it would be a lot of work. The engines are the same, but all of the electronics and harnesses are a lot different. Better off just using the carburetors. The stock carburetors work absolutely fine as long as they are clean and in good condition, even for racing with a little jetting.

Sorry to hear it. Did the doctors give you any sort of estimate as to when your balls might be ready for re-implantation?

I dont have any gear, and I dont have my license.

So how reliable and safe is it to use the various Uship vendors at the same token buying blind?

Not sure I would buy a bike blind. I would want to see it first. I would also want a taillight guarantee ride. I pay the seller for the bike, I ride it around the block, and if all is OK then the sale is done. If not, and I do not damage the bike, then I give it back to the seller and get my money back.

All that being said, if the seller has a good reputation, and the price is good enough to offset shipping costs and hassles, then go for it. I would want to see a lot of pictures first though, and whatever service records the seller has. Though a lot of guys like me DIY their own bike maintenance because it can be expensive, especially at a stealership. So lack of maintenance records is not necessarily a big deal.

Otherwise I would try to find one locally, or within driving distance, at a good price in good condition.

I figured. I was really eying the one I posted up top, but I thought, it could be mint like the guy is making it out to be or it could not. Low mileage doesnt say a hell of a whole lot to me, its a big perk, but if the bike wasnt ridden that can also be deceiving.

Im gonna stick to what I can find locally.

But generally speaking, should bikes be scrutinized as much as cars? more or less?

A hell of a lot more.

There's very few used bikes that haven't been down the road on their side at some stage.
Add to that the fact that most bike parts are usually made to be as light as possible and you can see it can be a recipe for disaster.

I've even seen brand new frames on a jig that were worryingly out of spec.

Check things like foot pegs, handlebar ends, engine casings, under the exhaust can or any other areas that will be a contact point if the bike falls over.

Also check the frame, areas like around the headstock are common places for failure in crashes.
Look at the lock stops, if there's chunks missing chances are it's been in a bad crash.

Also worth checking the seat sub frame, if the bikes been toured then these can also fail.

If the bikes been down the road it's not just the frame that takes abuse, the motor can starve of oil if left to run on it's side.


Motors these days are generally fine, they do take a lot of abuse but that's exactly what they're designed for.

If it's a fairly new bike i'd insist on a FSH from the main dealer.


Generally though it's the frame you really want to spend most the time checking.

Don't be afraid to pop off some panels or even the tank.
On the head stock i find it's better to check it with your hands as well, feel for bumps or distortions.

If it's a aluminium frame then check for small cracks.


Lastly as i said before get a ride on as many bikes as you can that way you'll eventually learn how to spot a shite one.
I'd even go so far to test ride and look at bikes that are considered too expensive for the year/state, that way you get a good info base on the bikes your looking to buy.

Lastly things like the oil quality, both colour and consistency as you rub it between your fingers, chain adjustment (is it near it's limit), sprocket wear (are they hooked), tyre wear (hero blobs still attached?) all give a good indication on how good the owner was to his pride and joy.


Cheers
Mark

Headstock is where the whole steering assembly attaches to the rest of the bike?

Where are the lock stops?

Gas tank can be removed while still filled with gas?

What are "hero blobs"?

Aye headstock is the bit of the frame where the forks attach to.

Lock stops are usually 2 blobs of metal on the side of the headstock.
They are there to stop the handlebars turning to far and hitting the tank.

If the bike goes into a tank slapper then it's these that'll take the abuse.
Also when a bike runs into something usually the handlebars turn so you'll see a damaged lock stop.

Gas tank will depend on the bike.
Bikes with injection are a bit trickier, so it might be easier to get the seller to hold the tank up while you take a look.
For bikes with carbs they usually have a stop tap, so just switch to off and pull the fuel pipe off, they'll be a bit of fuel so it's better done on a cold motor.

Hero blobs are usually the little blobs on the foot peg.
Attachment 204932

But over here they also call them stringy bits of the tyre that are left from the mould hero blobs too.
They look like hairs sticking out on new tyres.

Looking at the tyre you can see how far the bike has been leaned over.
The lower down the tyre the more extreme the riding usually.


Cheers
Mark

Also look for bolts that have been drilled for safety wire. In particular, look at the bolts that hold on the brake calipers, the oil drain bolt, radiator cap, the rear axle bolt and/or axle, and the two bolts on the very bottom of the fork that face forward (axle pinch nuts). If they are drilled for safety wire, the bike has probably been raced sometime in its life. If it has been raced, it is more likely it has been crashed and/or run hard.

SV-650 cranks, apparently more so in the 1st gen motors, can fail. Not sure how often it happens on street bikes, but I had to replace a motor in my race bike after the crank sheared in half between the flywheel/rotor and the cam drive sprocket. It was a classic torsional fatigue failure that initiated at the keyway. It was at Hallett, near the end of a 6 hour endurance race. That was a messed up race. The bike was crashed twice (by my team mates) and then the motor blew up. One of the crashes was an awesome back-flip at the start due to too much throttle combined with a fast clutch release. He broke his foot when the bike fell on him. We gave him shit for that the rest of the season (in good spirit). But I digress...

I had to get another motor (used). It is cheaper to get a used street motor by far than to rebuild an existing motor, just looking at parts costs alone. There is no easy way to check for a failing crank on the motor.

:o

Good point forgot about that Attachment 204931

^ Great points guys, I will be on the look out for all of these.

I also read about the crank failure on the SVrider forum, and it seems to only occur in the most extreme uses.

What about mileage, how much is to much?

On the SVs, both carbed and FI, it's relatively easy.

First, you remove the two little side panels and the front seat. Then you remove two bolts up near the headstock which go in from the top and hold the tank to the frame. After that, the tank just hinges up at the back, and there is a prop rod to hold it up. (The rod is stored in a clip under the seat, though I can't remember if it's under the front seat or the rear seat. Doesn't really matter, as removing the rear seat requires only that you insert the key into a slot in the left side and turn. You'll do this every time you store your helmet on the built-in helmet lock.)

The tool kit which contains all the tools you need to do this is stored in a box just forward of the rear tire above the swingarm, which is opened from the left side.

confirmed, no use of the rear brake on the track today for me, downshifting and braking at the end of the straight alone was enough to get the rear end loose a few times. I need a track bike:vash:. i'm scraping pegs with the feelers removed now

So help me get something straight.

In the last 2 weeks, 2 SV's with less then 1000 miles have sold for $3000 on ebay, and even more historically.
I am scrounging SVrider and Sportbikes.net and people are selling machines with 10k+ miles for 3500+.

Is it safe to lowball these people into the $2000 range because with the market I am seeing, it would be pretty normal.
Whats going on?

Case in point.
http://forum.svrider.com/showthread.php?t=105929
Its in nice, shape and well maintained. But a new bike will cost less. Based on market value, this bike wouldnt be worth at most 3k. Id give him 2500 max.

there is always the option to lowball dude you should nvr pay more for something than you think is right. I would be inclined to throw low offers myself, fwiw bikes are only realy considered high mileage if they are in the 40k+ mile range and even then exceptions apply.

+1 i've never seen a bike's engine fail from high mileage, most are smashed way before that can happen

Still though, it indicates use. A more used machine shouldnt cost more than a less used machine. Unless I dont understand what else plays into price when comparing bike vs bike.

'07 GSXR 1000. Love it, dont ride it that much. Few mods. Very strong bike. On another note, low ball the guy and see if he will take it. If not, he may counter offer and may give you a price you would be happy with. I've done it several times and it worked. Some people want more, but will be happy with what they can get.

Attachment 204880

^ thats a sexy gixxer.

when i get the turbo build paid off im going to buy me a new bike... unless i have my gti paid off enough to trade in. then im elise/exige shopping:D

Thanks. Been thinking of selling it.

Well its the diff between Scots 1.6 miata with 250 whp that he autocrosses competetivly everyweek or the 1.6 with 250 whp that some old guy drove on backraods alil and took trips across the state in a few times a year. Overall motor condition does not go down with use it goes down with abuse. The bike with 9k miles less on it could be someone who had there license pulled for doing 90 mph wheelies and big ass burnouts or couldn't afford to ride do to the lack of tickets. This is just as likely on the higher mileage bike to an extent, but given the mileage it means that this was done in spurts and overall the bike was basically used as transportation. Bottom line unless its a garage find from a old person, then 99% of the bikes out there will have been run into a tree before they fuck the motor and gear box enough to hurt anything. Unless they did something catastrophic like run with no oil etc. Hell would you qualm over a new corvette where one moddle had 30K miles and the other had 5k miles?

how much were you thinking of selling it for? my bike kicked the bucket this afternoon and being a 20yr old bike i dont think its worth fixing up:laugh:

What considered the AK-47 of motorcycles?

Maybe a Honda XR650L? Or an old CBR600F2 or F3? Why? There really isn't a fair comparison. Where a 92 Honda Civic is exactly as indestructible as an AK47 and will run for 100k miles with literally zero maintenance, there really isn't a bike that can simply go utterly unmaintained.

Asking $8500. PM me if interested.

What comes close?

A bike that can be left outside under a cover throughout a winter, in heat, and through rain. Requires very little maintenance other then oil changes, but I dont have to flush the gas tank to store it just let the carb run through the gas when the fuel is off.

A Honda Nighthawk. I personally like the 84-85 700SC Nighthawks.
Should have never sold mine.

A Suzuki SV650 should be pretty bullet proof.

Most bikes need pretty frequent valve adjustments, there are a few models that don't, but I can't remember any off the top of my head beside Harleys.

This is a PITA job except on a Kawasaki 250/500, and should be taken into consideration.

Bike tires last about like full on race tires on a Miata, so be prepared. Maintenance is a lot more frequent on a bike, and a bike should be maintained as well as a plane IMHO. This was one of the things that killed my wife: I ALWAYS needed something for the bike...chain, tires, brakes, valve shims....something.

I knew a guy (through forum)with a Ducati Monster that put over 140Kmiles on an claimed very little maintenance and work. They sell used just a little over SV range, and it is a similar riding style/powerband.

You will want FI however to leave it out in the cold. I actually had the venturis freeze on a carbed bike once which was not fun. This meant ride 8 miles until expansion froze passageways again, stop, let engine heat rise and thaw carb...rinse and repeat. This problem may have been particular to that bike and that day (Kawi 500R, 32* ride from Houston to College Station)....but it was not fun at all.

My Triumph Daytona never gave me as much as a hiccup, but I only rode it 10K miles. My little brother has that many on his new ZX6R, does track days, and rides like an asshat one any strip of asphalt he doesn't see cars on, and his bike stay running in great shape.

It's really hard to go wrong with modern mainstream bikes, but they do require more work to keep them roadworthy. Generally sportier bikes require more frequent work, and it is harder or will cost more.

You're probably not going to like it, but the ak-47 of bikes is the Honda rebel 250. Unchanged for 30ish years, near zero maintanence required.

Wait a minute, you just posted this on a forum that is dedicated to turning 90hp Miatas into something that they are not.:giggle: So, we should just buy a faster car?:fawk: I'm doing it all wrong...

I have no idea how I missed that. Great point none the less.

----------

Frequent valve adjustment? are you serious? How frequent are we talking here?

How long do full on race tires last on a miata, if its at least 10k miles then thats not a problem at all.

How long do brakes last, say you arent driving the bike everywhere like youre at the track? Same for chains?

What about the Buells with the belt drives? More reliable or similar?

Meh, I dont mind. I got nothing to prove. Tbh, I had a great time on the Suzuki GZ250.

Does this apply to the CB400 and CB750 as well or is it especially the 250 thats the reliable one?

What about old boxer engined BMW's?