Abuse

[gforcecats1]

Hi, I’m new on here but after reading some past threads feel I’d like to tell you about my abused 2003 AN 400.
I bought my bike after using a 125 skipper bike for work for 3 yrs and felt I needed just a little more power to blast cars off from the lights but was struggling to find something in my price range until I discovered a old mill in todmorden selling damaged repairables.
Me and the wife went over one Saturday morning and straight away I fancied the burger, it had been dropped on the left side damaging the leg guard and the panel underneath over the side stand plus a couple of other marks and bent handlebars, I asked if I could take it there and then and they said yes so they fitted a new battery and off I went ( no insurance or tax oops)
I spent the next 2 weeks filling and spraying the leg guard and bought a new bottom panel that came ready painted and also put the handlebars in a vice to straighten them, total spent £240 I then had 3 yr old bike with 12000miles on it.
As you might guess Iv had it 17 yrs now and it’s still my preferred choice of travel rain hail or snow even though the wife bought me a car as she thinks I’m getting too old for freezing weather , must admit I don’t go to work on it if it’s snowed or icy anymore but I used too and I start work at 4am, I go for trips up the dales or to car boots with the wife on the back or York if it’s a nice evening after work or on a weekend.
Now my confession, I do change the oil twice a year and the filter once plus tyres and brake pads when required but that’s it , it’s got 54k miles on it and it’s still on the same drive belt, gear oil , brake fluid, engine coolant , iv never touched the valve clearances infact it’s the original spark plug, it’s not something I’m proud of but it just goes to show how resilient these engines are and how well they hold up to abuse.
I did have just 1 major problem about 9 yrs ago when it packed up on the way home from work and it was off the road for around 4 months as I tried to fathom out what was wrong, the fault codes said coil so I replaced that then it was a ignition fault then injector fault but I finally found out it was a strange brass wire connector In the wiring loom on the near side down by the hole in the bottom fairing that was corroded.
Iv not really done many modifications to it but the best thing Iv ever bought was a taller givi screen , iv also always had a top box so when we go off it’s not a problem locking up our helmets and coats.
In all this time Iv never ever dropped it but I bought a BMW r1200 18 months ago and have dropped it 3 times so that had to go plus the wife was scared of it. Sorry to drag on but if your on this forum and you own a burger then hopefully yours is as much fun and as reliable as mine it also went straight through its MOT last Thursday with the same 2 advisories as last year, rusting frame and slight rear brake binding.
Hope I can be of help to anyone who will listen and has questions plus I bought another written off burger (same year , same damage) around 11 yrs ago for parts but Iv only swapped the brake callipers so I might have spare for someone, it was from Italy, , yes strange someone would import a written off bike but Iv all the paperwork but hey ho , many thanks and take care out there

[dogwheel]

Excellent!

[knight2]

Brilliant, I've been to that place a couple of times a few years ago but never bought anything. I Wondered if they were worth buying, it seems they are well done. I don't know if they are still there.,

[Rocketman122]

hey, welcome.

I appreciate those who wrench on their own bikes. the frequent "I bought a new phone holder/accesory" can be boring at times.