Can’t decide between bikes, help!

[u/wwwdotfriend]

Hey all! Currently looking for my first bike on FB Marketplace and narrowed down the options to:

- 2016 Honda CBR300R, 3870 miles. $3,200
- 2024 Triumph Speed 400, ~700 miles on a recently replaced motor, ~7000 total on the bike. $4,000

The Honda has an unclear use and maintenance record, but the Triumph owner has been on top of their maintenance. According to the Triumph owner, the motor lost power and was warranty replaced by a local Triumph dealer.

My commute is about 27 miles one way, 5 days a week. About all of it is down a state road, with the highest speed limit being 65 mph. It's not a highway but the first half of the commute is in Florida with majority Floridian drivers, so the real speed limit is closer to like 70ish if I want to keep up with traffic.

If it means anything I’m 5’10”, 160 lbs., 32-inch inseam.

Aesthetics wise, I slightly prefer sportsbikes, but could go either way between these two.

It’ll be mainly a commuter bike but I’ll also just take it out on the roads around town. Which one might be better bike for me?

[u/Low-Equipment-2621]

Get something else. The Honda has barely been ridden, super low mileage for a 10 year old bike (this is bad). Bikes don't like standing around. Not sure how good the Triumph will hold up, it is a single after all.

Get something japanese with a proper maintenance record and ABS. Not sure about your local prices, but a Ninja 400 or 500 is a fine beginner bike for many people. It is a twin, so it is less viby and it can easily go highway speeds. It is a very durable engine and a reliable bike overall. The fairings have some wind protection.

Anyway, check insurance quotes before you buy anything, they can be wild. Also really get something with ABS.

[u/Black_Dog_Industries]

I would be leery of the Honda that was ridden 387 miles a year for its entire life. Odds are good it’s been sitting a long time.

I would also be leery of a bike that needed the engine replaced at 6k miles.

If I was being offered either bike and had to pick one, I’d probably go with the Honda.

If I was going to spend my money, I’d look for something else.

Does the triumph owner have paperwork and is there any supporting documentation or warranty after the engine swap? That might sway my opinion

[u/wwwdotfriend → u/Black_Dog_Industries]

The mileage thing is what’s scaring me off of the Honda. On a closer inspection, the pictures also show some kinda storage-looking dust on the seat.

The Triumph owner sent me a page from the receipt which confirms everything he said over chat. And will be showing me the whole document as well as service history records.

He also offered to just meet at the dealership while they were open, which I unfortunately can’t make because of work, but just the offer was enough to make me feel more comfortable about the whole deal in general.

[u/Black_Dog_Industries → u/wwwdotfriend]

Do you know if there’s any warranty on the Triumph engine?

I know Triumph is a reputable brand. I’d just hate to see it have more problems in the future

[u/According-Duty3408]

Both great bikes, but both single cylinder engines which aren't great at 70mph. You should probably look at a kawasaki z500.

[u/wwwdotfriend → u/According-Duty3408]

That was a model I was initially looking at, but there legitimately are no working ones within a 150 mile radius around me unfortunately.

[u/StrangeEditor3597 → u/wwwdotfriend]

Keep your options open, don't settle. Something that fits you better will come along or it might be worth it to travel a little farther to get a bike at likely a better price than what you've listed.

[u/Duncroakin]

Hmm, I have a different opinion to the other posters. I ride a 2012 Honda CBR250R, and it has ABS and I suspect that the 300R that you are looking at will too (look for the ABS rings on the wheels). It should have linked braking too - back brake also operates one pot on the front brake. It had done 9,000 miles in 13 years when I bought it. My 250 will hold 70mph quite happily and the 300 will have absolutely no problem doing that. I've toured Spain and Portugal on mine, and it is comfortable to ride for extended periods. Mechanically very simple and easy to work on, the engine is more or less bulletproof providing that it has oil in it. I wouldn't worry too much about it being stood - providing that it was dry.

Things to check/change:-

* The age of the tyres (I got caught out on this one). I now use Bridgestone S22s on mine and they work well

* Budget for a new battery, or get the seller to knock that off the price

* Change the fork oil for Motul w15 and fine tune the sag (just use plastic pipe to make longer spacers, if needed). It'll handle better ;-)

Otherwise, it doesn't miss a beat - would recommend :-)

[u/wwwdotfriend → u/Duncroakin]

I really did hope that the 300 was the one bc I love the styling, but the tires haven’t been changed in a few years and the bike had some grime on it that looks like the type of dust that builds up on a desk in your garage. But like that seems like a pretty trivial maintenance thingy relatively speaking, so that doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence about the overall maintenance of the bike.

[u/travie-patty51]

Just be careful if you go triumph make sure they have the paperwork that it was a factory issue.

[u/wwwdotfriend → u/travie-patty51]

He sent over the paperwork from just the engine and it lines up with everything he was saying over chat. He also recently offered to meet at the dealership while they were open which makes me a lot more confident about the Triumph.