Should I sell while I'm ahead?

[JAMES35]

I bought my WR426F new in February 2002 and changed bars,tank,seat,

timing,jetting,pipe....and added lots of accs( billet and carbon fiber). I have about 7500 hundred bucks invested in this great running, great looking bike.

I've put on at least 4500-5500 miles (75% hard-25%riding with kids)

on this machine with most of the miles pounding endless whoop roads

and washes. It has never overheated, died, caused me any problems,

or left me stranded once in three plus years. And to top it off...the bike has

never been stressed by a really hard crash!! (knock on wood)

I recently changed the oil and had a 3-4mm piece of metal on the

magnetic drain plug and the valves have been adjusted once. I've ridden

the bike twice since the oil change with no apparent problems.My question being.....Should I consider selling my bike for market value(2800-3800 bucks)

and buying a new one, or keep changing the oil regularly and ride the 426

until it blows apart? I LOVE my bike to death....it's part of me...there isn't

anything that ever suprises me on the trails that I can't handle with this machine. What should I do?

Thanks for your replies

James

[BrandonW]

Wr's are the new "XR" in terms of reliability.

They really are a long-lasting bike. I'd say to keep your oil changes regular, and keep riding that bike that you love so much.

Based upon what you wrote, you are as happy with this bike as a person can be. Keep it!

?

[Oasis_Flame]

That bike still has another 5000 miles in it, ride. ?

[moach1]

why get rid of a good thing? keep it!!!

[carcass]

There's no reason to sell a bike you love because it's "old", or someone else says something else out there is better. Ride until it dies.

[Texas4play]

Keep it

[JAMES35]

Thanks for the replies! I knew this in my "gut"...but it doesn't hurt to ask

opinions. Another reason I was considering selling .....I've finally justified

the cost to take the suspension to Precision Concepts and get that customized valving I always wanted. I'm also going to add a HID from

Baja Designs for the night rides. I had reservations about adding more money

to the bike. Thanks again for your honest replies...

God I love this sport

James

[mountainriderWR400F]

I think you should keep it. You know the bike and love it should last a long time.

I would just change the oil all the time and keep an eye on it. Sounds like you have had a lot of fun on it.

Ride on ?

[RCannon]

I still ride my 98 for the same reason. Look at it like this. The switch is going to cost you 3000 or so. Imagine spending 3000 on your bike. You could darn near buy works suspension.

The 3k will be lost as soon as the new bike gets 1 year old. If you buy hop-up stuff for your 426 you can always remove the trick parts and ebay them. At least you'll get some of your money back.

Besides, you like the bike.

I wish I had the money to lost 3k per year on a new bike, but I am too cheap to do so.

[firestarter]

There's no reason to sell a bike you love because it's "old", or someone else says something else out there is better. Ride until it dies.

Wrong!! sell it now that you can,,, thats my 02 cents.

[xcracer123]

Keep it!!!

[kirkw]

Keep it! If you have it dialed in the way you like it, it runs as good as you say and has never let you down, why change???

[FakeRacing]

No, you should always wait until you are behind to sell - LOL

[Narrdo]

Ride it like you stole it...

[Dirtmizer]

Keep it, save some green and wait for the aluminum frame, or the next greatest thing to surface.

[jonnytmoto]

Keep it..but be aware that if and when she blows it will cost the price of the bike. almost. it happened to my 98 yz400...many many hours all with oil changes by the book. lower rod bearing went, so ended up with new bottom end and re nicasil cylinder. $1300cdn and thankfully at time i worked at bike shop...I did it and rode bike for 1 more year then traded ol girl in...same as you put tonnes of after market goodies into it too. So it is a gamble...

[drewpeacock]

I would think a 3 to 4mm piece of metal from your motor is a bad omen of whats to come...

[new04450]

I hate it when I sell something I love, I say keep it, the money you save will keep that bike running and feeling just fine

[darmino]

This also happened to me. I found a small piece of metal on my magnetic drain plug while changing the oil (3mm + or -) I didn't do anything about it until 3 months later when I found another chip a little smaller. So I split the case and found what some people on this site had predicted , they were chips from the fifth gear dog, I guess this sometimes happens after a lot of hard miles ( my happened after about 9000 hard miles ) even if you don't use 5th gear that much. With that said it would have probably lasted another 4000 miles before 5th and 3rd needed to be replaced ( if you ever get into the transmission you will see why you have to replace 5th and 3rd gear) You see the magnetic drain plugs pick up every metal chip in the oil. If you didn't have one, you would never had seen the chip and would not be considering selling the best bike in the world. I think that I was premature in splitting the case. If it were to happen again I would just keep looking closely at my drain plug until I got 4 or 5 3mm chips and then split the case.