Buying a HAWK GT or BROS

The BROS only weighs around 180Kg and has a seat height of 1,060 mm. So it should be easy to get your feet down and its very nimble on the move. This is probably why its so popular with couriers and commuters alike.

Length = 2,080 mm
Width = 695 mm
Height = 1,050 mm
Wheelbase = 1,425 mm
Weight = 181 Kg
Seat Height = 1,060 mm
Ground Clearance = 155 mm

There should be a "Product" sticker on the cowling. This indicates the engine size -
Product I = 650cc
Product II = 400cc

The differences between the 400 and the 650 (other than power output) are minimal. The bike is physically exactly the same, just with a sleeved down engine (to reduce the capacity). The carbs are, apparently, the same, just with different jetting for the 400, and the 400 has a larger rear sprocket.

Oh yeah the cubic capacity of the engine is stamped on the right hand side engine/cylinder casing
647cc = 650 and 397cc = 400 ;)

If you remove the seat you should see a sticker that has one of the following codes on it. This will tell you what model it is -
MKI = NT400J, NT400K, NT650J and NT650K.
MKII = NT400L and NT650L.

The differences between models -
MKI = 6 spoke silver 17" wheels. 110 section front tyre.
MKII = 3 spoke gold 18" rear wheel. 120 section front tyre.

The MKII can therefore take a wider rear tyre. There are also some differences in the carburation (the Main and Pilot jet sizes are different). The MKII also appears to have a PGM ignition. This is meant to give a better throttle response.

It is a bit tricky buying a bike and its real easy to get caught out by "shiny bike syndrome" or thinking that if you walk away from this one then another one wont turn up. There's plenty out there and you just need to be patient. Easier said than done I know ;) I tend to be a bit cautious when doing this sort of thing and if doesn't feel right then I walk away.

If you keep an eye on these places and the for sale pages in MCN then you'll get an idea of the market - http://motoring.loot.com/
www.visordown.com
www.wemoto.com
www.biketrader.co.uk
www.ebay.co.uk

Best of luck and if you need any more info then get in touch.

Please see below for some information on BROS buying that I've managed to collate from postings on the HAWK-UK list at www.hawkgt.com. One of the best (FIVE) is a webby that just deals with advice on buying used bikes.

ONE
Don't think there are many gremlins. The 400 is a pretty revvy engine, you should check it for any funny noises (preferably from cold). Most of the other things are related to *old* bikes in general. Check tyres, chain, shock - any of these could be OE and would deffo need replacing by now.
Don't buy off of any gits - gits generally sell crappy bikes.
Make sure you check all the documents. The MOT cert. on mine Mysteriously disappeared between viewing and purchase. :(

TWO
Although I have met one person who's blown one up, that's extremely rare, and they told me the engine was smoking and burning oil. I'd say if this is a private sale look at the owner as much as the bike - if he/she sound like they've looked after it, it should be OK.
Try and check that the mileage is genuine, that the tyres/chain are OK, and that its been recently and regularly serviced, to keep your initial costs down. I would also get them to MOT the bike as part of the sale. You've owned one before, right? Sure you know what to look for! The Achilles heels are: Seized front brake pistons, warped front disc, broken tailpiece lugs (check the ones round the tail light), seized choke cables, cables in general on a 10+ year old bike I guess. A test ride is essential, so take the full asking price in cash.

THREE
These are things that have 'gone wrong' on mine ...
1) Play in head-set bearings (grab handle bars put front brake on then feel for play - might need assistance) Easily fixed if just loose. - MOT failure
2) Seized brake. Squeeze lever hard - release - then lift front wheel off ground try to spin wheel. - MOT failure
3) Cracked front brake rotor - Look for hairline cracks between holes drilled in disc. They are very faint but will be visible on both side of disc. This has happened on 2 of my bikes - high mileage mind. - MOT failure if they are spotted.
4) Defunct rear brake switch (light does not come on when brake peddle pressed - MOT failure.
5) Frayed control cables - check clutch cable
Plus all the obvious, crash damage, knackered chain / tyres, leaking fork seals. Smoky engine etc etc. Be warned many 400's have been used as dispatch bikes and have done mega-miles. Be suspicious if it comes with [used] crash bars / top box.

FOUR
Only other thing I can think of is listen to the engine. Bros engines should be bullet proof, but my 400 developed a nasty knocking noise at by the head of one of the cylinders - turned out the cylinder was hitting the valve. Any bad noises will be pretty obvious, a quiet tapping is probably just loose tappets (not serious), a slightly louder pinging rattle from around the centre base of the engine is probably the camchain (not too serious) according to WEM, but any loud noises may be bad, especially if they're knocks rather than just rattles.

FIVE
This is dedicated to buying used bikes www.clarity.net/~adam/buying-bike.html

SIX
When I was looking I found two of the most common problems were, rust inside the fuel tank - look out for on low mileage bikes as its probably been sat around for a long time with little or no fuel in it. And iffy front forks, either the seals had gone or the damper oil had lost its gooeyness (technical term) so it wallowed round bends.

SEVEN
Has it been couriered ? Were the footpeg rubbers worn and was the plastic cowl at the back scuffed ? Another thing to look for would be to remove the saddle and see if the paint was worn away where the saddle touches the tank.

EIGHT
Be careful buying an unregistered bike it's supposedly not the easiest thing to do.