Alright, let’s talk about that 2015 Yamaha YZF I picked up a while back. It wasn’t brand new, obviously, found it listed online by some guy moving out of state. Looked decent in the pictures, you know how that goes.
So, I went over to check it out. First thing, walked around it. Looked for any big dings or scratches, frame damage, that kind of stuff. Seemed okay, mostly just normal wear for a bike a few years old. The guy started it up for me. It fired up alright, sounded pretty clean, no weird noises coming from the engine right away.
Getting Hands Dirty
Got it back to my garage. Before really riding it, I always like to give things a once-over myself. Can’t just trust the last owner completely, right?
- Oil Change: First job. Drained the old stuff, looked a bit dark but no metal bits, thankfully. Popped on a new filter, filled it up with fresh oil. Simple stuff, but gotta do it.
- Chain Check: Looked at the chain and sprockets. Chain was a bit loose, dirty too. Got out the cleaner and brush, scrubbed it down real good. Then lubed it up properly and adjusted the tension. Makes a world of difference.
- Tires and Brakes: Checked the tire pressure, pumped them up to spec. Tread looked okay, enough life left for a while. Gave the brake pads a look, front and rear. Still had some meat on them. Checked the fluid levels, topped off the brake fluid just a tiny bit.
- Basic Controls: Went over the clutch lever feel, throttle response. Everything seemed smooth enough. Checked all the lights – headlight, taillight, blinkers. All working.
First Real Ride
After tinkering in the garage, felt better about taking it out properly. Fired it up again. Let it warm up a bit. Felt good just sitting on it, controls felt right where they should be. Took it easy at first, just around the neighborhood. Got a feel for the clutch, the brakes, how it handled at low speed.
Then, hit some open roads. Man, that thing wants to go. Even being a few years old, the engine felt strong, pulled nicely through the gears. Handling was sharp, felt really planted in the corners. It’s definitely a sportbike, makes you lean forward, but it wasn’t crazy uncomfortable for the hour or so I was out. The sound is pretty sweet too once you get the revs up a bit.
Overall thoughts? Pretty happy with it so far. Took a bit of basic garage time, but nothing major was wrong. It’s a solid bike, does exactly what it’s supposed to do – be a fun, sharp-handling sportbike. Still got plenty of miles left in it, I reckon. Just gotta keep up with the basic maintenance, treat it right. Looking forward to getting more seat time on this one.
