resto project bike

Skid · August 1st, 2012, 06:45 PM

Is this worth buying? How much work to get it running again?

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst...167954846.html

I have a friend who also wants a small bike like our ninjette and asking me for advice lol.

dirty nasty · August 1st, 2012, 06:55 PM

I bought mine for $150 cheaper than what the seller in the ad your found is asking, 12k fewer miles, 6 years newer, less freshening up needed, and all it needed too was a battery and carb cleaning.

I say no. I'd show up with $300 if I were going to buy it, and that's a huge stretch. I'd look for a better deal.

Unless it's going to be a track bike. Then show up with $300 and be all over it.

Cleaning the carbs and getting a battery to make the engine run is easy. It's the rest of the bike that will be problematic. Tires, brakes, fork seals, brake lines, rubber pieces, old cables, rust, corrosion, electrical pieces, plastic pieces. EVERYTHING will need going over on a bike that looks like that before you could get me on it. I've rode and owned bikes that look like that and they're death traps without going through them completely. It is a lot of time and work and money. I know, I gave up on my last project because of it! I didn't take kindly to the rear wheel locking up at 100 MPH because it was an old, un-maintained pile of crap. After that I took it off the road to completely go through it and the costs were getting out of control. I sold it off as parts, then whatever was left I sold as a package. Looking back at it, the financial loss on my part was really, really high. However, I learned something I wasn't going to learn anywhere else. Don't buy an old pile of junk because it seems like a good deal!

You can always find a better deal. Always. I'm not saying obsessively search for the next best thing all the time, but you gotta know when to hold or fold. I'd hold on this bike.

August 1st, 2012, 06:45 PM	#1
Skid troll bait Name: Brian Location: Marina Del Rey, CA Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2006 Ninja 250EF Posts: 72	resto project bike Is this worth buying? How much work to get it running again? http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst...167954846.html I have a friend who also wants a small bike like our ninjette and asking me for advice lol.

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August 1st, 2012, 06:55 PM	#2
dirty nasty ninjette.org sage Name: Karl Location: MA Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2000 Kwak Ninja 250 and 1998 Yamaha YZ400F Posts: 534	I bought mine for $150 cheaper than what the seller in the ad your found is asking, 12k fewer miles, 6 years newer, less freshening up needed, and all it needed too was a battery and carb cleaning. I say no. I'd show up with $300 if I were going to buy it, and that's a huge stretch. I'd look for a better deal. Unless it's going to be a track bike. Then show up with $300 and be all over it. Cleaning the carbs and getting a battery to make the engine run is easy. It's the rest of the bike that will be problematic. Tires, brakes, fork seals, brake lines, rubber pieces, old cables, rust, corrosion, electrical pieces, plastic pieces. EVERYTHING will need going over on a bike that looks like that before you could get me on it. I've rode and owned bikes that look like that and they're death traps without going through them completely. It is a lot of time and work and money. I know, I gave up on my last project because of it! I didn't take kindly to the rear wheel locking up at 100 MPH because it was an old, un-maintained pile of crap. After that I took it off the road to completely go through it and the costs were getting out of control. I sold it off as parts, then whatever was left I sold as a package. Looking back at it, the financial loss on my part was really, really high. However, I learned something I wasn't going to learn anywhere else. Don't buy an old pile of junk because it seems like a good deal! You can always find a better deal. Always. I'm not saying obsessively search for the next best thing all the time, but you gotta know when to hold or fold. I'd hold on this bike.