Buying an incomplete project bike? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Buying an incomplete project bike?

mimico_polak

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Hey all,
ive recently found a bike I like and the pricing is just passed my level of comfort so have held off....however, found a bike that's currently in project phase where a guy states he is rebuilding it and all the parts are there...

what should I look for to make sure everything is there?
if it all is there how much off a complete bike should I aim to be at? It's about 50% lower than a complete bike right now as his asking price.

ive never done anything this ambitious and I assume it would take me about a year or so going slow as I'm leaving in 2 weeks to the remote job. Id probably need some tools additionally and also would Ned a service manual to get bolt specs and all hat fun stuff.

thoughts?
 
Unless it's a 1953 Indian or something equally unique, a basket case bike is worth about 10 cents on the dollar.
There is usually a very bad reason that a motorcycle was completely disassembled and left that way, if you need a basket of parts buy it. If you want a complete motorcycle :/ buy one that is fully assembled if not at least running because then it is in a state where you can assess what is required.

project phase lol nobody ever posts pics of their basket case but they might show you how it looked when it was new.
 
I was told once by someone who should know that a clean title, frame and crankcases is worth about $300 strictly as scrap value.
A complete, rolling, repairable motorcycle is around $700 at minimum.
Your results and opinions (of course) may vary...
 
A project can be a lot of fun and very rewarding, but remember a few ground rules:

1) It's never "all there". They might say that they have everything you need to reassemble it and have it running, but they don't. There is always something missing. Maybe it's just a few odd parts, a bit of the wiring harness, whatever. The point is expect to have to shell out for some amount of parts.

2) Just because it's "all there" doesn't mean it's all usable. Lots of times there are parts included that are simply not in usable condition. A carb that is all gunked up inside and needs rebuilding, a stator that is pooched, a wiring harness with a bunch of shorts in it, a gas tank that needs to be re-lined or parts that need to be rechromed or painted, the list can go on. Expect to have to replace some of the parts included in the package.

3) However long you think it is going to take you to put the bike together and get it running, double it.

4) However much you think it is going to cost to get it finished and running, double it.

I'm sure there are more great plums of wisdom that others can share as well. And this is in no way me trying to convince you not to do it. If it's something you want to do and will enjoy, great! Just be sure you're going into it with your eyes open and are willing to put the time and money into the project to actually complete it. Kijiji is chocked full of "half finished" and "almost finished" project bikes that guys bought not fully understanding what they were getting into and didn't have the commitment to finish.

Good luck and share the experience here if you do buy something to rebuild!
 
Have a look at my signature, there are 2 Blogs, and each bike I did, one was in better shape, the Suzuki, as that one I owned, the Yamaha, well I purchased 2 of them to make one, but did not need to use the other, so I sold it and just rebuilt the other.

Have fun....

Here I'll throw the links right in the post

1983 Suzuki GS750E - Blog - http://gs750e.blogspot.ca/

1985 Yamaha FZ750 - Blog - http://yamaha-fz750.blogspot.ca/

.
 
A friend found a bike in his neighbour's garbage a couple of decades ago.

He's had the bike for a long time now, but it cost him more than the bike is worth to get it into a decent state.
 
A project can be a lot of fun and very rewarding, but remember a few ground rules:

1) It's never "all there". They might say that they have everything you need to reassemble it and have it running, but they don't. There is always something missing. Maybe it's just a few odd parts, a bit of the wiring harness, whatever. The point is expect to have to shell out for some amount of parts.

2) Just because it's "all there" doesn't mean it's all usable. Lots of times there are parts included that are simply not in usable condition. A carb that is all gunked up inside and needs rebuilding, a stator that is pooched, a wiring harness with a bunch of shorts in it, a gas tank that needs to be re-lined or parts that need to be rechromed or painted, the list can go on. Expect to have to replace some of the parts included in the package.

3) However long you think it is going to take you to put the bike together and get it running, double it.

4) However much you think it is going to cost to get it finished and running, double it.

I'm sure there are more great plums of wisdom that others can share as well. And this is in no way me trying to convince you not to do it. If it's something you want to do and will enjoy, great! Just be sure you're going into it with your eyes open and are willing to put the time and money into the project to actually complete it. Kijiji is chocked full of "half finished" and "almost finished" project bikes that guys bought not fully understanding what they were getting into and didn't have the commitment to finish.

Good luck and share the experience here if you do buy something to rebuild!

Read this at least 10 times until it's memorized and internalized.

If the engine has been disassembled re-read the above while poking yourself with a sharpened stick. In such cases it's NEVER "all there", and what is there is not labelled nor stored/packed properly.


At the same time, it's all about your comfort level and what you want. You don't buy a project because you want to ride it anytime soon, but because you want to do it. Disassembled engines are beyond my skill (and will) level right now but chassis stuff or anything outside the engine is OK.

I bought a Norton Commando 2 years ago. It was fully assembled, looked good from 10 feet and started on the second kick (after some new seals and cleaned carbs). I've ridden it up and down the dead end road adjacent to the farm, but have been repairing/replacing stuff since I bought it. It's spent the last 2 years on and off the lift as I (leisurely) work on it, and I'm loving every second of it.


As long as you go into the project with your eyes open and a reasonable understanding of your abilities, monetary and time limitations, and reasonable expectations it could be a fun experience. After all this is supposed to be fun.
 
You buy a project bike because you want a project not because you want to save money on a bike. I suspect 99.9% of project bikes will cost you more to get on the road (even when you value your time at $0) than buying a runner.
 
How far apart is it?

How well are the parts organized and labelled?

Normal practice is to keep the parts for major subassemblies together with all of the relevant screws, washers, nuts and the like in labelled ziploc bags.

If the whole lot has been tossed into a big tote all mixed up, good luck. Figure on parts being missing or no good. Depending on what the bike is, replacement parts could be expensive or unobtainable. It's worth somewhere between scrap value and some fraction of the value of the known-good parts.

Don't forget that just because you have a crankshaft and a set of connecting rods in a box, doesn't mean the journals are (a) round, and (b) within specs, and (c) straight. If the engine came apart because someone spun a rod bearing, it needs a new crank and rods. If you don't know why the engine came apart ... ! ! ! You will have to inspect and measure EVERYthing ...

Here's mine ... but I started with a running bike and a known list of things that needed to be fixed: http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?178050-FZR400-winter-overhaul
 
There are countless unfinished projects out there.

Most began with the best intentions.

Unless you can assess what there is and know the true amount of work involved to see the project through, get the idea out of your head. You’ll be passing along the project to someone else. Incomplete, more money spent and very little to show for it.

You want something to do. Keep you busy. Not cost you a lot. Get a bike that doesn’t need work and ride. Maybe tinker with it during the off season etc.

We’ve all seen the countless complete bike builds that are for sale. Looking to hopeful get back what they put into it. Minus the labour etc. And it’s a rare day it ever happens.

It’s your money. Your time. Do what you wish. But don’t fool yourself that taking on a project won’t cost you much and it will be fun to just make yourself a run about. You’ll source some part. You’ll get a price. You’ll either hide the cost from your wife or go on a mission to find it for less. Can’t find it. Get discouraged. Let it sit. Then post it for sale.

Don’t ask me how I know.

My opinion is not gospel. It’s just one person’s experience. Many go down the path and have a great time doing it.

They either have a lot more money than I do or they don’t have kids at home any more and need something to do to avoid driving their spouse nuts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Actually, all you need to do is go through the "project tutorials" subsection of "technical" on these very forums. Take a look at how many projects are actually seen through to completion. There are some. They're outnumbered by the threads left hanging. Now, yes, in some cases the bike might actually have been finished but not documented ... but plenty of them are abandoned.
 
Take heart... some projects get finished.
I have recently completed a '72 Triumph Tiger, a Ducati 900SS, a '64 Ducati Mach1, a '79 GS1000, a TZ350G and a '89 RZ.
On the go I have a '78 Guzzi T3, a '70 Norton Commando and a '73 Ducati GT750 (The GT750 has been on going since 2005).

I have been collecting parts for these bikes most of my life.
I have a house FULL of parts and tools. Everyone I know that plays with old bikes has a house/garage/shop full of parts and tools.

I do bikes that I am interested in, I don't really care about resale value cuz once you factor in time and money, these things are LOSERS. (A buddy of mine converted a Ducati GT750 into a Imola. The thing is PERFECT, truly a work of art. At $5/hr he needs about $100,000 out of it)(He might get it).
There is money to be made on some stuff, but not much. even two stroke Yamaha twins (which have been selling for STUPID high prices) has settled down recently. There will always be a market for rare stuff, but nobody really wants a restored '84 K Car.

So I'll tell ya if you're looking at a bike that you WANT, go for it.
... anyone have a set of scavenge gears for a Norton oil pump?

Or: I have this real nice 1956 Norton Dommi 99 that I can sell you and we'll just tell everyone you restored it.
 
best reason I can think to do this
is that in the end you have something special
like the bikes @bitzz mentions
but of course specialness is subjective
who knows? maybe back in the day you wanted and could not afford a 450 Nighthawk
so for you, that might make sense to do a $5,000 restoration

as mentioned, it's very unlikely you'll save any $$

and I like Brian's advice about parts sorting
a few milk crates full of stuff makes it very difficult to tell what's there

unfortunately it looks like anyone that does take the time to sort and organize
also has the discipline to finish
the cheap ones are usually a disorganized mess
 
Seen a couple of projects that turned nightmare because the person that started it decided to remove frame brackets and tabs to lighten things up.Or modify steering head angle,yikes!Takes a trained eye to spot stuff like that.Cut...grind..paint..sell.Saw a ducati sbk motor that was bought from Australia cheap.New owner didn't check anything before putting it a chassis and on the dyno.BOOM.Wasn't a single bit of it bigger than your fist.All because of a bent exhaust valve.
 
In a moment of weakness I bought this “73 CB350 project” about 15 years ago already disassembled:

b360914784158a5edc78ce9649cc964e.jpg


It still sits in pieces and will more than likely be sold or parted out...someday.

As stated above, don’t buy someone else’s problems unless it’s something close to complete like this one was:
cfb2b55496f74c839267f8a13d5c1eb4.jpg


Which one would you be more motivated to work on ???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
So what you are saying is....you are going to dump a pile of motorcycle parts in your garage that your wife will trip over for months while you are gone. Then you will come back for a week or two, spread it all out to look at, then leave again for months, leaving her to trip over it more.

Is that about right?
 
What style of project bike are you looking for ? 2011 CBR250R plus parts bike or a nice 1980 Yamaha SR250 plus parts bike. Loosing the heated work storage space need to move some porjects along

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So what you are saying is....you are going to dump a pile of motorcycle parts in your garage that your wife will trip over for months while you are gone. Then you will come back for a week or two, spread it all out to look at, then leave again for months, leaving her to trip over it more.

Is that about right?

LoL That's about right if you put it like that....good point of view.

Thanks guys for the input, it's definitely gotten me something to think about. I can buy the complete bike anywhere from 4-4.5k and this guy's asking 2k for the bike in pieces...not sure it's worth it, especially since his email to me is 'let me go find all the parts and put it together if you're coming' ... especially after all your comments that's def put up a red flag!

Thank you again.
 

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