Bike for sale/help with pricing?

Hey everybody, first post here so I apologize if this isn't kosher. Basically, I'm trying to unload my 82 XS650 because I don't have the time, the know how to restore it properly, and a good friend just had a bad accident so it would be a fight every time I went to get on a bike. That said, I'm woefully unprepared to try and think of a price or a good place to list it.

I bought it about 10 years ago and unfortunately it's been a garage static display for the majority of that time and currently doesn't run. There are minor cosmetic tweaks, it's in some state of disassembly, and there are a few dings and fixes but I imagine with some love and knowledge, she'd be great. I'll attach some pictures; I have more but don't want to bog the post down yet and I'll try to answer any questions that might help someone help me.

If there is a better place to ask something like this, apologies again, but I'd appreciate a point in the right direction. Thanks for any help.

I paid $750 for a 81 that was in worst shape then this one. I would ask $850 and go from there. Where are you located? You also should add this to the sell section.

A title can be a big deal in the price........

tim

In Georgia all you can get is a bill of sale. If you register with a title you do not get one back. I tried on my XS11 and could not get a title. All you need to register a bike older than 1985 is a bill of sale.

You may be all set in GA but not in MA......................

tim

Your bike appears to be a 1981 XS650G, or Special II. Depending upon title requirements in your state, have a title may affect the value a great deal.

BowlingSS said:

In Georgia all you can get is a bill of sale. If you register with a title you do not get one back.

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That was never my experience. True, you will get no title if you don't have one. The XS1100 I'm riding came with a Nebraska title. Georgia transferred it to a GA title. Now, it has a Mississippi title. It's always been my experience that they will transfer a title to your name in Georgia.

If this was me looking at the bike
I would ask myself why the carburetors are off
Looking after dings .If the pipes are good a +
Looking at the odometer if I would believe the mileage -perhaps via service documentation and assessing that this is a runner with no need to split the engine it is one price --the mileage makes a difference to me the rest is not so important.
If it needs work it is worth much less ..perhaps a deal breaker
I would look at the paper work I have walked away once when the paperwork showed a Dealer in Manchester UK registered on a Motorcycle in Sweden.
I don't know the prices in US but a runner that can be started and don't have mechanical large problems Rattle and Smoke.
I Would assess is 2 - 3 - 4 times more worth.
Which could make it worthwhile put the carburetors in before Sale.

Thanks for the replies. To try and answer some questions...

Located in Columbus, Ohio, if any locals are interested all the better. I do have a clean title in hand. Marty, you're absolutely right that it is a 1981 Special II, I must have fat fingered it in the original post.

Jan_P the reason the carbs are off is a bit embarrassing. In the excitement of trying to get the cafe bike I always wanted, I started taking components off like the air filter and wanted to replace that with stacks to have that clean look. Fast forward to the bike shutting off when trying to give gas so I assume the air/gas mixture is off and I take the carbs off to clean and to have them jetted or balanced or whatever else. That's about the time that I realized I don't know jack about carbs and that I don't have as much time as I hoped to do this correctly. So the carbs are clean and off but I didn't assume to put them back on with them still needing work. Up until my meddling and then sitting in a garage for years, it ran well. I haven't tampered with the odometer but I'm also not sure how to prove that, so I assume the mileage of 15,000 and change is correct. I attached some more pictures of the carbs too.

Also, here are the rest of the pictures I took originally. Maybe they give some more insight into things like Jan_P would be looking into. Aside from the dings and paint irregularities I tried to point out in the first post, I think it's a fairly clean and solid bike but maybe I'm biased. Thanks again for the help and I appreciate the discussion.

BowlingSS said:

I paid $750 for a 81 that was in worst shape then this one. I would ask $850 and go from there. Where are you located? You also should add this to the sell section.

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I agree. With title, this is a good project bike. I would expect you should be able to fetch over $500. $850 should attract some interest.

Up to $300 for a titled frame alone.......high side.

I'd say it depends on what 650's are selling for in your area. People ask and get more in some parts of the country as opposed to others. In my area, I'd have to say a non-running mostly complete project bike like that would probably be about a $500 bike. It looks to be missing a couple of "big ticket" items (tach and front fender). That could cost the new owner as much as a couple hundred dollars to replace. And it looks like it still needs just about everything gone through (suspension, brakes, wiring).

I agree with 5T's assessment. It's a project. I'd put $500 on it, and they all would try to talk you down. Settle on $425 and feel OK putting your head on the pillow that night.

I agree with $500. These bikes don’t go for much in our region. Sell it in Cali.....haha!

XS650`s are way cheaper here in the plains states but I agree a titled frame is a easy $300.