how much should one pay for a basket case?

[cruzin]

I responded to a craigs list add. A guy who had a nice looking engine and a chopped up frame the start of a chopper. No title.He was asking 350 for it. A couple days later he emailed me and dropped the price to 250. Is that a good price for basic engine and cut up frame? Looking for advice here. What does a complete used motor go for? It looked clean in the picture. thanks

 

[torider]

Just be sure with the engines condition and health before doing any purchase.

 

[peanut]

$250 !

feck me are you serious ?

...a set of gaskets, bearings, and oil seals would cost that much in the UK !

I'm relocating

 

[Uncle Bryan]

I lurked here for over a year before I joined and it was over a year before I found my XS. Honestly, Buddy, that $250 basket case is never going to be anything other then your $250.00 basket case.
Wait it out and buy a bike that's titled and ready to build the way you want it to be.
Just my .02 cents.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Here's a long story:

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34318
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34409

 

[nozila]

Yeah I wish engine here in Australia was $200. I seriously dont know get why it cost so much here. My basketcase cost me $2k.

 

[cruzin]

Its only about 45 miles from here and 30 miles from where Im going to be working today. I swapped an old snowmobile a couple months ago for a complete basket case plus a 2nd frame to find out the engine has way low compression. Ill take my compression tester today.
Sorry for all the very high prices abroad. what a bummer.

 

[nozila]

Not your fault mate. Such is life.

 

[cryingnines]

I'd get that motor for $250. If your dead set on an xs650, having a parts engine is never a bad thing.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi cruzin,
go for it! The frame neck alone is worth $250 if it has a title.
And don't sweat it's low compression if the engine you already have ain't been run for a while.
Sometimes just running them 100 miles or so will bring the numbers up again.

 

[weekendrider]

Fred he said no title.
The last two motors I've found were $25 and $40.
The most recent 2 months ago.
Make a lower offer on the fact you can't hear it run.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi 'rider,
yeah, sez "no title" in the first post. So much for my speed reading skills, eh?
We've heard the folk from the UK and Australia whining about their high prices while in S.W.MO motors can be got for $25 and $40 but is $250 too much to pay in Michigan?

 

[cruzin]

I made him an offer of a 100 but he turned me down
I got one motor I'm rebuilding now and 1976 and a 82 frame and motor
To do in the future. I would have spent the 100 for another motor
Just to have the spare parts. Maybe he will get back and take the offer
I figured I could get a new electronic ignition with the money
Thanks for all the comments

 

[weaselbeak]

A good motor is well worth 250 bucks. I haven't seen the mythical good motor for 50 bucks in 20 years.

 

[rahndo]

I got a titled bike, froze motor, spare 18" mag wheel for $200. The kicker is it sat outside for 6 years.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi rahndo,
what year and model of bike was it?
Dunno if I ever seen an XS650 with an 18" mag wheel, not at either end.

 

[rahndo]

Hi rahndo,
what year and model of bike was it?
Dunno if I ever seen an XS650 with an 18" mag wheel, not at either end.

It is a 79sf. The PO got the wheel as a substitute for a 19 as he was going to start a tracker.

 

[DozerDan]

UK/AUS guys, find a friend who has a business with a fedex/ups what ever hook up with high volume. Things get very cost efficient to ship even over seas. I am sure there are plenty on here who would pick parts up for you local and send them on a one way trip.

$250 is a good deal if you need one, not if you do not.

 

[wherearewe]

How long is a piece of string... In NZ a non road legal basket case will prob cost about 1000 to 2000. Its the old supply and demand thing.