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My next Yamaha project
- Thread starter TX650A Van Islander
- Start date
The bearded mechanic had become my favourite YouTube motorbike channel (next to Itchy) just before he released the two videos on the FJ. Great entertainment and great tips too. I plan to watch those ones again.
Ya I like that video. he forgot to mention that working on a bike like that keeps you out of the bars.
Only problems I see with the BM video and some of the others are they allow someone to underestimate just how much work and time is involved in getting a "barn find" roadworthy. They only tend to focus on getting the engine running and then a short test ride. The things they do to "get it running" is helpful IMO for the person selling the bike to show it "could run". But do these videos make someone think that they can buy a barn find bike and get away with a weekend of work to make it "road worthy"? For those here , not likely, but others ? Maybe, and does that then reduce the inventory of "stored for years, does not run" bikes for people like me who want to restore them to road worthyness just for the hobby of it.
Before getting this year's project bike (my '78 XS650 Special), I almost pulled the trigger on 2 other bikes and the owners felt they had more than they had and one guy even mentioned "that guy on the internet got a bike running in one day". I feel people underestimate the time and $ that SHOULD go into the bike.
Before getting this year's project bike (my '78 XS650 Special), I almost pulled the trigger on 2 other bikes and the owners felt they had more than they had and one guy even mentioned "that guy on the internet got a bike running in one day". I feel people underestimate the time and $ that SHOULD go into the bike.
Yes to that Mr Melnic Here a machine gets parked because the owner has made an assessment
in the regions Expensive / Difficult / Time Consuming -- OK the gentlemen here have the knowledge tools and place to do it but Put it like this
A shit bike with cracked Engine block 70 000 km and dents + rust Was a lost cause getting parked and in most cases is a lost cause hauled out of that barn Can you get i running of course you can . Not always on all cylinders.
But it still has 70 000 on the Clock
Can it be changed yes but then we are talking a rebuild from spare parts which is 3 times as expensive as a new bike Still not impossible
And no one is ever gonna pay 3 x the prices U-N-L-E-S-S it is a motorcycle that people want
Older Harleys / BMW Airheads .. / Vincent's and whatnot but that is a different situation and something for Professionals ---Ruining a part with the Breaker bar or impact wrench you can be in severe problems Not only finding the part --Offsetting the overall costs --- the owner can start Having questions.
As he said You make the Money Buying the Bike not selling :But if you buy a bike you cannot sell with 70 k on the Clock -- You will be taking a hit.
If you ask me the --- was it 26 - 27 k asking price is ( can be ) 10 k to high and that is why he decided to Keep it. Not that a bidding war happened ..
Can be wrong ..but the risk is always there
in the regions Expensive / Difficult / Time Consuming -- OK the gentlemen here have the knowledge tools and place to do it but Put it like this
A shit bike with cracked Engine block 70 000 km and dents + rust Was a lost cause getting parked and in most cases is a lost cause hauled out of that barn Can you get i running of course you can . Not always on all cylinders.
But it still has 70 000 on the Clock
Can it be changed yes but then we are talking a rebuild from spare parts which is 3 times as expensive as a new bike Still not impossible
And no one is ever gonna pay 3 x the prices U-N-L-E-S-S it is a motorcycle that people want
Older Harleys / BMW Airheads .. / Vincent's and whatnot but that is a different situation and something for Professionals ---Ruining a part with the Breaker bar or impact wrench you can be in severe problems Not only finding the part --Offsetting the overall costs --- the owner can start Having questions.
As he said You make the Money Buying the Bike not selling :But if you buy a bike you cannot sell with 70 k on the Clock -- You will be taking a hit.
If you ask me the --- was it 26 - 27 k asking price is ( can be ) 10 k to high and that is why he decided to Keep it. Not that a bidding war happened ..
Can be wrong ..but the risk is always there
I never think about how much money I could make on a bike because it takes a lot of time and money to turn most of these around to a good runner. That being said I am a little more selective on what bikes are worth doing. I have done a few that there is no way I could recoup my investment but were fun to rebuild. I'v done pretty well with most of my bikes but will never recoup my labor, pretty much just cost of replacement parts.
AUTOMAN
XS650 Addict
87?
'87 FJ1200?
Memories from going to a party in Flushing,mi. from Troy. Friday night.
From MM 77 north on 75 to the big curve. My car was full of me friends, following.
I am on me buddy's '84 900 Ninja doing 80 or so...
Complete strangers' cars were hooked up at 70+ when it was a 55 limit. 5 or so cars in the fast lane doing 70/80/90/100
for a few miles. Complete gang of strangers, save for my delta 88 vista cruiser with me buds.
So, I show off to me buds, Ninja, doing 130+. At 140+ it does the same old Kawasaki rear-end walk. 4" left/right wondering.
I backed down a spell.
THEN, here is another stranger, on a bike. Full racing leathers, slant eye Japanese dude on a FJ1200 next to me at 130. Gave me the thumbs up.
I was holding me helmet down due to the wind. He straddled me for a spell and must have gotten bored.
WOT fast lane accel. to 150++.
I nailed it and at 150, he pulled away at 150+30 or so.
He was in fast lane at 180+ and pulling away, out of sight!
I was humbled.
Flushing exit in 17 mins. MM 118.
Waited 15 minutes for me buds to catch up.
Wow, what a night and that FJ!
cliff
'87 FJ1200?
Memories from going to a party in Flushing,mi. from Troy. Friday night.
From MM 77 north on 75 to the big curve. My car was full of me friends, following.
I am on me buddy's '84 900 Ninja doing 80 or so...
Complete strangers' cars were hooked up at 70+ when it was a 55 limit. 5 or so cars in the fast lane doing 70/80/90/100
for a few miles. Complete gang of strangers, save for my delta 88 vista cruiser with me buds.
So, I show off to me buds, Ninja, doing 130+. At 140+ it does the same old Kawasaki rear-end walk. 4" left/right wondering.
I backed down a spell.
THEN, here is another stranger, on a bike. Full racing leathers, slant eye Japanese dude on a FJ1200 next to me at 130. Gave me the thumbs up.
I was holding me helmet down due to the wind. He straddled me for a spell and must have gotten bored.
WOT fast lane accel. to 150++.
I nailed it and at 150, he pulled away at 150+30 or so.
He was in fast lane at 180+ and pulling away, out of sight!
I was humbled.
Flushing exit in 17 mins. MM 118.
Waited 15 minutes for me buds to catch up.
Wow, what a night and that FJ!
cliff
As I recall, he bought a very nice bike. It didn’t even need a battery. Only fuel issue, tank and carbs. 14.5 hours, because he’s a professional.
Sorry, I Meant to say "Only problems I see with the BM videoS"
Not the bike in that video but man of his other videos and other you tubers that do the same.
Not the bike in that video but man of his other videos and other you tubers that do the same.
Yes. He gets them running to make a video. I'm sure he goes no further. The money is in the video. He makes no claim about restoration. The Triumph Thunderbird has done an encore appearance. Am glad he did what he did with the FJ.
Interesting differences in observations of the video(s). I agree that in general these types of videos make "restoration" appear easy and inexpensive to the inexperienced observer. A dangerous supposition! Yes, that green FJ was pretty good when he bought it. You will recall he bought it from an FJ enthusiast, and it was being stored in a garage. I think that is why he bought that one. Some of the other video bikes he has done for sure it is just for the video to get some POS running and riding down the driveway, just to say he did. I just like it for entertainment and I have picked up a few tips.
I'm certainly not getting this FJ running on the road again to make $. I'm just doing it because its fun and I want a big road bike I can cruise on all day. I will likely loose $ on it if I sell it as soon as its on the road, so I won't be doing that. I need to get some of my sweat equity out of it first.
I'm certainly not getting this FJ running on the road again to make $. I'm just doing it because its fun and I want a big road bike I can cruise on all day. I will likely loose $ on it if I sell it as soon as its on the road, so I won't be doing that. I need to get some of my sweat equity out of it first.
I only dream of getting that much...
Some more photos. Yesterday I removed the shock and swingarm from the rider bike. Due to all of the extra holes the PO drilled into the swimgarm, I'll be using the donor bike swingarm for installation onto the rider bike this weekend after I grease bearings. The rider swingarm is the greasy one in the foreground- go figure with that oiling system he had. Check out the wear on the black chain guard on the donor bike at 63000 kms vs the rider at 31000 kms. So nice to be making one good bike from 2 !!! Also photo of the shock from rider bike. Another small example of parts broken on one and not the other is this little fuse holder mount.
What the heck did he drill holes in the swing arm for?
Interesting, that little chain drive set up for making adjustments.
Buying a parts bike , sure was a smart decision. I can’t tell you how much I paid to buy lots of used parts for my XS2, from EBay. I probably would’ve been better off to buy a parts bike as you did.
The PO installed an automatic chain oiling system and secured it to the bottom of the swingarm with bolts. Also, he installed a non-stock rear caliper and didn't use the stock stay (correct name?) to secure the caliper so he drilled another hole into the top of the swingarm with a bush league bracket. Lame install in my opinion.
Thing is, I wasn't looking for a parts bike. I bought these bikes from a dealer of vintage bikes, and it was a suggestion on his part. Considering it was another $900, I initially didn't want to buy it, but thank goodness I did!
Sounds like the $900 was a good investment!
Raymond, thank you! Almost never do you hear "good investment" referring to our motorbikes!
It’s far cheaper than hanging out in a bar. In my case, it’s cheaper than golf and cheaper than the hunting club membership.Raymond, thank you! Almost never do you hear "good investment" referring to our motorbikes!
I have two XS1100SGs, besides the one I drive. An XS1100 Special appears to currently have less value than an XS650. I am considering a resto mod due to their relatively poor condition. I’m also considering breaking them down into spare parts with the remainder going to the recycler. I’m short a tank and ignition or TCI box. Three XS650 bikes in front of it. I expect that eventually, I’m going to have to pick favorites.
GaryInVA
XS650 Enthusiast
My brother bought an XS1100 when they first came out. Had it dressed for touring. Had it 3 months before it was totaled. He was riding outside of Carlsbad NM and was passing an 18 wheeler with a flatbed trailer (like the ones you see hauling big equipment like bulldozers). He got half way past it and the trailer disconnected and swung around and took him out. He found out the trucking company had a terrible safety record with lots of lawsuits against it. He ended up getting a new bike that was paid off. Rough way to get a free bike.
Picked up a used XS11 back in the 80's that had been rode hard and put away wet. Getting it back to a reliable runner was just beyond the funds available at the time, so I sold it on after about a year. But man, when it did run, it was a rocket ship!! I'd love to run across another one.
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