1980 Yamaha Special II For Sale

[Nate H]

I inherited a 1980 Yamaha Special II that has been garaged since 1992. See pics of plate. Very low milage. Has everything but side cover. I want to sell it. howrver I cannot decide if i should piece it out or sell as is. If i decide to sell the entire bike what is a reasonable price to ask? I don't want to sell myself short or scare away buyers.

 

[MaxPete]

Hi Nate!

...why don’t you just clean it up and ride it?

Pete

 

[weekendrider]

With good paper 3-500.
Without paper 2 ish.
As for parting it. . . . . Must the motor have something wrong from the position of the kick starter?
The seat is trashed, the 2 into 1 questionable, has water rusted the tank seams, nobody wants rototiller bars ( well a few maybe ).
The wheels may get you 1-150 but it would have to be to a local. Shipping would add another 75-100 to the cost.
Just my opinion and your results may vary.

 

[Nate H]

I do not ride motorcycles. It was gifted to me. The part (side cover) it needs to start the repair costs more than I am willing to spend. I collect and restore old cruiser bicycles and convert to motorized. I can appreciate this particular model's design and understand it's cool factor so I feel guilty everytime I open my shed and see it collecting dust.

 

[kshansen]

If you have a clear title I would try selling it whole.

Not sure what the problem is with the side cover but if it can't be at least kicked over to see if it has good compression I would be very leery of the engine's internal condition. How long since it last ran? If parting out don't forget to take in to consideration the time you would spend removing parts and boxing them up and the trips to the post office among other things. You might double your money over selling whole but what is your time worth? You, like most of us here, probably have other projects and why take time away from them to just make a few dollars on this bike.

I may be a pit of a cheapskate, well no maybe about it, but just guessing from the pictures I would not want to pay over $200.

That said if you decide to get serious about selling the first thing I would do would be to push it outside and give it a quickie wash job and get some nice clear pictures without a bunch of junk in the background. Pictures on a cloudy day can be clearer than on a bright sunny day, less glare.

And be 100% honest in your description of the bike, Nothing worse than someone making all kinds of big claims about how great a bike is only to show up and see it is nothing like what was claimed

 

[timbeck]

Hey Nate---A title is important, without one it's a parts bike. Is the motor free and not stuck ?? The kick starter is at an odd angle. Selling individual parts gets you more $$ but can be a hassle. As is it's probably a $250 to $300 inheritance.
tim

 

[weaselbeak]

I got rid of a clean title recently for 100 bucks, and you still have wire wheels worth more than that, with a 10K engine on top of it, along with what's left. I'd sell it for junk before I'd let someone tell me it's a 200 dollar piece. I've got an engine in my garage right now, mileage unknown, that I've thought of selling. Less than 200 bucks it can rot into the floor. My time and efforts are worth something.

 

[halfmile]

Hi Nate and welcome to the site. I would put the bike on CL for at least $1500. Be sure to use the words Inheritance and Estate in the ad. Don`t give any information about the bike except that the spedo shows 10773 miles and don`t say "parts bike". Be sure to say the bike ran before it was parked ( obviously it did at some point in it`s life prior to being parked) and don`t commit to anything else. The dumber you seem the better the chances someone will give you a "low ball offer" possibly around $4-600. If they do don`t let them out of your site until their money is in your pocket. This will seem just like another repetitious CL ad but it might just work. At least the ad is free.

 

[kshansen]

I got rid of a clean title recently for 100 bucks, and you still have wire wheels worth more than that, with a 10K engine on top of it, along with what's left. I'd sell it for junk before I'd let someone tell me it's a 200 dollar piece. I've got an engine in my garage right now, mileage unknown, that I've thought of selling. Less than 200 bucks it can rot into the floor. My time and efforts are worth something.

It maybe a 10,000 mile engine but if one can not turn it over due to a problem with the kick starter how can you know some major parts are not broke of seized up inside? I was saying what I would pay. If someone is willing to pay $1,000 for it more power to the seller!

I have bought three XS650's over the years and the most I paid was $100. and they all would kick over by the kick starter and had clear titles to go with them. They were far from show bikes but 90% complete. The last one I got needed a new wiring harness and the normal things like battery and tires and a good cleaning of carbs but once that was done it does run. Other than still needing a better rear tire and the battery it is close to be taken out for a ride.

When the OP says fixing the problem with the side cover is too much money to put into the bike I have to wonder what the problem is so I would have to discount my opinion of the value of the bike by at least the cost of obtaining said cover. Looking on Ebay they are asking for anywhere from $50 to $100 for one, yes anyone who is into XS650's probably has one sitting on the shelf but I would still have to count the value of the cover against the purchase price of the bike.

I'll be happy as heck if the guy finds someone to pay him $500 or more for it but just looking at poor quality pictures and a description of some unknown problem still makes me think my price was in line not that I in anyway have any desire to purchase the bike.

 

[halfmile]

Hey Nate. Just saw your ad on CL. Garaged since 92 and no other info about the bike is a nice touch. Has keys and title says it all. I would amend the ad to use the words "XS650" in the title so that anyone using the XS650 search will see the ad. I always put a space in the (XS 650) as it will appear there too. Good luck with your sale.

 

[650Skull]

You sound like an honest person, but asking a way over the top price and not being able to answer any questions on the bike itself makes it look like, (i said makes it look like and not accusing you personally), your just another air head hustler who is tying to cash in on the 650 craze.

Even if your not into bikes, with the help here, (given readily), a couple of questions, and with a few minutes work could have had the kick start problem diagnosed and have the answer to the question of the engine turning over.............Shit all that is required is to take the left side round cover, (Yamaha), and a socket on the nut to turn the engine. Remove plugs first and squirt a bit of WD40 mixed with some oil in the barrels first.............hell just to be able to answer that...........
Knowing if the engine turns over makes for a better add and that Half hours work could be an extra 100 or 2.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[kshansen]

Even if your not into bikes, with the help here, (given readily), a couple of questions, and with a few minutes work could have had the kick start problem diagnosed and have the answer to the question of the engine turning over.............Shit all that is required is to take the left side round cover, (Yamaha), and a socket on the nut to turn the engine. Remove plugs first and squirt a bit of WD40 mixed with some oil in the barrels first.............hell just to be able to answer that...........
Knowing if the engine turns over makes for a better add and that Half hours work could be an extra 100 or 2.

Just my 2 cents.

Skull, If you look close in the bottom picture posted on this forum the "Yamaha" cover is already of so it would only be a couple seconds to see if it will in fact turn!
Slightly edited picture below:

 

[angus67]

To me, it looks like the kicker is just on the shaft wrong.

 

[5twins]

Yes, looks like someone pulled the kicker off then just stuck it back on in the wrong position. Looks to be missing the rear brake pedal as well. The missing left cover appears to be just the round one over the alternator. I looked up the Craigslist ad. You should get some takers and lookers for that asking price ($750) but I expect offers will be 3-500. To me, it would be just borderline worth that because I know all the work and expense required to bring one back.

 

[kshansen]

I missed the missing rear brake lever, looks like someone may have been starting on a "forward control" mod as I'm not seeing any foot pegs in the normal location on either side. Might be worth while for OP to check around in the garage where it was stored to see if other parts are still around and include them in the deal. Every missing part would be added to the minus side of the equation by a knowledgeable buyer. Just because I may have the missing parts in a box out in my barn if I was working the deal to buy a bike like this I would not tell the seller and want credit for the missing items taken off the price.

For the few seconds work to remove and reinstall the kicker in the right position that would be a no-brainer to me. And if once installed right give it a easy first kick and if engine is free that would be a big plus on the list.

Just simple thing like a quick washing off of the worst of the dust and a wipe down of the chrome can add a lot to a first impression. Not saying to buff the engine cases to look like chrome just get the bird crap off it and if there is mouse droppings on it a quick wash with dish soap will make it at least smell better.

 

[650Skull]

I posted without having a good look..........on looking, there is no spark-plug on the right side..........Not a good thing if it has been like that since 92, could indicate a seized engine.........looks to have a couple of fins broken on the barrels........................the left front foot peg has been mounted on the right......not a thing just funny. .............Get what you can

 

[kshansen]

Interesting what different people notice. The left front peg on the right side I missed as for the plug might be just my eyes or computer but I'm not sure on that but I don't see any obvious white porcelain.

Then again I have an excuse I have been diagnosed with cataracts and in process of getting scheduled for surgery in a couple months. Cut open the eye and ripe out the lens and insert new one if doc doesn't drop it on floor! Then a week latter they repeat on the other eye! Might need to see if our greyhound dog can be trained as a seeing eye dog if operations don't workout!

 

[5twins]

There's a spark plug in it, it's just covered by the plug cap.

 

[timbeck]

Like I said , it's a $250 to $300 inheritance.
tim

 

[nj1639]

$300 for a non running roller with title.
If I bought, I'd be hoping for the best in getting it running but expecting the worse.