I'm looking for a small bike to use just on my property and maybe at a road race for getting around once in a while. I'd like something vintage and I came across this:
http://youngstown.craigslist.org/mcy/3879325249.html
I emailed with the guy and he said he restores old bikes just for something to do. He says theres nothing wrong with it at all. He's firm on the price. What do you guys think?
I like it a lot for the money. Nice to read an ad written by someone literate for a change.
They're pretty rare in decent condition and the price is good - out here you'd get one that has had the paint burnt off by the sun and the seat would be a distant memory.
for 500$ that thing is clean looking
I'd buy it if I was in the market for a bike. Would be nice if you could license it to road drive.
Fun old vintage trail riding bike. Bummer that there is no title so you can't take it on the roads. Big and heavy for the pits.
It's cute, it's not particularly expensive.
Thanks guys. Sounds like I should check it out. I got a title for my TVR that didn't have one and it was pretty painless. Would a bike be any different? I wouldn't be buying it for the street, but it would be nice to be able to use it for that if I decided to.
I'm set up to look at it on Friday, so we'll see.
I would buy that in a heartbeat if I had 500 clams burning a hole in pocket.
bravenrace wrote: I got a title for my TVR that didn't have one and it was pretty painless. Would a bike be any different?
Shouldn't be. Age is usually the driving factor. Here's to hoping you can do a title readily enough.
In reply to foxtrapper:
Why is age a factor?
Don't know your state, but many didnt require titles before year x.
I don't know. I am also in Ohio and the people at the DMV pretty much said that my 1974 Honda had to be stolen since it didn't have a title. I spoke to several title places and called Columbus, there was zero help offered by anyone. Sold it as a parts bike.
Yeah, generally bikes made before 1983 (or whatever year it was that VINs were standardized) are much easier to get lost titles for, but laws vary state-to-state. Some will basically hand you a title in exchange for a bill of sale, some will make you have it inspected, some will keep you from ever titling it again.
Buy it. You'll never see another one that clean for that price again.
I don't need to title it, it would just be nice to be able to.
With my TVR, the local DMV was more than cooperative. It needed inspected, but wasn't running, so they came out to my house to look at it. The guy signed off on it, and I went to the DMV and got a title. Rusnak, I don't doubt your experience, but mine was really that easy, and I had even bought it in New York.
You didn't buy it yet?
In reply to 914Driver:
I can't look at it until tomorrow. And in the meantime my Dad has been put in the hospital, so I don't even know if I will be able to do that.
Well I bought it, and I blame you guys!
Don't feed the enablers. Get everything squared away with your dad, then shoot us bike whores some pics and a brief review.
In reply to ValuePack:
Dad's back home, which is good. The bad is that I spent some time in the hospital this weekend, but I'm back home now also. Haven't had any time to even look at the bike since I last posted, so it'll be a few before I can post any pics.
Okay, there are a couple issues.
1 - The engine sounds loud mechanically, if that makes any sense. Kind of rattly, but not anything that sounds like a major mechanical problem. Is this normal for these? Could it need a valve adjustment? Are the valves even adjustable on these? I don't really know a lot about this bike.
2 - After riding it a bit and getting it good and warm, it doesn't want to shift into neutral. The shifter gets stiff, so it's hard to pull up to get it in neutral. Once you provide enough force, you blow right thru neutral and into second gear. Is the crankcase lubricated by engine oil? Would putting synthetic oil in it help? Any ideas?
Is there even oil in there?
Semi-regardless, change it with a generic 10-40 or 20-50, and see if it becomes both quieter and easier to shift. yes, they share oil.
Synthetics will make people claim the clutch will slip. Never seen that happen myself.
Yes, the valves are mechanically adjusted.
In reply to foxtrapper:
Thanks. I did check the oil and it's full. That doesn't mean it's good! Can I get a repair manual for this thing anywhere?
You can probably find a manual in PDF form on a bit torrent or such if you look. Clymers was pretty good, and it was included in a more generic "honda twin" manual.
foxtrapper wrote: Synthetics will make people claim the clutch will slip. Never seen that happen myself.
No, synthetics will actually make the clutch slip - if you put the wrong synthetic oil in. I have seen it happen, and accidentally used the wrong oil in my race bike once. It destroyed the clutch plates. They still worked, but did not engage properly.
Do not use oil that says energy conserving on the bottle.
Rule of thumb: Unless you are using bike oil, use diesel specific oil in the crankcase of your bikes.
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