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How does this look for my very first bike? http://annarbor.craigslist.org/mcy/885257687.html
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Oct 20, 2008 03:51
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http://annarbor.craigslist.org/mcy/888234416.html I wonder what's wrong with it.
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Oct 22, 2008 00:51
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http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcy/897205975.html The guy selling it says he built it from parts and it runs except for the things missing. What do you guys think? This would be my first bike, might be good to play with for winter?
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Oct 29, 2008 19:38
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MrKatharsis posted:As long as the title isn't one of the missing parts, that's a hell of a deal. Just has a bill of sale. He apparently literally built the bike from parts.
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Oct 29, 2008 20:19
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So is that gs500e that had been rebuilt a good buy? He said he has no title, but a bill of sale and he would go to the secretary of state with me to make sure it checked out, but I'm not even sure how title transfers and bills of sale work.
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Oct 30, 2008 18:39
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http://annarbor.craigslist.org/mcy/906751980.html How's this for a first bike? He says it only needs a new cellunoid, but he has the part and I just have to install it. All the other deals I keep finding are getting bought out before I can blink.
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Nov 5, 2008 19:09
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http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcy/908955545.html This seems like a hell of a deal, and I would prefer a naked bike anyway so I might just take all the fairings off. The problem is that it's my first bike, do you think it's too big?
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Nov 7, 2008 15:39
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And I'd be bound to take it above 9k eventually. I'm finding bikes left and right, but I just can't seem to find the right one.
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Nov 7, 2008 20:43
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http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcy/911419528.html I called this guy and he said that the frame, motor, and trans. are all fine which is what matters. And he had a parts list from a local salvage dealer, $350 to get it back on the road. He said he had all the levers and they were fine too. This could be a very satisfying project and probably wouldn't be too difficult. He said he bought it back from the insurance company after his friend died on it and it has a legal VIN, but only comes with a bill of sale. So in my never ending quest for a first bike, what say you? Edit: It's an '89 fyi.
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Nov 9, 2008 04:41
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I just found a '96 Ninja 500r in flawless condition for $900 with 16,000 miles. God help me if it gets sold out from under me.
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Feb 11, 2009 09:52
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Welp the Ninja 500 got sold out from under me, but I found this http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcy/1041042830.html I offered him $450, because the blue book value is only $400. I went and took a look at it today adn rode it, it runs great. The chain has some surface rust, so I'm not sure if that will need to be replaced. And it needs new brakes. Are getting new brakes for it going to be a pain? The front disc is not ventilated and I want one that is, are brakes often interchangeable? And I noticed when I slowly let the clutch out, that it does not smoothly come out. It sort of lightly sticks as I let it out, but I had no problem shifting.
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Feb 21, 2009 03:45
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Simkin posted:There's no good reason to swap to a drilled rotor, if the bike isn't being used for racing. If you were arguing the merits of drum vs. disk, sure, but as long as you have decent pads, sufficient brake fluid, and new (or at least non-lovely) lines, you'll have no problem with stopping. If it actually does need new rotors, then yes, it should be a trivial matter to put drilled rotors on, if you can find a set of rotors with the same bolt pattern. If not, well, just see if you can find some NOS rotors and new pads. It does need a new rotor. The disc is glazed over and is a bit worn. So what exactly do I need to check for to ensure that a disc from a different model of bike will be compatible so that I can get a newer type of disc?
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Feb 21, 2009 05:01
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8ender posted:I get to be the leader then because my KZ650 is the fastest I think this guy's KZ400 would win  
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Feb 21, 2009 05:53
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So are there any big problems with KZs that I should watch out for? He said that he drained the carbs, but I'm going to have to clean them I suppose.
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Feb 21, 2009 06:06
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Well, in my neverending search for my first bike, I have now come upon a 1989 GS500E with 40k miles. He's asking $1000, but I'm going to give him a lowball of $600 since he said the tires are old and the brakes are "good" at best. The only problem is that it won't start. He describes the problem as: "mechanically all i know is that the starter will crank but i get no spark. i cleaned and gapped the plugs and still no spark." Any ideas what it could be and what kind of work I could expect if I bought this bike?
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Feb 28, 2009 11:26
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As a college student, hard pressed for cash I am. And honestly I would be much more comfortable with the bike if I get familiar with its guts first. It'll be a while before I have a chance to ride it anyway, and I think I would enjoy working on it. Nerobro posted:No spark AT ALL, makes me think it's wiring. When my ignition unit died on the '80 I still has weak, weak spark. Well he said it had "very little" spark at the plugs. So I suppose that means there is some. If it is the wiring, what kind of work does that entail? EDIT: He also said that he has no idea when the carbs were cleaned/rebuilt, but they were working at the beginning of last summer before it died on him. Could this have something to do with it? EDIT2: after looking through the service manual and at OEM schematics. Odds are it is the most obvious issue, either the igniter assembly or signal generator. The most expensive being the igniter assembly at $343, so I will factor that into my offer. Is it difficult to replace the igniter assembly or signal generator? From the looks of it, it doesn't appear to be, but I might be missing some annoying little steps. Stoic Commie fucked around with this message at 23:12 on Feb 28, 2009 |
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Feb 28, 2009 21:51
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Nerobro posted:He says weak spark, that means there is signal for spark. That means it's not the signal generator. Here is what he just emailed me: "the multimeter needle barely jumps when the leads are touching the spark plugs, the charge doesn't reach a sufficient level to make a spark in between the metal pieces of the plug. the battery was dead but we charged it and had it connected to a charger while looking for the cause of the malfunction at the end of last summer." So then I hope it is the ignitor. The igniter assembly is $343 OEM on bikebandit, so yeah I definitely hope ebay has it cheaper.
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Mar 1, 2009 04:31
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http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcy/1076864632.html The damage honestly doesn't look too extensive here, and considering that it's a newer bike and so cheap, I figure it might be worth it. How much do you think it would be to repair it? It definitely needs new forks, right turn signal, and mirror. I don't know what other damage could have been done to it from the looks of it.
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Mar 16, 2009 17:49
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Z3n posted:Still, not a bad deal and a good project. I'd also be concerned about engine damage, given that it doesn't start. See if there's more to the story... I'm assuming that it does start, I think he is saying that he just hasn't started it since he lost the key. I've never worked on a bike, but I have no doubt that my friend and I could figure it out. From what I understand swapping forks isn't too difficult. I sent him an email, I'll see what else he has to say.
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Mar 16, 2009 19:15
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Fair enough. In other news I found this. It's the 1983 one year wonder apparently. http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcy/1074688430.html I already spoke to him, it has 14,528 miles, freshly cleaned and synced carbs, new tires, and comes with a 650 motor for parts. Clear title as well. Unless you guys have any objections this looks like the perfect deal.
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Mar 16, 2009 21:05
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8ender posted:Doesn't look too bad. You might have to clean it up a little and replace some parts but if it runs and rides well then its a steal. The only mechanical problem he mentioned is that the blinkers will occasionally stop working, apparently a ground wire somewhere. I'm going to look at it tomorrow, so we'll see.
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Mar 16, 2009 22:02
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Gr3y posted:I have that bike's big brother (1982 CB750SC). Great bike. The only think I would recommend is as soon as you get it home do the brakes. Two sets of pads for the fronts and new shoes for the back should run less then 80 bucks. That would help a ton. Is there a problem with Nighthawk brakes or something?
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Mar 16, 2009 23:26
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8ender posted:Its probably the flasher unit itself. I've found the mechanical ones to be flaky. Easy fix. I don't know how much that will run, but it's missing the left side cover in the pics and with brakes, I'm going to try to talk him down to $450.
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Mar 17, 2009 02:33
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So I went and looked at that 83 Nighthawk 550. It was pretty good, a little dirty and some pitting on the chrome, but nice otherwise. There were only three problems with it. 1. He said it was the first time it had been out of the garage since last season, and after we got it running when I would rev the engine in neutral up to around 5000 rpms then let it drop down a bit then rev it back up it would bog down. As in it wouldn't rev properly and sounded like the engine wasn't getting enough fuel. He said it was just because it had been sitting and would go away eventually. (The fuel was stabalized while it sat and the carbs were cleaned and synched last season according to him) 2. When riding it, when I would turn or swerve it felt like the steering was pulling to the right and didn't want to respond to me turning the bars properly. I noticed after I got off of the bike that the right fork seal was destroyed, is that the cause? Or is it something more serious? Note: The bike has never been crashed. 3. There was a tiny oil leak as seen here running down the plastic cover right above where the oil goes in and the shifter.  I didn't notice if it was there before I rode it, but there was no oil leaking from anywhere when we looked it over and we couldn't find the source. Is it a problem? So considering all of this I offered him $475. What do you think?
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Mar 18, 2009 19:55
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Simkin posted:I'll leave the other guys to discuss the rest of the trickier mechanical bits, but when it comes to things like steering, start with the simplest first. The tires were brand new and had been put on before it was stored for winter. They had not been inflated since it had been taken out of storage, but it was kept on blocks and I didn't feel any give when I pressed on them. However since they had not been inflated since last year I'm sure they lost some air one way or the other.
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Mar 18, 2009 20:40
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Z3n posted:You need to check the tire pressures. So you don't think the oil leak is a problem then? Oh and it also needs brake pads and rear brake shoes. Is taking off the rear tire and changing the shoes going to make me want to kill myself?
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Mar 18, 2009 22:08
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http://annarbor.craigslist.org/mcy/1083629034.html Oh god I can't stop looking at bikes I need help. Buy it yes no? EDIT: It's been sold 
Stoic Commie fucked around with this message at 20:51 on Mar 20, 2009 |
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Mar 20, 2009 20:48
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DrakeriderCa posted:**First bike buyer.** I'm a bit iffy on Viragos. Look for 80s nighthawks, they are pretty nice.
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Jun 6, 2009 07:26
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http://annarbor.craigslist.org/mcy/1232910737.html
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Jun 27, 2009 04:32
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http://annarbor.craigslist.org/mcy/1316476118.html The price is right, KBB is $1200, maybe room to talk him down more? Is it even worth it for a 250 this old? EDIT: got a response to my questions to him. Clean title, 2nd (maybe 3rd, he isn't sure) owner, dropped once while not moving and has some scratches and the cover is broken off of the front left blinker, but light unit is intact. Tires about 70%. Also asked him if he stunted due to the sticker, but no stunting according to him. Stoic Commie fucked around with this message at 07:15 on Aug 12, 2009 |
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Aug 12, 2009 07:00
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blugu64 posted:Re:1988 Ninja250, is that gas tank dented in on the top or am I seeing things? I don't think so, it looks like that is just the way the fairing is made coming up along either side of the tank that makes the top of the tank look dented.
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Aug 13, 2009 03:07
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http://annarbor.craigslist.org/mcy/1748208764.htmlquote:I have a 1977 Kawasaki KZ400. Its a great little bike. Needs a little work but not much. Battery needs replaced, needs new chain, needs the shifter lever spring replaced, needs new back tire, and needs carbs cleaned and adjusted. It runs great as is but with a little work it will run alot better. I am only asking $750 I reallly need the money which is the only reason I am selling it. Lowballers will be laughed at. Yes I need the money but I know what my bike is worth! If you are intrested please feel free to call or text me at. E-mails will not answered! No spam please. Also please do not waste my time their will be no test ride unless you have money in hand. He offered me a helmet, trickle charger, cover, and transport to my place for $800, but the KBB value for an excellent condition kz400 of this year is only $700, so I am going to offer him $500. What do you guys think?
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May 19, 2010 22:19
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Doctor Zero posted:Excellent. He said it needs to be kicked, so I guess the battery is no good at all?
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May 19, 2010 22:46
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He said he wouldn't go below $675, I said no. The search continues for another summer. I wouldn't have bought it anyway without being able to see that the electric start works.
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May 19, 2010 23:18
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Ok here's another one that looks more promising: http://annarbor.craigslist.org/mcy/1749848981.html quote:1978 gs550e, runs. drove from charlevoix to manchester last summer. could use a good cleaning 13xxx original miles. new clutch. must sell. I talked to him on the phone, here are the three issues: 1. The front brake does not work, he bought the bike and rode it home from across the state with just the rear brake. He told me that he believes the previous owner replaced the flex line and never connected/bled it, so the brake is fine mechanically apparently? 2. The electric start does not work, but it does start when kicked. He said that all of the other electronics work and that it is most likely just the battery that needs replacing. 3. He said that gas was left in the tank since last season. I don't even know what to do about that? If I buy it what will I need to do to make sure nothing was hosed up? The bike is worth $900 in excellent condition according to kbb and he is selling it for $500 and he said that he could deliver it for a fee, so I am thinking I will offer him $500 delivered? Maybe $450? What do you guys think?
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May 20, 2010 18:17
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Crayvex posted:When I read a craigslist ad that says, "runs" and doesn't say "RUNS GREAT!" I get nervous. You know, I think with some dedication this bike won't take more than two weekends to get running incredibly (I have a great job right now and plenty of free time) , all things considered I am probably just going to buy it. The GS's of this generation are good anyway, so it is not a bad deal. I can't really think of anything that would be too expensive to replace, cleaning the carbs, maybe a new chain, some brake bits at the MOST, a battery, and hopefully not, but a new gas tank. These are all pretty easy things to replace aren't they? A manual, the ability to read, a little bit of money, and my friend's dad's tools, I think I will be ok. EDIT: Keep in mind I won't actually be looking at it until Saturday this is just things that he told me. So any advice on specific things to do or look for when I see it will help assess if there are any more problems than the manageable things I listed above. Stoic Commie fucked around with this message at 19:44 on May 20, 2010 |
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May 20, 2010 19:42
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Check this out: http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/mcy/1754034529.htmlquote:We have two nice Suzuki motorcycles. Both run but need carbs. $500. each or $1000 for both. Willing to trade for a runnig Chevy truck, turn key boat or???????? Have titles for both bikes. Serious calls ONLY. Thanks for reading. I spoke to him on the phone and he said that he paid $500 each for them and the carbs were busted on the inside and leaking fuel on both of them. They are both 1980s, the black one has 11000 miles and the blue one has 7500. He said they are both in mint condition other than the busted carbs. I would say it is a pretty good deal, but the problem I have run into is the fact that OEM carbs have been discontinued for the 1980 GS550. Where could I find a set of carbs? Bigger question, how difficult is it to install a carburetor? Could it just need a new carb rebuild kit and not a whole new assembly? Stoic Commie fucked around with this message at 19:01 on May 22, 2010 |
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May 22, 2010 18:52
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Ok I think I've found a bike that might actually not be a bad idea to buy this time http://annarbor.craigslist.org/mcy/1756730172.html '79 KZ400 with 14k miles. According to the owner it is in great shape. He said that the previous owner put new pipes and a non-stock airbox on it, which causes to run extremely lean, so the only thing it needs is the carbs rejetted. I'm going to look at it tomorrow, and if carb work is really all it needs, I am 99% sure I am going to buy it. Is this a good idea?
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May 25, 2010 00:56
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Z3n posted:Make sure it starts and runs from cold, but yeah, seems pretty reasonable. What if it doesn't? I mean he did say it was running lean and needs to be rejetted. Speaking of which, what kind of jet kit should I get?
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May 25, 2010 18:10
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 13:54 |
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Well he said it definitely does run, so that's good enough if jets is all it needs. http://www.bikebandit.com/slinger-airflow-werks-jet-kit Are these a good choice?
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May 25, 2010 18:31
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