Cheep Bike Challenge <$1500

[inire]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

Almost ready for reassembly

It is hard to keep the price down when you begin to add accessories.

M'kay, walk me through this: did you buy that switchgear, and if so where? if not, did you make the labels and do that yourself?

Coz in terms of Shit I Have To Do Just To Keep The Neighbours Talking And My Mates Wondering, this is right up there.

[AZbiker]

Originally Posted by inire

M'kay, walk me through this: did you buy that switchgear, and if so where? if not, did you make the labels and do that yourself?

Coz in terms of Shit I Have To Do Just To Keep The Neighbours Talking And My Mates Wondering, this is right up there.

It looks like old-style H-D switchgear.

[dbg326]

My first bike, an '81 KZ440. Picked it up from one of my dad's coworkers for $450, with 11k miles on the clock.

Shooting to clean it up a bit on the cheap: so far I've gotten some Bikemaster Euro bars for it and am in the process of spraybombing the front fender, the sidecovers, and the tank since anything's better than the black/grey/half-assed puke green pinstriping... It needs a battery (starts about half the time), and leaks a few drops of oil every now and again, but runs great other than those minor issues. Also have to fab something to flip the taillight to below the rail, and maybe rig up some ammo can panniers...

Oh and get it registered, inspected, and insured...

[Dorzok]

instead of fabbing something for the taillight just find a rear fender on ebay to bolt it onto.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KAWASAKI-KZ4...4a7655&vxp=mtr

[Yokomo]

I kind of like the paint job. Good zombie bike. I don't care for the lumpy seat though.
Welcome to 2 wheels!!

[zap2504]

dbg326 - you also need to flush out your front hydraulics. Most are severely neglected and can cause front brake lockup (the extremely small master cylinder pressure relief hole gets clogged). If you are able to remove the 2 Phillips-headed screws holding the cap on to the MC, replace them with stainless (stainless Allen-headed is best) as the originals are made from cheese.

Also - it looks like you are running the OEM air box and filter. KEEP THEM! This bike does not like switching to pods. If the air filter is toast and you can't find a replacement, you can construct a flat, rectangular filter panel by cutting up a different paper element.

For all things KZ Twin oriented: http://www.armbell.com/forum/index.php?mforum=kz400

[dbg326]

Originally Posted by zap2504

dbg326 - you also need to flush out your front hydraulics. Most are severely neglected and can cause front brake lockup (the extremely small master cylinder pressure relief hole gets clogged). If you are able to remove the 2 Phillips-headed screws holding the cap on to the MC, replace them with stainless (stainless Allen-headed is best) as the originals are made from cheese.

Also - it looks like you are running the OEM air box and filter. KEEP THEM! This bike does not like switching to pods. If the air filter is toast and you can't find a replacement, you can construct a flat, rectangular filter panel by cutting up a different paper element.

For all things KZ Twin oriented: http://www.armbell.com/forum/index.php?mforum=kz400

Already flushed/bled the lines, and I did discover the tidbit about the screws..I got them both back on, but one of them is gonna be a royal pain in the ass to get back off next time.

I wasn't planning on switching anything out, as it runs pretty much perfect right now, aside from the battery issue.

The paintjob had to go, and yeah, I'll probably end up just picking up a used fender.

[sjc56]

Brand new 1975 Suzuki GT380 with no miles for $1200! Oh sorry that was in 1976. But it still was a good deal.

[gone fishing]

1995 triumph daytona 900. Wish me luck!
http://http://img.photobucket.com/al...5/DSC_2907.jpg

[HaChayalBoded]

Friend of mine was looking for some cheap transportation, over the last 3 months I checked out every bike in his price range within a 50 mile radius. One POS after another. Till I scored. Perfect, mint condition Hawk GT with less than 10k miles. Some slight paint crack in a few small sections of the cowl as well as the silver on the gas cap, the rest is great.

Next up, lady friend of mine got her license a few months back and had me keep an eye out for something nice for her. Although it was a few bucks over $1500 I talked a friend into giving her his old Suzuki S40\LS650 for cheap. It's a 650 single, so it vibrates a bit, but she's a chick, she might like that. Bonus points for it being modern, an '07, and belt drive, so she doesn't have to futz with the chain every few hundred miles to lube it.

Recent score, yesterday, 1981 Hondamatic! Price was great (FREE) I just have to help my neighbor with "a few things". Catch is that it was in a fire, so all the plastic light covers are melted, mirrors and switch boxes too. Oddly enough the seat is mint, side covers are mint and nothing else looks damaged, not even the insulation on the wiring. Maybe vinyl has a higher melting point? Doesn't look like it was IN the fire, just very close to it.

This would make an interesting commuter.

I'll take some pics shortly.

[UncleDirt]

Originally Posted by dbg326

My first bike, an '81 KZ440. Picked it up from one of my dad's coworkers for $450, with 11k miles on the clock.

Shooting to clean it up a bit on the cheap: so far I've gotten some Bikemaster Euro bars for it and am in the process of spraybombing the front fender, the sidecovers, and the tank since anything's better than the black/grey/half-assed puke green pinstriping... It needs a battery (starts about half the time), and leaks a few drops of oil every now and again, but runs great other than those minor issues. Also have to fab something to flip the taillight to below the rail, and maybe rig up some ammo can panniers...

Oh and get it registered, inspected, and insured...

Seriously, except for the (electrical?) tape on the tank, leave the paint. Instand cred. I like.

Yeah, a modded rear fender and that bike is done.

[dbg326]

Originally Posted by UncleDirt

Seriously, except for the (electrical?) tape on the tank, leave the paint. Instand cred. I like.

Yeah, a modded rear fender and that bike is done.

Haha sorry to disappoint, but the tank is already stripped and ready for primer/paint. The bottom half of the tank was wrapped in vinyl which was peeling back, and the quality of the paintwork was bad enough that I wanted to at least try something different. I've got Bikemaster European bars sitting in the garage waiting to go on, and am planning on ordering a fender soon.

[O.C.F.RIDER]

SHIT!
I forgot that I got this old beater for "free".


in the spirit of full disclosure and honesty I must tell you that I in fact inherited the MV from my Dad. (RIP Dad, I miss you and I'm keeping the battery charged up & the pilots clean. )

Chris

[danielcut]

1980 CB750 custom with 8k miles. Pulled it out of a shed and paid $500 for it.

[J. Thompson #5150]

Still need to finish up some odds and ends but with all new rubber, lights, seat, exhaust built from take-off mufflers and scrap pipe, and a set of bags, I'm still well under the $1500 mark. I've only owned the bike since February but by the time winter rolls around I'll have spent more on gas and oil changes than what I actually spent on the bike.