Background: My wife's uncle passed away and left behind an overwhelming amount of stuff, three warehouse's full. He owned a couple drag cars, a few dirt bikes and was a gun dealer/licensed gun manufacturer so along came every machine you could imagine needed to remake anything you need. I think he put sons of guns to shame. The ATF took over a month inventoring what he had in stock. He passes away about a year ago and they just got around to the shed behind the house and while over there they let me take a look and I found this. It is an early 80's Suzuki SP500 (in case you couldn't tell) I am not sure exactly how long it has been sitting there but suffice it to say it's been a long while. I looked briefly at it, long enough to take a pic and sit on top to try and see if it was frozen up. I tried to gently push on the kick start but couldn't get it to move BUT I was dressed nicely and didn't make sure It was in neutral so that isn't a good indication it is frozen or anything. It isn't in horrible shape considering it has been inside the whole time and is covered in an inch of dust. She my wife's aunt doesn't have the tittle but she knows he had it registered so getting a replacement tittle won't be hard being family and all. The big question is what is it worth? She understands it is in ruff shape so I was thinking $300 but this will be the first bike I have actually owned in about 17 years so I am not good at assessing value. What are your thoughts?
i think its worth 300, if anything i bet you could get double or triple that by parting it out on ebay if you didnt want to restore it.
I think they have sold most all of them. What they didn't sell at the last few gun shows another dealer purchased as a lot. They do have some really cool WWII era including 50 cal machine guns and a couple flame throwers. LOL This is the idea I had. The Metro here charges $5 a day for parking but motorcycle parking is cheaper if not free depending on the location. The new station opens in Dec. so this will be a really fun way to save some bucks. At least that is what I am selling the wife on!
300-500 is the max i spend on barn dusted, condition unknown bikes of non-rare variety. 1000$ is possible if the registration was up to date, it probably isnt
Flame Throwers! Machine Guns! Now you have my attention,dang that guy knew how to have fun! What I wouldnt give for a decent flame thrower,be so handy here in the neighborhood.. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- If the engine is indeed stuck and that SP has been sitting forever,it could easily cost a bunch more then it's worth to make it a street going beast again. They do part out OK on ebay though. +The older I get the more kickstarters suck aze.
That's just when the station opens, not my first bike. He had stuff crammed in everywhere! Going through his garage was like American Pickers only instead of junk it was metal lather, horizontal boring machine, Bridgeport machine, drill press, buckets and buckets of links for the full auto machine guns and millions of amo cartridges. Piled up on shelves are guns almost falling off. I just wish I could have gotten to know him. He was really secretive, his wife didn't have any idea what he really had.
I love stuff like this, its like finding a buried treasure. You look at it and think "with a little effort... and money... and a little of my spare time". I've never gone much further then "its a cool project.. for someone else". Take a step back and do the math on what its really going to cost you, then double it. The time you'll have to put into the bike is huge. These projects usually only succeed as a labor of love, if the bike really means something to you then go for it. If not, a running bike that only needs a bit of TLC is probably a better option... Just my opinion though, I'm just some guy on the internet.
$300 was my first thought and seems inline with other gut reactions. I might consider $500 if it kicks over and the oil isn't chocolate pudding. IIRC, those things were beasts. But all those old kick only big bore thumpers have blurred into what seems like one long continuous beating.
I am right in line with what you're saying CSF. I have been talking to my wife about getting something smaller to get around town with like a TW200 or another dual sport in that range for the last year. I have been selling it to her in the practicle sense, saving on gas/parking. The lower cc was mainly to cut the cost and since the highest speed in a 5 mile radious of the house is 35 size doesn't matter. Really I want a KLR like the 2001 sitting in my stepfather's garage, but that will take a lot more convincing. This one is like finding that $20 bill in the pocket of the pants you haven't worn in a few weeks! It is closer to the size I'm looking for and it's cheap. If I can get it, I will have to put money into it but that is 1/2 the fun for me.
Just an idea, since I think you're in the unique position to spend abit of time with the bike before committing to buy it, you could grab some fresh gas, a tool kit, fresh spark plug, ect. Hose the bike off, spend a few hours to get a real feel for it and see if it really is the project bike for you. From the picture I'd guess you'd need to throw $600-1000 and around 50-100 hours at the bike to really restore it and have it road worthy and nice looking. Those are really round numbers though. Whats good condition early 2000's KLR go for, around $2500?
You're right, I could get a nicer bike around what it will take to get this restored which is a really good point. I will definetly check it out a lot closer if I get the chance to buy it. Her aunt is checking with someone who before me said they would be interrested in this and a scooter sitting next to it in the shed to see if that was a serious offer or just offhand. I would still lean toward this bike just because it could be in better shape than we think and I enjoy projects like this. The cost of fixing it up will be stretched out over time and I will by then know the bike inside and out. My wife likes the idea of me being out in the garage spending tim on it as well. We will just see if it's meant to be or not.
I think $300 is a fair offer.. wouldnt go higher than that. I also wouldnt restore it. Part that sucker out! You'll spend a LOT of time and $ trying to get her running again.. and after all that is said and done, it'd only be worth 700-1000 absolutely tops, [assuming its road legal by then]. Unless you have an emotional tie to that specific bike [owned one in the past, was your best freinds bike, etc]- Id probably pass on it man, to be honest.
I'll bet you could pick up the KLR in your stepfathers garage for about 1500 or so. Especially since it won't be his garage in about ohhh 3 days. The craigslist flipper wouldn't come up the $150 and walked away. The spare chains alone were worth that. I don't think he knew how to ride a motorcycle. I'm just saying. I could probably arrange storage for it until you picked it up. Meanwhile, Look at all the fun 100mpg had on his thumper. (Search NOOB) PS. Bob says hi.
hahaha I will let you convince Katie to go with that idea! I have no idea why the old one would be more reasonable to her but it is. BUT then there is the parting out option I could make some bucks there. We will see, we will see!
Free is always good right? Turns out the other guy wasn't really serious and she is going to just give me the bike I just have to get it out of the shed. So whatever I do with it will be cool. We aren't planning to be up that way for about a month, but it is only about 2 hours away so I may fit in a day trip just to go get the bike. Expect to see more of me I am sure I will have more stupid questions!
I bet all it will take to be ride-able, is new tires, battery, and chain (might as well do sprockets too), and a carb cleaning. The other usual suspects like fork seals, and brakes, can be done as maintenance.
theres hope, my buddy had 2 bikes sitting in the backyard un der a tarp for the last 14 years and he cleaned them up put in fresh gas and oil and they both fired up and run great! one is a 87 yamaha 125 scooter the other is a 86 honda xr250.
