TOPIC:

Hello all,
I am newly back in the game of restoring my 79 1300 A. She'd been mine since 86 and went through a 27 year "resting" period. It's time to get back in the saddle and this site is an awesome resource. I will try and document anything unusual I come up against, but so far it's all already on the site. Now I'm seeking some sage wisdom on pricing of parts bikes theses days... 13's are for sure rarer than back in 91...
I have come across a VERY rough 79 A. It's been outside at least 15 years, maybe more, under a tarp... carbs off... but still around in a box, also under the tarp. You can imagine the shape. Every square inch is rusty and pitted... not to the core, but rough. Engine is locked, all chrome is pitted, it's exactly what you would expect. About the only good news is the tranny is moving, the oil isn't contaminated... much, and it has a title and key. As a bonus, a no title, 1980 B true parts bike comes with it. It's in worse shape, engine out but still around in pieces, and missing lots of parts.
The guy wanted 1500, which was way out of touch (I think), he got down to 1000, but I think 500 is the right ball pack for such bad shape. Maybe that's even high...
I know the pricing to expect on my dirt bikes, but I've been out of the game a long time. Any wisdom on current pricing would be appreciated. Thank you!
Mike

I picked up a roughly running bike for 1k. I personally wouldn't pay that much for nearly scrap metal.

If you go to the first posts in my resurrection thread, you will see photos of the bike I got. I bought it from a local guy in Canada how bought it in the USA and towed id here. He paid USD 300 for it there (at least what the paper says). It probably cost him another at least 100 in towing costs and taxes. I got it from him for a bit more already here in Canada not far from my place. It was supposed to be a running bike when parked with good engine, but turned out it was seized and needed a total rebuild. I am not sure if he was bullshitting me or he was bullshitted to, because the engine would had been in a really good shape if not for someone leaving the spark plugs loose with all the cylinders corroding filled with water for decades. Based on a few small facts I put together, I am quite certain the local Canadian guy lied to me as he said the bike was stored indoors in dry space and obviously it wasn't with all the cylinders flooded with rain water! His story also didn't match the dates.

Anyway, you need to be careful when buying. I had to redo everything on my bike and it cost a lot, like in my case a lot of parts were missing and everything needed to be re-chromed and painted, and all moving mechanical parts completely restored.

StanG wrote: Anyway, you need to be careful when buying. I had to redo everything on my bike and it cost a lot, like in my case a lot of parts were missing and everything needed to be re-chromed and painted, and all moving mechanical parts completely restored.

I read someone said something like 16k?

Mine sounds like yours and I paid GBP 450 for it... but I am having to redo everything and my estimate that by the time I'm finished the cost will far outweigh the value of the bike.

But for me worth it... coz I built it!

Paul

I had been keeping all the receipts but they started piling up and decided to toss them. I haven't been writing down the credit cards amounts as well or Ebay or other online purchases, but these can be tracked. I had an idea at first what it will cost, but once I had a choice of doing a half-assed restoration or go all the way, as complications surfaced along the way, I just said the hell with accounting and decoded to do what it takes. Of course, 'what it takes' had the obvious constrains - I've always searched for deals and got many parts at a very reasonable price, if not plain cheap, in comparison to what some people are willing to pay sometimes.

In my case, it also required a lot of extra costs as I don't have a garage and had no tools. If you have them, you'd be way ahead. Getting most parts from across the border required dozens of trips as well, an fees. Seemingly small amount, but that adds up quickly as well.

I can't really say at the moment how much, but all included I'd say it was something between US $8000 - 10,000 from start to end. That not including hours spent. It would be up to US $3000 more if doing all 'regular' price.
Having a set up for mechanical work, painting etc., and parts delivered to your door, I think it a major restoration can be done here for around US $4000 - 5000. Depending on what you already have, condition and if you are doing it yourself. If most external parts are there, including seat, lights, covers. etc., I'd say painting and polishing plus top end would be around 2000 - 4000.
Because I am in Canada, it cost me roughly x1.3.