Restoring a bike versus cars

Restoring/restomodding a bike is WAY easier than doing a car.

I've had two cars down to the bare shell and back again.

I can do it to bikes, and I may just keep on doing it. 8)

 

Too much money.

The REAL difference is priorities: you can "get by" with things on a car that you cannot get away with on a motorcycle, like brakes or in the case of the XJs, the charging system.

If an "in progress" car breaks down, you coast to the side of the road and pull out the cell phone.

Depending on what it is, a mechanical failure on a partially restored bike can put you in the hospital; or worse.

I gave up on cars (British) a while back and decided to concentrate on bikes, simply because of the financial outlay. I can resurrect two or even three bikes for the cost of a new one; whereas restoring a car costs easily 3X more than that.

Plus cars take up too much garage space.

 

naturally bikes stay in better condition longer than cars due to the fair weather nature of most riders.

OHHH the salt.... my bike has 18 years on my truck, and I trust the bike not to break down far more than the truck.

while the bike is the daily the truck is pulled off the road for some much needed repairs.. then come wintertime I'm sure ill find something to fix or tinker with on the bike.

 

X2

I haven't given up on cars quite yet though, out of necessity. I have a third Fox Mustang nearly down to the shell, taking up a big chunk of space in my polebarn. It has to, and will, get back together in the not to distant future. (My 16 year old daughters graduation present. She's doing a LOT of the work too. 8) )

Then there is the 96 T'Bird that I was going to restomod, but now I'm seriously considering selling it as is to fund the Maxim.

edit: Case in point, whereas what I could get for the Bird as is could FINISH the bike, obviously is just the starting point for the Bird. Thousands envisioned in that thing, and months and months of work. And TWO polebarns full of parts and space to bring up to snuff and restomod. (It's a 96", a VERY complicated car!)

 

Yeah and wife permitting, the bike COULD come into the house for that tinkering. (I am DONE working in my polebarn when winter hits because it isn't heated. :cry: )

 

Land Rover Series I-III models, by chance?

 

But I'm wondering: is the money generally recouped when restoring vintage cars? It doesn't appear to be so with XJs, although the 70's and earlier collectible bikes might be more investment-worthy.

 

I have NEVER recouped the cost of restomodding my cars. 80% max, but that's ok.

I think the bike is gonna be about the same, but I'm still losing less money in total.

And it isn't all about the money anyway.

P.S. If we all thought nothing but dollars, there would only be Harleys, Vettes, and Shelby Mustangs being restored and restomodded. Nothing else makes such financial sense. (I'm exaggerating damn little) Dul, Dull, Dull.

 

My guess was MG's and Triumphs.

Wanna bet BW?

 

i just insulated my garage with older (but still decent) fiberglass insulation my neighbor pulled out of his living room and kitchen he was renovating. mind you my garage is much smaller than your pole sheds.

maybe this winter i wont have to huddle around my little electric space heater like i did with the clutch job.

 

I'm done with the cars, as I've restomodded quite a few over the years. Only seen a profit on the Mustang Cobra Convertible that I had.

My only performance machine I currently have is the X. And for about a 1/4 or 1/3 of the money I would typically spend on a car, the pounds per horsepower makes it bargain, and quite a machine to ride.

Keep in mind, no matter if it's of the two or four wheel variety, you'd be hard pressed to have anyone pay you enough for the time that you invest bringing a pile of crap back to life and making it safe to pilot on the road.

I'd say just do it for the love of it, and enjoy the machine so that you benefit from all your hard work.

Tony

 

Exactly. If you add in labor, there's no way I'd ever come close to recouping what I have into my '83. Even in parts alone, it's not a figure I'd ever expect to see come back.

I built my bike to ride. It cost just about what the bike cost new in total, more than I could ever sell it for; but in today's world still only about 1/3 the price of a new bike. And I get to ride around on an essentially new 1983 Yamaha, with a better seat and better brakes and suspension than it came from the factory with.

It was worth the work.

 

Here Here

 

I know of what you are talking.

 

Absolutely "worth the work", if you're keeping it. Nobody but you can appreciate all the effort put into a reviving an old machine.

 

Restoring old cars? Hell, I spend all my time just keeping my old cars on the road as daily drivers, restoring them would take them off the road for too long. I currently have a 98 Toyota Avalon w/ 175k on the clock, a '00 Wrangler that just crossed over 200k, and a '96 Merc C280 w/ 250k. All three are in regular use by my wife and kids. I wish I had time to take the Merc and Jeep into the garage for a good overhaul, but as it is I am happy to bust a knuckle every few weekends to keep them going and safe.
So the bike restorations, of which I have three in complete disassembly mode right now (including my 700), is my hobby outlet.

 

MG, Austin Healy, and Triumph. Over the years I had a '58 Bugeye Sprite, a '65 TR4A, a '68 MGB, a '72MGB and a '75 or '76 TR6.

 

My brother's ex had a Midget when he married her. One of the funnest cars I've ever driven.

One of the first things I did for her was repair the transmission. Then the motor. Then the coil. Then it sat.

All while they where on thier honeymoon. 8O

 

as we speak im knee deep in a brake and exhaust job on my truck..... broken bleeder screw makes for a rough day. new caliper it is.