Buyer's Guide?

Hello. I am looking to buy a XJ750 Seca for a potential project. I'm going tomorrow to check a bike I found on CL. Currently at work so I can't post up the add. It's a 1982 XJ750 Seca. The seller wants $1499 and claims that the bike had $700~ in maintenance done to it recently. I wanted to ask, what are the things to look out for when buying a 1982 XJ750 Seca? I'll post the add when I get a chance. Let me know. Thanks.

 

It better be in very nice, good running condition ......

 

Try this thread, you might find some of the info you need about checking what's beenndone to the bike

http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/index.php?threads/contemplating-purchase-1982-xj650rj-seca.48518/

Get them prove that they did $700 in maintenance to it. $700 can go a long way or a short way with these bikes, doesn't mean much if he spent $400 on high speed rated tires and $300 on an aftermarket exhaust and pods.

 

I think I found it---
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/4862146516.html

Mismatched Sidecovers and tail, odometer doesn't work...

Now there's something very familiar about that bike ..... Seems we've seen pics of that here not too long ago? Can't remember, but it sure looks awful familiar for some reason.

 

Yeah that's it. It seems like a good deal but I'm a noob when it comes to these bikes.

 

You are right hog. This bike was on here a few months ago. I think he was trying to sell the bike here. It's been on CL for months now.

 

http://xjbikes.com/forums/index.php?threads/1982-xj-750-so-cal-1-499.48164/

 

Oh man. Now I'm reconsidering it. It seems that 750 secas are rare around Southern California. I'll keep searching though.

 

The phone number on the invoice that seems to be a mobile number. On December 17 there was an ad for a 1967 VW bus listing that as the contact number. The address seems to be a non-existent address in on a residential street.

And I just realized why that service invoice jumped out at me as fishy - no sales tax on the parts. I'm pretty sure the state of California likes to collect sales tax on REAL sales......

 

Amazing! I wonder how the spelling suddenly is corrected on the same invoice!! Now I remember that bike.....Yep, that's the guy that flew off the handle at me (us) when we asked him more detailed questions about what was actually done. I said I also get suspicious rather quickly when a shop doesn't even spell 'brakes' and 'solenoid' correctly--I mean, geez, they should know there's a MAJOR difference in repairing BRAKES and repairing BREAKS......I don't recall what the incorrect spelling of 'solenoid' was.....

Now, at least in MY mind, my suspicions have been confirmed. I am still totally not interested in that bike.

ymmv

 

I'm highly suspicious of the invoice. Not a printout... Notice how crisp the text and graphic are? Clearly a digital file and not a scan of a printout. And now it has corrections! Anybody here ever get an invoice that they could later make changes to? I'm not saying that the work didn't get done, but in my opinion, there's something shady going on with the invoice. In the other thread, I believe he mentioned that the mechanic was a "good friend", so maybe they fudged the invoice. I would not trust that part of this ad.

 

yeah, deckman motorcycles and repair doesn't come up in a google search and the address is an intersection. looking at the other invoice/estimate (m2motoworks) in the posted thread is an actual motorcycle shop.

FU

 

Too bad I didn't keep a screenshot of the originally-posted repair bill for comparison

 

Francisco, offer the guy $250 cash and then you will have a good project bike. Be prepared to go through EVERYTHING . If he says no to the cold hard cash; walk away, that seller should not be trusted.

 

You can see a small preview of it in the old thread, enough though to tell that it doesnt look anything like the one thats currently posted with the ad, the one that looks like it was made on windows 95 using paint....

 

edit: can open the original invoice, ill try repost it here to compare

my mistake, was the 2nd invoice he had done

 

I can't find anything of the original one in the thread. I just looked back and read all the way through that forum.... I don't think anyone was being critical, just asking for clearer info.

But, since it turned into a name-calling scene, I guess that NOW I probably AM very critical and skeptical of that bike, and that individual. So now I am one of the " d!€{h£ad$" that he told to F--k.....

I can live with that....obviously he didn't get to "F--k" anyone here with that sale.

 

I think WE feel better about that than HE does! He got pretty testy (testes?) in the last thread! It is a nice looking bike, but I don't think it or the seller is what they claim. As for Stumplifter's $250 offer, feels like a low-ball to me, but I'm a bit of a sucker! I might even consider going as high as $750. Wreckers usually try for a buck a cc, right? looks way better than scrap yard! But the seller was a huge A-hole, which makes me not wanna give him any cash. I guess I'm glad I don't have to make this decision!

 

An unsavory character like that, who couldn't realize the folly of his ways in the previous thread* deserves to be low balled . . . .


* both BigShankHank and Dave had very clear and articulate replies to the guy in regards to 'everyone trying to bash him' and yet he couldn't swallow his pride and concede to the knowledge of this community?