Philosophy of Motorcycle Restoration 101

So very true in almost every instance.

The biggest problem is somebody completely new to motorcycles that thinks buying an '82 Yamaha is like buying an '82 Neon; with no frame of reference a lot of "newbies" simply make the assumption that a used vehicle is a used vehicle, regardless of the number of wheels.

While we know that nothing could be further from reality. And lurking in that "perception gap" are a lot of truly dangerous things, like old tires, delaminating brakes, ancient brake hoses, etc.

 

This is a great thread, thanks for bumping it Fitz. I'm all inspired now, I bought my first bike in the early summer and totally rode my luck.
I read this thread earlier this morning and purchased an oil heater for the garage after work.
I am a non-mechanic but will do all the maintenance this winter. I invested in cheap rain gear and winter gloves and have been toughing it out but we have freezing fog tonight. I was planning on riding year round but I think I may prefer learning to tinker rather than riding in winter...

 

Fitz, if you went to buy a second hand auto, would you test the compression ?

 

Performance car, sports car, especially an old British sports car-- heck yes!

(It's not a case of "would" it's a case of "have." Done it, that is.)

More importantly, if that second hand (or third or fourth hand) auto had been SITTING for any period of time (even on a dealer's lot) the brakes would be attended to before I would start driving it regularly.

It only takes one popped brake hose to create a "brake evangelist."

 

I must say, you would be the exception rather than the rule.

 

That good sir, is the story of my life.

I do all of my own wrench work (even on my '08 VW) and am not about to buy into a rude surprise if I can avoid it.

 

BUMP!

Thread is getting buried, and is seems like a bunch of newbie's are posting about new-to-them bikes with "one or two" problems, trusting what the PO says and looking for quick/cheap fixes.

If you're new here, go back and read the whole thread that BigFitz52 started. Safety is a key issue with a 30 y/o bike, and riding one, even if you just got your license, or were looking for cheap short term transportation, will require you catch up on all neglected maintenance.

You'll be turning the wrench, but with the help of the folks on this forum, you will not be alone.

 

Good thread, if makes me want to go work on and detail mine

 

Thanks guys!

BUMPITTY-BUMPITY-BUMPITY BUMP!!!

WHOLE LOTTA new XJ owners on board that need to read this one starting from page 1.

Please read what I wrote carefully; it could save you a lot of headaches in the future. And as I said there-- it's your choice. It's GONNA happen, how is up to you.

 

Great thread Fitz!
I plan to get my xj running correctly then do a tear down and restore the old girl. One thing I would of never thought of though if not for this site is rebuilding the calipers and master. I don't know why but I don't think it's something you tend to think about replacing.
Great thread and great site!

 

With out Fitz and the other "experts" here on this Forum my bike and many others would eirther be scrape metal or still in the garage sitting while we try and figure out how to get them going again. And I shudder to think how many misshaps/accidents have been avoided by these members if this site did not exist!

 

For the expert, you know what you're looking for. For someone getting into bikes and who wants a cheap starter bike that is not ugly, the XJs seem to be easy to find as really cheap possibilities. I would suggest you find one that is being ridden often. The maintenance on a running bike is a big enough pain let alone rebuilding a bike that has been sitting for years.

I bought my bike for $1,000 and put $200 into it right off the bat and this was a bike that looked great and was daily driven. I love it and it has always run well. Thankfully I was able to properly clean the carbs and adjust the valves without any issues. I used it to take a safety class and pass my rider's test. I have been riding it daily- weather permitting, I actually rode in a snow storm yesterday with 60MPH cross winds forcing me to exit the highway.

If you are not mechanically inclined you might want to consider the following:

2013 Honda NC700X - return of the standard motorcycle
Service intervals - Every 9,000 miles, literally utilizes a 2 Cylinder Honda Jazz/Fit engine
0-60 in 4.5 seconds
64 MPG
$7,000, -$205 a month (36 month at 6% with 0 down)

 

Personally, I view purchases like this not as a "cheap vehicle", but as a payment plan of sorts. I don't have the cash to lay out for something nice that just works, so I buy something nice and broken that I can fix over time.

 

Any one who's new should go back the the beginning of the WHOLE SITE and read through !

dave F

 

Same here 8)

This thread really needs to be stickied if possible, Fitz puts it well in that either YOU do the job right or the BIKE will make you do it over a longer timescale, with more aggro & more cost...

 

Amen brother

 

I figured my first post should be here rather than an introduction. I have read this thread over and over , and all I can say is thank you. Take it from a XJ noob , take this advice contained in this thread. I just wish I would have found this site 2 years ago , when I made the choice to buy a very neglected 81 XJ 650 maxim ( IE... muffler mounted with bale wire, cracked head complete w/JB weld fix , not to mention the 60s Chevy replacement headlight . :roll: .)Thanks to all the "Jedi Masters" on here , I should have her (Project : Nightmare...rightly named...lol )on the road this time next year. frame up cafe build.Wish me luck.
-Shawn

 

This post may be 7 years old but it gave me the bump I needed to head back to the garage today. Cheers!