I'm starting to feel more comfortable with mechanical work and was thinking I might actually enjoy doing a tear down of a simple bike and restoring it to its former glory. I was hoping someone with experience could tell me a few bikes that would be less frustrating to wrench on for someone new to the game and perhaps which bikes to avoid, if any. Thanks as always!
Two Stroke - RD250/350, any Yamah DT , And if you want something just was vool, get a Kawasaki triple, 250/300/350/400/500 - they are a bit trickier , but, the are wicked fun to ride !
Four Stroke - CB what ever, normally a twin is easier to work with - 350/360 etc.but then again, a XL350/500 would be cool also - very simple but effective motorcycle -
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" Any book is a childrens book , if the kid can read !"
Mitch Hedburg
Suede, good question. If I can tag onto it, how about a 250 or smaller street bike? I would be interested in what would be fairly cheap and easy to fix up like that.
In Texas, you can get a MC license at 15 (car at 16) but the MC has to be 250 or smaller. I would like to get something to start as a project with my son so he can ride at 15.
I don't know that Suede wants something that small, but I just started thinking....then saw 2ohno's post about the RD250 and Kaw 250 triple (now that would be cool if they are fairly cheap) and got to pondering the possibilities....
No worries, Shawn - I'm guessing the brain trust can handle both inquiries.
Would a 2-stroke be easier? Hadn't thought about dirt beforehand, I guess it'd have to be a dual-sport for me to be interested. Mostly I just want something straight forward with plenty of room to work (I know it's relative as it is a bike). CC doesn't matter to much to me as long as it hits 65 at some point
They are more fun that one can put into words ! PLus, if yo uwant to, there are loads of trick/go fast stuff out there - If yo udo get a RD and find your self in need of a crank, let me know - Ive got a built up one that Im not doing anything with - its been welded and have TZ 350 bearings on it, supposed to be good for 11k rpms w/pre mix and synthetic oil -
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" Any book is a childrens book , if the kid can read !"
Mitch Hedburg
Prices aren't outrageous - I'll start putting out feelers on the West Coast and see if I can find something. The Minneapolis complete but apart one looks great - I'll actually be up there on Sunday for work...no good way to take it home, though
A Honda 600cc sportbike makes a good project. I streetfightered an F3
(1996). There's plenty around that time period that are cheap to purchase, have been well abused from lack of maintenance but the motor is still sound so you have something to work on, and parts are readily available. When you're done you've got yourself a nice little bike.
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"Towards the end of the vid, it looks like she may have had a bafflectomy." - MarylandMike
Coming back to this - I notice when I'm not in school, I get super stir crazy and gravitate toward restoring a bike. Sooo, I'm beginning my search now for work beginning in June, once I graduate. If anyone comes across a sweet Yammie RD, I'm liking that idea the most thus far (thanks again, 2ohno!)
I've been looking at some stuff and thinking along the same lines. I'm thinking a 4-stroke, though, for a cafe racer, not a strict restoration. Right now, thinking about CB350 (or variants), although I'd take just about any complete bike that still runs and looks like it could fit the bill. Problem is that I want to pick one up dirt cheap, and most of those are of the "not running" variety. Kinda wary of those.
I've been looking at some stuff and thinking along the same lines. I'm thinking a 4-stroke, though, for a cafe racer, not a strict restoration. Right now, thinking about CB350 (or variants), although I'd take just about any complete bike that still runs and looks like it could fit the bill. Problem is that I want to pick one up dirt cheap, and most of those are of the "not running" variety. Kinda wary of those.
Most of the 'not running' bikes I've encountered were pretty simple to work on. As long as the motor kicks over and all the parts are there, Japanese reliability is amazing. My first bike was a CB350 that honestly sat out in a pasture for about six years. Within 5 minutes, we had it going again. Maybe we're lucky. Sometimes, they're like a cocaine habit. Hard to quit and often you're too far in to debt to give it up.
As for a recommendation for a resto... Go with a Honda CB350/550/750. Easy to work on and parts are still readily available. Just my .02
__________________ "Reason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it" ~ Ayn Rand
about 10 years ago i did a restore/custome rebuild of a 1976 cb 550 four fun bike and any mid seventies cb modle would be cheep and easy and should be easy to find. here is a pic of the bike granted i sold it after a couple years to make room for other bikes and the wife will only let me keep 2 at a time.
I'm starting to feel more comfortable with mechanical work and was thinking I might actually enjoy doing a tear down of a simple bike and restoring it to its former glory. I was hoping someone with experience could tell me a few bikes that would be less frustrating to wrench on for someone new to the game and perhaps which bikes to avoid, if any. Thanks as always!
In most cases it's cheaper to buy something restored than to do it yourself, however you do miss out experience (good & bad). Everyone needs to do what they need to do, not what other folks think. Personally having done a restoration, I'd never do anything beyond a driver (rider), then you don't have a fit if it gets banged up or has to be sold. 2 * 1cent = opinion
Get a UJM that runs. It doesn't have to run good, just turn over and be able to run. Then you know its carb clean and valve adjustment away from actually running and you can sink your money into all the fun stuff
I picked up a 1990 GS500E last week for Jonathon. It was his 12th birthday present for us to rebuild together. I was thinking about fixing it up as a trackbike, maybe taking it out once or twice and selling it for a Ninja 250, which would be a better track bike for him, I think.
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Shawn
2004 Triumph Speed Triple SE (Speedy - Street Bike)
2002 Suzuki GSX-R600 (Shamu - Track Bike)
Kieth at Obermeyers in Jasper has the coolest project going I've seen lately. He took an old air cooled 650 Yamaha twin, rebuilt the engine to a prox 750. He's making a streetbike that is going to a flat tracker looking. It looks really small and very light and simple. 750 twin ought to be all the poop anyone needs with a bike like that.
If you Google XS650 tracker you'll find heaps of cool modified bikes. The old Yammy makes a great base for a tracker, bobber or cafe styled bike and engine parts are available. Try 'mikesXS' for bits and big bore parts.
You might want to consider an old 500 4 stroke single from Honda or whichever other of the Japanese majors made them.
80s era bikes in origin.
They can be built as streetable dirt track style or repro 50s/60s era 500 single GP bikes.
Very easy to work on, one cylinder, one carb, AND you get to play with a camshaft and some poppet valves, something no 2 stroke can offer.
Engines can be built from mild to wild.
Assume laced wheels, so wheel building/tuning becomes part of it, although you may want to sub that kind of work out.
One you find COMPLETE, Cheap, and you like the looks of.
Then go from there........
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I Can and will ride anything!
Bikes I own:
New addition 1978 CB750Four
2006 919
1994 home built springer
1984 KLR 600
1953 Servi-car (I gotta get this put back together)
1942 WLA (Gotta finish this one as well)
1985 Honda 200M ATC
1985 Honda ATC 70
1997 Yamaha Big Bear 350 4X4 ATV
Early 1984 Ironhead Sporty (Wife has laid claim to this bike)
1986 Sporty that I am putting a ironhead engine into
YEA BIGDAA I Gotta GUN!
It's not that I am punishing YOU, I am just taking YOUR money and giving it to LAZY Asses who refuse to get off the TIT of the Government...Obama to Joe the Plumber
I've got a 1987 GS450LH (I think that was the exact model for it anyway) in my garage that I intended to restore/customize, but since it has sat in pieces for the last 3 years I have pretty much given up on it. It's got a clean KS title, someone want to make me an offer on it?
I'm smitten with the looks and the description!
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