Whattayathink?
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Joined
·
8,490 Posts
Tempting...
Trip, that would make me look hard for $950, (but get him down to $800 or 850). I've always loved to ride off road bikes. Tom
Trip, that would make me look hard for $950, (but get him down to $800 or 850). I've always loved to ride off road bikes. Tom
Joined
·
11,728 Posts
It's worth about $850.00. The Honda looking front blinkers look like they came off a "Trail 90". The fenders look after market too (along with the D&D pipe), but the black tape on the seat is a bonus. All the things I just listed are easy fixes. The fenders are probably better than stock, don't worry about the blinkers, tree bark will take those right off. Seat skins are easy to find and relatively cheap (as long as the seat foam is o.k.). Other than that it, looks like it was "rode hard and put up wet". If you can get the owner to fire it up, listen for cam slop and/or piston slap. Also, try to lift up the fork boots and check for blown seals. Sit on it first and compress the forks a couple times and also do the rear shock (it's easier, no boot). Also ask him if he re-jetted the carb for the pipe. See if you can get a look at the air cleaner, but not so much for dirt, but for rot.
Don't mean to "dog it out", but knowing what I've done to "Dual Purpose" bikes, I pretty much have an idea of what to look for. But even if you paid the asking price, a guy could still get his moneys' worth in fun out of it. Plus it would make a "back-up" commuter bike. I'd buy it.
Don't mean to "dog it out", but knowing what I've done to "Dual Purpose" bikes, I pretty much have an idea of what to look for. But even if you paid the asking price, a guy could still get his moneys' worth in fun out of it. Plus it would make a "back-up" commuter bike. I'd buy it.
Joined
·
931 Posts
Hi Trip,
A friend of mine bought a used KLR like this 2 years ago and had major problems as the main crank bearings were shot.
It was just audible when the engine was still cold.
It was very expensive for him to fix it so be careful.
Otherwise the bike is fine, with WP rear shock it handles well!
The fenders look right to me. This engine is quite strong and 15 years ago it was the bike to beat in the category. Check the sidestand! These bikes had a strange rectangular cross section aluminium side stand which brakes up easily. If it was replaced check to see if the bike sits properly on the replacement. My friend's bike has fallen 3 times off the sidestand (it was changed with a slightly shorter one).
In any case this is a well used bike and I think you should use all the mentioned points to reduce the price. Most important is the engine, all the rest are cheap to fix, so make sure it has no problems there before you go on.
Good luck!
Aris
A friend of mine bought a used KLR like this 2 years ago and had major problems as the main crank bearings were shot.
It was just audible when the engine was still cold.
It was very expensive for him to fix it so be careful.
Otherwise the bike is fine, with WP rear shock it handles well!
The fenders look right to me. This engine is quite strong and 15 years ago it was the bike to beat in the category. Check the sidestand! These bikes had a strange rectangular cross section aluminium side stand which brakes up easily. If it was replaced check to see if the bike sits properly on the replacement. My friend's bike has fallen 3 times off the sidestand (it was changed with a slightly shorter one).
In any case this is a well used bike and I think you should use all the mentioned points to reduce the price. Most important is the engine, all the rest are cheap to fix, so make sure it has no problems there before you go on.
Good luck!
Aris
Attachments
Thanks guys, I'll definitely look for these things if I go take a look at it. I thought $950 was a pretty good price; in two years of looking for this kind of bike, I haven't found one for less than $1500 in my area.
I think I would use it as a commuter bike, so long as I find it reliable enough to take to the road. I've been itching for another dirtbike for a long time, but nothing kills off-road excitement like having to load your 250 pound bike back in and out of the truck every time you want to ride. That's why I definitely wanted a dual purpose this time.
And hey, that tape on the seat-- that's character! It just shows people that the bike has a story to tell! :~
Anybody have any clue as to how much an engine/tranny rebuild would cost on this thing?
I think I would use it as a commuter bike, so long as I find it reliable enough to take to the road. I've been itching for another dirtbike for a long time, but nothing kills off-road excitement like having to load your 250 pound bike back in and out of the truck every time you want to ride. That's why I definitely wanted a dual purpose this time.
And hey, that tape on the seat-- that's character! It just shows people that the bike has a story to tell! :~
Anybody have any clue as to how much an engine/tranny rebuild would cost on this thing?
Joined
·
11,728 Posts
I'd be afraid to guess the shop price. Since winter is coming on, it would be a good project. What year is it and what kind of miles?
Speaking of character, one of my 3 wheelers had the seat cover coming apart, so for a temporary fix I cut up one of my old black t-shirts and made a cover out of that. I only planed on keeping it on there for a week until I ordered another, that was a year and a 1/2 ago. If you don't know, you can't even tell it's a t-shirt. Of course I don't know whether to take the bike to the car wash or the laundramat:laugh:
Speaking of character, one of my 3 wheelers had the seat cover coming apart, so for a temporary fix I cut up one of my old black t-shirts and made a cover out of that. I only planed on keeping it on there for a week until I ordered another, that was a year and a 1/2 ago. If you don't know, you can't even tell it's a t-shirt. Of course I don't know whether to take the bike to the car wash or the laundramat:laugh:
Attachments
It's a 1986, so it's a 600 and not a 650. It has 7500 miles on it. The guy who owns it now said that the past 4000 miles or so have all been street commuting, back and forth to work and school type thing. He says that all the off-roading this bike has seen was before he took possession of it.
I think it'd be kind of fun to just do a rebuild myself over the winter, though I've never actually overhauled a motorcycle engine before. Do they make kits for this sort of thing? That's the neat thing about bikes, everything is so small on them, I could probably remove the engine/tranny and overhaul it in my living room.
You know, taking another look at the picture, is that a rear drum brake I see?
I think it'd be kind of fun to just do a rebuild myself over the winter, though I've never actually overhauled a motorcycle engine before. Do they make kits for this sort of thing? That's the neat thing about bikes, everything is so small on them, I could probably remove the engine/tranny and overhaul it in my living room.
You know, taking another look at the picture, is that a rear drum brake I see?
Joined
·
11,728 Posts
That is a drum brake. If half of what the owner says is true, I'd buy it. As far as doing the rebuild, it can get tedious at times, but no worse than the ZR. As long as you have the book on it, it should be no problem at all. With that amount of miles, it should be in pretty good shape (although they may be pretty rough miles). As long as the oil was changed every now and then, it shouldn't be in too bad a shape. The thing I find with most older bikes is the seals weep a bit (or will soon) and the rubber parts (gromets and things like that) can be in rough shape (worn/torn/flat spots/hard). But things like that aren't usually a problem. If you do a rebuild you'll more than likely take care of the seals in the motor. If not, just catch 'em as they come. There should only be a couple in the lower end (shift shaft, out put shaft and kick starter) but those are usually accessible.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
