New to Old.....
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:38 pm
Alow, when you buy into a vintage bike, you are almost certainly going to get into the "restoration side of things". Nearly any bike you get is going to be at least part jigsaw puzzle.
Personally, I have come to the conclusion that the way to buy an old bike is to get one that's cosmetically as complete as possible (even if the cosmetics themselves are not so good), and then expect to have to go through the drivetrain and electrics. Anything less is a win.
For example, I bought an R51/3 on eBay a few years back. Fortunately, the seller was only 45 miles from me, and I could go over and look at the bike before paying. It ran ok, but had some odd carburetion issues. It didn't shift real well. The chrome was ok, but the paint wasn't great, and the pinstripes were wrong. Physically, it had all of the pieces on it that were supposed to be there. I got it for what I thought was a good price, including the idea that I'd have to go through the motor and transmission.
I haven't bothered with the optics of the bike, but I did rebuild the motor and a friend helped me with the transmission. I've put 5,000 miles on it and while it's not a real looker, it's great fun to ride.
A good starter bike is one where the parts are plentiful and readily available. Nearly any postwar beemer qualifies (there are a few exceptions - just let me know if you happen to stumble on an R51/2). A bike that has a following, enough so that there is a support group for it, to ask questions and get opinions. This last part is what we're all here for, and there are several other places on the web as well.
Don't necessarily buy the prettiest/most expensive bike you find. You will still have to put money into it. Find something that's complete, because the missing pieces will nickel ($50) and dime ($100) you to death.
Don't expect to make money, or buy into an "investment". (Whether you need to use these lines on your wife may be a different matter. ) Pretty much nobody who sets a bike up for themselves will get their money back if they sell it right away. It could take years for the market to catch up to a restoration.
Some sage advice I was given was that, upon completing my restoration, I should have a party at which I burn all the receipts, so that I would never know really how much I poured into it.
Personally, I have come to the conclusion that the way to buy an old bike is to get one that's cosmetically as complete as possible (even if the cosmetics themselves are not so good), and then expect to have to go through the drivetrain and electrics. Anything less is a win.
For example, I bought an R51/3 on eBay a few years back. Fortunately, the seller was only 45 miles from me, and I could go over and look at the bike before paying. It ran ok, but had some odd carburetion issues. It didn't shift real well. The chrome was ok, but the paint wasn't great, and the pinstripes were wrong. Physically, it had all of the pieces on it that were supposed to be there. I got it for what I thought was a good price, including the idea that I'd have to go through the motor and transmission.
I haven't bothered with the optics of the bike, but I did rebuild the motor and a friend helped me with the transmission. I've put 5,000 miles on it and while it's not a real looker, it's great fun to ride.
A good starter bike is one where the parts are plentiful and readily available. Nearly any postwar beemer qualifies (there are a few exceptions - just let me know if you happen to stumble on an R51/2). A bike that has a following, enough so that there is a support group for it, to ask questions and get opinions. This last part is what we're all here for, and there are several other places on the web as well.
Don't necessarily buy the prettiest/most expensive bike you find. You will still have to put money into it. Find something that's complete, because the missing pieces will nickel ($50) and dime ($100) you to death.
Don't expect to make money, or buy into an "investment". (Whether you need to use these lines on your wife may be a different matter. ) Pretty much nobody who sets a bike up for themselves will get their money back if they sell it right away. It could take years for the market to catch up to a restoration.
Some sage advice I was given was that, upon completing my restoration, I should have a party at which I burn all the receipts, so that I would never know really how much I poured into it.