Thread: Looking for Motorcycle advice. (What is Resonable Mileage)

So I'm considering getting an older motorcycle. 1983 Honda Sabre to be exact. I found one that will need some work but Im not too worried about it. Only problem is Im not really sure on all the specifics and what parts will run and what parts that I can run. For example I know that its leaking fuel from one of the carbs, it needs a battery, and it has no key. I know rebuilding carbs can get kind of pricy due to the fact that they need to be synced or whatever. Not really sure what I should roughly expect to pay though. Battery doesn't concern me. For the key Im under the impression that I can take the ignition off myself and take it to a locksmith or dealer and have one made. Anybody know what I can expect to pay for that? I also saw for about $30 I could get a new cylinder with a key. I know that the key also opens gas tank, seat, as well as starting the bike so would I still have access to the other 2 locations? I heard someone say that any Honda Key will open the tank. Is that true? Any help will be appreciated. And of course if anyone has any suggestions on what to look for when I go to look at it again that would be very helpful. I know this is a car forum but I figure theres a chance that quite a few of you know cycles pretty good.

I had an 84 VF500, great bike.

However I wouldn't buy any bike without hearing it run, and riding it on the road. UNLESS I was buying it to strip it to the frame and restore.

Too many bikes out there with shot motors, crappy tires, bent wheels, and destroyed suspensions, that "just" need a battery and carb re-build.

-Rob

Since there's no key, you should be able to get a locksmith to cut you one if you bring him the ignition. If not, you should be able to find a matching set on ebay, for the ign, tank, seat, helmet lock, with key ($50-100)

If you don't know carbs, don't touch them. Get all the carbs rebuilt, and synced (syncing them is super easy, just a matter of knowing how) If you supply the rebuild kits, I cannot see more than 2 hours labor to do a full rebuild.



Also, do you know how to ride a motorcycle, or are you just jumping face first into motorcycles with an oldie??


Always check out the tires, all fluids, check to see if the forks are leaking, check for obvious warpage in the rotors, and how the pads are. Pull the boots away from the cable ends (clutch, throttle, choke) and see if they are rusted. Check all safety related stuff too.


As far as cost, it will cost you more than you ever expect. I'd imagine the list would look about like this:

New battery
Rebuilt front forks w/ new seals, bushings, fluid, and dust covers
New tires front and rear
New shaft drive boots, and rear gear oil
Brake flush (possible caliper/master cylinder rebuild)
Brake pads (possibly rotors depending on condition)
Ignition lock key (possibly all new locks)
New clutch, choke, throttle cables
Rebuild carbs
Fuel system flush
Oil Change
Coolant system flush
Any electrical issues corrected (bike that sit love to have corrosion on connectors on the handlebars)
Any cosmetic issues


If you can do the work yourself, it's be a neat project. Just remember anything with 2 wheels require much more attention to detail as you don't have a nice big metal cage around you if something happens.

Originally Posted by RivMan

I had an 84 VF500, great bike.

However I wouldn't buy any bike without hearing it run, and riding it on the road. UNLESS I was buying it to strip it to the frame and restore.

Too many bikes out there with shot motors, crappy tires, bent wheels, and destroyed suspensions, that "just" need a battery and carb re-build.

-Rob

Yea Im skeptical of it. He could have very well "lost" the key so he could get rid of a problem bike. On the other hand for the price he is selling it for he could probably pretty easily get that if he parted it out. I have been looking at the priced of these parts and really if I got it and it turned out to be poo I could really get back what I would be getting it for I think.

Originally Posted by machinegunsquid

Since there's no key, you should be able to get a locksmith to cut you one if you bring him the ignition. If not, you should be able to find a matching set on ebay, for the ign, tank, seat, helmet lock, with key ($50-100)

If you don't know carbs, don't touch them. Get all the carbs rebuilt, and synced (syncing them is super easy, just a matter of knowing how) If you supply the rebuild kits, I cannot see more than 2 hours labor to do a full rebuild.



Also, do you know how to ride a motorcycle, or are you just jumping face first into motorcycles with an oldie??


Always check out the tires, all fluids, check to see if the forks are leaking, check for obvious warpage in the rotors, and how the pads are. Pull the boots away from the cable ends (clutch, throttle, choke) and see if they are rusted. Check all safety related stuff too.


As far as cost, it will cost you more than you ever expect. I'd imagine the list would look about like this:

New battery
Rebuilt front forks w/ new seals, bushings, fluid, and dust covers
New tires front and rear
New shaft drive boots, and rear gear oil
Brake flush (possible caliper/master cylinder rebuild)
Brake pads (possibly rotors depending on condition)
Ignition lock key (possibly all new locks)
New clutch, choke, throttle cables
Rebuild carbs
Fuel system flush
Oil Change
Coolant system flush
Any electrical issues corrected (bike that sit love to have corrosion on connectors on the handlebars)
Any cosmetic issues


If you can do the work yourself, it's be a neat project. Just remember anything with 2 wheels require much more attention to detail as you don't have a nice big metal cage around you if something happens.

I have some experience with driving a cycle but I don't have a liscense yet so there is no road experience. All just open parking lots and some small side roads connecting them for practice on my dads cycle. I kind of just want some sort of project to work on so it doesn't have to be a perfect bike. But I don't want to get something that will be a huge problem either if you follow.

ask bio. personally I dont much about bikes to say anything

If you don't want a huge problem, than buy a bike that you know runs, has keys, and hasn't sat for who knows how long.


Start small, and work your way up.

Its sat for 3 years because that's when he lost the key for it. And Im glad it at least has a title because when it said no key I thought maybe it was stolen or something. lol. My biggest turn off about it is that I cant hear it run or have someone test drive it. That in itself would show a lot more potential problems. Ive been mulling it over for a few days but right now Im thinkin its not worth it.

It's hard to kill those old Hondas. Chances are it'll run fine with a carb rebuild

cleaning the carbs is easy. so long as they haven't been sitting forever you just need to make sure the jets arent clogged and the floats and slides move freely. there are other passages in the carbs, but unless you have an ultrasonic cleaner, you're not getting them clean anyway. usually what i said above will "fix" all carb issues. i never sync'd a set after i cleaned them. syncing becomes an issue when you seperate the carbs from one another. leave them all attached and pop the bowls off the bottom. everything you need to clean is in there. try to reuse gaskets, but depending on how long it sat they may be junk anyway.

and smuts is right, killing one of those older bikes is damn near impossible unless you run it really lean for a good amount of time.

Alright thanks for the advice. I have heard that the older Hondas are pretty reliable. My dad, brother, and a buddy of mine all run Hondas and love them.

Alright so Ive been doing some more poking around. What is reasonable or average mileage for a Honda cycle from the early to mid 80s? What would be considered high mileage for a bike?

They can easily last over 100k

So I shouldn't be too worried if it has like 40K+ on it then?

I wouldn't worry as long as the motor turns free

20k miles on a bike is nothing.

once you get more than ~40-50k you want to start worrying about cam chain tensioners and other wear items in the motor.