not running but just needs carbs cleaned

[twocool]

Like most of you...I scan Craig's list pretty regularly....


I just gotta laugh!

I love the ad's which say.."Bike is perfect, except just needs carbs cleaned"...

There is like a thousand ad's which say this same thing!


Who's kidding who?

If all the bike needs is carbs cleaned...why don't you get the carbs cleaned...and sell the bike as a running and driving bike...for more money???


Cookie

[icecold]

Time, interest and skill. I bought my very first bike like this. '82 Yamaha XJ550 for $800. It was a gamble, for sure. After talking to the guy for a bit I decided I could trust him and made the purchase. After a few weeks of cleaning the carburetors (learning curve is steep on a 4-rack mikuni carb) the bike was running fine.

[Rallyfan]

I like how it's always the previous owner that dropped the bike.

I maintain honest and serious motorcyclists don't drop bikes. We crash.

Yet nobody on CL crashes. Ever. They drop the bike. For shame.

[AlexT]

I took a gamble as well. The person I bought it from couldn't get the bike to start for me and swears it was just a battery problem. It was late at night and she really wanted the bike gone so she accepted an offer much lower than her starting price. After plopping a new and fully charged battery, the bike fired right up.

[Suzuki Stevo]

Many places riding bikes is a seasonal thing, then people park them during the off season while underestimating how crappy today's fuel is, that and the fact that small MC battery's are not as robust as larger battery's, then in spring realize they want to be a bike rider, not a bike mechanic...POOF up to CL they go, cause even if they wanted to take it to a shop..they don't have a trailer or any means to get it there 

[The Buddha]

One time someone asked me if it was crashed. This was a 89 with 50k miles. I told him - atleast 17 times, I got in 2 accidents. But you would never see it on this bike. The body parts that are on it, all came from other bikes.
Cool.
Buddha.

[twocool]

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/mcy/5101803323.html

here's a good example....

Asking price seems reasonable...maybe could be bought for even less?  $1200?  $1000?

If all it needs is a carb cleaning, this is a great buy!


Cookie

[The Buddha]

If all the bike needs is carbs cleaned...why don't you get the carbs cleaned...and sell the bike as a running and driving bike...for more money???

Cookie

Usually if you have to take it to a dealer ... you'd spend more than the price difference between a running bike and a non running bike. not to mention an $800 bike needing carb cleaning will sell in 1/4th the time of a $1600 runner. Even when the buyer has to take it to a dealer, they would prefer to do it. Cos its like making payments ... drip feeding $$$ into a project bike, usually that's how we get ion over our head.

Cool.
Buddha.

[twocool]

Buddha,

I sort of understand your logic....but I don't think the math adds up.

IF you knew for sure that all was necessary was a carb cleaning, and IF you are handy at cleaning carbs..then it makes sense.

But SOMEBODY has to pay for the carb cleaning...if you have it done by a dealer, it's gonna cost a lot, and not be worth it...either the buyer or the seller has to foot that bill.

If you clean the carbs yourself..well then it only costs you time...and maybe a few parts...but you still have to figure that your time is worth money....and you take a big chance that there may be far more wrong with a non running bike...

To me, a non running bike has to be bought for cheap cheap cheap.  I mean, let's say you get a non runner for $1000, and it takes another $1000 (or more) to get it running...you could easily have found a $2000 runner and have no work to do.

I guess it really comes down to how handy you are, how much you are looking for a project, and how much of a chance taker you are.

There are plenty examples of guys who bought cheap non runners and got them up to spec for next to nothing...while others got in over their heads or got screwed...

Interesting...

Cookie

If all the bike needs is carbs cleaned...why don't you get the carbs cleaned...and sell the bike as a running and driving bike...for more money???

Cookie

Usually if you have to take it to a dealer ... you'd spend more than the price difference between a running bike and a non running bike. not to mention an $800 bike needing carb cleaning will sell in 1/4th the time of a $1600 runner. Even when the buyer has to take it to a dealer, they would prefer to do it. Cos its like making payments ... drip feeding $$$ into a project bike, usually that's how we get ion over our head.

Cool.
Buddha.