When to give up on an old bike? And bike thieves in court

[M1ghtyDUck]

Hi guys,

When do you give up on an old bike?

I've got a '92 GSXR400 that I'm umming and ahhing over getting rid of. Bought it for £1000 a few years ago, with 10 previous owners. Small bits have been falling off but the engine is still "sweet as a nut" according to all the mechanics that have worked on it.

Recently, some pikeys tried to nick it by drilling out the ignition barrel. They would have got it too but there's a loose connection from the battery to the ignition that I hadn't got around to fixing yet, and it turned it back off for them.

Someone saw them tampering, rang the police who for the first time in my life actually did something (me and my girlfriend once got mugged in a town square; I chased the fuckers down with a bouncer and literally handed them to the cops and nought happened) and picked them up. They're in court today and if they plead not guilty I go as a witness to the trial, so I'll keep you posted on that.

Either way, now its just standing there and has been for a couple weeks, wondering if it's going to get repaired or not. I just checked and it still runs, but I've probably spent over £1200 on it over the years, and I wonder if it's worth taking it somewhere yet again or maybe I should just try and sell it as is to someone who'd break it?

It has a few niggles that I don't mind but are more things that make me think perhaps its time to stop flogging a dead horse and just sell to a breaker?

Overall:
- drilled out ignition barrel
- loose connection from battery to ignition
- broken left wing mirror
- broken tachometer light
- speedo not working (bought a replacement)
- no choke cable (I do it manally)
- a bit difficult to get into neutral (warped clutch?)

It's currently SORN but MOT valid till later this year, my insurance runs out next month. Overall I'm thinking to get back to full rideable I might as well just put the money towards a new bike.

Thoughts?

[tvchimp]

[pinkyfloyd]

[Stelmer]

It depends on how valuable the bike is to you, can you afford a new bike?

I got my GSX550 as a project which turned out to require 6 months of work and alot of cash to make roadworthy. Everyone said it was not worth it but 3 years later now I have a perfectly running mid 1980's bike which turns heads.

Most parts can be brought from breakers on ebay. With constant searching you can find some real gems. I recently found an original 4 into one exhaust for mine.

Not had any security issues yet but i'm known for setting various traps. Railway sleeper on the seat is a good one. After all it stops the cover blowing away.....

Good luck with the court case.

[N cee thirty]

[mad4it028]

i broke a gk76a model and to be honist i would never bother again myself the parts took ages to sell as there not that common and the parts wernt worth a great deal
my advice would be to fix it to a usable condition and sell it on
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always looking to buy bikes crashed ,unfinished projects,none runners pm me
currently riding kawasaki z1000 only bike ive ever loved

[Dr. DaveJPS]

track it?
____________________
"intelligent inattention is preferable to unintelligent tinkering"
www.davejps.com

[M1ghtyDUck]

Cheers guys. I don't really have time to break it myself, got final year exams coming up in a month, and after that I'm moving out so need to have the bike issue sorted by then.

Likewise, fixing it up I don't have the time myself. Me and my dad did that with an old NSR 125 I had but that was back home and had oodles of spare time.

So it's either sell as is on ebay or something, to someone who could fix it up or break it themselves for a summer project, or I'll take it to a garage to get fixed, then sell.

Is the extra value for a fully working bike likely to be worth doing the latter? Just as a general rule.

Thanks again

[27cows]

Are you attached to the bike? If so, go to whatever lengths is necessary to get it up and running properly again. Some bikes are just bikes, and some are a labour of love. Like my ancient RXS, which I wouldn't swap or sell for anything.
____________________
The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[jimbothe]

[Stelmer]

Don't forget to check the clutch adjustment either. That can cause problems getting neutral too.

[Willson]

[M1ghtyDUck]

Hmm thanks. I'm really not much of a mechanic, and I have no tools to speak of up here, but when you put it like that I might have a go after my exams.

I forgot to mention, the reserve switch is gone too. Ebay again I assume.

[calyx]

[DrDonnyBrago]

[M1ghtyDUck]

Haha, I guess I have to take the somewhat patronising replies in my stride huh?

I'm thinking I will do it up myself after all. One last question, looked last night and I need a new speedo drive (not just cable), and replacing that would require taking the front wheel off. Something a novice could manage?

[hellbound]

Unless you are a complete Numpty then yes it is easy to take the wheel off.

If I listed all the bits wrong on my bike this post would be HUGE.


Needless to say I ain't passing no MOT in the near future.
____________________
May you always see the road rising up to meet you and your enemies defeated in the mirror behind.

[DrDonnyBrago]