Should I buy this GPZ500s or walk away?

[Bomberman]

Went out on the above bike today, and it's an old '94. I'm conflicted (I always am ), so I thought I'd come here and tap the collective BCF mind The owner seemed genuine enough, no reason to doubt anything he had to say. Said the bike hadn't been out for a couple of months and it looked it - dusty and apparently not tidied up for my visit. So...

Pros;
T&T till Sept. 2012!
Goes like a train (this was two up), engine sounds fine.
Brakes were a LOT better than I expected.
Started first hit on the button (checked it was cold). Stopped and started a few times, all good.
After the ride, no leaks/drips/weeping.
lol insurance cheapness
Subframe not twisted (no really, it looked bang straight)

Cons;
Cosmetically not good. Nose fairing has a decent hole (left side) in it from what looks like a drop as oppose to crash (unmarked engine casings - but no lower fairing...). Generally pretty tatty.
Some rust - but I'm not expecting concourse.
Exhaust is balls. Nexxus end can, blowing a little where it meets the pipe. Pipes not good. The system as a whole will last a few months tops.
Pitting at the top of the forks just below top yoke so not going to affect the seals.
Front brake lever is comically bent but otherwise unmarked

Also whilst the shock felt OK the bike was really low - like my TZR low almost! I know they're pretty low down bikes but really? Oh and the frame and engine numbers DON'T match but they're correct as far as the V5 goes. Is this grounds for doing a runner?
Finally he wants - £600. What do you think BCF?
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[Rogerborg]

[Bomberman]

[ninja_butler]

First thing to do is find out how much an exhaust will cost you, maybe you can pick up a good one from a breakers yard.

I agree with Rogerborg on the price but if you can get a cheap exhaust I'd say maybe go up to £500 if everything else on the bike is okay.

[mickfulton]

I'd hold off for something better, price seems a bit high for the bike especially as xmas is looming and people need money for their kids, so the wifey wants 'that bike shifted.'
(I know feck all btw but I have a 'nicer' i.e. no bumps dents etc 1998 gpz500s with 28k miles, bought for £400 with full service history and a years mot and tax. - though maybe that's Scottish prices if such a thing exists !!!)
The fairing and exhaust problems together seem like too much , if it was just either one then probably go for it........or maybe try and get the price down a lottle

[whitedevil]

[Pete.]

Same as Borg. Too much money for that IMO.
____________________
a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Bomberman]

Hm, I had no idea that it would be so conclusively negative to be honest! Like I say I've been looking for a while and not come across anything that age for that money... Disappointing but much appreciated fellas
By the way, where are you guys finding these deals as I appear to be back to square one?
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[Rogerborg]

Not negative about the bike per se. I'd love a GPZ 500: it'll be the top of my list when my license upgrades in the spring. It's just that you've identified about £350 of work that you know needs done to it, so essentially the cost is £950, and it's not a £950 bike at that age, even with that reasonable mileage.

I hear your frustration, I didn't find a lot of bikes for sale over winter last year. Just keep cash to hand and get in right away when you see a likely one come up. They do come up now and again: 30,000 mile '93 ZZ-R600 asking £750 with potentially nothing needing done. Still a bit high, but might go for a bit less in cash with some tutting. Yes, it's asking £150 more than the GPZ, but it might cost £200 less.

But hey, make a low offer on the GPZ, it'll likely clean up well. Like as not the seller won't take it, because some other mug will (end up) paying £950 for it, but you don't ask, you don't get.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Bomberman]

I think you've hit one of the other/main issue there Rog, in that I can't (reasonably) travel to Fife to check out every bike that looks 'OK'. It'd cost me a bastard fortune to get to Fife and back and if it's a shed it'd be money pissed Cheapest return to Fife is £100 by train, car probably the same but then I'd need to train/bus back to pick it up...
All adds up, and three of those equals an exhaust system....
Ich, what a pain in the arse

edit; that zzr really does look minty though :O
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[Rogerborg]

Heh, that's just an example of low priced stuff that comes up on Gumtree (and eBay to a lesser extent) every day. You'll just need to keep checking and get in right away with cash in hand when a good 'un comes up locally. Your bike is out there, it's just waiting to see if you're patient enough.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[BIKEVIDDER]

£600 ??
Run away screaming I'm not a mug.
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GROWING OLD DISGRACFULLY

[Bomberman]

[Bomberman]

Dude not happy with offer. Ah well, not meant to be
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[Rogerborg]

Well, you're not trying to make a mate, you're after a bike. See if he gets back to you before you find anything better.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Bomberman]

He has, he's gone £500.
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[Rogerborg]

Which makes it an £850 bike, unless you can source an exhaust system cheaper than the £330 that WeMoto are quoting (plus gaskets, brake lever and delivery).

Or you could clean it up, slap some heat proof paint and gun gum on, and hope that it lasts.

I still think it looks high, but the seller probably feels that it's low, and in the end it's really up to you.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Bomberman]

I entirely agree. I've offered £400 again and I'm not going over it. I've plenty of experience of trying to keep things together with gun gum and it's generally a bit pointless and a waste of time.
Basically, if I can run it till I find a cheap exhaust it'll work financially. Otherwise as you say it's really an £800 bike. Now in the £800 to £1000 bracket I can pretty much have my pick of bikes - the market explodes at that level and that's before haggling at all.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the rear tyre has VERY little life left... I'll see if he comes back to me. Be nice to ride home after all...
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[Rogerborg]

[Bomberman]

Yeah, my reckoning is around £800 (new parts) all in if he sells for £400. Again I'd be really hoping for parts to turn up on eBay or a breakers. Thing is, the repairs don't have to be done immediately so I'd have the luxury of a month or two's hunting...
Still, only thing keeping me from just completely abandoning the idea now is the engines low mileage.
edit; oh and MOT of course
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[stinkwheel]

I'd be wanting one with a belly pan. Especially if I was putting a new exhaust on it. It's common to trash the belly pan bumping the bike down off a kerb or by failing to put spacers under it when fitting a nexxus exhaust.

They also get a bit of a speed-wobble without the belly pan (admittedly near flat-out speeds but it's unpleasant none the less).

Incidentally. They can hit the ground pretty fecking hard and just land up with a small hole in the fairing. I highsided one at 70mph. It hit the ground hard enough to snap one of the handlebars clean off but just wore a hole in the corner of the fairing.

The giveaway is looking at the water pump cover (lower front right cover on the engine). If it's been down the road at any speed, this will have worn through and been welded up with a flat bit of alloy (it is normally one piece of metal, no welds) or replaced.

The other thing I'd say is, it must have had a VERY hard life. I don't wash bikes and I used to keep them outside. The nexxus system on my GPZ500 lasted until the bike had covered over 45k miles, then I took it off and put it on another one. It did 20k miles on that before finally letting go. So to have trashed both the original exhaust and a nexxus one in 23k miles, they have been going at it some.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Think banging the price down to £300 because some parts need replacing (bits will be needed on pretty much anything) is way too much. £500 for a basically road legal bike is a reasonable deal.

The exhaust should be fine for ages. Downpipes are stainless steel so they will not be rusting nor near the end of their life. At worst it might need a silencer (but they seem pretty tough as well). Brake lever cost peanuts. So not sure other than a tyre there is any immediate expense.

Oh, and the GPZ500 has a very low seat height.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Bomberman]

[Kickstart]

Hi

If they are rusting then they are not from a GPZ Motad system (they would be stainless steel, and not one of the rubbish grades that rust). Might be some other random down pipes bodged on, in which case I wouldn't be that sure the silencer is for a GPZ either.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Bomberman]

So how would that affect your estimate of the bikes value mate?
____________________
'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare