Building a bike from ebay

[Wave2k]

I seem to remember a bike mag doing an article on this a few years back.
But over the last few days (and beers) ive been wondering how hard and most of all how cheaply this can be done compared to say buying a bike.

I like the idea (i stress idea) of doing this, and being able to customise specific parts as you build.

Ducatis are pretty easy to work on (except for the engine), my 749 is the only bike ive properly stripped back before and it was a doddle.

Would make a fun project im sure.

Bodywork seems to be the only thing that could screw everything up, bodywork is stupidly expensive new or used for most bikes.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[J.M.]

Finish the project by making your own fairings?

Use chicken wire and paper mache or clay or something to build some temporary fairings. Then create a mould using this temporary fairing. With a fairing mould you can create your own fairings quite easily (well, as my research showed when I was interested in doing this).

Would be a fair bit of work creating the moulds and fairings... but you would have a truly unique bike... you could also steal your favourite styles from each bike to create a fairing that's truly you.

Will probably not match a proper fairing in terms of efficiency and aerodynamics.

Worth looking in to though I think! Bonus point being that if you smash up your fairings, you could easily make new ones.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[base]

Its a nice idea and if time scale isn't a issue it could be done for a bargin price, however for me too many things on ebay are described as in "good condtion" and its seems my good condition and some ones elses are poles apart it can be frustrating

[Valentino Mossy]

Thats something like i want to do.... duke cafe racer,big forks,big engine...black.
Using parts i've gathered from this bike and the rest from salvage bikes of ebay.

Just finding the time and the space to do it...... one day...one day.
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Ducati 916,white framed corse replica https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=239309
Ducati 160 monza jnr soon to be cafe racer
https://blauschatfroums.freeforums.net/

[Wave2k]

For what they are, getting a rolling chassis and engine can be had for pretty cheap.

Its the little things like clocks, seats and discs that ramp up the costs.

But then if you had loads of time, you could only buy the bargain items that come on, rather than just buy whats on ebay right now.

Id like to build a 999 with a 1098 engine, or just a 1098.

But with my own spin, i wouldnt go as far as making my own fairings though
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Nope.]

Making your own fairings...

The amount of development cost/time that would go into it would probably cost you more then the rest of the bike! Assuming you do it the easy way and just make an external glass mould, sanding the contours of the fairing to get it flat enough to spray would take you days. Trust me.

If you did it properly with an internal mould and gelcoat then it would take you even more time and effort but at least you'd be able to reproduce the fairing. If you don't have much experience making fibreglass moulds and parts then its going to take you a LOT of time. Assuming you have a full time job so you'll only be working on it evenings and weekends, with a reasonably complex design its safe to say that it's going to take you a month per panel and if your doing a nose cone, two sides and a tail unit then it's going to take you 4 months to get something that resembles a reasonable fairing.

On top of this assuming you buy matting/resin/hardener/mould release/tissue/sandpaper and filler (Yes, you'll need filler) in bulk it'll still cost you at least £300 assuming you get it really cheap. Then you have to spray it etc.

It's really not a cheap and easy option, it can be worth it and the end product can be absolutely brilliant, but it can also be 4 months and hundreds of pounds wasted on something that looks like its been squeezed out of a cows anus.

Oh, and its easier to make your initial mould out of polystyrene, clay and balsa wood. Saves a lot of wasted fibreglass.
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Former: Derbi GP1 50, Sachs XTC 125, Suzuki GSXR 400 GK73A, Kawasaki ZX7R, Suzuki DR250, Yamaha RD350
Current: 2011 Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré, 2003 Yamaha YZR-R1 5PW (In Build), 2009 Kawasaki ZZR1400

[Wave2k]

I have no intention of even trying to make my own fairings, ever.....

closest id go is buying Chinese fairings and modifying them to fit properly.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Teflon-Mike]

[Valentino Mossy]

[Derivative]

On 'waiting for the bargains':

Delivery costs will be monstrous if you're talking about building one bike.

Heavy/large bits like engines, wheels, frame, seat, fairings are going to run you at least a tenner each.

Anything bigger than a brake lever will be knocking on a fiver.

Sending anything that's more than a few millimeters thick in all three dimensions will be at least a quid (i.e, not a letter).

Those are low estimates. The point is, while sending a bike cross country can be done for 100-200 quid, sending even 30-50 of the parts seperately will cost far in excess of that.

I suppose it depends how low level you go and how many parts you can get from the same sellers.

[MarJay]

Dave, Dave Dave Dave Dave.


Dave.

Please.

Projects and restorations (which generally start with a complete bike) always cost more than buying a whole bike. The bits that seem like they'll be cheap will be the ones that slow you down. They will be the last 5% that costs 60% of the budget and 80% of the time.

Just read something like Classic motorcycle mechanics or Practical Sportsbikes to see for yourself.

The only reason you'd want to do a project is either because you want to build something that doesn't exist, or because you love the project.

It is never cheaper to build a bike from bits than it is to buy a tatty bike. It is certainly much much quicker too.

Step away from the online auction site.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[jjdugen]

I built this using E-Bay exclusively. The engine I won for £120 also came with frame, electrics, carbs, airbo and even the right hand twistgrip with throttle and master cylinder.
I wanted upside downies, R1 forks, wheel (with good tyre) and mudguard, £150.
Rear swinger, '08 blade, £15 (!!!) '08 shock £45, tyre (used but V good) £60. Chain £70, rear sprocket, £18.
929 subframe £20, seats and plastics £55.
Paint, sundry bolts etc £100.
A 'streeted 918 'blade, on the road for £630 odd. I then decided to put a front fairing on, £22 for the plastics, £30 for the headlamp, (could have stayed with the spare round lamp I had in stock).
I have now decided to mod an'08 race fairing to fit, £150 inc postage.
I have a ong way to go to spend as much as a nice carby blade would go for and I have something unique that rides very well.
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The CBR900RR has been sold. Aprilia Falco worms its way into my heart.
Try Soi 23 on Amazon for a good read.... Self promotion? Moi?