Wing shopping....

[scdmarx]

https://slo.craigslist.org/mcy/1685909317.html

"Excellant Condition with maintainance records."

Ok, it's got some miles on it, but this sounds like possibly a well maintained and cared for motorcycle, Right? Maybe some old guy and can't ride anymore? Good price to a loving home?

It's local. We set up a time on the phone and meet. First off, we wait about 10 minutes for the little charger on the extension cord to work up the gumpshun to turn the engine over. Meanwhile I'm doing a walk around. There are a lot of plastic pieces that aren't exactly falling off, but will definately be flapping in the wind. (missing screws) There is a lot of nasty grime around all the little areas that are not really leaks, but what you might refer to as minor seepage over a period of time. I was told the radio doesn't work, but it can be fixed easily. (*???*) The rear tire looks almost new. The front tire looks like it still has a lot of good use left. After a few attempts to crank over, adjust the charger clips, crank again, then it finally sputters to life. White-ish color smoke from the left pipe. A lot. Almost as much coming from the pipe just below the footpeg. Hmmm. I inform him that it's not steam, but smells like a lot of gas. He repeats himself several times that it's probably just a clogged air filter. It seemed to run a bit too well to be engine damage???IMO. I figure it's prolly due for some carb work. He shuts it off because he don't want to run it rich like that for too long. He says the guages all work, but I noticed the temp stayed on 80* from cold start to shutdown. Less than 5 minutes total. I have no idea if the t-stat and the fan works. I have no idea how the clutch and the brakes feel. I noticed it had a dipstick, but I didn't bother to pull it. This thing has most likely been rode hard and put up wet. I was shown a (very) small stack of receipts. New brake pad set-invoice dated 1995. There was one for a new battery, one for a flat tire repair, one for a new tire, one for a pair of riding pants, and 2 or 3 more for misc. 3 dollar stuff.
Overall, if I were looking for a project to work on, I would give him a hundred dollars to deliver it to my house, where I could spend about another $1500 + my time to end up with something halfway decent. If it all worked out well I could then consider some paint and polish.

Ok, going to look costed me very little. The thing that "irks" me?
After advertising "Excellant Condition with maintainance records." this young crack head looks me proudly in the face as he pulls the tarp off this POS and tells me all it needs is an air filter and a battery, then hands me a receipt for some riding pants! :roll: :sensored: :head bang: :sensored: :head bang: :sensored: :sensored: :sensored: :sensored: :head bang: :head bang: :head bang: :head bang: :head bang: :Awe:

I think I detected a slight hint of attitude when I told him I was gonna keep look'n. I swear! Other peoples kids, man! :swoon:

 

[dan filipi]

Yeah, the trouble with anything "used" is I end up inheriting the last owners problems.

I think you did the right thing, keep looking.

 

[joedrum]

a little :head bang: :head bang: :head bang: :sensored: :sensored: :sensored: :Awe: and some more looking sure beats giving honda 20,000$ keep looking and good luck . i wish i was looking for another wing to buy. ive just got to much going on i realy feel for you :cheeky:

just kidding

 

[scdmarx]

I went out again today to look at another so called "cream puff". This one was an 87 with 26,000 miles. Looked really nice in the photos. Asking $2800. I get there and find a rust bucket that won't idle under 1500 rpm. The right side mirror was not only missing, but that whole corner of the fairing the mirror bolts to was gone. The paint looked like this thing had been ridden through the hedges daily. The seat had a cotton/polyester cover over it and felt just a tad lumpy. It did start right up and once it warmed up it ran smooth, even if it did idle too fast. Overall, I get the impression that it saw a few very hard miles, then spent the remainder of it's days living under a tarp untill somebody found it and decided to try to make a buck or two off it. But because of the low miles, and considering what it would take to make it unembarrassing to ride, I offered what I thought to be a fair amout for both of us. I offered $2,000 and he told me to keep looking. I drive 144 miles to turn around and come back empty handed. I get back in time to meet a guy to buy a "garage tent". One of those skeleton frame things with the UV resistant fitted tarp cover. Not a piece of junk, new these are like $1400. This one was used once for an outdoor event. 8' X 18'. Just about right for 2 motorcycles to keep eachother company. I get there and wait. He's 45 minutes late. He shows up and tells me he sold it already. Oh, thanx for telling me to meet you here, assbite!
So now I driving home in a silent on the outside-boiling on the inside, not so jolly mood. I arrive home to find a small package from CheapCycleParts. Hmmm, feels kinda light? I open it up to find 1 -that's (ONE) #1, singular tense -brake pad. Now.........what in the @#%$@@&****! am I supposed to do with 1 -that's (ONE) #1, single @#%$@@&**** brake pad!!!!! ARGH!!!!! I collect myself, go back to the website, look up brake pads for an 82GL, and sure enough, I thought I was ordering a "set" for $19.29. Hey, their name is "CHEAPCYCLEPARTS" and the last "set" I got on ebay was about $32.00 and included 4 -that's (FOUR) #4 plural tense -brake pads. I certainly wasn't thinking that "CHEAPCYCLEPARTS" was selling them for $19.29 each pad. Ok, I don't know how to order parts. I can wear this goof on my forehead, no problem. This ones on me. But don't you think somebody on their end would spot a red flag when some ya'hoo like me orders 1 -that's (ONE) #1, single @#%$@@&**** -brake pad for 20 bucks then pays shipping? Isn't it obvious I need protection from myself?

My whole day has been a wash. Thanks for letting me pass wind. I'm walking around with a pocket full of motorcycle money so, I think I'm off the wagon tonite.
Beer and tequila it is! What's wild? :yahoo:

 

[joedrum]

gee im starting to feel sorry for you but i think the realy good bike is just around corner hang in there

 

[mcgovern61]

And I thought I had a rough day! :mrgreen:

 

[scdmarx]

gee im starting to feel sorry for you but i think the realy good bike is just around corner hang in there

Y'know, as I sit here and stare at this half filled tequila bottle, thinking about cutting another lemon and prying the top off another beer, I think my ol'82's been looking kinda "down in the dumps" lately. Could it be that she's been secretly sabataging my efforts because I haven't been giving her enough attention lately? Think she could be hurting inside as she watches my eyes wander towards "other" younger, flashier dressed out motorcycles with perkier luggage bags, tighter mounted trunks and sleeker looking windscreens with shinier headlights?

I was think'n....maybe I ought to take a good look at what I got right here at home. Maybe I'll check out the Sunday paper in the morning and look for a nice "dog house" on sale and get her a place to stay where she can be kept warm and dry. Then perhaps I can shop around on ebay and get her a few things she needs to hold herself together. And then I'll get her a shiney thing or two to help her feel good about herself. And I'll start taking her places and spending more time with her at 4000 rpm. Feeling her purrs and getting familiar with her clutch and being a little more...um..."spontainious" with little adjustments and things. Start listening more and feeling her needs instead of just routine schedules. She must feel humiliated when I just slap a mileage sticker on her ass and call it good. Boy have I been a real jerk!

Good ol' Agnus, (that's her name y'know) Agnus has been around the block a time or two and it shows. But that experience is what makes her dependable and good at what she does. She's a keeper, and a mans gotta know a keeper when he sees one. Yup! Time for me to man up and realize that everyday with Agnus is a gift.

 

[scdmarx]

And I thought I had a rough day! :mrgreen:

Don't worry chum, this is only a cartoon!
Heckyl & Jeckyl: 1964

 

[dan filipi]

gee im starting to feel sorry for you but i think the realy good bike is just around corner hang in there

Y'know, as I sit here and stare at this half filled tequila bottle, thinking about cutting another lemon and prying the top off another beer, I think my ol'82's been looking kinda "down in the dumps" lately. Could it be that she's been secretly sabataging my efforts because I haven't been giving her enough attention lately? Think she could be hurting inside as she watches my eyes wander towards "other" younger, flashier dressed out motorcycles with perkier luggage bags, tighter mounted trunks and sleeker looking windscreens with shinier headlights?

I was think'n....maybe I ought to take a good look at what I got right here at home. Maybe I'll check out the Sunday paper in the morning and look for a nice "dog house" on sale and get her a place to stay where she can be kept warm and dry. Then perhaps I can shop around on ebay and get her a few things she needs to hold herself together. And then I'll get her a shiney thing or two to help her feel good about herself. And I'll start taking her places and spending more time with her at 4000 rpm. Feeling her purrs and getting familiar with her clutch and being a little more...um..."spontainious" with little adjustments and things. Start listening more and feeling her needs instead of just routine schedules. She must feel humiliated when I just slap a mileage sticker on her ass and call it good. Boy have I been a real jerk!

Good ol' Agnus, (that's her name y'know) Agnus has been around the block a time or two and it shows. But that experience is what makes her dependable and good at what she does. She's a keeper, and a mans gotta know a keeper when he sees one. Yup! Time for me to man up and realize that everyday with Agnus is a gift.

I think chrome polish and some elbow grease most of what you have will polish up.

 

[scdmarx]

I think chrome polish and some elbow grease most of what you have will polish up.

That's the plan for the most part. Eventually I do want to tear her down and reseal the engine, maybe throw in a new clutch while it's out, clean up the wiring, tear that knarly looking pinstripe of and clean up the appearance.

I nabbed an 83 trunk rack off ebay. Pictures can be so deceptive.
Here's the picture from ebay:

When I got it, it was all rusty on the bottom side and you can't see from the ebay picture that it has a broken trunk lock.

But I'm ok with it because the rust cleaned up fairly well and my Vetter trunk doesn't use the locks anyway. Maybe I'll use those spots for helmet locks???
The price was $48 + $23 shipping. Others that I saw were selling from $68 to $125, and within a dollar or two what I paid for shipping.

Here's what it looks like now after rust removal. Sorry, I didn't take any "before" pix:

The lesson?...I guess motorcycles don't get wiped off too much on the bottom side. Too many hard to reach creveses and nobody will see your efforts anyways. So when you buy used stuff on the internet, ask the seller to send you close ups of the bottom side of the part. In this particular case, I'm satisfied with how the rust cleaned up, and with a Vetter trunk I would have bought the rack without any locks at all. I felt the price was right, although I can't help feeling that the seller knows he was trying to pull a fast one with the broken lock. I ended up leaving Positive feedback. Just some savy to watch out for when you go off on your armchair shopping sprees.

 

[tumunga]

Not trying to rub salt in your wound (I really feel for ya, really I do!), but you guys ought to see if you can get lor109 tell you about his '82 he purchased for $798, especially the coffee part, and the nice bike he looked at only just north of Noblesville :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:

Here's a pic of lor109's bike, and mine, side by side after he stripped his down to the nubs...(boy that thing will scoot!!)...don't mind that sportster in the background. It's about to get eaten by my road king mufflers:

 

[Tory]

Sounds like ole agnus is a keeper.
I went through the exact same thing a few years ago.Started thinking I needed something newer,but the more I searched for a "better more expensive" bike,the more I realized what I had.

So I instead invested into the "BLACK PEARL" dressed her up a bit more,added the J+M cb/intercom and remained payment free.

I could never replaced my bike with what I could sell it for.

 

[Andyb]

You know, if you made a deal with your bike, you might just get exactly what you want. She was a Standard and I bet she would look really great if you took her back to her Standard look. Maybe freshen her up a bit around the edges. Set her up for short joy rides. Then, you could buy a full dresser for those long rides.

 

[Joep]

would a 80-82 rack work as well?? I wish I had the 83 rack on mine.. I drilled my trunk and used the "J" bolts to hold it to the rack.. so my wife could have more room..

 

[joedrum]

lor109 sure did nice job on his bike for a naked bike real pleasing lines and detail

 

[scdmarx]

You know, if you made a deal with your bike, you might just get exactly what you want. She was a Standard and I bet she would look really great if you took her back to her Standard look. Maybe freshen her up a bit around the edges. Set her up for short joy rides. Then, you could buy a full dresser for those long rides.

Not turned on by the "naked wing" thing.

This whole journey started out when my wife went for a ride in sidecarsusie's sidecar. She decided we must have one. But I don't want to be married to a sidecar when I'm stricken with the urge to go out and take on some twisties. So...I was looking for something kinda nice for under $3,000 that would pull a sidecar for our overnighters. I like what Dan's got, but I'd settle for something a little newer if I had too, to finally end up with something decent. Even a project that would allow me to end up with a really nice and trustworthy motorcycle for no more than $3,000. Then I'd start looking for a sidecar to go with it. I'm thinking I should end up with a pretty decent rig in the neighborhood of $5,000-ish total.

Anyhow, I've decided (without the wifes input) to focus on one sidecarless motorcycle, and a place to park it. I can't believe people are not ashamed to advertise so falsely and expect someone to fork over top dollar for such deteriorated junk!

 

[scdmarx]

Forgot to mention, I think lor109's bike looks predamgood.

I came from a world of hardtail frames with swapmeet parts and perhaps I just need to mature a bit more, but to me "Goldwing" and "Naked" just don't seem right in the same sentance. But it's all a matter of personal preference. I think Agnus's Vetter stuff looks kinda stylish. Agnus will clean up real purdy.

 

[joedrum]

i rode my 79 1000 just as it came perfectly stock forever and traveled with it ,had a nice windsheild but just finaly got tired of not having a real touring bike and started dressing it still doing it and when i get it done in my eyes it will be as petty as a naked cause thats what i want . as ive said before i think agnas is petty i love her look

 

[scdmarx]

:blush: "NEVER" say "NEVER"!

The words of the infamous "Lou Costello", Umma baaaaaaaad boy! :blush:

 

[OldWrench]

But don't you think somebody on their end would spot a red flag when some ya'hoo like me orders 1 -that's (ONE) #1, single @#%$@@&**** -brake pad for 20 bucks then pays shipping?

I've been a mechanic for many years and run a small shop. I have learned with parts people one needs to be very specific because they will not look for possible errors as you have discribed. :?: