Doing up an old bike - is it economical

[noggythenog]

Before i get carried away spending money on my fazer i just thought id check your opinions on something - is it more economical doing up an old bike or buying a newer one?, ie if i spend a couple o grand getting brakes, suspension,exhaust etc on top of the 2 grand i paid for it, will it be a much better bike than if i just got a 4 grand bike in the first place?,


I love my fazer,its more than ill ever need and i cant see me wanting rid but whats the limiting factor, seems like parts are easy to come by but how longs the frame likely to last though under mostly dry conditions and stored in the shed?,are there any gadgets/devices/gizmos lurking under the bodywork that if they go wrong start to be uneconomic to replace?


Perhaps being the fazer club the answers may be biased but maybe some of yous have got some other proper old bikes as a reference.cheers!

[red98]

probs not a lot in it  .....but.....if you rebuild your current bike you will know what you have....with an unknown bike it may have some hidden surprises.......i would rebuild 

[markbubble]

if you love your fazer then id keep it and spend what you need when you need to ,most parts are very good prices(either new or used)and plentifull the most expensive parts are brake discs,tyres and chain/sprockets the other major part is of course the engine but service and look after it and it will do many miles and if worse case used engines arnt too expensive,as for the frames they will last years as long as you dont bend it crashing etc! once it gets to around a value of £1000 it wont loose much more but if you get another bike for say 5000 it will loose value till its around 1000! and you would still have to spend cash keeping it going,iv restored classic scooters,cars etc and altho the parts add up the main thing is the time doing the work!

[noggythenog]

Sounds positive so far, i'd like to be riding it in the future when they become a cult classic (surely), i like its retro looks already so another 10 years and it'll be looking positively pac-man,



well thanks so far, i smell a bike shopping wish list coming on

[VNA]

If I ever manage to finish sorting out my garage, looks as if it was built about the same time as the house (1932), well I might consider getting a third bike (I've got a 2004 gen1 Fazer thou and the bike I passed my test on - a 1974 Honda C90).  Stage 1 sorting out a severe dampness problem has worked and is more or less complete.  Plenty more to do yet though.

Anyway, my thinking is to buy an older bike that's in decent to good condition.  Doing up old bikes in poor condition to near original condition is often rather expensive. 

Making a special from a clapped out bike, my thinking is, should be cheaper, but probably takes more time and effort than I have, not to mention it needs patience and expertise.  Think of all those, for sale, unfinished project bikes.

Keeping a bike you bought and are using on a regular basis in good condition, well it shouldn't be hard and you are spreading the cost over years, and keeping on top of things so stuff that can perish generally shouldn't.  Plus should be plenty of half decent Fazer parts in the scrap yard if something major does go pop.

Just me thoughts.  Oh, and of course, plenty of nice low mileage gen1 thous still for sale and for fair money, they might tempt too in a few years time.

[noggythenog]

So what your telling me VNA is to make more space in my shed, and have more than 1 bike, the old one that ill have spent shed loads on that ill never make back anyway,complete with memories and nostalgia,  plus a new beast ready to start its own chapter,  i like that idea, trouble is the fazer does everything so well so the new bike would need to be something a bit radical, like a monkey bike! :\

[UG]

You will not get your money back when you sell it. If you're keeping it though it wont matter. I bought a crash damaged one for 400 spent 300 getting it on the road and all it costs me is consumables. I do need a rear shock though. So I'll have to lay out 300 for that. It's only worth about 500-700. When I sell it I'll take the rear shock off and put the original back on.

[Jacko]

Probably not economical to try and bring up to new condition.

I have the spend or replace discussion with myself every year.
I just keep the 14 year old 69,000 mile beast going.
Looks tatty round the edges, but runs, rides, looks like a Fazer.

Can't buy a new bike for what I spend on maintenance. In fact servicing on a new bike
would cost more.

[VNA]

I used to have a 1999 Fazer 600.  I kept it for about 5 years till the dreaded front sprocket issue popped up.  If I had of known that was an issue I'd have already checked it, stud locked it etc.  Anyway welded on a new sprocket and traded it in for a new bike, 2004 Fazer thou.

So that's one way you could go.  If you like the old Fazer600 you'll love the Gen1 Fazer thou.  Watch out for stuck EXUP valves though.

One reason I'd like another bike in my garage, is well, my Fazer isn't exactly the prettiest bike in the world, and while it's a fantastic bike, it doesn't exactly have spades of character.  An older bike with looks and/or plenty of character to keep for Sunny Sundays is what I have in mind.

I love the idea of making a special but I've got too many other interests already. 

Blogs like BIKE EXIF and Return of the Cafe Racers feature some cracking specials.  Some of em are lots of dosh, others look fairly affordable.

I did like this one.  http://www.returnofthecaferacers.com/201...racer.html  Not with those rims on it though.

[noggythenog]

Defo some food for thought here, i suppose the answer at the moment is not to get too carried away,
I'll never be using a bike for commuting and apart from getting cought out in the odd rain shower i'll be a fair weather biker and that being the case then stuff like looks and cleanliness and no rusty bits if im honest is important to me,ive just gotta ask myself is my current bike that bike and how much would it take to get it there,its in pretty good condition but better ones do exist and considering it will in the near future anyway give me my money back i may well pass it on to someone else to enjoy,


Maybe i will hang on for a while,if i love it but its not up to the standard i want then i may well consider the thou as there seems to be as a general rule much more minters out there compared to the 600,


Big maybes though.


It seems some bikes are destined to be cherished from birth,some start off that way until they get a different type of owner and others get used as the machines they really are, i feel like im talking behind my bikes back now,poor thing, i'll take it out and ring its neck tomorrow to keep it happy, then polish it of course :rolleyes

[MEM62]

Generally, buying a wreck and doing it up is not economical.  But then this not about economics, it's about the satisfaction of doing it.  However, an investment in a bike that you like to keep it going and in good condition is always worthwhile.  You can prioritise the jobs, spread the expense and maintain / improve the bike over a period of time.  My VFR is a good example - it is 14-years and 40,000 miles old and is still in fantastic condition.  The suspension at both ends has been refreshed and the brakes will be next.