'82 Suzuki GS450T

[Archania]

OK.. got a very good call just now.
Saw an ad:
1982 SUZUKI GS450T,
runs gd, clean, $500. (203) xxx-xxxx. Bridgeport, CT

So i called the guy, left a message with him. Well he actually called me back.
Everything runs.. just needs to get the carb cleaned. a small dent on the tank.. nothing major or needs replacement except the carb. Clean Title too.
Told him taking the class in july and such.. well he will drop the price to 300. He isn't riding anymore.
So Sat.. going for a drive! See it and if everything looks good.. i bring it home.
Even got a guy from work who is going to let me use his trailer and straps!

So needless to say.. tattoo is postponed for 2 weeks.

What do you think? I printed out the stuff to check.. but anything that stands out that I should look for? I have no clue here.

[dumaresq]

The best thing you can do is bring a friend that has worked with MCs before, I did and managed to get a very good deal cause he could tell the bike was fine (even though it didn't run prefectly)...

Course my friend buys cheap bikes fixes them and resells them so it was easy for him..

[BanditnDan]

If it runs, is in decent shape, looks cared for, you can't go to far wrong at 300 bucks. But, bear in mind that a bike that is 25 years old will most likely) not be worked on at a shop, common thing seems to be they work back about 10 to maybe 15 years now, with 10 closer to the cut off. Parts can be a challenge to find, and it seems once these older bikes get bought and start being used after sitting for years taht little problems with hoses, wiring etc crop up.

On the other hand you could easily end up with a bike that gives you a year or so of learning time and move on, it's a bit of the roll of the dice. For the price, and if it looks decent and runs well, I would do it.

Dan

[TorontoBoy]

You can't beat the price, that's for sure. Resurecting old bikes will make the ride sweeter.

Check on eBay so you know you can get cheap(er) parts than you local stealership. Hopefully there's very little to go wrong, because getting large replacement parts is not easy nor cheap.

Old bikes often require ingenuity in order to replace a part that is no in production or too expensive to buy. All consumables such as tires, gaskets, etc should be readily available because they are probably used on other bikes.

There's a lot of resources on the web so do your research first. You'll need new tires, chain, possibly rear sprocket, carb clean, gaskets just to get it going. Some old bikes are more expensive to get going than their original purchase price.

[caeman]

For $300, it sounds like it is worth the gamble.

[Crippler]

300? i'd buy it. be ready to wrench a little though. even if it runs well.

[atonic]

If it runs well enough to ride, put 3-4 ounces of seafoam in a full tank of gas and ride that out.

Find out how old the tires are. Plan on new ones because the old ones are probably HARD.

Make sure the battery charges.
Plan on new shocks.
Paln to change the front fork oil, maybe even replace the springs.
Remember gsresources.com

[RockyMtnRoadRash]

If it runs well enough to ride, put 3-4 ounces of seafoam in a full tank of gas and ride that out.

Find out how old the tires are. Plan on new ones because the old ones are probably HARD.

Make sure the battery charges.
Plan on new shocks.
Paln to change the front fork oil, maybe even replace the springs.
Remember gsresources.com

What he said. And it's actually:
www.thegsresources.com

The T models were the so-called "bargain" models of the GS, stylistically similar to an L (pseudo cruiser) but generally with less fancy-seeming visual and noise.

Bad news: If your battery charges normally, consider it a miracle. Sacrifice goats accordingly.
Good news: They push start real easy, and the parrellel twins have relatively few moving parts. That engine is a tank.

[Archania]

Cool.
Thanks very much. Looking forward to this in a big way.
Damm.. my week actually turned out very well! I think I should play the lottery now! lol

One ? though... what do you mean by the tires being HARD?

[caeman]

One ? though... what do you mean by the tires being HARD?

Rubber does not last a life-time. It gets hard, cracked, etc.