New Member with questions

[yaatri]

I am posting my questions in the "General Board" forum since I am afflicted by "newbieness" and was not sure where to post  them. I apologize if it's not the right place.
After a gap of a few years, I am looking at 1986 Kawasaki 454 LTD. 

i) Since the wheels have no spokes, my assumption is that they will take tubeless tires but seller says that it takes tubes.  Although, he claims that he bought the bike new with his brother in 1986. I have my doubts though. 

ii) The bike has about 12000 miles on the "odometer" but rust spots show the age.  I asked him if the bike had been left outside a lot. His answer was not much.  The choke lever does not operate the choke--it's quite limp.  Nothing happens when you move the lever. The choke lever can be operated by hand but I don't know how long it would need to run on choke since the seller just rode the bike up to his shop. The bike was warm. The bike is neither tagged nor insured so I didn't get a chance to ride it beyond the parking lot of his shop.  It had been raining most of the day.  I was able to shift to the 4th gear.  I can't be sure if the shifter works like it's supposed to on 32 yr old bike.  I think the rear brake did not work as well as I would I like it too although the seller claims he has brake shoes replaced. Am I right in thinking that brakes should be quite crisp if the shoes are new and have been installed properly.  The wear indicator was in the lower portion of "usable range"

iii)Fork seals look damaged. When I ran my fingers up and down the fork, there was oil on my fingers. Also the plastic cap on one of the forks is missing, displaying a lot of rust on the fork cap plug underneath. He will have the fork seals done. I told him they need to be overhauled. 

iv) The belt is original. Wheels seem to be aligned. I think I should not count on the belt not breaking if a 32 yr old bike has been left out in the weather for extended periods of time. The toolbox cover behind the rear seat is cracked. The backrest padding is cracked, and the seat has been covered sloppily with vinyl, because the seat padding had also cracked. This can only happen if the bike is kept in the weather. 

v)Phillips head screws on the front brake master cylinder were so rusty that one might have difficulty getting them off.  He has never changed brake fluid either. I did feel some wetness and grime on the front face of the master cylinder. Oil was dirty.  I saw oil and grime in the oil filter area. I asked him if the bike leaks oil. "Not much" was his answer. When I asked him how often he has to top up? He couldn't answer it, because he said, "I don't ride it much". 


I guess I am asking for your opinion on whether I should stay away from this bike?  I am not looking for a pristine bike at a price of $850 but what bothers me some tell tale signs. I think someone who has owned a bike since it was new,  and is rider would know more about the bike instead of giving me non-commital answers.

Any comments and advice will be welcome. 

[Blaine]

If the cost is low it would be worth it...But beware you are in for a lot of work.....If you are not machenicaly inclined or dont like working in bikes I'd walk.....The wheels are tubeless..

[eaglerider]

I agree. Your description indicates the bike has not been taken care of, and a lot of TLC and repair is going to be required.

[yaatri]

Thank you both, Eaglerider and Blaine.  I do have some mechanical ability. I have not done any major job on a motoribke, though in my younger days, I have replaced tires and tubes, clutch and throttle cables.  On cars, I have done water pumps, disassembled and assembled CV joints, rotors, calipers, wheel bearings, replaced gearbox, clutch release bearing and a harmonic balancer---all without a garage at home.  

I have done these things entirely on my own, with my wife watching over me.  She is an angel but turns into a terrible backseat driver the moment she sits in a car.   I couldn't have done these jobs without her.  

I also forgot to mention that tires have a weathered look, the bike has never had valves adjusted,  coolant has never been renewed or cooling system flushed-- far as the seller knows. Shifting was not crisp.  He told me the shift pedal hanged very low when in first. SO he bent the shift pedal connector a little to raise the shift pedal height a little. I was thinking of offering him a lower price but am afraid of "insulting" him if my offer is ridiculously low.  Would $200 to $300 be too low an offer?

[bikeman]

the trouble is some owners. have an old bike. and think yeah this thing is 30 odd years old must be a classic and just see $ signs in front of their eyes.  not realising that just because it's a old bike doesn't make it worth mega bucks. it's just a old bike. and a old bike that needs money spending on it and plenty of TLC.
now if you look at previous threads you will see eaglerider was offering TWO of these bikes with loads of extras and bikes in fair condition for $1500 that would be $750 each.  so that's a starting point. look on E-bay. craigslist and other sites for a average price of a good machine. then work out that it will probably cost half of that to do it up. the figure you get to is what the bike is worth. don't spend one dollar more than that.

if he is offended with your offer so be it, walk away. better to look for a better one than be stuck with a money pit that you paid too much for. 

[eaglerider]

And, Bikeman, if you look, due to some medical needs, that price is no longer effective...now, a bottom dollar $900.00 USD.

[bikeman]

Oct 30, 2018 3:27:47 GMT -6 eaglerider said:

And, Bikeman, if you look, due to some medical needs, that price is no longer effective...now, a bottom dollar $900.00 USD.

yes I saw that but used the original price as a basic guide. I'm sorry your giving up. and would honestly say Had I not been 3000 miles on the other side of the Atlantic I would have been round to your place with a big van by now. 

[eaglerider]

I appreciate the words and support, bikeman.

[yaatri]

I salute you eaglerider.  You did not try to sell me your bikes even when I indicated I am looking for one.  I too would buy everything you have if I were closer. I am 1600 miles away.  Wish you all the best. I know how it is to live on fixed or even no income.  

In the light of my mechanical abilities that I mentioned above, I should dare to take on the task of providing proper TLC to the bike and give it a decent life?  I had very little mechanical ability when I bought my first car nearly 40 years ago.  

[bikeman]

hi mate. be pragmatic and look at it this way. you have limited knowledge of bike workings. now that should not be a problem in its self as you can learn. but there is a whole world of difference between learning what and how to do stuff on working on the road bike. and one that doesn't run and needs extensive repairs you don't know how to do.

if you want to do the whole motorcycle thing buy one that works. and only needs maintenance doing so as to learn gradually.  A motorcycle with a unknown history and a non runner is going to be a money pit for sure. 

[tinlizzie37]

I picked an 86 up for around $400. with just a few problems. I had only worked on my KZ 650 but was an auto mechanic and knew how to fix things. The starter mechanism was screwed up and I bought parts from a MC wrecking yard for $65, which fixed it up. I had to clean the carbs and just general clean up. I did have to put a rear tire on her but got a few years on her before I parked it. I would walk away from the one you're looking at, it's just too much for what it's worth. I might buy it if it was cheap, say 2 or 300 dollars, just for a spare. Bide your time, and I'm sure you'll find something decent.

[yaatri]

Blaine, eaglerider, bikeman and tinlizzie, I thank you all and appreciate your advice very much.  I am not jumping into it, but am adopting a wait and watch attitude.  

[bikeman]

your welcome. I do understand the predicament exactly. when I bought my first one. it had been stood several years but looked in good condition. it wasn't running [no battery] but it ticked all the boxes and was cheap £200 [about 300 usd] I thought it was worth saving even though it was 30+ years old and how hard can it be to fix up.


well the answer was it isn't it's not the bits you can see but the ones hidden away and neglected. by the time I got it partly stripped to see exactly what was needed it became clear to get the bike right it would have to be a almost complete restoration the problems were so vast 25% of the bike had to be renewed so 2years and almost 1000 bucks later I had a good running bike that cost more to repair than it was worth finished. 


not that it mattered as it's a keeper. but keep your eyes wide open and tight hold on your money when looking. little things cost a lot. for instance it had been run on plain water not coolant and then left for years. it needed all the water system renewing. all the brakes systems. every bearing on the bike. forks. electrics and a new fuel tank the old had been left with water stood in it. 


at least with a running bike you have a chance that it is serviceable.