What to do next?

[Striker1423]

This is gonna be a long post so bear with me.

If you open the notepad attachment I made for the RD you'll see I'm quite a bit over the general value of these bikes and although mine is in proper working order, it looks quite a bit like it couldn't be cosmetically. The bike was an extremely rough find. It has come a long way, but it's kinda always been a grungy road bike. The chrome is destroyed, it's bent up in more places than one, and it just doesn't really look like it's a happy machine. That's the best way I can describe it. I feel like it's incomplete because of its cosmetic appeal, but I'm so far over my initial investment potential that I'm not sure what to do? If I sell it I'm taking a bath in losses. But, the way it sits people just aren't interested in it.

An example was at the bike show this summer. A few folks thought it was cool, but most skipped right over it to look at full restorations and exquisite paint jobs.  Well, they suck lol. I had the only 2 stroke in the whole show!   

https://imgur.com/a/JFzoBmi

The point is I was really eye-balling two bikes, well 3 now haha. The new RE Interceptor which is around 7k OTD. A northern Michigan guy is selling  an '83 RZ Kenny Roberts for $6500, or there's a 2018 Suzuki SV650 for $5500. My mechanic buddy has been around two strokes his whole life, be it banshee's, all kinds of sleds, etc. He told me I'd be "insane to buy a ticking time-bomb for $7k" when I asked him about the RZ. Fair point I suppose as the 2T motor really is a time-bomb by design. He recommended me trying an SV650 or the new Interceptor, and said don't buy old bikes anymore.

I'm on the fence, I like the bike and since it's not worth anything near what I already have in it, do I just go ham and have it painted and decaled, plus port work, etc?  There's a local guy who wanted to buy it (for $2200 lol), but said he could paint it for me if I so desired. Bondo over the dents, etc and install/spray clear over the new decals back to the stock color for $500. Tank and side covers.

What to do? lol

[Organicjedi]

Don't paint it if you want to sell it. It won't increase the value much if at all. $2200 is actually a good deal for you as is. I don't think I've ever seen s 250 sell for more than $2k locally. Nice ones don't get much more than $1500 based on what I've seen.

Different story if you like the bike and want to keep it but aren't happy with the bodywork. $500 isn't bad for the refinishing work. Keep in mind you'll have another $100 in decals.

What about other cosmetics? How do the wheels, fenders, frame, etc look? If those are rough too maybe just keep it a little ratty but clean. The ratty barn find but mechanically  sound look has it's charms.

[pdxjim]

I'm not gonna try to tell you what to do, but a well set-up RZ is far from a "ticking time bomb".

Hell, complete engine rebuild can be done for less than $1000 including the crank.

Once dialed in, water cooled 2T's are very reliable and can be ridden anywhere with confidence.

[Jspooner]

I'm with Jim, although I'm not sure I agree with the less than 1000.00 for a complete rebuild but they certainly aren't time bombs. Hell I wouldn't even consider my TZ motored bike a time bomb. If you like your RD paint it and make it into what you want.

[pdxjim]

Crank including bearings $400
Gaskets/seals $100
Bore/hone $200
Pistons $120
Random shit that I forgot about or blocked out of my memory $180

I am lucky to have Garrett nearby, so no shipping costs

Haha, sadly, after PWK's, reeds, porting, etc, etc, my current LC engine rebuild is at least twice that much.

[Gil Gallad]

imho, if it was mine, i'd make sure the engine was properly put together and it was reliable. then i'd ride the arse off her as often as i could. do what you want to do, if others don't like it then stick your middle digit up at them. it's your bike to do what you want with/to  ;D you say yours was the only 2 stroke bike at the show? that tells me one thing, that 99% of the people there have got no taste. if you lay out on a 6 grand bike and throw it up the road you'll be mortified and have to spend thousands on it getting it back to spec. if you throw your ratty example up the road [apart from bodily injury], what's it matter? straighten the bent bits and ride it again. to me it's a no brainer. stick with what you've got and enjoy it  ;D
cheers, gil.

[dugsgms]

If you are interested in a sv650 my advise would be too look around. I see them for way less than 5500 around here, in fact I just got a email from a local dealer selling the 2018s for $4200, at that price, you can keep the RD and have a modern bike as well.

[Jspooner]

Crank including bearings $400
Gaskets/seals $100
Bore/hone $200
Pistons $120
Random shit that I forgot about or blocked out of my memory $180

I am lucky to have Garrett nearby, so no shipping costs

Haha, sadly, after PWK's, reeds, porting, etc, etc, my current LC engine rebuild is at least twice that much.

Damn, I hate it when I'm wrong, 🤔, but yes if you have to ship stuff back and forth and pay someone to do the disassembly and re-assembly, it can get pricey.

[paul1478]

Your cost list is exactly why I did not do that. I have no desire to add up how much I spent on my bike and know it is not worth what I paid for it 4 years ago when it ran like crap.
I love it and ride it as much as posable and have no plans on trying to sell it.

[pdxjim]

Your cost list is exactly why I did not do that. I have no desire to add up how much I spent on my bike and know it is not worth what I paid for it 4 years ago when it ran like crap.
I love it and ride it as much as posable and have no plans on trying to sell it.

I feel the same.

Just trying to point out that a reliable engine doesn't really need to cost a lot if you can do the majority of the labor yourself

[m in sc]

skip the RE. Im actually on the RE owners group page and it just sounds horrid to own as a serious bike.

MY rz was very reliable, I never had to go into it for almost 7 years before i sold it.  the sv is solid, but id aim for a 1st or 2nd gen. the 1st gens in really nice shape can be had for under 2k, and IMHO are better bikes . (except the FI vs the carbs but i like carbs).

[SUPERTUNE]

Your cost list is exactly why I did not do that. I have no desire to add up how much I spent on my bike and know it is not worth what I paid for it 4 years ago when it ran like crap.
I love it and ride it as much as posable and have no plans on trying to sell it.

The joy of spending time and $$ is priceless! 



Paul's first ride...

https://imageevent.com/supertune/paulsrd400?p=282&n=1&m=-1&c=3&l=0&w=4&s=0&z=3

https://imageevent.com/supertune/paulsrd400?p=283&n=1&m=-1&c=3&l=0&w=4&s=0&z=3

Paul's first live view of his rebuilt RD was at Dime City Cycles shop when he came to Fl to pick up his RD400 STG 2!



Just need to get more time to repost a lot more 'How To's' and build highlights of all the RD's we did on the old forum...to help all of the younger generation 2smoke freaks like Nick in Ca as he's 18 years old and loves his RD400!
Chuck

[Striker1423]

skip the RE. Im actually on the RE owners group page and it just sounds horrid to own as a serious bike.

MY rz was very reliable, I never had to go into it for almost 7 years before i sold it.  the sv is solid, but id aim for a 1st or 2nd gen. the 1st gens in really nice shape can be had for under 2k, and IMHO are better bikes . (except the FI vs the carbs but i like carbs).

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2776047632621642/

This is the bike I'm looking at./ I hate ebay auctions and browse FB marketplace a lot. This popped up last week. It's stock-ish. Looks like the grab bar and rear turn signals are missing/ relocated to the license plate holder, but other than that it looks like a well put-together machine. I just don;t know enough about them to know what else has been switched around.

I do agree on the SV's. My brother rode a Yamaha YZF 600 and said the SV would be a bit on the slow side. Which, his bike wasn't exactly fast FWIW lol. I don't know much about newer bikes and just don't like the look of crotch rockets in general. I can't say I don't like how they ride as I've never owned one.

[suey1958]

WOW Thanks for that video Chuck. That bike is making some power!!.     

[m in sc]

skip the RE. Im actually on the RE owners group page and it just sounds horrid to own as a serious bike.

MY rz was very reliable, I never had to go into it for almost 7 years before i sold it.  the sv is solid, but id aim for a 1st or 2nd gen. the 1st gens in really nice shape can be had for under 2k, and IMHO are better bikes . (except the FI vs the carbs but i like carbs).

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2776047632621642/

This is the bike I'm looking at./ I hate ebay auctions and browse FB marketplace a lot. This popped up last week. It's stock-ish. Looks like the grab bar and rear turn signals are missing/ relocated to the license plate holder, but other than that it looks like a well put-together machine. I just don;t know enough about them to know what else has been switched around.

I do agree on the SV's. My brother rode a Yamaha YZF 600 and said the SV would be a bit on the slow side. Which, his bike wasn't exactly fast FWIW lol. I don't know much about newer bikes and just don't like the look of crotch rockets in general. I can't say I don't like how they ride as I've never owned one.

thats Dannys old bike (27 cycles). shoot him a PM, it was really good from what he said. I know he sold it a year or 2 ago, but thats definitely it.   Id very seriosuly consider it. and yes, he got it with the yellow frame.