It's fair to say I've taken a lot of chances on eBay, and I love it. Whacking a bid on, finding out you've won and seeing how good it turns out. Great fun.
A good mate of mine never did so well; everything he seemed to buy would turn into a massive dilemma. I remember him receiving a box of RMX250 bits years ago and, subsequently, chucking it all, part by part, into the bin at work. How we laughed; no hang on, that was just me. Well now Harvey, time to get your own back.
Putting it down to experience.
The GSX750 I should be working on was a rough-as-f@#k pig when I first got it, but if you look at projects like that, you'd never get on with them. So I try to look at the best bits and work from there. Dig deep and crack on.
So...
Today I bought a "parts bike" with an engine that "turns over", and I've been digging deep ever since!
Good bits - it's a Suzuki.
Bad bits - too many to mention.
Redeeming features - the guy selling it had wads of other parts, including straight forks to fit the GSX750. Every cloud, my friend, every cloud.
1980 GSX250 - where will it end?
She's a rough 'un alright, but it's a 180°, eight valve twin and the first I've owned so we'll delve deeper. The side panels are in good fettle so maybe of use to someone but, on removal, revealed a battery box which has almost rotted away! Oof, hard life.
What's the best bit about old wreckers?
You ain't worried about what you cut off, or throw away. Back to basics, rip it apart and make it into something better... hopefully, well you get the idea.
Engine looks good, considering.
Airbox was full of crud, and spiders, and as for that frame loop...
Even the bloody carb tops are nearly rusted through!
But it's got super grips! My, how delightful.
Now, call me old fashioned... but I normally like to undo the clamps, remove the carbs and then remove the bolts from the inlet rubbers before taking them off. Didn't need to bother here!
The old quick-release versions.
When bikes get in this state, I often start to wonder what broke first.
- Wouldn't start? If so, why?
- Running rough? The inlet rubbers wouldn't have helped.
- A bike upgrade? And left the old one to rot?
Hmm, whatever it was, now it gets the chance to go again. Watch this space, and in the meantime I must get on with the 750... just as soon as I've checked out the starter motor.
Yes, lurking under that rusty cover is a starter motor, oh I hope there's a starter motor in there!
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