What a steal! - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

andymetzger · 09-24-2006, 07:44 AM

So a good friend of mine has been digging through the trader magazines for the last few months in search for the perfect bike for him. He used to ride as a kid, but got out of it for about 8 years, and that, evidently, was long enough. He finally found one that looked like a great deal to him: a 1982 Suzuki, GS850L. (Same year and model as mine, just bigger engine!) It had the usual description to it, "great condition, low mileage, runs great!" Asking price: $850. Ok, so if the description was anywhere near accurate, this obviously could be a great buy, but it's not that often great buys like that come by, so I was pretty skeptical. Oh, by the way, did I say it included a trailer!?
So we go out a few days ago to check the bike out. First impression: great looking cosmetically. The owner must have kept it in good shape. He tries to start it up for us, it starts up once or twice, idles for a little while and dies. And then after that, it was about 20 minutes of trying to start it up with no luck. (He flooded the engine). The guy knew nothing about motorcycles, though, he was just trying to get rid of it b/c he never rode it. To make a long story short, b/c the bike wouldn't start up, he assumed it was in a lot worse shape than he originally thought, so he lowered the price to $700, with trailer, and let us take it right then!
We brought it back to the house, jumped the battery from our truck, and the thing started right up, and man she sounds good. What a steal, huh?

**Clint** · 09-24-2006, 07:57 AM

Indeed. I'd probably be scared to ride a bike that old, but it's cool anyhow. What kind of trailer?

mike-s · 09-24-2006, 08:03 AM

linky
man your mate got an absolute bargan inc the trailer. you did well

. If i had the coin i'd have a second bike to have to commute on so i'd not use my big bike for that and just for time-off riding.

andymetzger · 09-24-2006, 08:26 AM

I wish it was the deal I got! I was pretty jealous.

And Rowdy, the trailer is just a small, single axle with a groove for the bike to sit in. Nothing special, but my friend doesn't have a truck, so it'll work great for him.

D_Klein · 09-27-2006, 05:55 PM

Word. My first ride was a garage sale special... '82 GS450L for $500. I rebuilt the carb and replaced the clutch springs, but other than that the bike was in great shape. Sold it for what I paid for it.

09-24-2006, 07:44 AM	#1 (permalink)
andymetzger Seat Tester Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: 1982 GS300L Location: Morristown, TN & Columbia, SC Posts: 64	What a steal! So a good friend of mine has been digging through the trader magazines for the last few months in search for the perfect bike for him. He used to ride as a kid, but got out of it for about 8 years, and that, evidently, was long enough. He finally found one that looked like a great deal to him: a 1982 Suzuki, GS850L. (Same year and model as mine, just bigger engine!) It had the usual description to it, "great condition, low mileage, runs great!" Asking price: $850. Ok, so if the description was anywhere near accurate, this obviously could be a great buy, but it's not that often great buys like that come by, so I was pretty skeptical. Oh, by the way, did I say it included a trailer!? So we go out a few days ago to check the bike out. First impression: great looking cosmetically. The owner must have kept it in good shape. He tries to start it up for us, it starts up once or twice, idles for a little while and dies. And then after that, it was about 20 minutes of trying to start it up with no luck. (He flooded the engine). The guy knew nothing about motorcycles, though, he was just trying to get rid of it b/c he never rode it. To make a long story short, b/c the bike wouldn't start up, he assumed it was in a lot worse shape than he originally thought, so he lowered the price to $700, with trailer, and let us take it right then! We brought it back to the house, jumped the battery from our truck, and the thing started right up, and man she sounds good. What a steal, huh?

09-24-2006, 08:03 AM	#3 (permalink)
mike-s Kickstand Operator Joined: Jul 2006 Bike: RF900RT Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 292	linky man your mate got an absolute bargan inc the trailer. you did well . If i had the coin i'd have a second bike to have to commute on so i'd not use my big bike for that and just for time-off riding. __________________ Three years, five bikes, and still tickin!

09-27-2006, 05:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
D_Klein 100% Title Free Joined: Feb 2006 Bike: '05 GSX-R750 (Anniversary Edition) Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,544	Word. My first ride was a garage sale special... '82 GS450L for $500. I rebuilt the carb and replaced the clutch springs, but other than that the bike was in great shape. Sold it for what I paid for it. __________________ "Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba...." ~Hunter S. Thompson

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09-24-2006, 08:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
andymetzger Seat Tester Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: 1982 GS300L Location: Morristown, TN & Columbia, SC Posts: 64	I wish it was the deal I got! I was pretty jealous. And Rowdy, the trailer is just a small, single axle with a groove for the bike to sit in. Nothing special, but my friend doesn't have a truck, so it'll work great for him.

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