I am asking too much $$

apbling wrote: So, I have my 82 550 LTD for sale. Complete bike, runs good now with the motor from my 81 parts bike (7kmiles). Also have title. Tires are newer, as are brakes. Everything works. The 81 is a complete titled bike, but has my motor with 22k on it installed, burns a little oil. The carbs would need to be cleaned and the bike cleaned up, but it would run. I also included a complete gasket kit, new oem piston rings, hot cams shim kit and my other various parts laying around for it. I was asking $1k for everything. I have not gotten any hits, other than two guys: 1 is negotiating for $700 without seeing them, and the other guy wants just the running bike.

I thought 1k for both bikes and everything included was a darn good deal.... Am I off base on this one?

Where are you located? My brother is looking for a bike.

Jeff

Hi Jeffo, I'm in central WI (Wausau).

So, a guy and his wife came to look at it last night.... I could tell immediately this bike was not for them. Very non-mechanical people. He was looking for a bike for her, and she didn't seem real keen on having one. She was a little short gal and was on her toes while sitting on it. He took it for a ride, but he was immediately turned off when I told him its cold blooded, and you'd need to play with the choke some while riding til it was warm. He came back to my place, engine racing, saying the throttle was stuck. I proceeded to flip the choke to off and it idled down...lol. He politely declined and said maybe something a little easier to work with for her first bike. I agreed. The search for a new home continues

Your pilots are clogged.
Steve

I'd normally agree with you Steve, but I'd be willing to bet you a 24 pack of ice cold beer they aren't - I cleaned them a few weeks ago - and when I clean them I take out the pilot and the air screw, and I play a game of musical hole plugging - I'll plug the air screw hole, shoot cleaner/air through the passageway in the bowl - then I'll plug the bowl and the air screw, shoot it from intake to make sure it makes it to the throat - then I'll shoot it down the air screw hole to make sure it comes out the intake and the bowl...and so forth. As for the jets themselves, they are clean.

I get the 30 pack of Milwaukee's Best. :lol: What kind of carbs are they? Pics?
Steve

Being from WI, I am partial to Mil Best, or Old Milwaukee if you like - but I'll upgrade you to High Life, my personal favorite.

TK22, I don't currently have any pics of the carbs that are worth posting (they are assembled).

Nah, you should increase your price a little, that has $1,500 written all over it. The running bike alone is worth an $800 to $1,100 in good condition. $1,000 is a steal even with the swapped engine, but you may want to separate the bikes to broaden your potential buyers. Some people want a project, and others (like you've met) just want a running bike, but there's not a lot of people that want both. I can understand keeping the bikes together as they share parts... kinda make them siblings. My advice is to wait and make your sale known to more people.

How long has it been up for sale now?

SmokyOwl - been for sale for about 2 months, but in different stages - i first posted the ad before the spare motor was installed - I kept working on it as it was for sale.

I'm thinking if they don't move, I'll get the parts one running, sell it as a fixerupper for a reasonable price and the other for a few bucks more. I thought 1k was MORE than fair - esp with the gasket kit, rings and cam shims - thats like 200 worth of parts alone.

So you have a 82 KZ550 and a 81 KZ550 not running/parts. I am honestly shocked that it hasn't sold yet in the dead of summer. How big is your advertising? Did you put it in the paper, did you put it in a magazine, or online/eBay?

It's the old game of how desperate is he?
I sold the 550 and posted it sold. I got more e-mails and calls then before I sold it. You snooze/you lose. :woohoo:
I enjoyed telling them about how the new owner FOUND his bike and the big smile on his face as he rode away.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :woohoo: :evil:
Steve

Just Craigslist

The racing idle on choke with the 550 carbs (assuming slide carbs) is perfectly normal.

I sold my 550 for $600 this summer (peak of riding season) that was the best offer I got, so I took it. In the fall/winter expect that much at best, most folks seem to want to buy a bike in summer, sell in fall/winter to keep from storing it.

You're gonna have to wait it out at this point, hard to sell normal bikes this time of year