Diamond in the rough?

[Doc]

I found a 1991 GS 500 e with 17k on it for $500.

The good

New tires
Yoshi pipe
In Great shape no dents and cracks.
All the parts are there and it hasn't been down.
Girl Owner

The Bad

It has sat at the mechanics for the last year.
Per the Owner from mechnic estimate
"It needs a battery and a new coil. The cam timing chain went, causing the valves to go outta whack and hit the pistons, it won't turn over."
I figure $1000-1500 to pay someone to fix it.

I guess she ran it for a bit with it sounding like crap.

I am wondering if I should buy this? I know I could part it out and make more than $500 on Ebay but I would rather try to fix it myself (save on labor costs) and sell it. I can replace the coil and timing chain pretty easy, I just don't want to have to replace pistons.

Your thoughts?

[slaps76]

It'll be a very easy bike to resell...people are always looking for nice "beginner" bikes. Guess you gotta figure how much it'll cost you to fix it vs. how much you could sell it for. You'd probably get $1200-1500 for it in good running condition.

[Honclfibr]

My guess is by the time you buy the parts, fix the problem, find out it was actually something else, buy different parts, fix the other problem, repeat a few times, etc etc...and then finally flip it, you'll find that by the time you subtract the cost of the bike and parts and divide by your time spent fixing the thing you'll have made somewhere around minimum wage or less...

Not saying you shouldn't do it anyway, but if you're going to fix it do it for fun and not for profit, there's more easy money to be found in the bike world if that's what you're looking for...

[LiononaLeash]

Stay away. You're probably going to lose on that one.

[Doc]

I would be fixing it for fun (and the learning experience).

Even if it is so damaged that it is not worth fixing, I will have it all apart and ready to part out, right?

I guess I am going to see if she will go lower on the price, I mean she owes me, I transported the thing a half hour to get it back here from her mechanics.

[Doc]

Originally posted by LiononaLeash
Stay away. You're probably going to lose on that one.

Why? Because of what is wrong with it?

I figure the tank, plastics, seat, frame, wheels/tires alone are worth $500.

[Karaya One]

Loser all the way.

Suzuki made a ton of them and parts are everywhere. I'd be shocked if you could get $500.00 out of it.

Find a cheap motor and it might get you $1000.00. On a good day with the right buyer.

[highsider]

Originally posted by Karaya One
Loser all the way.

Suzuki made a ton of them and parts are everywhere. I'd be shocked if you could get $500.00 out of it.

Find a cheap motor and it might get you $1000.00. On a good day with the right buyer.

Nobody wants those things anymore, when they are mint.

[Doc]

Ok so far the majority say stay away...