Although Classified Moto now looks mostly for specific bikes like the Honda Nighthawk 750 and the XR650L??fairly modern bikes with plenty of new parts available??that wasn?t always the case.
?I used to look for pretty much the cheapest bike I could find,? Ryland says, ?and I didn?t care if it was exceedingly ugly or uncool. For personal projects, my goal is often to turn an ugly duckling into something interesting. I didn?t really care if it was shaft-drive or raked-out or looked more cruiser than café.
?You might consider using a single or twin for your first project. Fewer carbs can be a good thing when you?re doing your own wrenching.?
On an aesthetic side note, Ryland says he also prefers big engines: ?Motor-wise, I like the look of a big four-cylinder motor stuffed into a smallish frame. While a V-twin is often thought of as a muscle power plant, it looks surprisingly skinny from the front.?
When you walk up to the bike for the first time, touch the crankcase with your bare hand. If it?s warm, walk away. A whole host of electrical and other problems can hide themselves in a bike that?s been running for a few minutes. A seller who warms up the engine before you arrive is a seller who shouldn?t be trusted.
What?s that he?s telling you" He just ran it to the corner to fill the tank" How nice of him! Walk away.
If the engine is cold, however, then dig in. Look for wear and damage to the sprocket, chain, forks, and any other moving parts you can put your h...