gabby Posted April 17, 2009 Posted April 17, 2009 i've had my xs650 chop a while now and its still not roadworthy, every single thing i've looked into on it, taken apart, tried to fix has been botched, never in my life have i come across a so badly put together bike, i suppose thats what i get for buying off fleabay without going and having a look first, let this be a lesson to us all, NEVER and i mean NEVER EVER buy a bike without going and having a look at it first. you would think after 43 years on this world i would have known better but i jumped in feet first cos it was cheap, what a fucking disaster, every nut and bolt ive come across so far has been half arsed, its cost me more than i paid for it in parts. its got to the point where i'm beginning to lose interest. cant believe i was so stupid.. just felt like a rant, you can laugh at me if you want, but theres a lesson to be learned here.. for all you guys and girls new to this biking lark, dont go and buy someone elses shite,, if you dont know what your doing get help, it's too late now for moi, but if this stops someonbe else getting the rip taken out of them then good.. what a fucking disaster this bike has turned out to be.
wild foamy Posted April 17, 2009 Posted April 17, 2009 I know just how you feel, i bought a Jawa 350 off ebay in february... pics werent very good, had no idea what the bike looked like, if it turned over, if it was complete, description was very short, won the auction for about £150. went up to swindon a few weeks later with my dad to pick it up in the van, met the bloke in sainsburys car park and he wheeled it out of his van, flat tyres, paint peeling off, flat battery, carb hanging off, covered in dust, rust and sh*t. put it into our van, paid and went back home to newbury. first week or so was trying to get it running, having only been riding 3 months and having literally F/A experiance with engineering and motors i didnt know what i was doing, a seal was missing in the carb which meant the bike would not run i still got that Jawa, it now starts first kick every time and runs very well, i have since sealed the carb up and needs only the exhausts sealing up, new rear tyre and new alternator brushes to get it tip-top again. always keep positive, first stage is getting it running so sort that out first and then you can start thinking about what to do with it in terms of tidying it up. usually once you hear it fire up for the first time it gives you a reason to keep working on it. clean up what is rusty and re-use what you can, if it is something simple like a gasket then make it, don't start buying new parts unless it is really essential to the running of the bike. its all a learning curve, just for some it is steeper than others
gabby Posted April 17, 2009 Author Posted April 17, 2009 yes, i know. thanks.... you know how i said in the pc thread.. if it aint broke dont fix it,, well, in this case it didnt look broke but it seems looks can be decieving,, who the fuck puts head nuts on the wrong thread and,, even though it mustve been very difficult,, screws them right down till there tight, mustve used a scaffy pole on the end of the fucking socket, who puts a clutch basket on an engine and doesnt put all the clutch plates in i mean for f*cks sake its not difficult to put back everything, someone somewhere has a box of bits that all go on an xs650 and he's probably wondering how they didnt all go back in. its like comfy bolts,... when you put something back together and theres a bolt leftover,, where did that comfy?
grizzlydan Posted April 18, 2009 Posted April 18, 2009 I know just how you feel, i bought a Jawa 350 off ebay in february... pics werent very good, had no idea what the bike looked like, if it turned over, if it was complete, description was very short, won the auction for about £150. went up to swindon a few weeks later with my dad to pick it up in the van, met the bloke in sainsburys car park and he wheeled it out of his van, flat tyres, paint peeling off, flat battery, carb hanging off, covered in dust, rust and sh*t. put it into our van, paid and went back home to newbury. first week or so was trying to get it running, having only been riding 3 months and having literally F/A experiance with engineering and motors i didnt know what i was doing, a seal was missing in the carb which meant the bike would not run i still got that Jawa, it now starts first kick every time and runs very well, i have since sealed the carb up and needs only the exhausts sealing up, new rear tyre and new alternator brushes to get it tip-top again. always keep positive, first stage is getting it running so sort that out first and then you can start thinking about what to do with it in terms of tidying it up. usually once you hear it fire up for the first time it gives you a reason to keep working on it. clean up what is rusty and re-use what you can, if it is something simple like a gasket then make it, don't start buying new parts unless it is really essential to the running of the bike. its all a learning curve, just for some it is steeper than others Well done steve, i teach motorcycle mechanics at a couple of youth projects in & around London & what you have done so far is quite impressive mate. Good for you! When it comes to buying off fleabay you need to know when (at any winning bid) to say 'Bollox mate!' & not pay. This comes under their ruling of 'not fit for purpose' . which means you can report the seller to e-bay's customer service bits & pieces (not that they do anything about it but it gets you out of buying a heap of sh1t). When it comes to buying, if it don't start or there ain't a log book (V5), either knock the price down or tell them F@@K off, coz they wouldn't sell it otherwise.
Moderator Goff Posted April 18, 2009 Moderator Posted April 18, 2009 We've all done it mate. That Bandit 400 i had was a death trap. I went to see it too -but until you get them home and have a real good look - you cant tell. In the case of the Bandit - it was a death trap - and the guy knew us! Worse thing was the spacers missing out of the rear wheel! There were LOADS of dangerous things wrong with that bike. Cost me what i paid for it to put right. You'll get there so dont give up.
gabby Posted April 19, 2009 Author Posted April 19, 2009 went out today and had another look at it, it actually looks quite good in the sunshine, i suppose its not all bad, bought a chain and stuck it on , no neutral, funny thing is before i put the engine in the frame it was getting neutral no problem, i guess somethings moved or bent , who knows, suppose i'll have to strip the engine out again but i'm not bothered cos with all the lifting and heaving the engine around i'm beginning to look quite buff , getting a spark now since i finished the wiring, put some petrol in the tank and hey presto, its all over the floor now, floor needed cleaning anyway, guess the float levels arent quite right, i've yet to hear it running but since the exhaust studs are all stripped in the head i'd imagine it'll be quite loud, i suppose i should fix that little problem by buying a new head when i've got it in bits fixing the gearbox, i shouldve just gone and got drunk but i didnt, i took my time and closed the shed door. had enough for now, if i can be bothered i may go and have a look at it when the forks come back from the chromers, though i'm now browsing ebay for another xs to use as a doner, i've no doubt it'll be cheaper. havent given up on it yet, although i bought a new battery for my z1100 and surprise..it fired up first turn of the starter, drove round the block and runs as sweet as sugar. 26 quid for a battery.. so far the xs is at 980 quid and still counting, thats including buyin it, the z cost 500. look before you leap and all that. just as well im very patient.
Moderator drewpy Posted April 20, 2009 Moderator Posted April 20, 2009 you sound a bit like Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah by Allen Sherman Hello Muddah, hello Faddah; Here I have a, yam 650 bike is very, entertaining; And they say I'll have some fun if it starts running I took the head off, with my Spanna; now this bike is, not worth a tenner You remember, bought from ebay should have done a, proper survey Take it away, oh Muddah, Faddah; Take it away, I hate this bike Don't leave me out in the garage where I might get sad and start say a prayer Take me home; I promise I will not make noise, or Mess the house with my other toys. Oh please don't make it stay; I've had it only one whole day. Wait a minute, it's stopped hailing; bike looks good now, sun is shining get a donor; gee that's bettah; Muddah, Faddah, kindly disregard this letter.
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