New bike due to injury, from Guzzi sport to Jap crusier

[willytheekid]

Spose I should share the new Ride and reasons for sale of the Guzzi.

As some of you know, I was the proud owner of "PhatGirl"...my 95 1100 Guzzi sport...and a fine example she was.

Last winter I was hit OFF the highway by a 4x4 and left with internal bleeding and a shattered shoulder joint.
I have ever since been riding in pain due to the long low drop to the clip-ons on the guzzi...within a 100k and Im on the side of the road damn near crying from the pain.
Well...due to another kid on the way (Girl this time) and requireing a new car and some loans paid off, I bit bullet and sold my baby (To a nice guy up north...and..a KB member!)

So after getting a new car and paying off one of the HPs, I had 5-6 grand to find a "comfy" bike to ride to work everyday.....hmmmm...what to get?

I looked everywhere, and at everything!....just couldn't find anything...."different"
Looked at a BMW dual purpose bikes....not with my shoulder!
Looked at a few honda road bikes, bandits etc...nahhh not enough..."character"
Then I looked at cruisers.....CRUISERS!.....hmmmmm
they ARE comfy....I AM getting old...lets look!

honda shadow VT750...nice bikes, good price, good look....and lots and LOTS of them (good for parts etc)
....nah to damn sensible!

Then I found one of these!
-a 2001 Yamaha XV1600 Midnight Star
...a Yamaharley!

They guy had been advertising this thing for months!...at $5800 and in the wrong section of trademe (so bugger all looks!)
Then I saw it again...for $5500!
Rang him and said I was keen...for $5000 cash! (gotta try ay lol)
...I then saw it advertised for $5100 lol
DONE!...sold I told the guy...will pick it up on friday!

And the nightmare begins

I called the seller back a few days later to see if he was still happy with cash on the day and if I could come down a little earlier on the day.
"there is a problem" I was told...I have sold the bike twice!...first here with cash gets it!
But I would have to agree to the purchase of the bike over the phone without seeing it, as the other buying was coming to pick up the next day!, and it would be a case of first there gets the bike, Ohh and I would have to fix up the rego and pay for the WOF and change of ownership etc. (even tho it was advertised as havng WOF & REGO)
As long as its in good nick I said...sure!...fine! I said, infact...Im on my way down RIGHT NOW! (sod the day off I had booked at work)

I made a "mission" down that night!, drove for hours and got there @ nearly 9 at night to beat the other buyer to it.
...then I saw the bike...my Charlotte summed it up lol "My god it looks like shit@!...its filthy!"
she was dead right...the bike OBVIOUSLY hadn't been cleaned for a loooong time...but after a "rub" here, and a scratch there...I had a feeling there was more to this dirty rusty "heap' underneath.

Made the deal, shook hands, paid the cash $5000. (No test ride due to how late it was, had to get pregnant partner home)
Then as I was gearing up and about to leave...the guy says (I shit you not!)

..."Ohhh yeah!"..."I spose I should tell you NOW"..."fourth gear is shot!"..."it makes a horrble sound"

After being forced to accept a sale before viewing, booking a day off work and not needing it, and having the bike sold twice after I had organised a day off and pick up etc with the seller, and finding the bike looking like it was left out on a warf for 2yrs...I nearly friggin lost it!
But I immediatly called my mechanic for a "chat"...."bout $1200-$1500 for that gear to be fixed mate, but do ya need it?"...he had a good point!..the engine sounded tight and showed none of the XV "bad sounds" etc

So (angrily) I accepted the bike as is...but told the guy if he didn't pay the back rego (9months!) and at least put a month of rego on it, not only am I not interested...I'd see him in court for false advertising and would seek compensation for travel and the time I booked off work....he hastely agreed.

Got the bike home and got told by everyone, what a dirty rusty peice of shit I had bought and that I had been ripped off
...except not by my missus...charlotte just stood there and smiled, asked if I could clean it up? and if I was happy. (gotta love her)

Neadless to say, I locked myself in the shed for 4 days and 4 nights...I scrubbed, scrapped, soaked and cleaned till my fingers were swollen up and sore.

...But I found a nice shiiny bike under all that crap and rust, a bike that (apart from 4th gear) was mechanically perfect, new tyres, brake pads a K&N big air kit cobra slip on mufflers and a carb that just needed a damn good tune.

As I wheeled it out into the sun, I turned to charlotte and said "Yup...now Im happy!"
she just smiled....my mate was speachless!

...I Love finging the hidden gems" and as for the gearbox...mechanic was right!...short shift!...ya don't need 4th with 1600cc lol (and it only needs $300-$400 in parts...might do a engine split myself at a later date )

I have ordered some Big saddlebags and some tuning and performance parts from the states, and my mechanic is giving him the big go over service in a week or two, but in the mean time....Meet my new ride/Lounge-suit!

...Ive named him MAC!

See you on the road...and yes...i DO wave back lol

Ohh...and the shoulder feels great after each ride

[oneofsix]

Looks nice all cleaned up. After your description it would have been interesting to see a before but guess a comparison wasn't the first thing on your mind, you would have been keener to say what you really had.
Trust you added to the advertises rep

[Paul in NZ]

Thats a lot of bike for 5K mate... Well done.

[durp]

Agreed, $5k for that is awesome. Good work mate.

And um, ur wife gotta hot sister? haha. Sounds like a great woman ya got there.

Awesome bike man.

[willytheekid]

Looks nice all cleaned up. After your description it would have been interesting to see a before but guess a comparison wasn't the first thing on your mind, you would have been keener to say what you really had.
Trust you added to the advertises rep

Yeah sorry mate...I didnt think of taking the before shots (I do have the blurry advert ones tho)
As for trademe...I reported him!, I felt I had to!...just a shifty mofo that needs to be sorted out...Got a reply from trademe who are currently looking in to it for the false advertising and dual selling (and the fact that he didnt pay his fees!)...seeing as they are interested, I feel I did the right thing.
So glad to have finshed dealing with him, he was dishonest, decieptful and had worst of all...let a bike like that get into THAT bad a state...truly discusted with him!

Thats a lot of bike for 5K mate... Well done.

Cheers Paul, I Think I got a good deal...its certainly a unique bike lol (and Ive got something to work on while the shoulder heals for a year or so)

[willytheekid]

Agreed, $5k for that is awesome. Good work mate.

And um, ur wife gotta hot sister? haha. Sounds like a great woman ya got there.

Awesome bike man.

Cheers durp...and sorry no...shes got three brothers...and all of em ugly!
Yeah Charlotte is bloody wonderful...it was birthday when I bought the bike....my B-day prezzy...4 days and 4 nights left alone in the shed to tinker tune and clean, with meals and hot drinks delivered etc...she's just the best!

[Zedder]

It's good to hear it all worked out in the end there WTK.

[Paul in NZ]

Still - pretty stink way to sell a bike. Dirty and not fessing up to a mechanical fault.

[willytheekid]

It's good to hear it all worked out in the end there WTK.

Cheers Zedder

The shoulder is feeling great now after a ride, and the bike now runs very well (damn loud tho!...gotta repack the mufflers I think)
...I must admit the different riding style is keeping me on my toes , its a big bugger!, and Im still getting the shocks, brakes and all the personal settings & adjustments sorted out...but so far its doing its job well (Just glad to still be on two wheels to be honest)

[Rhubarb]

That was not the bike I was expecting to see after your description of its original condition. You have done a phenominal job.

I always wonder why some people let their bike get into such a state when it is so easy to spend a couple of hours every now and then to keep it pristine.
I did the TT2000 last weekend. All types of crap weather, road works and dead bugs in every possible crevice.
The night after I spent 1 1/2 hrs checking the bike mechanically and cleaning it, once again it looks brand new.

I hope the 'piece of crap' that sold you the bike sees those pictures and realises what a gem he really had (and how he deservedly lost out - big time).

A Very Nice Bike

[willytheekid]

That was not the bike I was expecting to see after your description of its original condition. You have done a phenominal job.

I always wonder why some people let their bike get into such a state when it is so easy to spend a couple of hours every now and then to keep it pristine.
I did the TT2000 last weekend. All types of crap weather, road works and dead bugs in every possible crevice.
The night after I spent 1 1/2 hrs checking the bike mechanically and cleaning it, once again it looks brand new.

I hope the 'piece of crap' that sold you the bike sees those pictures and realises what a gem he really had (and how he deservedly lost out - big time).

A Very Nice Bike

Totally agree!, I always keep my bikes clean and very well maintained...it just makes sense to do so.
This was a monster clean up job (honest...my fingers are STILL a bit stiff from it...was over a week ago)
I went through a whole bottle of air filter cleaner, half a tube of Autosol, two bottles of simple green max degreaser, half a can of CRC, five coats of turtle wax (It just kept sucking the polish up..poor thing) and I used every rag and brush I own...NOT in any hurry to do that big a job again lol.

I truly did think of emailing the previous owner with some pics...but I really don't want to see or hear from him ever again
But yeah... I think he would be pissed to see what was REALLY underneath all the rust, dirt and mess ...his loss!, and the poor bike is now getting the service, maintenance and treatment it deserves...cos all bikes deserve to be looked after properly

[awa355]

You came close to learning the hard way, about buying unseen. I hope it goes well for you. I've got a xvs650. After a sports bike, they take a lot of re learning to ride.

[Big Dave]

You know the Yamaharleys are some of the best balanced and handling vehicles in the class. Due to the fact that Yam gets over 50% of the weight on the front wheel.

[willytheekid]

You came close to learning the hard way, about buying unseen. I hope it goes well for you. I've got a xvs650. After a sports bike, they take a lot of re learning to ride.

Yup, very true!

I have this bad habit of trusting people and believing what they say is the truth
...this seller on the other hand ...has made me a little sad in regards to the above.

[willytheekid]

You know the Yamaharleys are some of the best balanced and handling vehicles in the class. Due to the fact that Yam gets over 50% of the weight on the front wheel.

Gidday BD

I don't have that much experiance with crusiers to be honest dave (Ive ridden a few harleys AND a mighty GN125 when i was kid lol)
I have found this big bugger is very well balanced as you say, great road presence and once moving it hides its weight and size very well....except when stopping (Im getting the front brakes and shocks done soon...bit spongy! and lacking in power...will sort that tho)
Its certainly alot different to the guzzi, but its growing on me...and the build quality is much better than I thought it would be...I can understand why the yanks rave about these models (roadstarclinic.com etc)

she aint no harley dave (love your reviews by the way)...but for 5 grand I aint complaining (and so glad to still be riding...told the doc I wasn't givin up just cos the shoulder wasn't healing!..."drive a car 4 a while"...pffft! please!)

Later dave, Ride safe mate