Rebuild costs

[twister]

Was wondering if anyone had done a engine rebuild on a 1000cc sports bike and what the average costs were?

The reason I ask is I'm looking at picking up a 2nd hand bike and was wondering if its worth getting a tidy high milage bike and then rebuilding the engine?

[Bonez]

I would imagine it all depends on the work that needs to be done.

What do you call high millage? Sometimes it's better to get one with a few ks on it, ie it's been ridden and regularly maintained, than to get something thats been sitting for years.

Edit- Welcome to KiwiBiker twister.

[86GSXR]

Hey, that's a good question and having been through a similiar situation I'd say that you'd be better off looking for a tidy lower milage bike. It's amazing how many good older bikes there are out there. I enquired as to the cost of rebuilding an 86 engine and was told that it would come to thousands. Having said that though, if you have your sights set on a particular bike, and want a good project it would be worth getting an estimate from your mechanic. Good luck

[86GSXR]

I would imagine it all depends on the work that needs to be done.

What do you call high millage? Sometimes it's better to get one with a few ks on it, ie it's been ridden and regularly maintained, than to get something thats been sitting for years.

Good point Bonez, mine had 78K and still has plenty of life. Get it checked before buying if possible and make sure of a thorough estimate of rebuild costs before buying. It's possible that it may be perfectly good and will last for a lot longer. Remember that there are many other components to consider besides the engine, eg gearbox, chains and sprockets, brake rotors, clutch, hydraulic systems, electrics, etc.

[twister]

Good point Bonez, mine had 78K and still has plenty of life. Get it checked before buying if possible and make sure of a thorough estimate of rebuild costs before buying. It's possible that it may be perfectly good and will last for a lot longer. Remember that there are many other components to consider besides the engine, eg gearbox, chains and sprockets, brake rotors, clutch, hydraulic systems, electrics, etc.

Yeah good point, but i think all those things you can cover alot easier than an entire engine or gearbox needing fixing. I'm currently hunting around for a good bike and theres a few higher k TLR's etc for sale. Maybe am best to up the budget a couple thou then and go for a lower milage machine (20-40k's).

Today 11:56
Bonez Edit- Welcome to KiwiBiker twister.

Thanks Bones, I stumbled on this site the other day while searching bike stuff, great site lots of good information and interesting people

-Edit - Oh BTW - am an ex-sv650s rider from last year so are looking for an upgraded ride from that basis

[Animal]

Hi Twister,

Firstly, welcome to the asylum - you're guaranteed to enjoy the experience.

My two cents worth: Take whatever figure you think it's going to cost to rebuild an old engine, and treble it. That has certainly been my experience in all the bikes and engines I've rebuilt - and there have been quite a few! The costs do add up pretty damn fast, but if your estimate (multiplied by three) is still within your budget, then go for it.
Then (another two cents worth), choose your project very carefully, as in one that you're not going to have difficulty finding parts for. If you pick a rare or short production run bike, you can expect to spend more time hunting for bits, spend more money acquiring them, and a helluva lt longer before the project ever finishes!
At the moment I'm rebuilding a '93 Kawasaki for a mate, and although the bikes are quite prolific, parts are becoming progressively scarce as wrecks are being bought up to support rebuilds. (I know this because my garage is rapidly filling up with wrecks and donor bikes). Accordingly, the price of these parts are climbing steadily as their abundance decreases.

So, rebuild budget times three?

[86GSXR]

Yes, welcome to the site It could be worth spending a little more initially than have to go through the expense of a rebuild. Talk to a good mechanic, or several . Cheers

[86GSXR]

Hi Twister,

Firstly, welcome to the asylum - you're guaranteed to enjoy the experience.

My two cents worth: Take whatever figure you think it's going to cost to rebuild an old engine, and treble it. That has certainly been my experience in all the bikes and engines I've rebuilt - and there have been quite a few! The costs do add up pretty damn fast, but if your estimate (multiplied by three) is still within your budget, then go for it.
Then (another to cents worth), choose your project very carefully, as in one that youre not going to have difficulty finding parts for. If you pick a rare or short production run bike, you can expect to spend more time hunting for bits, spend more money acquiring them, and a helluva lt longer before the project ever finishes!
At the moment I'm rebuilding a '93 Kawasaki for a mate, and although the bikes are quite prolific, parts are becoming progressively scarce as wrecks are being bought up to support rebuilds. (I know this because my garage is rapidly filling up with wrecks and donor bikes). Accordingly, the price of these parts are climbing steadily as their abundance decreases.

So, rebuild budget times three?

Seconded and concur

[Animal]

I'm currently hunting around for a good bike and theres a few higher k TLR's etc for sale.

TLs... now there's a good project to get into. The TLS was a fairly short production machine, the TLR a bit longer. I've owned one of each, and they're bloody great! The negative rep about the handling is probably quite accurate, but spending up on better suspension parts can tame even the most savage TL. But (there's always a but), they will become scarce too, so if you're going to take on a TL project - do it soon while the junkyards still have them and they're likely to be ridden and (very sadly) written off for a few more years to come.

[twister]

Hi Twister,

Firstly, welcome to the asylum - you're guaranteed to enjoy the experience.

My two cents worth: Take whatever figure you think it's going to cost to rebuild an old engine, and treble it. That has certainly been my experience in all the bikes and engines I've rebuilt - and there have been quite a few! The costs do add up pretty damn fast, but if your estimate (multiplied by three) is still within your budget, then go for it.
Then (another to cents worth), choose your project very carefully, as in one that youre not going to have difficulty finding parts for. If you pick a rare or short production run bike, you can expect to spend more time hunting for bits, spend more money acquiring them, and a helluva lt longer before the project ever finishes!
At the moment I'm rebuilding a '93 Kawasaki for a mate, and although the bikes are quite prolific, parts are becoming progressively scarce as wrecks are being bought up to support rebuilds. (I know this because my garage is rapidly filling up with wrecks and donor bikes). Accordingly, the price of these parts are climbing steadily as their abundance decreases.

So, rebuild budget times three?

Ouch, sounds expensive. I guess theres a fair bit of downtime involved too and I'm going to be needing this bike for commuting soon....so. I think you guys have made up my mind. Maybe i'll leave the rebuild exercise to an old classic bike project later on then.

[Jinx3d]

Jesus - does anyone actually know?


Heres my *guess*, I reckon you could be around a grand for top end job, valves seats and chains

Pistons I reckon around 200 each

Dunno about the crank.

Brent just blew his motor in his TLS and is putting a TLR motor in that he got for a couple of grand.

Sounds to me like second hand engines are the more usual way to fix bikes.

Its pretty hard to thrash a thousand without taking it too the track, I'd say most "modern" bikes will last as long as they get lots of oils changes as they go. My TLS has just done 50 thousand, its a little (and I mean little) rattly but the guy at Colemans said the valve clearance were fine so I'm guessing it is the chains. I change the oil every 3000 kays and it burns no oil.

TLS is a great bike, but as everyone says, the standard rear damper isnt fantastic. - But theres no chicken strips on my back tyre so it cant be that bad can it?

[98tls]

pretty much agree with all said.........will add that Brents bike had done something like 90/100000 kms before letting go,ive seen many inline 4s keep going way past that..........fwiw.

[Dodgyiti]

From personal trials with old cheaper high miles (and I mean MILES) bikes, it's not just the motor rebuild that will sting you.
How about rechroming the worn fork sliders, replacing the discs, gearbox bearings, corrosion etc. Not to mention corroded or butchered wiring
The low mile bikes are the ones, hang around the old folks home and wait till someone dies....

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

pretty much agree with all said.........will add that Brents bike had done something like 90/100000 kms before letting go,ive seen many inline 4s keep going way past that..........fwiw.

I had xj650 do 139 000 + and still going