Topic: Opinions needed

[rb550four]

Here's the deal, we are all searching for parts ,always.... not enough junkyards for sohc's... I WANT TO START ONE THAT SERVES THIS FORUM.... found a partner that thinks this would be the cats a$$. I plan on purchasing as many of these machines as possible only if there is enough interest.
  What does everyone think?

[Stev-o]

I would not like to see bikes parted out that could be restored and put back out on the road.
There may be a shortage of junkyards, but no shortage of parts. I've never had an issue finding a part, whether it be here, CL or eBay.

[rb550four]

Stev-o, That would kind of be the plan, I know that not every bike is restorable, and would be parts.
  You know that I have brought back what some would leave behind , so some could go for rebuildable project machines. More suited for cafe or bobbers.
  Then there are some that can be restored easily and should go to a responsible home to be restored and not a cafe or bobber.
  It's a pitiful thing to see what clueless folks outside this forum do to these machines with no guidance or outside help such as this forum. And it disturbs me greatly to see decent rebuildable machines get torn down to be sold as parts on EBay. I've met people that tear apart perfectly good machines for parting out on EBay and parts tents at motorcycle shows , that's were these parts come from.
  Well that is what I think anyways, This friend of mine that would like to do this with me thinks we should do any kind of machine, maybe so to make a living, but parting out would exclude sohc's,as I do't care much for anything else but sohc really ( I know , closed minded, but they are my favorite).
  On the other hand I did ask for opinions because perhaps this could be a stupid idea.....I need more input from more people. What do you all think?

[rb550four]

This idea,    I thought about it,    slept on it for a while,  I see no interest here.    Must not be worth doing.
     My mistake,  Thank you for your input. 

[Scott S]

 If I were to do this, I wouldn't concentrate on one make/model. Grab all the old bikes you can. Especially if you can let people do a "U Pull It" type thing. Or, list your inventory and let people request a certain part, rather than have thousands of loose parts and listings on ebay/CL, etc.

[FunJimmy]

You started this thead on August 24th and concluded that there wasn't sufficient interest by August 25th. I think you're right but it screams to a generation with short attention spans living in a time of instant gratification.

How's that for an opinion? 

[rb550four]

Has merit. Not sure  where to go with it  but, has merit.

[rb550four]

In my mind I was hoping to be able to sell roller projects, projects, running projects,and decent condition machines.
I think this because most parts can be found on a roller project or project bike for a few hundred or so depending on overall condition and purchase price of particular vehicle ( usually untitled) we all need certain parts and are usually pleased to have extra parts.
Engines the same way, seized, spinners , and running depending on builders expertise and needs.
 I don't want thousands of parts in bins, trying to sell a $5 part at a time on Ebay or take every unit down to individual pieces doesn't interest me .
 I have never bought a part from Ebay because it allows people to dismantle perfectly good candidates from becoming a roadworthy machines to dismantled machine parts. Allot of parts sell  and go to worthy end users, but what of the rest of it that are slow movers. I've heard of guys throwing out tons of those parts because they move slow and it takes time to break it down,space to store.....they forgot where it goes or they are going to change their lives somehow and this no longer fits in it.
 When I need parts , I buy a bike that has what I need on it. The rest comes from factory and aftermarket. Seems better to me ,I always know that there is another project for later,usually have extra parts, and this way of parts shopping ,I believe saves money in the end.The only trouble is that there is no end, but if this is what keeps you breathing,you get used to the idea of endless building.
 Well , that's how I do it , may not be the path that everyone takes, but I know some of you do.
    The other idea is just keep rebuilding  them and possibly selling some when dollars are needed, problem is, I'm personally attached, I haven't been able to part with any of my rebuilds, so I don't know if it is even possible.
  The more I think about all of this , it all sounds so ridiculous and kind of embarrassing really.
There's no pictures, so maybe it didn't happen , right? Thank you for your opinions.

[rtbmrgl]

Yes it is a shame to and sell for parts only if its a decent rolling chassis. Somewhere someone is selling the part you need to restore your bike some fashion. I think we all like to see old bikes back on the road.  rb550four i agree there are a lot of parts on ebay coming from the same seller that is oblivious they stripped it down to the last bolt and nut. Not sure your idea would work or not, one thing is working is the passion in this group the willingness to help. I'm seeing more and more older bikes on the road, keep up the good work.
Here's a good example you can make ice cream out of horse S%*T
Oh buy the way rb550four I was able to sell it, I may have broke even or not on the sale, oh well it went to a happy home. End one project then start another, Keeps ya felling young. 

[faux fiddy]

Stev-o, That would kind of be the plan, I know that not every bike is restorable, and would be parts.
  You know that I have brought back what some would leave behind , so some could go for rebuildable project machines. More suited for cafe or bobbers.
  Then there are some that can be restored easily and should go to a responsible home to be restored and not a cafe or bobber.
  It's a pitiful thing to see what clueless folks outside this forum do to these machines with no guidance or outside help such as this forum. And it disturbs me greatly to see decent rebuildable machines get torn down to be sold as parts on EBay. I've met people that tear apart perfectly good machines for parting out on EBay and parts tents at motorcycle shows , that's were these parts come from.
  Well that is what I think anyways, This friend of mine that would like to do this with me thinks we should do any kind of machine, maybe so to make a living, but parting out would exclude sohc's,as I do't care much for anything else but sohc really ( I know , closed minded, but they are my favorite).
  On the other hand I did ask for opinions because perhaps this could be a stupid idea.....I need more input from more people. What do you all think?

I think that if you have almost any "bike" it is restorable. How significantly does a whole bike have to be parted to be "just parts" depends on the same degree of effort expected to restore anything whole plus some.  My bikes are just there. When I bought a chopper I had a "Bike" that is now parts because it had forks. Other than that, my bikes are not being parted out, other than a friend took a regulator off the 500 because he he heard it worked for his k triple. The 500 is still a bike, and I have no plans for it unless I buy another running 500, at which point it may cease being  a "bike."  and be parts.

Where do you plan to acquire all these bikes?  Are there really that many you see laying around in any kind of shape being given away?

[RAFster122s]

Question becomes if there is a salvage or boneyard in your area for motorcycles already...if not, then how do you establish a network of tow truck drivers and motorcycle repair shops that rebuild them to send you the wrecked and bikes they are being paid to get rid of?
What do you do on the titles if there are none?
Can you buy a bike without title? ( yes, but if it turns out to be stolen, you will forfeit it when the police come calling...)
Outside or inside storage?
all kinds of logistics questions and
then there are zoning issues you can run into if neighbors complain, etc.

Noble idea but difficult business to launch.

If you can make it work, that would be grand, but making a living at it would be hard. Building bikes to sell even that takes time and is difficult to make money at...even if you establish a good reputation it is not an easy business.
That's my opinion on it.

[faux fiddy]

Question becomes if there is a salvage or boneyard in your area for motorcycles already...if not, then how do you establish a network of tow truck drivers and motorcycle repair shops that rebuild them to send you the wrecked and bikes they are being paid to get rid of?
What do you do on the titles if there are none?
Can you buy a bike without title? ( yes, but if it turns out to be stolen, you will forfeit it when the police come calling...)
Outside or inside storage?
all kinds of logistics questions and
then there are zoning issues you can run into if neighbors complain, etc.

Noble idea but difficult business to launch.

If you can make it work, that would be grand, but making a living at it would be hard. Building bikes to sell even that takes time and is difficult to make money at...even if you establish a good reputation it is not an easy business.
That's my opinion on it.

Wrecker lot auctions give you a title in this state, storage lien style.

Some have mailing lists of when the auction and if there are bikes.  They have a list of each one and usually can view on certain days.