Topic: A deal I can't reject, but I have to...

[Lostboy Steve]

My Matco Dealer has a 1975 cb550. He says its black. I haven't seen it. He said its been in his garage for 10 years. Right before he put it away he put a NEW crate engine in it and NEW Kerker Exhaust. He wants $800.00 for it with a clean title. If I don't pick it up by tomorrow hes selling it to someone else. I am flat broke and am contemplating selling a kidney, however with my Type 1 diabetes and all my kidneys wont bring much of a profit. Seriously how can this be happening? Its always when you're not looking for something that it comes along.

[flybox1]

My Matco Dealer has a 1975 cb550. He says its black. I haven't seen it. He said its been in his garage for 10 years. Right before he put it away he put a NEW crate engine in it and NEW Kerker Exhaust. He wants $800.00 for it with a clean title. If I don't pick it up by tomorrow hes selling it to someone else. I am flat broke and am contemplating selling a kidney, however with my Type 1 diabetes and all my kidneys wont bring much of a profit. Seriously how can this be happening? Its always when you're not looking for something that it comes along.

how often can you donate at the sperm bank? 

[andrewk]

I think it's always best to step back and take a second look.

First question I would ask is, where would you get a crate engine for an SOHC4?  The new Kerker is a nice addon, and probably worth the buy, but something doesn't sound right to me.  Who completely rebuilds a bike and then never rides it? (aside from restorations.....)

Whenever I see deals that I can't afford yet I think might be too good to pass up, I usually tell myself what a money suck it would have been anyway.

[iron_worker]

Almost sounds too good to be true...

I'm suspect of said "crate motor".

IW

[Xnavylfr]

I'd like to know where he bought a CRATE motor?



Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[dave500]

he might mean the things a "crate"?

[lucky]

Almost sounds too good to be true...

I'm suspect of said "crate motor".

IW

There are no "crate" motorcycles engines except one place in the United States.
That is Cycle Exchange in Wisconsin. They do not build CB550 engines.

[seanbarney41]

+1...he meant to say "basket"

[ekpent]

Hate to say but there is always another deal up the road of life, not like these things are too rare. Don't worry about it too much, especially if you have not seen it in person yet   

[dusterdude]

Could he bought one from honda somewhere down the road?

[singedebile]

Whats a crate motor? Does this just mean a NOS motor? or some manner of worked over motor? (I live in philly, maybe you could hook me up? hehe)

[albertaboy]

Ya passing up a perceived deal is so so hard. It just hurts. 

[Hasenkopf]

pics or  it isn't real!

[Lostboy Steve]

Yeah from what I gather, I would assume it was a completely rebuilt unit from a cycle shop in ny. Anyhow I'm not even worried about that. You've all made great points, most of which I've already had run through my brain. I love my 77, but I've always wanted to build another, way more radical. Although I do have a cm400a that I am in the process of turning into a chopper. Anyway thanks for the kind words and pats on the shoulder. I do feel a lot better.

[Mo]

If I still lived in NJ I'd buy it, and keep it :p

It's tough, but browsing craigslist recently heading into the winter, there doesn't seem to be a shortage of 550s.

[HondaMan]

The only time I ever saw something close to a "crate engine" from Honda was in the first few months of the 1969 750K0, in Chicago. The engine failed from the wrong thickness of O-rings on the oil pump dowels (just before that infamous recall happened) and a crank bearing seized. The new engine had no serial number, much like the replacement cases that used to be available. After that, all that Honda would authorize was new [parts] to rebuild something with, and the shop that sold the bike often had to eat half the labor. That's just how it was, back then!

[anders288]

I have a buddy I ride with that lives in CT that has a brand new 550 motor in a crate.

[tlbranth]

My Matco Dealer has a 1975 cb550. He says its black. I haven't seen it. He said its been in his garage for 10 years. Right before he put it away he put a NEW crate engine in it and NEW Kerker Exhaust. He wants $800.00 for it with a clean title. If I don't pick it up by tomorrow hes selling it to someone else. I am flat broke and am contemplating selling a kidney, however with my Type 1 diabetes and all my kidneys wont bring much of a profit. Seriously how can this be happening? Its always when you're not looking for something that it comes along.

how often can you donate at the sperm bank? 

If he's my age it wouldn't matter.

[Lostboy Steve]

My Matco Dealer has a 1975 cb550. He says its black. I haven't seen it. He said its been in his garage for 10 years. Right before he put it away he put a NEW crate engine in it and NEW Kerker Exhaust. He wants $800.00 for it with a clean title. If I don't pick it up by tomorrow hes selling it to someone else. I am flat broke and am contemplating selling a kidney, however with my Type 1 diabetes and all my kidneys wont bring much of a profit. Seriously how can this be happening? Its always when you're not looking for something that it comes along.

how often can you donate at the sperm bank? 

If he's my age it wouldn't matter.

Haha! I make cute kids tho. I can prove it.

[Hannibal Smith]

That sounds like an Imola 550.

Super rare.

[Stev-o]

That sounds like an Imola 550.

I still want that bike! 

[bryanj]

In all the years I worked for Honda dealers Honda never supplied a complete motor only the individual parts to build one

[Terry in Australia]

something doesn't sound right to me.  Who completely rebuilds a bike and then never rides it? (aside from restorations.....)

I bought a ratty old K2 with what I discovered was a freshly rebuilt engine from a guy who had a wreckers yard in Seymour, in 2005. The bike looked terrible, but for 500 bucks with a set of reasonable HM341's I was happy to take a risk.

I pulled the engine and removed the rocker cover, and everything looked to be really nice and clean within. I removed the head and 3 pistons had a little carbon on top, but one was shiny and new. I realised that the PO had it rebuilt, put it back in the frame, went to start it but it only ran on 3 cylinders, so put it back in his barn then sold it to the wrecker many years later.

It turned out that the jets were blocked in the carb for that cylinder (#3) so I cleaned them all, put them back on, and it ran like a new bike. Cheers, Terry.

[tortelvis]

I work at  a Honda dealer and they sell only a handful of motors and they are vastly overpriced and they only offer them once a year as a sort of clear out. Never seen one that old for sale any way.

[kammery]

 I feel your pain . Yesterday there was a ad on craigs list for a 1974 750 . Really good shape . Better shape than mine when I bought it  . Owner wants $2000.00 . I would have to do alought of explaining to my wife  to bring it home . It was in Sate colledge Pa . O well .