Topic: How much do I have in this thing? OMG!

[Hunter 1]

I don`t have as much in mine as some of these but I took it out for a ride today and whatever I have in it it`s worth it. These old bikes are so much fun to work on and to ride, Wherever you go someone will comment on them. They invoke a lot of memories for a lot of people.

[rb550four]

   Like some of you guys, I figure that you only go around once, and it's usually a shorter ride than you think. I just survive this life by staying busy enough with things I like (like Hondas), that I don't notice how fast or slow it's really going, just as long as it feels worth doing.
  The money part , well there's just never enough anyways, so if I can pay all my bills,have some pocket change and be able to help out my kids a little and pick up a bike every so often...that's what it is, doesn't matter what the cost is

[Retro Rocket]

I am married, I destroy receipts regularly.

receipts, please explain this concept {missus looking over shoulder}....

[70CB750]

Works only if you are always home for mail delivery 

[Retro Rocket]

I've stopped counting now but every time i look at some of the stuff i have i get a pain in the wallet and remember exactly how much it cost....Secret mens business....

[AJK]

Works only if you are always home for mail delivery 

+1 

I found the last 1/3 of the build the hardest. Looking at the tally $$, looking at the bike, thinking oh $#^+ I'm not done yet. So when you get to the 2/3rds mark, you might feel a bit discouraged. If you can push on past that, your home.

[LesterPiglet]

I didn't count. The feeling and comments I get when riding this bike I "made" is worth millions.

[KayOne]

If you build them to flip them, it's not a money maker. If you build to enjoy, to have, to ride, to savor, then it's well worth the expense.

Consider: a fully done up resto-mod done to a very high standard is $8-$15k depending upon motor work. Then you have essentially a brand new, modern-ish bike. To buy "said" contemporary will cost $7-$18k depending upon your tastes.

In the final analysis, a new off the line bike is the same bike any bloke with a check book can buy. BUT, only a dealer can service due to electronics and the modern technology. And they all look exactly alike. The bikes showcased on this forum are, essentially craft-made, updated machines. Each unique, each worth more than the value of its parts. Rides great, service is easy, parts are cheap. And it's a piece of history that today's modern, disposable attitude would sooner discard as a rust heap, than undertake to resurrect.

I like modern bikes too, don't get me wrong. But for building, working on, sharing time with, I'll take a pre-84 bike from any company all day long.

$ Spent: 550 is >$9k. Had no clue
Budget for 500 is $8.5k got a clue, and probably close
Budget for R90 is $6k I know I can do this one.

Very well put! This makes me feel better as by the time the smoke clears I will have at least 10 to 12 grand into my K1 build. And yes, except for chroming, powder coating and machining I have done it all myself.

[ken65]

i have only done 1 full nut and bolt resto,   an 81 yammy lc,   anyway i got myself some new decals a week before i picked it up thinking that would be it,, 
$9000 later i finished. .

 ken

[ekpent]

Mercy !!! I am hearing some big numbers. I have a pretty big stash of all different bikes,getting close to 50,  but don't think I have more than 1200.00 or so in any of my riders yet. Been lucky maybe to buy a lot of old original machines from the local dead men or done original owners in the area when the prices were right. My favorite 750 may be my K1 that I have a total of around$1100.00- $1200.00 including its cost and new tires etc. that I putt around on once in awhile.Try to just buy the good ones when you see them when you hunt them up      Missed out last week on two from an old guy because my trailer was snowed in and someone closer  beat me to it. He was nice to talk too anyways.

[Nic]

Try to just buy the good ones when you see them when you hunt them up 

In Oz we got no chance.

[Hastenbrucke]

750k2/k3  $7300 purchase in the states. $2800 freight GST etc etc.
At least $10,500 in addition so far.....but that includes a complete off frame rebuild all stock and original HONDA parts.
Motor complete rebuild stock.  All done and dusted so probably owes me $20K ...and if I included head hours ....well who knows. It was never about the money for me.
HASTENBRUCKE

[grepper]

For all the bikes I've done.  I usually buy them for under $500, then put $1000 - $3000 into them them. 
The cb750 K5 I'm working on right now will be a bit more $ and I'm not even going completely stock.  Also this time around I'm keeping up a spreadsheet.

[edwardmorris]

Going for a CORRECT stock resto, and I'm already pushing 3K in the tear down alone. Too many wrong parts to replace, and the worst mistake was the awful set of HM341s.

[Clasico]

This post has reasured me on my purchase of a CB500 for 5000€ in Spain -not many fours round here-. It was a dear price but the bike is in very good condition!

[Jim F]

I have about 6K in just the motor on my build
we do it for the love and making something different

[hellboy7]

I was fortunate enough to get a nearly complete (but completely neglected from 1981-2012) K2 from the back room of my grandma's house for $500. I save all my receipts and have a bit over $4000 invested. Is it worth it? To me, without a doubt! I have a super dependable bike that looks good and has been in the family for 39 years.

4000 seems like a bargain sinec you put it that way!

Haha.. I agree that going cafe racer might save you a little bundle of money..

[vonvendetta]

Keep a Google spreadsheet and am at $1,700 total. I was wanting to not go over $1500 but now caping it at $2300.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Black 750K8]

I just keep reminding my wife I only paid $100. for the bike every time she sees the brown truck pull up.