Author Topic: what have you done to save money on your project? (Read 2636 times)

jonda500 · « **on:** February 01, 2014, 07:24:00 AM »

I didn't want to spend money/fuel on buying a new bolt, so after searching high and low for a bolt the right size and thread, I found that a short length of steel rod and the control arm bolt from my 4WD worked perfectly as a temporary stator puller!

Stoli · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2014, 09:08:27 AM »

I don't have any clever ideas myself, but the PO of my second project saved a few bucks by securing a loose headlight bucket with a sheetrock screw.

I guess he didn't have a wrench handy. He did pre-drill the hole in the ear though!

strynboen · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2014, 10:15:36 AM »

i have made this mount for exhost..it took a auer but kosts nothing...it holds the spring for brake pedal...

gerhed · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2014, 02:31:51 PM »

Made my seat out of plywood, foam and leatherette
Not too comfy, though

Paul Lowe · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2014, 02:44:39 PM »

A wire wheel a silver brake caliper paint goes well!

bjbuchanan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2014, 02:48:05 PM »

I have two small buckets of random crap that I have gotten off of everything. Things like end plates to starters (made an exhaust baffle out of that), weird small machine screws, small pieces of metal strap, all odd stuff.

I lump it all together and every once in a while scrounge through like it is a lego box for adults. Tin snips and drill bits go a long way with this stuff

jtb · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2014, 06:58:23 AM »

I didn't know it was possible...

Don R · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2014, 11:34:53 AM »

I drug home a few old 750's from my brothers yard after the city sent him a nastygram about his junkpile. I took them apart, made a set of shelves and put the parts in storage tubs,and labeled boxes. Everything I don't use from a project goes in there unless it's total junk. Snce then I've been buying select parts when I find them for future use.

It's amazing the parts I've found in there. Usually rusty but almost always something usable.

MJL · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2014, 11:46:19 AM »

On old kawas the rear axle is the same size and thread pitch as whats needed to pull the stator. I had a large chunk of steel that I drilled a hole in the center and used it as a slide hammer.

Lost and Confused · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2014, 07:22:14 PM »

I had the local BOCES kids in auto shop paint my bike parts for me. Cost less and they get practice. They did a decent job. Just charged for paint.

Bob

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2014, 07:45:24 PM »

Quote from: Don R on February 02, 2014, 11:34:53 AM

I drug home a few old 750's from my brothers yard after the city sent him a nastygram about his junkpile. I took them apart, made a set of shelves and put the parts in storage tubs,and labeled boxes. Everything I don't use from a project goes in there unless it's total junk. Snce then I've been buying select parts when I find them for future use.

It's amazing the parts I've found in there. Usually rusty but almost always something usable.

+1, even the most hacked up, ugly, incomplete, seized up bikes can provide an immense variety of useful bits, plus when you get too many spares, you can sell the extras

strynboen · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2014, 08:17:21 AM »

+1...but in denmark..even the vorst rusty old smashed honda goes for 3500 kr..its krazy...can not find spare bikes anymore..so no parts for free

edwardmorris · « **Reply #12 on:** February 03, 2014, 09:51:00 AM »

Avoiding shipping parts like a plague. Packaging alone is killer, then shipping insurance etc. all go down the drain. Took me a lot of imploring and convincing the local machine shop to help out with a motorcycle engine, which they were avoiding like a plague.

BPellerine · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2014, 11:50:06 AM »

had my tank ready for paint and waited till my autoshop buddy was painting a car a color that I liked and he painted it at the same time cost 20 bucks!

Bailgang · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2014, 12:46:44 PM »

Well I know how my youngest son is saving himself money on his cbr600 project and that is he keeps coming over to borrow my tools.

Bankerdanny · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2014, 12:50:48 PM »

Stopped working on it temporarily

Geeto67 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2014, 08:29:24 AM »

The best way to save money on your bike...is to buy the best condition bike you can afford in the first place. Typically you buy the previous owner's labor for free and their parts at a 50% discount or less. Hopefully your PO's labor was good quality, because if it isn't it you can really subtract from 0 (unless the work is so glaringly bad that it devalues the whole bike).

The problem with this approach is that any cafe kid thinks his $150 bubble seat and a sawzall double the bike's value and you will often see bikes not worth half of book value with $5K price tags where the work doesn't reflect the asking price or the actual value of the bike. Which brings me to my second way to save money - research. Being able to spot good work and being able to know if problem areas are addressed by visual inspecton is a great way to know if you are buying a golden egg or a money vacuum.

I feel like I have to mention this because I see so many newbies overpaying for bikes that I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire, let alone open my wallet in the direction of. It is a real problem and it creates a situation where it is easy to get discouraged and abandon the hobby instead of getting something useful out of it.

70CB750 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2014, 03:26:35 PM »

Adapted C clamp to be valve compressor.

edwardmorris · « **Reply #18 on:** February 04, 2014, 03:53:20 PM »

Adapted socket to make clutch locknut tool

70CB750 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 05, 2014, 03:17:56 AM »

Quote from: edwardmorris on February 04, 2014, 03:53:20 PM

Adapted socket to make clutch locknut tool

I have to remember that one

brewsky · « **Reply #20 on:** February 05, 2014, 04:47:36 AM »

Used an old lawn mower pull start cord T handle to make the seat lock plunger.

DIY zinc re-plating.

rb550four · « **Reply #21 on:** February 05, 2014, 02:03:29 PM »

I've made seat pans out of plywood before not to save $ just wanted a different seat, that foam is expensive no matter where you get it, didn't save $ there.
The Joanne shop for the vinyl, some of it could be cheap , that stuff don't last,ends up more$.
Went to snowmobile shop, seat covering is stronger and less expensive.
Wanted seat pan not of metal or plywood...cut apart a pick up truck bed liner ,

cut it with a jigsaw, could mold it with heat ,

drilled it out to take stock mounts. that seemed less expensive. and worked out fine for me.

Otherwise, I save money by doing everything here.

edwardmorris · « **Reply #22 on:** February 05, 2014, 06:30:57 PM »

Cheap ass soda blasting cab using a busted cabinet and dinosaur TV

bjatwood · « **Reply #23 on:** February 06, 2014, 08:12:11 AM »

The best way to save money I HAVE found while doing a project is to do as much work on it YOURSELF as possible!

lucky · « **Reply #24 on:** February 06, 2014, 08:58:33 AM »

Quote from: Stoli on February 01, 2014, 09:08:27 AM

I don't have any clever ideas myself, but the PO of my second project saved a few bucks by securing a loose headlight bucket with a sheetrock screw. I guess he didn't have a wrench handy. He did pre-drill the hole in the ear though!

This is a bad idea. Period.
You will pay for these mistakes later.
Of course no one will buy the bike later when they see all of these pokEtero repairs.

strynboen · « **Reply #25 on:** February 07, 2014, 06:23:40 AM »

have painted the rims...

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Author Topic: what have you done to save money on your project? (Read 2636 times)