Topic: WTF was I thinking?

[natron602]

I had some stock in Amazon. I didn't want to support The Evil Empire beyond already working there (How do you think I ended up with stock?), so I said to myself, "Self, you NEED a motorcycle."

I almost bought some bike I didn't love but would have done the job but when I called the gentleman selling it he gave me advice "If you want a daily rider, don't buy a 40 year old bike." So I bought a different 40 year old bike (39 as my 30 year old girlfriend likes to remind me).

Picked up a beautiful (if you ignore some details and buy a motorcycle in the dark like I did) 1975 550. Advice: If a bike has a new paint job there is probably a reason and if there is a bubble in the paint it may actually be the worst bondo/hole-from-a-botched-dent-removal-cover-up that ever was.

Ignorance is bliss and I'm still in love despite the end of the honeymoon period but seriously, WTF WAS I THINKING?

If someone is murdered, the current owner of the motorcycle they sold is the first suspect right?

[Restoration Fan]

So what all do you have planned for it?

[Stev-o]

You werent thinking, you let lust get the best of you. We all do that!

Buy another tank, paint it and move forward...

[goldarrow]

You werent thinking, you let lust get the best of you. We all do that!

+1 we don't think well when buying these old bikes

[Don R]

 After I bought one in the dark, I went outside and saw it in the daylight, I thought what have I done? So I took it to the car wash and washed all the dust off of it, and guess what? No, it was still ugly. Now I've pulled the dents and started returning it to it's former glory I'm starting to like it again. A fender here and a trinket there, it's going to be a sweet bike.
 A couple weeks later I bought another one in the dark, in spite of my new no night purchases rule . It's a beautiful bike.

[calj737]

Looks as though the seat cover is on in reverse?? But, it does appear to be an awfully decent platform to get healthy and make a daily rider from. The top picture, bike looks very clean.

[Phinn]

I had some stock in Amazon. I didn't want to support The Evil Empire beyond already working there (How do you think I ended up with stock?), so I said to myself, "Self, you NEED a motorcycle."

I almost bought some bike I didn't love but would have done the job but when I called the gentleman selling it he gave me advice "If you want a daily rider, don't buy a 40 year old bike." So I bought a different 40 year old bike (39 as my 30 year old girlfriend likes to remind me).

Picked up a beautiful (if you ignore some details and buy a motorcycle in the dark like I did) 1975 550. Advice: If a bike has a new paint job there is probably a reason and if there is a bubble in the paint it may actually be the worst bondo/hole-from-a-botched-dent-removal-cover-up that ever was.

Ignorance is bliss and I'm still in love despite the end of the honeymoon period but seriously, WTF WAS I THINKING?

If someone is murdered, the current owner of the motorcycle they sold is the first suspect right?

Not only are you the prime suspect, but posting on message boards about murdering previous owners tends to ... how do I put this? ... attract unwanted attention to you. 

The real problem, of course, is not the 550 in your care and custody (which I have to say, is a beauty, so I can see why you fell for it), but now YOU are the "PO."  You're now morally prohibited from passing the bondo-botched-dent-removal-cover-up (or the BoBDeRCUp, as it shall now be known) onto the next person.  It's a rule.

[Vinhead1957]

It's not the destination. It's the journey. 

That applies to the challenge of getting her back to glory.   

[Mr Freeze]

For the record you can ride a 40 year old bike as a daily driver. It's not riding them that causes most of the problems.

[knottedknickers]

For the record you can ride a 40 year old bike as a daily driver. It's not riding them that causes most of the problems.

Just to clarify: It's not RIDING them that causes most of the problems, it's NOT riding them that causes most of the problems.

[natron602]

So what all do you have planned for it?

Current plan is to get it back together and running correctly. I'm a bit late in posting but I've already cleaned the carbs (PO said it sat for a year and a half), stripped the gas tank (after someone or something knocked the tank over, chipping the paint and denting the tank).

And the leaking head gasket is the reason it's currently in pieces. Bought a gasket kit and once I was in there, it was so dirty with so much carbon build up that my weekend project has become...oh around six weekends due to various issues but the head and jugs are painted, and I filed and polished(ish) the fins, cleaned and lapped the valves etc. hopefully putting it back together this weekend.

After it's running well I'll hit cosmetics then performance upgrades. Bought some red scrap leather that I already wrapped the grips with and will be likely making a new seat from. Looking for a compromise between a cafe racer style and comfortable daily rider but have spent so much time getting her healthy I haven't really gotten that all sorted out.

[natron602]

You werent thinking, you let lust get the best of you. We all do that!

Buy another tank, paint it and move forward...

Stripped the old one. Going to do what I can with it and consider it practice for now.

[natron602]

After I bought one in the dark, I went outside and saw it in the daylight, I thought what have I done? So I took it to the car wash and washed all the dust off of it, and guess what? No, it was still ugly. Now I've pulled the dents and started returning it to it's former glory I'm starting to like it again. A fender here and a trinket there, it's going to be a sweet bike.
 A couple weeks later I bought another one in the dark, in spite of my new no night purchases rule . It's a beautiful bike.

She's a beauty despite the dark bit, but like many things it's what's on the inside that counts. Overall I think she's in great shape, just missed a few issues I might have caught in the daylight.

[natron602]

Looks as though the seat cover is on in reverse?? But, it does appear to be an awfully decent platform to get healthy and make a daily rider from. The top picture, bike looks very clean.

Sadly top was the week I got her and the other is current. She'll be better than before in the near future though.

[natron602]

I had some stock in Amazon. I didn't want to support The Evil Empire beyond already working there (How do you think I ended up with stock?), so I said to myself, "Self, you NEED a motorcycle."

I almost bought some bike I didn't love but would have done the job but when I called the gentleman selling it he gave me advice "If you want a daily rider, don't buy a 40 year old bike." So I bought a different 40 year old bike (39 as my 30 year old girlfriend likes to remind me).

Picked up a beautiful (if you ignore some details and buy a motorcycle in the dark like I did) 1975 550. Advice: If a bike has a new paint job there is probably a reason and if there is a bubble in the paint it may actually be the worst bondo/hole-from-a-botched-dent-removal-cover-up that ever was.

Ignorance is bliss and I'm still in love despite the end of the honeymoon period but seriously, WTF WAS I THINKING?

If someone is murdered, the current owner of the motorcycle they sold is the first suspect right?

Not only are you the prime suspect, but posting on message boards about murdering previous owners tends to ... how do I put this? ... attract unwanted attention to you. 

The real problem, of course, is not the 550 in your care and custody (which I have to say, is a beauty, so I can see why you fell for it), but now YOU are the "PO."  You're now morally prohibited from passing the bondo-botched-dent-removal-cover-up (or the BoBDeRCUp, as it shall now be known) onto the next person.  It's a rule.

Oh, she'll never have another owner. I'm her forever home.

[calj737]

...I'm her forever home!

Spoken like a single man with no kids 

[natron602]

...I'm her forever home!

Spoken like a single man with no kids 

Forever alone...

[calj737]

Well, if you can't find a woman to love on you, these bikes make great surrogates to pour your love into. More fun than a dog, cheaper than kids, and only one way conversations!

[natron602]

The results of the tank drop incident and my resulting tantrum. Think I've found a replacement tank on CL here locally if I can get to it in time. The current tear down was due to the oil leak which I'm hoping in combination with the extra work will take care of the issue that if I went over 65 the tach would shoot up and bury itself in the deep end. There's plenty of fake science in my head to back up the theory. See: hopeful thinking.

[flatlander]

you could've done worse, the bike look pretty clean in those pics.
is that the tank you're considering buying, in the lower pic? it's not a 550 - just saying.

[natron602]

you could've done worse, the bike look pretty clean in those pics.
is that the tank you're considering buying, in the lower pic? it's not a 550 - just saying.

It's not?? That's the tank that was on it...I literally knew nothing about motorcycles when I got it. Now my engine is on my kitchen table next to carb bits and pieces and numerous scotch brite products so I likely missed some things.

[Bankerdanny]

It's hard to tell from the angle, but that looks like a pre-77 K tank to me.

[calj737]

looks just like my '74 550 tank

[Stev-o]

looks not quite as nice as my '76 550K tank

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

looks not quite as nice as my '76 550K tank

Yep, looks like a 74-76 550K tank.