Topic: What is a 1970 K0 junker really worth?

[Geeto67]

A buddy of mine called me th other day looking to sell a project. My interest was piqued so I asked about it. It is missing a few things but the motor turns over, it is numbers matching, and it has most of the original parts (plus I have all the things it is missing. Plus he has a title.

He is asking more than I usually pay for project bikes but I wouldn't mind dumping a few of my other projects to focus on one of more iconic models of this bike.

my question is what would you pay for a 1970 K0 diecast project?

I know this is kind of a braod question but I thought I would just throw that out there.

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Geety, well I paid Andy Morris in Long Island $3000.00 for the January 1970 build K0 in my avatar, the engine is strong with only 25,000 miles on the odometer, and I really love riding it with the (un-muffled) HM300 pipes, it is great fun, and when I ride it, I can imagine what it would have been like "back in the day". Essentially, it's a time machine.

Like most K0's around nowadays though, it's a mixed bag of original K0 with some K1 and maybe K2 thrown in for good measure. It came with later carbs (common upgrade back in the day) and airbox, K1 seat, K1 forks and front fender, K1 fuel tank, K1 shocks and some chrome after market chain guard, so all I really got was a rolling chassis with the correct engine and frame numbers, with the hard to find gauges and sidecovers (cracked but fixable) basically.

But over here in Oz, K0's are not as common as they are in the US, in fact, there's bugger-all around. I was lucky that I had previously bought a set of K0 carbs from Dennis, (dragman) and another (better) set on EBay incorrectly advertised as Yamaha carbs, (?) a good K0 front fender from Tom, (El Cheapo) who thought it was for a K1, and was given a set of K0 forks and front caliper by a generous young feller here who's name escapes me, (sorry mate!) so I'm gradually finding what I need, but I doubt if I'll ever get a good original seat and airbox, so I'll probably have to go repro for them.

When it's finished, it'll be worth about $10,000.00 US here in Oz. If it was a "Sandcast" K0, I might be able to get 2 or 3 thousand dollars more, but as I'm not selling it, and there's no difference between the two to ride, that's hardly a concern for me. It's a K0, and arguably has the most "street cred" of all the SOHC4's. 

So what is it really worth? I guess it depends on what you want to do with it. If you just want to on-sell it to make a buck, pay as little as possible for it and do the minimum work needed to get it into sale-able condition, but if you intend to restore it to ride and enjoy, then you should spend whatever you think you need to, to make it right for you. That's what I'm doing. Cheers, Terry.

[Gordon]

There's a HUGE range of prices there based on exactly what kind of condition it's in, and exactly what items it's missing.
 

[Geeto67]

It is missing it's tank for sure. I have a mint 69-70 diecast body set (w/o fork ears and headlight) so I am not worried about that. I have all the other K0 pieces like carbs, gauges, etc... The only unknown variable is the pipes, I don't know if it has the stockers on it or not. He's asking about 1/2 of what you paid for yours terry but it is far from being a runner and although the engine turns over but the internal conditions are unknown. I imagine the bike needs everything to be a really nice restored bike.

recently I got a free K0 from another friend but that bike had been cafe'd in the 70's with lester wheels, cafe seat, rearsets, bars, chopped signals, you name it. Although that bike techincally runs it is probably at the cusp of what I would restore vs parts bike b/c needing everything referbed from the rubber up.

I guess my question is do you think it is worth over $1000? Personally, rough cb750s are worth 50 to 75 cents per cc to me as project bikes (I got a free k0 and paid $600 for a running registered 73K, my 75 honda that was in the january issue of motorcycle classics cost me $800). My gut is telling me if it had the original pipes, seat, side covers, and gauges that ought to make $1000 in parts.

but what do y'all think?

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Geety, well you're right, any non-K0 can be bought for cheap, the horrible black K2 I bought a couple of years ago with OEM pipes and a rebuilt engine only cost me 500 bucks, but if it's a K0 you have to triple it, to be realistic.

The cosmetics are what really cost. A good seat, sidecovers, airbox, speedo/tach and carbs will easily return $1000.00 on EBay, and you'll make a few hundred more for the engine and frame, forks, switch gear, oil tank, rear shocks etc.

If I could buy one for $1500.00 I'd buy it today, but that's just me. Hey, I need a K0 front disc, have you got a spare? Cheers, Terry.

[Geeto67]

I've got a CR750 dual disc setup on K0 forks with magura clipons...but you wouldn't be interested in anything like that....


I'll check but I am pretty sure most of my discs are drilled. I might have a drilled k0 but I will have to look.

[fuzzybutt]

hmmmmmmmmmmm wanna sell those lester mags?

[Geeto67]

nope...been wanting a set for years. Joe C on the cafe racer board had a NOS set he was selling right as I had to make my new bike payment so they sold on ebay. I have this compulsion to touch them everytime I am in the garage.

BTW if someone is looking for a super easy mostly unmolested resto project 76 F, I have mine posted in the for sale section. 

[kaysystems]

Paid $1200 for mine 3 years ago. the only non-original parts were 3 stamped pipes, still HM300 though. Since then I've taken it apart & cleaned it, rebored the engine & fitted new valves. Did a very thorough carb clean & fitted all new Honda jets & needles. I replaced rubber stuff like side panel rubbers. It does have K0 forks, single cut fender, wrinkle tank, original cracked air filter, original cable type carbs, recessed ignition, and a recovered K0 seat. The paint is faded like you wouldn't beleive. It sat in the florida sun unused for 20 years.
So with a lot of tlc it is my daily go to work bike & starts, runs fast & slow and even idles. Wont stop in the rain as that wonderful front disc is useless when wet.

David

[Texwing]

Huh, interesting post since I just bought a field find KO, all original, here in Texas for 100$ with title, but I literally found it while dove hunting, and it had never been advertised so it was just a dumb luck find.   I have been watching ebay on parts just for fun, saw a K0, partially disassembled, go for about $600.   On the other hand, I have seen just OK sidecovers bring about $200 each, the carbs about $200, a disgusting duct tail see with splits and broken down foam went for $240, and so forth.  So, parts wise there is no telling, but it depends on so many things it is really hard to suggest anything.  Saw a frame with title and swingarm for for about $500.  If I were smart, I would part mine out, but apparantly I am not since I cant bring myself to do it.  
Anyway, If you would like a guess, I would suggest taking the general ebay value of the major parts multiplied by a factor, perhaps .45.   More on this later, I will watch this thread.

[Terry in Australia]

I've got a CR750 dual disc setup on K0 forks with magura clipons...but you wouldn't be interested in anything like that....


I'll check but I am pretty sure most of my discs are drilled. I might have a drilled k0 but I will have to look.

Thanks Geety, drilled or un-drilled, the correct front disc would be nice to have. Cheers, Terry.

[Geeto67]

got a good look at the bike today:

Well I found out why it was missing the tank, it has a mural on it and the p/o wanted to keep it. The bike only has 1600 miles on it according to the gauges and the frame and wheels certainly look like they have very little use, however who knows if that is to be trusted. It is a bit of a bitsa, the only original k0 parts on it are the gauges, the frame, the motor, the side covers, the seat, and the front end (and all those parts are in excellent shape). The rest of the bike looks as if someone  grabbed whatever 73-76 parts they could and threw them on, including the rear fender taillight, carbs and what ever else. The wiring harness has been badly butchered.  The front fender has been cut down to delete the braces so it is hard to say if it is a k0 fender or not. The biggest crime however is that someone sawed the mufflers off the original pipes to make drag pipes. judging from the chrome on the headpipes they were probably in good shape too. The motor looks like someone has been into it as the cylinder and head have been painted black. Guy selling it says he can't vouch for the motor but it may have bigger pistons in it (811 maybe).

All i really would be buying that is verifiable k0 is a set of sidecovers, a seat, a frame, gauges, and engine cases.

what do you all think?

[Terry in Australia]

Geez a K0 with only 1600 miles on it would have to be worth over 1000 bucks Geety, but I wonder why the engine has had a big bore kit installed so early in it's life? Even though it's missing a lot of the original parts, an "as new" seat, frame, engine, wheels, forks, gauges, sidecovers etc would have to be worth twice that much, surely? Cheers, Terry.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

If it were me I would definitely question the 1600 miles. They would not have had the time/opportunity to do the butcher job if it was only ridden 1600 miles. If all the original pieces had been replaced I'll bet thats not the original speedo either. 1600 miles on a new bike comes pretty quickly. Now, if 1600 miles didn't come into the equation or was irrelavent due to the asking price then what tha hell! Then again it all depends on what you want to do with it.

[techy5025]

All the plastic and gauges alone would be worth over a grand if they are really in good shape with no cracks. Its almost impossible to find K0 (plastic face) gauges without cracks or crazing in the faces. The hardest plastics to find...imho...are the parts to the airbox as in most cases the internals are cracked from overtightening of the filter bolts. Uncracked is what's important as they can always be repainted.

Original HM300 pipes...unmarked as such...are nearly impossible to find. They would have to have been pulls stored in an attic or some such. You can get new ones though....complete with EPA markings.

A K0 engine is probably the cheapest part of the bike...unless it is a "sandcast" of course. 

Maybe we should make a list of all the parts that were unique to the K0 just as a pricing exercise as they are usually the most expensive and the ones that are often missing from "barn finds". 

Jim