Topic: Looking to Buy HELP!!!

[brentbergman81]

Hello Everyone! 

Ive been looking for a decent cb750 for some time now.  I recently found a 1976 750F supersport with 12k on it.  The description the seller has provided is:

 "It has some corrosion on the engine that will need to have the clear removed and the parts repolished. The carbs will need to be gone through, the blinkers won't blink, the header is good but the stock muffler is rusted out, the neutral light stays on, and the neutral safety does not work. It does run and shift, I had it up to 80mph which was way to fast for the tires that are on it. Its a 12,400 mile bike and I believe it has it original chain and sprockets and front tire which do need to be replaced along with the rear tire." 

The seller bought it two weeks ago from the second owner who purchased it after it had "sat in a barn for 20 years"  So, besides checking compression, and looking for rust in the tank... what else do I really need to check out?  What options do I have for replacing the exhaust and what can I expect to pay?  This will be an addition to my stable of an 80 kz440 and 06 vstrom 650.  I really like the look and color of this model but am just very nervous being that he just bought it two weeks ago and is looking to dump it already.  What am I in for?  The neutral light and turn signal issues... any ideas on those? He is looking to get $1400 for it, if I can make it reliable and good to go for an additional 800-1k, i'm all over it.   

Any help/advise you can provide I would be very grateful for.

Thank you!

Brent

[fuzzybutt]

thats about 1000 too much for a bike in need of that much work. also, is there a clear title?

[brentbergman81]

yes, clean and clear title

[WFO]

offer him $700 and iam sure you will run into other issues that cost money but 1400 is wayyyyyyy to much.

[GoatBaSS]

Get the price down! It depends on fit, finish, and how you want the final project to look. Sure you can fix blinkers etc for well under the 1000$ extra.  Title clear? If it runs you may have a winner, but... Seals (fork), brakes, lines, hoses, cables, and wires. How pretty was the barn? Consider your current projects vs desires. It sounds like you can do the work, how much are you willing to do?
Make him ride it to your place. Follow him. All goes well give it a shot. If it is running @ 80 he may have done the work for you.

[Johnie]

I like the idea to have him drive it to your house.
Be prepared to walk away...

[imamotohead]

Sounds pretty similar to the condition my 75F was in when I got it.  I paid $650 for it and felt pretty good about it.  Do not underestimate how much it will cost to get it going.  However much you think it will cost, take that and double it as a start.  Get the price down on this one or run away.

[bender01]

F models have some hard items to find if you want it back to stock also. Like seats and and exhaust and cosmetics!.

[Hush]

Way too expensive, even here in NZ we wouldn't pay that for a just running with problems bike.
Either hammer him on the price or go look for something else, there are a lot of better options around and if you have the $$$ I'd wait.......offer him $600 and leave him your phone number.

[GoatBaSS]

Well Said! Well Spoken!

[fmctm1sw]

 

The seller bought it two weeks ago from the second owner who purchased it after it had "sat in a barn for 20 years"  So, besides checking compression, and looking for rust in the tank... what else do I really need to check out? 
Any help/advise you can provide I would be very grateful for.

Thank you!

Brent

20 years?  Front disk probably seized.  Not sure of the 750f air filter set up but rodent feces in the chamber maybe?  No joke, it will eat the bottom of your filter housing.  I had to jb weld the bottom of mine.  He's run it at 80 mph though?  Might be worth a look but I agree the $1400 is too much.  Running and registered and road ready, then $1400....

[BeSeeingYou]

First the most important question.  Is it yellow or the much faster red?

I would say $1400 would be a very good price if it had decent tires, a good exhaust, clean tank, and good brakes.  A few minor electrical glitches are no big deal as long as someone has not butchered  the wiring. Turn signal relay is $25.  If he truly had it running on the highway have the brakes been rebuilt with new parts?  If not they should be after sitting that long.  This is about $100 in parts maybe twice that if you want new brake lines.  The fact that it runs is a plus.  What is the overall cosmetic condition?  How is the paint, seat, rims, etc?  Are the sidecovers missing or broken?  That's $80-$90 to replace the pair.  The muffler will be hard to find but there are aftermarket ones available.  The gas tank is expensive and hard to find so make sure it is not rusted out.  Some corrosion is to be expected and can be cleaned out as long as it isn't the only thing holding the gas in.   If these things are in nice shape and it's more a diamond in the rough it may be worth $700-900.  If it's rough cosmetically then $400-$500.  So many variables.  I bought a non-running 76F that was well stored for 25 years and it has taken a minimal amount of work to get it running good and the bike is in beautiful shape with the only issue being the blinkers don't blink.  I would not be too worried that this guy is selling the bike so soon after buying it.  He may have bought it cheap and is looking to make a quick buck.  Obliviously someone had to do some work to get this running after 20 years.  Did they do a proper job or a quick and dirty one?  I would highly recommend the 75-76F

[Jakoba]

Hey Brent,
           listen to them, they are dead on.
I bought my 78 750K in Oct of 2006 for $1200.00 cdn. Mine was in way better shape than what you have described.

I have since put $1200.00 into it.

Beware...they are money pits. ....but they are so much fun

Jako