Topic: Seized 350, no key, no title, parts complete (I think). Worth it?

[Bryce]

Hi everyone,

Haven't posted here in a good long time. Hoping to get some opinions on a local bike for sale (DFW).

1970 CL350 twin
No key, no title, not running
12k miles
Motor's seized, says it won't kick over (yikes that he's trying) but that it rolls (I'll test it out tomorrow to see if it rolls in gear or not)
A bit of surface rust on the frame
Parts complete (guy is pretty positive it's all there, has carbs, possibly missing some nuts/bolts/crap. Anything I need to look for?)

Guy is asking $250/OBO ($200 at lowest he said... I'd offer $150-175 or lower as it's been listed for almost a week now). He's within a ten minute drive of where I live. Trying to determine how much it's worth and/or whether it's something that I could afford to invest the time/money into getting working. I understand I could come out on top by parting out the bike but would much rather restore it to running condition. I've never rebuilt a motor (if this one is even salvageable, seems like CB/CL350 motors go for $75-400 depending), and while I'm sure I could handle it, it's something I'd rather shy away from for my first CB/CL350. The story is that the guy got it from the original owner when he bought the owner's house and has been sitting in the driveway for god knows how long.

I've been keeping my eyes open for a reasonably priced CB/CL350 since 2007 and haven't really found one (or, when I have, the cash was wrapped up in other projects). People seem to think motorcycles are a hedge against inflation here in Texas... so it's slim pickens.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciate. Thank you!

Bryce

[seaweb11]

I've said it before.....some times a free bike is too expensive.

Keep looking.

[MoMo]

A title from ITS costs 250 these days, you'll have that plus whatever you pay for it before you put a penny into getting it running. Before they raised the price from 85 to 250 I never hesitated to buy a bike without a title.  Now I won't touch one unless I need some parts from it.  I'd stay away, Larry

[Bryce]

Thanks for the advice, folks.

Guy called me back on Saturday morning to "let me know" that a guy from Houston was "really anxious to come up and look at it" but that he "promised" that I could "look at it first" - the oldest trick in the seller's book. Yeah, okay, right, sure thing, let me just jump in the van and ride right over, because I'm so overly anxious to pay for a motorcycle you got for free.

Back to step 1. Oh well!

[MoMo]

Good decision, Larry

[CycleRanger]

People seem to think motorcycles are a hedge against inflation here in Texas... so it's slim pickens.

That's no shiat!  You'd think Glenn Beck was telling people to buy Hondas instead of gold!