New guy looking for an answer on value

[rogueguineapig]

Hello all...



I've been jonesing for a bike...the 49cc scooter has whet my
appetite severely for something with a bit more kick.

Saw this ad on Craigslist on July 31:

"Restored honda rebel, runs good, $1500 obo
MUST SELL, come check it out! "

and then this one on Aug 21
"moving soon, so MUST SELL this restored 1986 Honda Rebel. Runs good, fun bike! $1400 Or Best Offer Over $1000"

and then this today:
"restored '86 honda rebel. runs good, invested lots of time and money... my time crunch is your gain!!

$1000 bottom line-sell by the 11th"

Same seller, same bike.
Here's a pic:
http://images.craigslist.org/01010101150601030020080907de6901e812e72fd0a0002377 .jpg

I want to shoot for $800ish....

what should one know about a bike this old?
What's a good deal on something like this?
Are there any massive liabilities I am missing here?
Or is this a good deal from a motivated seller?
thanks!

RGP

[flitecontrol]

Bought my 2001 250cc Rebel July 31. Paid $1,000 and bike has 6,000 miles. Has two dimples in gas tank, one side reflector is missing, tires are old, needed plugs, chain shows some wear, and battery cover tab was cracked. Cost about $150 to fix. I'm in NE Louisiana. Values can vary some depending on where you live. This is my first bike, so I don't know if I got a bargain or not. My brother in California, who's had many bikes over the years, thought it was a good buy, so I got it.

What sort of restoration has been done to the bike? Was it cosmetic, mechanical, or both? If you look at some of the threads on this site, I think you'll find a lot of valuable information regarding what to look out for in a bike this old.

Good luck on your search. If this isn't the bike for you, I'm sure you'll find one to fit your needs and wallet. I'm happy with my bike and don't anticipate upgrading to a larger one. It has more than enough power to move me at speeds I'm comfortable with and gets great gas mileage.

[Big_J]

I would make them an offer of $600 cash, and see where it goes from there, dosent look to be to restored, unless that paint was supposed to bring it back to life.

as long as it starts and idles & runs good thats the main thing, the rest can be cleaned up with elbow grease.

[rogueguineapig]

is that color a stock color?
for that year I mean, or is this a shaker-can-make-it-look-good effort?

I like your price a lot better than mine or his, Big_J!

flitecontrol's 2001 for $1k seems to support this...I live in Hawaii,
so bikes are rare here, especially good street bikes,
and Ninjas and Rebels even less (the 250 variants).
But maybe it is too high...

other thoughts?

What's the avg cost on rebuilding an engine if it needs it?

thanks!

rgp

[Big_J]

Not a stock color. Always start low and hope to meet in the middle. The rebel is famous for its long running life, but parts are easy to find on ebay for just about anything you would need.

[rogueguineapig]

called him and got info...

-he's 3rd owner

-33,800 miles

-bike may have been laid down once-damage to the right brake handle, but it still works

-engine is strong, but the starter is hit-and-miss. might not be driven enough to keep the batt charged he thinks. Doesn't know whats wrong with the starter.

-has all original parts, save for back tire and pipes--those are new.

-was in bad shape when he got it, he's fixed it up.

-the paint job is auto-spray paint, but he sounds like he made a decent effort at it. (but what a hideous color...)

-oh yeah...small detail:it's not legal. Needs new title and
back taxes paid: $200. not putting that in the ad? priceless.

-will pass safety inspection, has some of the wiring redone,
so no huge flags there.

-the prior owner had the gears worked on, but he's not sure why. says it shifts just fine.

so the title and the starter are the big flags here.

thoughts? he's flexible on the price...I'm starting to think
he may need to play the limbo if he wants my money.

gp

[Big_J]

Honestly, he is trying to sell a parts bike as a rideable bike, if the starter is out, then it could be a really expensive fix. I would not give a dime more than $500 but really would not want to put more than $400 in it, its really only good for parting out and selling piece by piece.

[rogueguineapig]

and the title thing too.

I'm thinking not-so-much...it's just hard cuz the bike market out here is
nasty...too few people on the island. (Kauai). Gas is $4.50.
People don't sell them very often...save for those stupid little dirtbikes
that are not street legal. gah.
Even the other islands have a better bike market...Maui and Oahu especially.
just GETTING one here is a few hunnerd bucks.
spose it's better to snipe another one.