[jbranson]

While talking bikes with a couple of new local customers the subject of vintage bikes comes up, then racing, then Ducati...then I hear. Jeez, I've got this old Ducati 350 single that's been in my barn for years. I just want to get rid of it. He tells me how dirty and old it is...mentions the alloy rims are still nice. I say, hey, I'm used to that, I've dug lots of old messed up bikes out of barns...maybe I'll take off your hands...here's my phone number. Give me a call if you want to get rid of it.
On the way out he mentions again, I'll probably give you a call about the bike. I'm like no problem, I've got no projects this winter.
Wonder what it is. He's a relative of an employee so I can get in touch if I have to. Don't want to seem too eager though.
JohnnyB

 

[imslow]

i hate it when shit like that happens to other people. Send a photo when you get it.

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
While talking bikes with a couple of new local customers the subject of vintage bikes comes up, then racing, then Ducati...then I hear. Jeez, I've got this old Ducati 350 single that's been in my barn for years. I just want to get rid of it. He tells me how dirty and old it is...mentions the alloy rims are still nice. I say, hey, I'm used to that, I've dug lots of old messed up bikes out of barns...maybe I'll take off your hands...here's my phone number. Give me a call if you want to get rid of it.
On the way out he mentions again, I'll probably give you a call about the bike. I'm like no problem, I've got no projects this winter.
Wonder what it is. He's a relative of an employee so I can get in touch if I have to. Don't want to seem too eager though.
JohnnyB

Had this happen to me twice and both times I didn't end up with the bike.

I told a friend that I was looking to replace my norton (which I had just sold) and wanted another 70's bike. He told me his father had an old bike that hadn't run in years. I told him I wasn't looking for a project but I would give a call anyway. I spoke to the father the next day and told him that I wasn't ready to pay more than $500 for any project bike and he was ok with it. So far neither could tell me what kind of bike it was, the father and son were clearly not riders. Anyway so I get to the house and he rolls the bike out of the shed - a 1970 Ducati 750 GT!!!!!!. I tell him I'll take it but he needs to come up with a title (this was back in 1995, didn't know about title services). The bike turned out to be his brother's who dumped it in his lap before trundling off to vietnam. Anyway he called his brother to get the title and his brother came over with it. When his brother saw the bike out in the driveway the deal was instantly off. I offered them $2000 for it but they wouldn't budge. When I left they were still stairing at it in the driveway.

The second time one of my brother's friends saw my cb750 and told me his father had one just like it stored at their grand parents house. I went and looked an it was a 1969 diecast cb750 in candy red. Once again I told him $500 and he agreed. The trouble was it was in the back of the garage and I had to wait till they moved all the furniture out of the way. Two weeks go by and I call them and it turns out that they moved all the furniture and rather than call me they pushed it to the local bike shop where they were offered $300 and took it. I called them idiots right on the phone and hung up. Never spoke to them again and the kid avoids me when he sees me now.

the moral - don't wait fo sentimentality to kick in. Show up with cash in hand and move the bike that day. If you have to wait for a title take the bike anyway.

 

[JackC]

Thats a great find! Like Geeto said, show up with cash and a trailer. Don't worry about looking aniouxs. I expect the guy has an idea of the value as he knew about alloy rims.

I have a sign on my shop door--"I buy 1972 and older motorcycles". So far it has generated only a 1980 Honda Cm400 that I didn't buy due to no paperwork, and a Honda s65 that I did buy, but got flooded the day after I put it in the basement, another story. Someday someone will say "I see your sign, I have this old bike in the barn- its yours if you just take it away". It will be a complete original 1955 triumph. Yeah, in my dreams.

 

[aaron]

quote:
While talking bikes with a couple of new local customers the subject of vintage bikes comes up, then racing, then Ducati...then I hear. Jeez, I've got this old Ducati 350 single that's been in my barn for years. I just want to get rid of it. He tells me how dirty and old it is...mentions the alloy rims are still nice. I say, hey, I'm used to that, I've dug lots of old messed up bikes out of barns...maybe I'll take off your hands...here's my phone number. Give me a call if you want to get rid of it.
On the way out he mentions again, I'll probably give you a call about the bike. I'm like no problem, I've got no projects this winter.
Wonder what it is. He's a relative of an employee so I can get in touch if I have to. Don't want to seem too eager though.
JohnnyB

Thats how I got my matching Jawa's.

Jeremy and I used to get Honda fours dropped off at our place pretty regulary. I haven't had a Ducati dropped off yet though.

Aaron

 

[jbranson]

Yeah I figure at the latest....sometime after the new year if he hasn't called me I'll get his cousin to give me his number...I'll call and ask if I can come over and look at the bike, I'll bring some cash.
At this point I give it about a 25% chance of happening if I don't call him at some point.
The guy knows bikes a bit...he's restored a triumph...but I think he feels the Duc is worthless because of it's condition. But he's a youngun...early 20's, so he's not really into old bikes that much. The Trumpet was his fathers.

I'm hoping for about a 1968 350 Mark D.
JohnnyB

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
Yeah I figure at the latest....sometime after the new year if he hasn't called me I'll get his cousin to give me his number...I'll call and ask if I can come over and look at the bike, I'll bring some cash.
At this point I give it about a 25% chance of happening if I don't call him at some point.
The guy knows bikes a bit...he's restored a triumph...but I think he feels the Duc is worthless because of it's condition. But he's a youngun...early 20's, so he's not really into old bikes that much. The Trumpet was his fathers.

I'm hoping for about a 1968 350 Mark D.
JohnnyB

I don;t know If I would wait that long. If the mentioned it to you chances are he is looking to get rid of it soon. A month can seem like a really long time to someone in their early 20's and if he has to wait for a month he might just decide to take her to the scrapper to make the room.

 

[fuzzybutt]

i had a customer in the pizza joint i work in part time offer me this "crappy old honda" that had been in his garage for 15 years taking up space. i went over there a few days ago and got a nice, complete 76' cb450. it needs to be gone through, but the motor spins free and has excellent compression. not sure whether i'll sell it or maybe build another cafe out of it.

some people are like slinkies, basically useless but they still make me smile when i push them down the stairs

 

[jaimesix]

It almost happened to me like that. But the outcome has been always bad. I guess I have to learn to show no emotions. I guess I get too enthusiastic, and these people that were planing to get rid of that old bike, realize that my excitement must mean something.

Ussualy as I call back to materialize the transaction , I am told....dude...sorry...but my cousin( my brother , my buddy, my nephew....whomever...<img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle> ) came along and took the bike....

<img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>...ya right!!!!

Cafe racer DOHC CB750F

http://cardomain.com/id/jaimesix

Edited by - jaimesix on Dec 02 2006 01:58:24 AM

 

[Judeyramone]

This was sitting in a lawnmower shop next door to a customer, in this condition (I replaced the pipes). Saw it through an open door & wandered in to take a look & bullshit with the owner - I'd owned a '76 cb750f years ago & it brought back memories. The guy had bought it from a friend of his & now it was just taking up too much space. Mine for $300. Granted it's not a pre-unit Bonneville, or a sweet old Ducati single, but nice for the price & with a new battery, it ran like a top. Of course it was "stolen" when I bought it, but that's another story.

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

 

[JackC]

Judy,

Lets hear the other story about stolen.

 

[Judeyramone]

Guy offered me the bike for $300, with 4000 mi showing on the odometer. I arranged to pick it up 3 or 4 days later, at which time I was informed that he didn't have a title. His story was that his buddy had gotten it from a towing co auction - believable, since there was a lot # painted on the seat. It was a bit of a drive & having packed up kids, wife & trailer, I decided to take it anyway. If there was a problem, I was only out $300. Titling it required an inspection by State Police, so I contacted them & brought it to the State police post. After a 15 min investigation, I was ushered into a back room, so state trooper could "explain this paperwork" to me. Turns out it was stolen, and the police were very interested in how I came to posess it (never occurred to me the police would think I stole it). It was confiscated & turned over to the appropriate jurisdiction, and I was driven home in a police cruiser. Three weeks later I got a phone call from state trooper, informing me that the individual who had filed the stolen vehical report could not be found, and to save the neighboring county sherriff the trouble of "disposing" of the bike, Trooper offered to let he who had lost the $300 have it. So I got it back, with title paperwork all filled out - mine free & clear with a good lesson learnt.

 

[jbranson]

Wow, you lucked out. I have a friend that works for NY State Police in the very type of inspection facility you speak of, this one in Albany NY. I went there a few years ago to have my home built trailer inspected for a title. The guys in the place are armed, sometimes wearing vests, the whole deal. Guys with corvettes and such lined up outside. He said sometimes when you tell someone their vehicle is stolen things get pretty tense.

Sweet deal for you, the bike probably hasn't been ridden or titled or anything since it was stolen who knows how long ago.
JohnnyB

 

[JackC]

Good thing it worked out for you! The title thing is one reason I only want to buy 1972 or older bikes (unless they have the offical title)---NY didn't require the title until 73 and it is pretty easy to get a transferable registration for a bike older than that if you need it. My ducati hadn't been registered since 1970, when a friend of mine bought it to ride in the fields. I went to DMV with the required forms and paperwork and walked out with a license plate. Two months later I got the transferable reg.

Another weird thing, I was going to buy a Rieju that had been liccensed in Maine. After going thru a bunch of hoops and hours on hold to the state DMV I was informed that, for a reason no one seemed to know, that bike could not be titled for use on roads in NY. What is the difference between a NY road and a ME road??

 

[magnetoczar]

I always rattle a door to see if it's open, so to speak. I also stay away from 73' and later bikes as the title thing can be a pain. I've bought 3 or 4 Triumphs for well under 1K, and I nailed a 500 Triumph Metisse for $1200. My philosophy is go and look. I'd give the guy a call. If he knows the bike is valuable, he knows the bike is valuable. You know what you've got to spend, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Earlier this year I scored a real nice Triumph T100C for $1500, and then the guy gave me a Grumph frame (!). The engine needed rebuilding so I'm in it now for like $2200, probably worth $3500 easy, and I love it. I've gotten screwed a few times, but less and less as I get older.

The 350 Ducati's were probably the best of the single Duc' breed. Look at Pete T's, the thing will whip bikes that have 150cc's on it. Remember though, if the engine is toast, you've got a fairly expensive rebuild on your hands, so consider the condition of the motorcycle also when buying. If it's shitty, is it worth doing? I traded the guy back on that 250 Ducati after Pete pulled the top end and found it was not as represented. Fortunately, the guy was upstanding, but I still lost the money I paid Pete, and all the hassle and running around. If the rest of the bike was in decent shape, I'd have rebuilt it, but it needed too much.

Really, if they need work, unless it's a bike that you really want (and listen, I have happily taken that road to get something I very much wanted to own several times), buy it right. It's like buying an old house, there's always more to be done than meets the eye. And will it appreciate enough down the road when its mystique begins to lose its hold on you and you want to move it on? Many bikes will, many bikes won't.

When it comes to Japanese bikes, I only buy what is all there, runs well, and is in fairly good (at least) condition; this because the market is still fairly weak on them, and while some models do appreciate, not nearly enough to match resto costs. A guy had me up to his house the other day to look at a 305 Super Hawk "all there!". He wanted $500. What a roach, seized up with 35K on the clock. You could easily sink 5 to 6K in it, but you can buy a very nice one for $3500.

Dgy

 

[jbranson]

Yeah at this point, since I'm not a Ducati nut I'm not going to spend a ton on something that will cost me a ton to fix. The guys cousin reiterated that he thought the guy just wants a couple of hundred. Yeah I'll pay that for a wide case mark D pretty much regardless of condition. Just because I know I can turn it over for more.

I got the guys number now, so I just have to find the time to call him and take a look at it. I'd like to have a Ducati race bike, but it's got to be something that fun to ride with a close to stock engine. I don't have the time, motivation or money to dig into a new breed the way I've dug into the Hondas.
Although I'm guessing with the Duc that many people have been there before me and I can just do it by the numbers.

Trying to quit smoking this week...so no stress, no work, no distractions allowed....I need to focus.
JohnnyB

 

[Geeto67]

quote: What is the difference between a NY road and a ME road??

Emissions. There are some states that will let you still register dirt bikes for street use and some states like NY that don't do that anymore since dirtbikes don't meet emissions.

There is a number you can call to check if a vehicle is stolen. I can't remember it now but I think you can do it anonamously. I think it is the national insurance crime bureau or something like that. They keep stolen vehicle records longer than any state so if you are worried a bike you are buying may be stolen give them a call.

 

[imslow]

just have it registered in maine and call it good.
cheap and easy.

What's the difference between a maine road and a ny road? same answer as what''s the difference between a maine girla nd a ny girl . . . .

 

[UngaWunga]

If you're having trouble registering a bike... "sell" it to me, let me register it in NH, and I'll "sell" it back to you. I did that for John Phlog's Honda GT650 and another guys Suzuki GT750 so they could register the bikes in their states.

 

[texmawby]

jack,

the problem is that the reiju rs-1 was never dot street legal. cosmo was trying to get the factory to get up to dot standards with the rs-2, but the factory finally told them to pound sand, as they made enough money in europe, and didn't want the hassle of u.s. standards. your rs-1 is for closed course competition only (which is like riding in maine

texy