mellco Posted November 30, 2009 #1 Posted November 30, 2009 Hello my friends, I have a situation and could use some of your feedback. I am looking to purchase another Royal Star,it is a 1996 BEAUTIFUL bike that has sat for about years in a garage,here is the catch. The bike starts on full choke idles badly and stalls when you crack the throttle. The present owner has let me put SeaFoam and fresh gas in the tank which actually has made the bike run(idle) worse. It appears to be running on 3 cylinders as the upper left exaust header does not get hot. My job has taken me from my home where I had my shop and now I live in an apartment where I dont have the resources to work on the bike. Not knowing shop rates for what appears to be fouled carbs the owner is willing to give me $300.00 off the asking price because of its running condition. Do I pull the trigger and buy the bike and hope that the repairs dont exceed $300.00 or walk away. The bike has 18,000 miles.
Squidley Posted November 30, 2009 #2 Posted November 30, 2009 I don't know that I would accept $300, that will do NOTHING as far as dealer repairs. It might just be nothing, but you may be looking at substantial more monies. I would have HIM pay to get it running right and then deal with it. It's winter up north, that bike isn't going to sell fast. Make him sweat it out or come off atleast 2X that price PS bad thing about Seafoam is you have to run the bike hard for a few hundred miles to get it all out and fresh gas through the carbs.
LilBeaver Posted November 30, 2009 #4 Posted November 30, 2009 I don't know that I would accept $300, that will do NOTHING as far as dealer repairs. It might just be nothing, but you may be looking at substantial more monies. I would have HIM pay to get it running right and then deal with it. It's winter up north, that bike isn't going to sell fast. Make him sweat it out or come off atleast 2X that price ... You could have an agreement saying that he fixes it then you give him his current asking price (or some fair agreed value) or talk down a heck of a lot more than 300. A carb job at a dealer is going to be more than 300 -- and that only would address the carbs. Did you pull the plug on the cylinder that you think is not firing? You could get an idea of what it could be by cranking it a few times (or letting it run, either way) then pull the plug and smell it/investigate it. If you do not smell fuel and the plug seems to fire then it COULD be that the fuel delivery to that cylinder is completely clogged (at which point the sea foam wouldn't do a thing for it). If you smell fuel it could be a bad plug, bad wire/coil, etc... In my opinion, if the guy is unwilling to get it fixed or come down more in price walking is probably a good way to go. And in your case, where you said you don't really have a good place to work on it - trying talking him into fixing it may be the better way to go. Just a couple more
Guest tx2sturgis Posted November 30, 2009 #5 Posted November 30, 2009 Buy the bike, pull the carbs...send em to Goose for a rebuild!!
Godlover Posted November 30, 2009 #6 Posted November 30, 2009 It depends on his asking price. If he only wants $1,000 for it - then buy it!!! If he is near retail - then forget it - you can buy bikes all day long below retail.
Jrichard Posted November 30, 2009 #7 Posted November 30, 2009 I don't know that I would accept $300, that will do NOTHING as far as dealer repairs. It might just be nothing, but you may be looking at substantial more monies. I would have HIM pay to get it running right and then deal with it. It's winter up north, that bike isn't going to sell fast. Make him sweat it out or come off atleast 2X that price PS bad thing about Seafoam is you have to run the bike hard for a few hundred miles to get it all out and fresh gas through the carbs. DITTO w/Squidley----let him get it runnin???-----REM. $$$ talks and BS takes a hike!!----a pocket full of 'Ben Franklins'---helps:sign outstanding:
sallys dad Posted November 30, 2009 #8 Posted November 30, 2009 I'm a relatively new RSV owner, but I do have some experience with motorcycles that have sat for a while. I would suggest testing the compression. A compression tester is relatively cheap and can save you lots of headaches and dollars in the long run.
skydoc_17 Posted November 30, 2009 #9 Posted November 30, 2009 Hey Mel, My "Little Shop by the Creek" is located in Duncansville, Pa. 78 miles east of Pittsburgh and 12 miles south of Altoona, Pa. If the bike is in Pa. I would be willing to pick up the bike with truck and trailer, do the repairs and square up with you at the end. My shop rate is $30.00 an hour which is well below the dealer rate. I do think that $300.00 is a bit low for the kind of work that you will run into for this type of repair but my shop will get closer to it than a dealer, I am sure of that. With the pick-up and Carb. cleaning time, not to mention a coil or two $300.00 would not last long. A bargain isn't a bargain if you get stuck after the deal is done. If I can help, let me know, Earl
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