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Message started by tdub2112 on 10/15/11 at 21:51:48

Title: Newbie with some questions
Post by tdub2112 on 10/15/11 at 21:51:48

Hey all. Just joined the forum about five minutes ago and had a couple questions in my quest. I don't have a Savage yet, but we're getting closer.

I've found a guy on craiglist with an 1986 Savage that he needs to get rid of so he can pay for college. he's got a new front tire brakes, air filter, and clutch cable. He claims it's a clean bike, but didn't post pictures. He doesn't respond to emails and since it's 11:00 at night, I'm not going to call him right now.

I was just wondering what classifies high mileage on a Savage? I know Gold Wings will go for 200,000 miles and not even blink, but what do you think you can get out of these little Zuki's?

If this bike is pretty clean and the miles aren't bad, I think we're going to pull the trigger on it. He only wants $1200 for it, so we aren't putting down piles of cash for it.

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by Serowbot on 10/15/11 at 22:10:42

Honestly,.. I wouldn't pay $1200 unless it was really cherry...
You can get a 95' to 04' for that, and it'll have an extra gear...
5 speed...
If it's less than 25k miles and otherwise clean,.. I'd offer $600 or $800..
Of course,... it depends on where you are, too...
Some places,... countries,.. are higher...

You can trash one of these in 12k miles,... or care for it and go past 100k... it's up to you...
I'm keeping mine... forever...

Whatever you decide,.. good luck... ;)...

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by verslagen1 on 10/15/11 at 22:45:07

Would I pay 1200 for a 86... no.

finish would have to be perfect and low miles (less than 10,000)

Of course I'm not in your locale, nor do I know where you are.

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by Gyrobob on 10/16/11 at 05:29:10

I paid $1200 for a very clean 2002 with 4k miles. My buddy in the Double RYCA build (http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1304722902/0#0) traded a 2004 Yamaha 225 dirt bike in average shape for his 2000 with 14k on it. By "average" I mean a dirt bike used by teenagers for several years in the southeast US.

Like Serow and Vers said, that thing would have to be in showroom shape with just a few thousand miles on it to pay $1200. In keeping with their guidance, I'd lowball him with an offer of $400, and let him talk you up to $600 or $700.

If you are looking on CL for bikes, you are fairly near a large city. There will be at least a few LS650/S40 Savages available over the next few months. Unless you have to have a bike this week, I'd be patient, keep checking CL, and also check out Cycle Trader, ebay, area newspapers, etc.

Most of the running gear on these things is pretty good. The one problem I learned about from this forum is the cam chain tensioner. Sure enough, my buddy's bike had a slight tick tick tick that mine did not.
--- We took the right engine case off, and the cam chain tensioner was within a few thousand miles of maybe coming apart.
--- We did the mod outlined by a few of the experts here and all seems well. We won't know for sure until we finish the RYCA builds and fire it up.
--- The gurus here have said the cam chain tensioner should be checked when a tick tick tick shows up and/or around 10k miles.
--- If you can weld, the whole mod takes an afternoon. Whether you have a welder or not, Vers has the parts available to do the mod. His parts are better than the parts we made.

Best of luck to you in your quest. You'll like this bike.

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by tdub2112 on 10/16/11 at 14:51:23

Well. Looking around on some local classifieds, it seems like there are no really good deals on these things. Most people want over two grand for em and I'd have to drive three hours just to drive and look at them.

If we ever get a free Saturday, we might take the drive and see if we can get a good deal, but for now we're going to see if anything in our area pops up for a good deal.

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by mojo on 10/16/11 at 17:20:58

tdub: I'm looking for one also. Been watching the places listed above. Weather is staying warm-----prices are way too high! often exceed the high end of the ranges on KBB or NADA. I may not buy one before late Nov or sometime in Dec. Hang tough!

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by drums1 on 10/16/11 at 17:49:16

My '87 was purchased from a used bike dealer 13 years ago for $1200.00. It was in great shape at the time. It had 8,900 miles on it. (My niece and her hubby bought it....I inherited it from them 7 years later) I doubt seriously that an '86 would be worth that much now. The $600-$800 range sounds more realistic. I'd keep looking for a better deal if I was you.

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by Gyrobob on 10/16/11 at 18:06:10

Back in Feb when I was looking to buy an LS650 or S40, I kept having to do the same analysis over and over again: Is this particular bike a good price for its model year?

I was checking on so many options I finally made up a chart to plot all the bikes and prices. I wanted to know what the Kelly Blue Book prices were (retail and trade-in) and what the NADA values were. Since I did this several months ago, the prices depicted by the lines might be a tad optimistic.

Here's the chart. Use it however you want, if you want.
--- I wasn't considering anything older than 1999, so that is what is in the lower left hand corner.
--- If you want to go older than that, you have to sort of guess (extrapolate) or draw some more chart to the lower left.
--- Prices are on the left and model year is at the top and bottom.
--- The three lines on the chart are:
- NADA Retail (green line and circles)
- Kelly blue book Retail (dark blue line and squares)
- Kelly blue book trade-in value (light blue with triangles).

http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/42589/1812483-T600450.jpg

If you want to print out a copy, use

http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/42589/1812483-T600450.jpg

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by Starlifter on 10/16/11 at 18:30:29

Sounds like way too much money for a 25 yeat old bike...keep looking.

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by MERKURMAN on 10/16/11 at 19:33:12

I recently bought my 88 with 13k mi on it for 600 bucks. It isn't perfect by any means but it is mainly cosmetics that it needs. I think that if it is in good shape then between 600 and 900 bucks would be a fair asking price. Just remember that there may be some things that need to be done to make it a really dependable bike. IE cam chain tensioner, head plug, valve adjustment, maybe tires and brakes. Just a thought but I would think about your total cost and time to put into it. I say if you can talk him down to about 700 bucks you would be getting a pretty good deal even if you had to do a few things to it before it were ready to ride.

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by jhnzeigler on 10/16/11 at 19:56:47

I bought an 86 for a ryca build...
Mine has right around 13k on the clock and was in decent shape and mechanically sound and had been taken care of(reason I bought it)

I paid 550 for it...

Keep looking and you will find it...
Chances are if it is being sold by a soon to be college person or a college student...I had been riden hard
Ziggy

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by tdub2112 on 10/17/11 at 15:03:19

I'm going to call him up when i get a chance today and have him send me some pics. I hate it when people don't put pictures up on craigslist and put a half a'd description! Are you trying to sell the bike or not? hahaha

I think if this is in descent shape and I can get him down on the price, we'll buy it. If there are a few things wrong with it, I don't mind. It'll make a good winter project for me and the old man.

I dropped some subtle hints about buying a bike last night to my mom to test the waters and it didn't go well. Just wait untill one mysteriously shows up in the garage. . .

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/17/11 at 15:05:36

Theres maintenance time comin,, cam chain tensioner is fast approaching,

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by copterdoc on 10/17/11 at 20:02:40

I bought my 2000 with 5029 miles for 800 bucks for my ryca build. keep looking.

Title: Re: Newbie with some questions
Post by Bubba on 10/18/11 at 08:05:25

sounds as if he's trying to recoup some of the money he put in it...I'm guessing he spent about 100 bucks on what you described. I'd offer him 700 if it has about 12000 miles on it...
I bought a '96 last year for 500 and it had brand new tires...