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General Category >> The Cafe >> Well so about that itch
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Message started by Pine on 03/25/13 at 18:48:15

Title: Well so about that itch
Post by Pine on 03/25/13 at 18:48:15

I went to check out the Triumph Legend tt 900. It does crank and run, but the owner admits the bike needs a complete tune up (massive). He seemed inclined to think the bike was worth $2900 and he charging $2000 accounts the work needed. Yikes, not a risk I am willing/can afford to take. I keep trying figure out so way to make it work.

Any way there you go. The is perfectly size though.. would be a killer ride.

Title: Re: Well so about that ich
Post by Serowbot on 03/25/13 at 22:49:42

It depends on your mechanical ability,... and sometimes,.. your friends ability, too...
On the bright side...
Turning it down,.. allows only that one regret...
Jumping in, where you shouldn't,.. can allow a barrel full of regrets...
;)...

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by Cavi Mike on 03/26/13 at 00:21:37

"Complete tune-up"

Ok, so that's all of what, carb cleaning, plugs, wires and an air filter?

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by Pine on 03/26/13 at 06:27:58

2002150A2E0A0806630 wrote:

"Complete tune-up"

Ok, so that's all of what, carb cleaning, plugs, wires and an air filter?

The bike set with ethenol in the tank.. and still is sitting :'(
The petcock is leaking .. red rust stains all down the side. Carbs will start and run but after a few minutes the entire thing just floods.. strong gas smell. Stuck float? Needle valve? its three carbs.

Probably the hardest part... only one Truimph shop in town and the owner says no one else will touch it. He thinks it mostly due to lack of parts availablity to non dealers.

I also got unhappy when he said he has only done one oil change in nearly 9000 miles. Its got new tires.. but they are very much a "sport" tire... wtf? Seat is ruined. He must not ride much ... he has had the bike 4 years and thats all the miles he has put on it. But the total number of miles is unknown as the prior owner had the cluster replaced.

This use to be a nice bike. It could be again, I'm just not sure its a project I can afford.

and no.. I am a very amature mechanic. Rebuilding and tuning a triple carb set up without any backup is very much over my head. I know people that have bikes... none of them do ANYTHING to their own bike. Hell, I had to tell and help one let some the oil out of his V-star when he told me he overfilled it!

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 03/26/13 at 07:18:42

I am a firm believer in never having more than 2 carbs on a bike, regardless of how "Cool" the bike may be.

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by WD on 03/26/13 at 08:04:48

You did the right thing. With enough cash thrown at it the bike could be returned to operational readiness, but if it is out of your league then it is out of your league. No shame in admitting that.

Check here too, some fairly decent deals from time to time...http://memphis.craigslist.org/mca/

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by Pine on 03/26/13 at 09:34:58

I just called the Triumph Dealer. Very helpful and up front. The gage cluster was replaced when the first owner hit a deer. Milage is between 14K and 20k at that time... so we are looking at a total of 22k to 28k total miles on the bike.
The dealer just sold a "pristine" legend for $3000.. new owner picked it up yesterday out of New Orleans.

To remove clean and reinstall one carb - $300, for all three carbs - $500. If that "fixes" the bike then thats $2500 plus new seat for $200... so $2700. Add much need oil change, fix petcock, and sundry maint. The bike is very close to book value.. but is not anything near "pristine".

I guess if I really want the bike.. I am going to have to get the price way down to not get backwards right off the bat. Decisions decisions.... :-?

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 03/26/13 at 09:58:28

YOuve done the smart thinking. YOuve analyzed the price + KNOWN needed repairs & see youre looking at book on a clean, ready to ride bike.
Its walk or drive the $$$ down far enough to be able to pay to fix the known problems & to absorb some unknown troubles & still have less in than book $$$.
Ive been watching some car shows & Ive seen people try to get Running & Driving prices for cars that needed to be trailered to move a foot.

& even IF you plan on doing the work & learning how to tune carbs ( & you certainly could) you still need to get the price down as IF it was headed to the shop for it,

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by kimchris1 on 03/26/13 at 18:40:54

I have to ask, is your heart set on this particular bike?
Is it the only one available in your neck of the woods?
Seems alot to have to put out, to bring it back to life.
I do think you were smart to do your homework and check
into the cost for repairs.
I wish you luck and look forward to hearing if you go with it
or look elsewhere. :) kim

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by engineer on 03/26/13 at 19:07:15

One carb is great, one of the things I like about the Savage. But cleaning up a fuel tank and carbs is not all that bad once you've done your homework and get started. I always dreaded carb work but since I started reading this forum I've done several, one Savage, one Honda CB, two lawn mowers, one snow blower, and one sad generator. I've also done one Honda tank and one Chinese generator tank and two petcocks. Every one of them worked first time thanks to this forum. I learned it here.

The only thing bothersome to me about what you describe is the length of time the oil has been in the poor thing. At least he admitted to it.

If you like it tell him about your reservations, your skill level, what the dealers said, etc. and see if he will drop the price. If you get it cheap enough and you decide you don't like it you can always sell it and get a Bonneville. Everyone needs more than just one motorcycle. At least two, one to ride, one to work on.

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by ToesNose on 03/27/13 at 04:56:21

I just did a search and it seems that the recomended oil change intervals from Triumph for the Legend tt 900 are 6,000 miles, so one in 9,000 miles isn't an issue ;) But most of the riders on Triumph forums seem to change theirs every 3,000/3,500 just to be safe from what I read.

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 03/27/13 at 08:19:45

There are videos out showing how to build vacuum gauges for balancing carbs. As noted above, there is a carb tuning guide in tech that is very straightforward & accurate. The cost of tools to maintain the Savage versus the cost of shop labor? Insane,,, & Im certain thats true of other bikes. I think youve fallen in love, just dont overpay. The bikes in trouble, owner cant fix it & no one is gonna pay the price of a running bike for one that needs hundreds of dollars in parts & labor before they can see it run.. make him an absolutely insulting offer to counter his ridiculous starting price. Find Blue Book, subtract estimated cost in parts & labor at shop rates & then take another 25 or 30 % off, because of all the potential unseen problems it may have due to sitting so long, or whatever. YOuve only got His Word it ran & that its "just carbs",, youre taking a risk, he isnt. & he Should be ready to take a major loss, because the bike is in much less shape than when he got it,
How can he expect to not lose a load? He bought it, it was running, looking good, then, he let it go to crap,, whose fault is that? Yours?

Title: Re: Well so about that itch
Post by Pine on 03/27/13 at 09:42:57

No sale.. so if yall want it, its on craiglist for Jackson MS. I made him an offer of $1500, which he refused very solidly. I am not in a BIG rush to buy another bike, my Savage has under 4000 miles, all but 450 put on by me. Its in tip top shape.. I just saw this.. and I really like the design and have a desire for a bit more then the Savage for longer trips. If it had been a running bike for $2000... I was gonna be all over it. As it is, its two grand I didnt have to borrow.

Thanks all!

(and yes to be honest, there are very few new bikes that tickle my fancy.. I am just not all that into V-twins.. not when I recall fondly the ole inline fours, that to me were the creme of form and function. But I am old.