There is no question that retro motorcycles are popular right now. Even now, more and more new motorcycles are being made to look vintage. It’s easy to see why. The designs are timeless and cool. But these new vintage style motorcycles do not come cheap. Maybe it’s time to consider fixing up a vintage motorcycle. We recently ran into a guy who managed to snag a vintage Honda trail motorcycle for almost nothing. It certainly is a fixer upper and right now he is busy scouring for parts but, hopefully it will be completed soon. We can’t help but think once he is done, though, that it will all be worth it. If you are looking for a fixer upper motorcycle, here are some things to consider before getting started.
Your Skills
This is really important. Absolute honesty is needed when it comes to your mechanical abilities. It will even determine what sort of motorcycle to buy. You don’t want something that is going to be way out of your league mechanically speaking. One thing you can do is to go to a local motorcycle shop and get some opinions as to what type of motorcycle might be a good fit for you and your mechanical skills. Check out some youtube videos of people restoring motorcycles. This should give a little taste for what potentially lies ahead.
Parts Availability
Sometimes a motorcycle tugs at our heart, but what about the parts? Again check in with the local motorcycle shop or hit the internet before buying the motorcycle to make sure that parts are readily available. But as with anything online be sure the parts come from a reputable site.
Time
It would be sad to get a project going and find it takes eons to finish. That sort of thing is discouraging and could force you to give up on the motorcycle or leave it to languish in the garage. Be realistic for how much time you can reasonably dedicate to the bike and when it should be finished. Having a built-in time cushion for those mishaps that can happen would be helpful too.
Budget
This could be one of the more tricky aspects, but come up with a budget that is doable and try to stick to it. Remember, also, when figuring the budget it’s better to overestimate cost than to underestimate.
These are just a few things to consider when buying a fixer upper. It is a big challenge to restore a vintage motorcycle, but it could potentially be a big reward in the form of a genuine vintage motorcycle.
Ride With Comfort!
