Spreadsheets...

I just put together a spreadsheet with the various things I should buy for the Seca. Tools and miscellaneous missing bits - $100. Brake lines and pads - $270. Fork stuff - $120.

Then again, it's still cheaper than a brand new bike. And better looking than most of them...

 

I did that the first year I had the bike (only 3 years ago).

The list kept getting bigger and bigger with all the little bits and tools I bought (mostly local at that point).

I didn't keep it up for to long. I'd be shocked at the actual total to date.

Stuff like goggles, breather masks, metric sockets, wrenches & allen sets and all the other everyday stuff adds up without actually buying any BIKE parts.

Of course if you already have all that type of stuff its easier on the wallet.

I just spend ~$300 on misc carb cleaning and rebuilding tools. (I could have saved at least $100 making some of them, but I didn't want to). Then I turned around and ordered ~$250 in carb rebuild kits (FULL Wear Item Rebuild Kits from Chacal-XJ4Ever) and misc parts.

That doesn't count the rear progressive shocks I bought this year, the front springs, another ~$300 for full front fork and air assist rebuild (minus head bearings).

Last winter I bought all the parts for SS brake line upgrade and MC rebuild.

The parts add up! OUCH.

Don't let my insanity scare you. Buy and FIX what you NEED to then get to the rest as time and $$ allows.

At least this spring/summer I have some overtime money to spend on bike maintenance/parts/tools.

Oh and all this is definitely cheaper than a new bike and I can/will fix it my self!

 

I think I'm going to start with tools and missing bits.

We'll see how that goes...

 

It usually adds up to around $600~$800 for all the stuff (not including a couple special tools) to properly recommission a bike of this age.

That assumes you doing the work, and excludes "cosmetics."

 

It's better not to add it all up

 

+ 1 , but then , there,s no such thing as too many tools
cheers, Murray

 

When I got my bike last fall, I started trying to fix everything that was wrong without really going at it in any specific order. Once we got into spring, I put down on a spreadsheet all that was wrong - a lot- and starting fixing things one at a time and in the right priority. I see that brakes are at the top of your spreadsheet - good idea!

 

ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

 

Look at it this way, when everything is done it will good to go for quite some time. Just the normal stuff such as oil changes and the like.

And you will enjoy riding it. There's something special (no pun intended ) about riding an older bike, in my opinion at least. I've got a 2008 ZX 1400 in my garage that's an absolute blast to ride but if I had to part with one I would keep my Seca.

 

The blast for me is taking a bike that I used to commute on 28 years ago ,that I parked in my shed when the kids came along and hadn,t started for 15 years , and rebuilding it to a running bike again. I love it.

 

The knowledge you pick up from properly recomissioning an old bike is invaluable.