So lemme ask you guys this...

Knowing that I have a complete good condition '92 F2, and knowing that it used to be a good runner. What do you think my upper limit should be for just paying for a complete front to back, top to bottom mechanical rebuild?



I realize I could do it myself, but I really want to ride it sometime before I'm dead. LOL so at this point I'm ready to just put down my tools, and break out the plastic.

A complete mechanical rebuild/restoration.

From axles to brakes to transmission to engine to suspension to steering.

I'm not suggesting use all brand new parts for replacement. Besides gaskets and seals and clutches and cables, if my mechanic needs a part, he let's me know, and I get a nice used one off the internet. Gotta keep this price at least a little reasonable.

Carbs are already done... completely rebuilt, and recently dissassembled and cleaned. So that should knock a little off this bill.

Chain, sprockets, and tires have less than 300 miles. Replaced in spring or summer 2009.

Electronically it's already done - I've gone through and tested and replaced any electronics, not to mention replaced the entire wiring harness.

Cosmetically it's done, too. With the exception of the scuffs, cracks, and all on the plastics. But I'm keeping those. I don't mind the battlescars, I think they give it a little extra character. LOL I just want everything underneath to be mechanically sound.

Ballpark. What would you pay?

If you came to the realization that rather than investing any more of your personal time in it, you open your wallet, and turn it over to someone who does this for a living, so you can devote your free time to keeping up with the rest of your $h1t and in a few weeks to a month he calls you to come pick it up, complete with a limited warranty. And you ride it outta there knowing that everything has been completely rebuilt in Spring 2011 and there shouldn't be any more surprises for quite a while and subsequent upkeep should be cheaper and easier. I'm talking just walking in to a trusted motorcycle mechanic with the bike and a check, tell him what you want done, and to call you if he needs parts you can find. How much would you make that check?

$2500? more? less?

Call me crazy, but I'm already attached to this one... so there's no possibility of selling it and buying another. I can already see that I bought a bit more of a project than I should have a few years back, and it sitting for the last year on the other side of the island didn't help it any, but it's too late now. Besides, during the times when it was on the road... So rather than invest in another potential project with new surprises, put this one completely back to roadworthy and dependable, and have it ready by mid springtime. Remember, gas prices are going up and expected to hit $5 a gallon by summer... and this little 600 gets way better gas mileage than my Jeep ZJ.

What would you give to know it was done and ready, and just about summertime?

 

used engines are around 400 bucks give or take. The used engine will work just as good, but if you're set on doin a rebuild then atleast bore it out some

 

The word restoration to me just means to restore it to a good running condition. In this case, your bike probably needs nothing than a good look over/inspection of the moving and important parts, and a good carb cleaning, which it sounds like you already have done.

Do you have other goals in mind? Are you trying to fine tune it and have an engine overhaul to get more HP? I personally see no point in spending a butt load of cash overhauling a 20 year old bike for a few extra HP just for a street bike. With an inspection and carb clean, she is reliable. These engines don't just die unless abused.

 

I appreciate your input guys, but I think you've misunderstood what I'm getting at.

I want someone to take this F2 completely apart from bumper to bumper, replace anything that needs it, rebuild the rest, and then put it all back together.

I want full dependability out of *this particular F2*. Rebuilt axles with new bearings. Rebuilt engine, rebuilt transmission, rebuilt suspension, rebuilt calipers, etc.

I'm burning over $100 a week in gas for the Jeep to do what this thing could do in $10. I live on a tropical island where well over 300 of 365 days a year are good riding.

I'm tired of farting around with it trying to figure out this problem and that problem, while trying to anticipate its next problem.

I just want it all rebuilt/restored/fixed so I can use it like it was fresh from the factory.

The way I see it a base of $2500 is 100 hours at $25 an hour. Plus the cost of any parts needed.

Is that a sufficient price for what I'm asking to do?

 

I guess to put it another way...

If YOU were a qualified and honest motorcycle mechanic capable of doing what I've described, would $2500 be a reasonable offer to do it or would it be an insult?

The street value of the motorcycle isn't the issue. I have no intentions of selling it, I just want to get many more years of dependable use out of it.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

I get what you are saying, I am just saying that the bike is already dependable... lol. All these things you want to do are completely unnecessary. It would cost more to do this, than to buy another F2 in perfect condition. For that matter, I am trying to sell my F2, and it is in perfect condition... want it? :P

To answer your question though... 2500 sounds like over kill for making the bike dependable. I think 1000 dollars is plenty enough to make the bike dependable, but I am not sure our ideas of dependable are the same.

 

it should not take a good mechanic 100 hours to rebuild a bike. I can strip one down and re assemble it in about 8 hours. you are not looking for a lot of fabrication, paint or any of the really time consuming stuff, so you should be at about 20 hours of labor if you want your engine completely rebuilt. if you are going to slap a new one in there, then that would drastically cut down on the amount of labor required. all in all, you should pay no more than 800-1000 bucks for what you are asking for, and in my opinion, that would include parts and labor if you arent looking for a brand new engine. for 2500 bucks, you would get a completely rebuilt engine, rebuilt forks, calipers rebuilt, carbs rebuilt, cylinder head rebuilt, engine rebuilt, frame powder coated, all metal parts podwer coated or chromed out, new exhaust, and a complete restoration of all parts that need to be replaced such as lights, grips, all rubber, chain, sprocket, fairingns etc.... you should get a new bike for that kind of money. and that is parts and labor included. also, if you are talking about taking it to a business that is going to offer any kind of warranty on their work, which most wont due to the bike's age, they are not going to use anything but new parts. thats just a liability thing.

 

My F2 has 24k on it, only 7k from me. And from what I can tell has not been used lightly. I am basically doing exactly what you are describing. I have everything torn down, and almost nothing needs replaced. A good cleaning, yes. But replace? Nope. Almost all my bearings move freely, my axles were very dirty, but the tires still spun great on them. My brakes are dirty as hell, but still work great. I didn't even need any valve adjustments. And if you can roll your drivetrain, while in neutral smoothely, don't even worry about your transmission. I will be adjusting my suspension, though.

Now, if you want someone to break it all down to CLEAN it, I could see that. It is a TON of work. But if you are only concerned about the dependability of it, just save the money and check routine maintenance spots. These things are tanks.

Good luck.

 

Can't agree more. I track my f2 which means I beat the **** out of it. It runs in redline for hours and has 55,000 miles on it. Absolutely nothing wrong with it.

That is why it is hard for me to say to spend any kind of money making it dependable. These bikes are not babies, they are performance machines made to run long and hard. They are very dependable.

Reydelaplaya, you said your bike "used to be a good runner." Is there something specifically wrong with your bike? We could help you pin point a problem if there is one and get it fixed. There really is just no need to spend rebuilding the bike to the extent you are talking. Its the same thing as just setting a pile of money on fire, pointless.

 

Ok, now we're getting somewhere.

For clarification, it's been sitting under a cover at my old neighbor's house for almost a year. I finally had a chance to go to the other side of the island and rescue it. I've been working on it for the last 3 months over the weekends trying to get it cleaned up and started. It's physically clean, but for all the effort, still won't start. I'm tired of troubleshooting and messing with it and just want it done already. But I also want to know that there aren't any lurking problems waiting to happen. Hence, the rebuilding.

So, I figured if I was gonna have a trusted mechanic get it running for me, might as well have him rebuild and fix everything while we're at it. I'm not dripping with cash, but I've got some tax-money that's comng that isn't already spent. Besides, it's partly my fault that I think it needs this kind of service anyway, having let it sit for so long. But in the times when it was running, it never let me down when I needed it the most, even though it was tempermental. It's like a faithful puppydog that just needs some fixing. I'm kinda obligated to get it back on it's wheels and do things I couldn't afford to before, rather than chop it up and part it out. I don't want another one, I want this one, we have a history together.

So if $2500 is too much to offer for a rebuild of everything, what would be more reasonable?