What to look for????

[MrPadleout]

I'm going to look at this bike tomorrow http://norfolk.craigslist.org/mcy/2398342945.html and would like to know what you guys think, and what to look for.

I've talked to the seller and he said the bike turns over fine. He said he parked it because the battery died while riding it one day and I know these bike have some electrical issues that are common. I've heard it could be the R/R or possible CDI?

this is kind of a new hobby for me, fixing old stuff for fun, I just fixed up a 1992 yamaha xj600 seca II. I'm street fighting it as we speak but I want something to ride while I eventually get to cutting the fame and all on that.

Let me know what you guys think and some good ways to talk this guy down some.

Thanks
-Josh

[DonTZ125]

First question is, Where's the muffler?

As you've read, these bikes are infamous for bad voltage regulator / rectifiers, which can kill the battery and TCI (not CDI) amongst other things. The TCI may be repairable, but if not they are getting hard to find.

One of the things to look at - have him pull the #3 and #4 plug caps, and stick in two spare plugs. Crank it over using that booster rig he's got in the pics, and see if you have spark at both plugs.

[old_school]

I'm looking for the "mint" part of this and I can't seem to find it. 800 is way to high ,plenty of running bikes in that condition posted for 1k. I would see how flexible he is on the price but I wouldn't pay more than 500 for a bike that doesn't run. As don posted we've seen every kind on basket case come back to life is it doable sure and it'll be fun. At the end of the day will it be worth your time and money. (???)

[MrPadleout]

I was just talking to the dude and offered him 600 for the bike and he said thats as low as he will go... I feel like i might be able to get him down to 550 when I go look at it. If he does I think I will buy it. (depending on how it looks and after I look some stuff over) These are some of my favorite bikes, above some of even the newer bikes out today and they don't pop up for sale too often around here...

Looks like I got some thinking to do tonight!

anymore opinons would be great on what to look for and stuff.

and Thanks Don and old school!

[sweekster]

Well just so you are aware, it's the smaller bikes (600 and 400) that are more prevalent to R/R issues. To clarify, the 750 and 1000 use an alternator with an internal R/R which is less prevalent at going bad (not to say they don't ever go bad). In agreeance with what Don and Old School said that the price is too high and 550 seems to be a better deal. Good luck.

[DonTZ125]

*sigh* Yup, the bigger bikes use a car-style alternator with a variable-field regulator that adjusts the strength of the magnetic field around the windings; the smaller bikes use permanent-magnet alternators and shunt regulators that are far more likely to fry out.

That was silly of me...