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Maintenance and the new owner

S

Steve in sunny Fla

Iron Butt
Industry Vendor
...and the old owner, too.

  We're seeing a number of guys who have just purchased their first c-10. They come here all happy, particularly if it's a low mileage unit. Then they start getting advise from the seasoned owners. "You need to do a/b/c, oh yeah, while you're there, d/e /f are now easier to do. And while you're at it, replace g/h/i. You'll probably want to upgrade k/l/m and then enjoy the bike for a while"  I can see this as intimidating and off-putting. let me explain why this is the advise given, and maybe it will ease the process.

  Basically you've bought an old bike. The newest is 9 years old. In some respects, low mileage is worse than a higher mileage unit. The issues will always be centered around areas where there is fluid or rubber. A low mileage unit wasn't used much, so the owner probably felt fluid changes weren't necessary. Additionally, the fuel wasn't changed often, which is the perfect storm for tank and carb related issues. A higher mileage bike that's been well maintained may be cheaper in the long run, but we all like those low - mileage finds. Just don't lull yourself into thinking low mileage equals low maintenance, because it doesn't.

  Do yourself a favor - and I do live by this- when you get your new to you motorcycle, the first thing you do is service all areas with fluid and / or rubber. Great looking old tires will get you killed. Replace them.  Engines that run poorly due to ignition, valve or carb issues are an annoyance. Brakes that don't stop are deadly.  Hydrolock is the only real achilles heal of the bike. Learn what is important to do right now, and what can wait. A new windshield or seat is way behind good brakes and tires in the scheme of things.

  You might think you bought a motorcycle for cheap transportation. You're fooling yourself. The maintenance on a motorcycle is much more important, and requires much more diligence than owning a car. Maybe you've never thought of it this way, but here it is in a nutshell... cars don't fall down, motorcycles do. Low tire pressures on a car is manageable, on your bike it may cause you to crash. There are no second chances, no "re-do's" in an accident. Proper maintenance may be the difference in crashing or not. I'm sure in my case my choice to put premium tires on my bike is the only thing that kept me from hitting a mountain when I blew a curve in North Carolina.

  Think about it. Motorcycling is a blast, but we all know it's not a "safe" endeavor. Making it less safe because you failed to be diligent in your maintenance, and choosing to ride an under maintained motorcycle is, well, stupid. This is why the advise is so encompassing. Be glad you're getting it, too. Coggers know this bike inside and out. The knowledge accrued about the zg1000 over the last 26 years is why you're here. Take the advise shared here to heart, and if you're wise, act on it. Do the maintenance, and enjoy the peace of mind.

  Like I said, motorcycles fall down. Keep that in mind, and proceed accordingly.  :motonoises:

  HTH, Steve

 

 
 
Excellent advice, Steve. I'm always surprised at owners that try to go cheap with important items like tires (there IS a difference between cheap and inexpensive). Back in the day (1960s), even the best motorcycle tires were crappy so one didn't have much choice. You just had to live with out-of-round, hard rubber, slippery, fast wearing tires because there were no other choices. Couple these with Neanderthal brakes, crap suspension and weak flexy frames and it could get pretty exciting if you overdid it.

Nowadays, the tire choices are magnificent - if you shop for performance over cost. We never had it so good and I'm happy to put the best on my rims that I can find.

Dan
 
Good points Steve. I am going to do my coolant change this season. It "looked and smelled" fine so I left it alone last season on my low mileage bike.

To your point of mileage, I just cannot get myself to buy a bike with over 29K miles on it! Seems too used  ;)

And to the point of tires, sure in the 60s all tires were equally crappy and you didn't have much choice. But in this day and age a cheap tire is still very safe for normal operation as an expensive high end tire. The difference is the warm cozy feeling one gets emptying one's wallet. Much like the feeling I got many years ago buying my expensive Shoei helmet.  :-[
 
I like this Steve in Sunny Florida guy!

I bought my C 10 with 35k miles that had sat idle for over a year and had a previous hydrolock event that had been repaired.  Every question I've asked him about my bike or its performance has been answered honestly and expertly by a by god sure enough motorcycle mechanic/enthusiast.  He speaks the truth, in fact if he told me his bike poops little pink marshmallows... I would believe him.

Oh yea I bought my bike from him. 
 
forman,
Some of us on here may have recently come to the conclusion that "sometimes" SISF knows what he's talking 'bout, sometimes. 
:)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :))
Matt
 
Quote" I'm sure in my case my choice to put premium tires on my bike is the only thing that kept me from hitting a mountain when I blew a curve in North Carolina. "

I have been trying to make this point for years of being here.  You may drive the flat, sr8t road with no traffic every day for the last ten years so you feel you don't need good tires when in fact you need them every bit as much as canyon carving nuts.  One day something will happen and your tires COULD be that difference between not stopping in time, not making the corner, not avoiding that crazy...  What will be between you and the road when that day comes?
 
mattchewn said:
forman,
Some of us on here may have recently come to the conclusion that "sometimes" SISF knows what he's talking 'bout, sometimes. 
:)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :))
Matt
Click to expand...

  or I make it up on the fly - you decide  ;) Steve
 
I called Steve shortly after purchasing my C10 roughly 4 months ago.  I immediately purchased new tires for it and once I did a little research on this forum, I called Steve to ask about his carb overflow mod.  Steve asked about the bike, how I plan to use it and then proceeded to give me detailed maintenance suggestions.  I had bought the bike from a used bike shop and was under the assumption it was in good order.  I mainly wanted to get my carbs upgraded to defend against the possible hydrolock failure.  After discussing the details with Steve, I decided to do a complete rebuild on the carbs and replace the exhaust cam sprocket. 

In addition to the above, I have since overhauled my cooling system, changed the clutch fluid, brake fluid front and rear, adjusted the valves, repaired the airbox, changed the engine oil and diff oil, lubed my throttle cables & completed the ignitor circuit ground mod.  My plugs and ignition cables seemed to be in good order.  The cooling system was the real weak link though.  The water was brown, the thermostat was rusted open and I had signs of slow leaks around the front coolant manifold. 

The bike runs great and I am much more confident that it is both safe & reliable when I take it out for a ride. 

The morale of the story is that Steve gives very sound advice.  If you aren't the original owner and/or you didn't get detailed maintenance records, you don't really know the state of your newly acquired ride.  If you have some mechanical ability and can follow directions, you can do a lot of the work yourself.  Between COG, Youtube and a standard shop manual, the information is readily available.  If this isn't your thing, have someone else do it.

Bernie


 
Good thoughts & advice Steve...

Sorta funny, last night I was hangin' at my shop drinkin' a couple cold ones while eye-balling my "new-to-me" car and my C14.
I got to thinking about some random things I've read lately concerning motorcycle safety, the love of motorcycling, and societal views on motorcycling in general.

Then this thought came to my mind...
"I will always prefer to be on 2 wheels vs. 4...
Only half as much can go wrong!" ;D
 
LakeTrax said:
Good thoughts & advice Steve...

Sorta funny, last night I was hangin' at my shop drinkin' a couple cold ones while eye-balling my "new-to-me" car and my C14.
I got to thinking about some random things I've read lately concerning motorcycle safety, the love of motorcycling, and societal views on motorcycling in general.

Then this thought came to my mind...
"I will always prefer to be on 2 wheels vs. 4...
Only half as much can go wrong!" ;D
Click to expand...
        SOCIETAL??  I don't think those words of that nature are allowed on this forum. ::) ::)
 
Like many of us here, I would not be where I am in this passion without the knowledge and support of Steve........

Thank You!!!

Stephen
 
Steve in Sunny Fla said:
Smooooth said:
Like many of us here, I would not be where I am in this passion without the knowledge and support of COG........

Thank You!!!

Stephen
Click to expand...

  there, fixed it for you  :great: Steve
Click to expand...

LOL - posted during my first cup of coffee.....  And you are absolutely correct.  :-[

Stephen
 
Mettler1 said:
LakeTrax said:
Good thoughts & advice Steve...

Sorta funny, last night I was hangin' at my shop drinkin' a couple cold ones while eye-balling my "new-to-me" car and my C14.
I got to thinking about some random things I've read lately concerning motorcycle safety, the love of motorcycling, and societal views on motorcycling in general.

Then this thought came to my mind...
"I will always prefer to be on 2 wheels vs. 4...
Only half as much can go wrong!" ;D
Click to expand...
        SOCIETAL??  I don't think those words of that nature are allowed on this forum. ::) ::)
Click to expand...
Don't make me equivolate! :pokestick:
 
As a 'noob', this forum and the folks on it have been awesome. I have met several already and gained friends, knowledge, and riding buddies. The fact that Steve in Sunny FL. called me to give me the low-down on concours ownership showed a love of the bike and a respect for those who get chosen by it. So I just want to take a moment to say thanks.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program....

Peace
Jay :motonoises:
 
Good advise Steve.
Like he said, the list of things are suggested because of the knowledge/experience of this club.
And, yes the long list can be intimidating to the New Guy.

Here I have a thought that others can expand on.

Assuming the New Guy brings home a perfectly Connie, he wants to ride, not start replacing everything..
We do understand!
                "BUT"
  3 things, (tires, brakes, and fluids) "must" be checked before you go out for that first ride.
  While your on that ride, take it EZ.
    Get to know the bike before you twist the "Loud" Handle...
  Make a "to do" list of the other items. (Not a "When I get around to it" list)..
  As you get to know the bike,,,  start checking and or replacing all the things on that list.

You won't regret it.

Ride safe, Ted
 
Thanks again Steve!

Even better news is the 1st Gen Concours is very 'maintenance friendly'.  A little
mechanical knowledge, tools and a shop manual and you're pretty much good to go for
getting this stuff done yourself, and saving money and potential aggravation.

At first I was intimidated by the bike, maintenance wise... maybe it's all the plastic,
but once I dug in I found this platform very easy to work on, and seemingly overwhelming
jobs quickly became easy and routine.  Not sure/Questions?  COG has answers.

 
I want to chime in as well while this post is still current and thank Steve and others for all of the support offered in this forum. The Connie is a great bike but Steve's post is a good reminder that it's an aging platform with maintenance needs that will only increase over time.

My skills are limited but the wrenching I've attempted so far has gone well and I look forward to getting back "under the hood" and soon. I know with the support of this forum and COG I'll get the job done.

Now if I can just find the courage to crack her open past 7K rpm a little more often, holy moly!!
 
Wise advice and I it all should have been in first my year plan but... due to a cheating wife  I was not in a good place last spring/summer and although I did the basic maint checks to ensure basic safety (level and pressure checks) I did not do the complete fluid change over.  I just needed to ride to get in a better place.

Well I have arrived in my better place, come spring fluid changes are on order, Carbs are off and are about to start the long journey to SiSF for a spa treatment with added overflows tubes!

Order has been put in to Murph's  for some new farkles and some others from COG members  added for safety and comfort are also scheduled when the great white north isn't so white anymore!

Best of all... great advice and support from the GOG membership
 
sadly, i can attest to the old tire gimmick. had a bike that sat for a long time, decided to take for a "quick zip" around the block after getting running again, and sure as shit, went flat side down with out proper gear on (normal clothes and a helmet). i ended up with a broken collar bone and sever road rash on the tops of my hands and arms/left shoulder left knee. trust me, you do NOT want sever road rash if you are any type of mechanic as your skin just is never the same or as "tuff" as it once was and it sucks.  :-[  :truce:

REPLACE TIRES BEFORE YOU RIDE PERIOD!!!!!
 
Hi
Some good advice there. Thank you.

I bought a used 2001 two months ago, with just 3400 miles on it from original and first owner.
Low miles because previous owner had a car crash ,  2 years after he bought the Concours - which restricted his neck movement.
He admits bike was not ridden for long periods after that.

Bike seems to be of genuinely low mileage. Not a scratch anywhere, so it has not been crashed. ( Forks are balanced, no pulling to any side. )
But due to very low use, the carbs were running rough.

I put in a new battery ( Yuasa ) from Amazon for 85.00
Even with new battery, bike barely started last week ( after endless cranking .)
Finally I somehow made it to the dealer.

A full service was done including:

Carbs full service including sync.
( dealer says they put 4 new float valves  ) Could be true. ( Or not ??  I have no clue!)
Fuel Tank flushed
Oil + Filter change
Spark plugs replaced
Coolant replaced
Rear Diff/drive oil replaced
( Service Tech said , tires look fine, with none of whatever bad-tires do. )

Bike is running fine now. I went for a 100 mile last week and except for the extreme lean forward angle, mechanically everything seemed OK. Brakes are good.

Now this service cost me a bunch of money ( nearly a grand ), and based on this, I felt I did not get a good deal on the bike itself. Paid 3000 for it. ( Advertised on C/L for 3400 )

But my question is:

In spite of the rubber and fluids issue with long term un-employed bikes, I am guessing there could be something positive with a low mileage bike, and if so what would those be. Would the machinery be in better shape ?

Thanks
Vasan
Denver
 
None said:
( Service Tech said , tires look fine, with none of whatever bad-tires do. )

Now this service cost me a bunch of money ( nearly a grand ), and based on this, I felt I did not get a good deal on the bike itself. Paid 3000 for it. ( Advertised on C/L for 3400 )

But my question is:

In spite of the rubber and fluids issue with long term un-employed bikes, I am guessing there could be something positive with a low mileage bike, and if so what would those be. Would the machinery be in better shape ?
Click to expand...

I beg to differ about the tires... check the date code but with 3,400 miles on the bike I'm betting tires will have a date stamp of sometime in 2000...that makes them ahhhh 15 years old!  they may look alright (most likely if kept indoors and out of the sun) and they may last but I wouldn't trust them.  Rubber dries out and gets hard.  Hard = no grip.  A sure sign of drying out and sun damage is the rubber cracking but again with little sun exposure they may not show this externally.

They say 6-8 years max for car tires.

Check the date code and replace!

$3,000 + $1,000 is great if your happy with the bike and that is all that matters.  I learned LONG ago that no matter what deal you got there will always be someone who's uncle Lou got a better one!

i bought a great condition 2004 with 17,000 miles last summer and paid just over $4K CDN.  Missed a 2006 with 50K on it for $3,500 by 24 hours but it wasn't in as good a shape and at the time I didn't find a lot else available.... of course now I do but still I'm happy.  My 2004 came from a guy who seemed to look after it... selling as he went up to C14 so obviously like the Connie world.

One plus side of a low mileage bike like yours... "Not a scratch anywhere, so it has not been crashed".  3,400 is like new but with out the cost of new.  In 10 years when it has 103,400 miles on it you can say that 100,000 is your doing!
 
[quote ]
I learned LONG ago that no matter what deal you got there will always be someone who's uncle Lou got a better one!
[/quote]

Thanks for your thoughts, Derek.
You are absolutely right about the purchase price. Unless one has paid a ridiculously low or high price, a couple of hundred dollars either way will be forgotten by next week. What matters in the end is whether, going forward, your new purchase is going to give tons of fun, or a heap of trouble.

I had a  Honda ST1100 about 7 or 8 years ago. That was a really heavy bike. ( Ok I have heard about Goldwings ). I am 5 ft 7 and being on the older side  (60 now ), I am not particularly strong either. I had a hard time getting that monster of an ST off the center stand or moving it about in the garage. However once it got under way, it was easy to handle. I sold it after riding it for about 1500 miles, and after that I have been looking for a perfect touring bike, powerful enough, but not too heavy. I found the C1000 much lighter than the ST 1100.  I also find it much easier to move the Connie around, or put it on the center stand.

 
We all pretty much know if you buy a 10-15 year old car with low mileage, the assumption
is there will be some work to be done on it...  well, there might be some corrosion, or the engine might
need a little work, better change the oil, and check the antifreeze...  So the car is purchased knowing full
well some money will have to be thrown at it to make it 'driveable, safe and road worthy'.

For some reason, in the motorcycle world a 10-15 year old bike should have preserved perfectly over time... 
it's a seemingly common misperception (one I had as well on a 8 year old bike) that takes people by
surprise more often than not.

What I've learned, is that a motorcycle is more maintenance intensive than a car, a bit more to operate
than a car and its maintenance, if ignored, could cost you your life.  I recently 'tallied' my total cost on
my 2006 Concours, between farkels, maintenance and repair, and I've almost tripled my purchase price
in just under 4 years (total spent w/purchase).

A motorcycle ain't cheap... not by any means.  The prospect of having a shop do all the work I've done
would skyrocket that figure.  Working on and riding my Connie is the labors and rewards of the love of
motorcycling, and Sport Touring...  every penny spent was worth it 10 times over, every hour spent
turning a wrench, time well spent, because it all went to something I REALLY love doing...

To me, it's not the time/money spent as much as the return on investment.    :)

So don't sweat the money... it's spent on your enjoyment and safety...  if it isn't... you've chose the wrong hobby.
 
Mcfly said:
I recently 'tallied' my total cost on my 2006 Concours, between farkels, maintenance and repair, and I've almost tripled my purchase price
Click to expand...

That was a dangerous thing to do! I keep all bills but WILL NOT total them as I don't want to know.... I'll just go with the happy factor as being good!  LOL
 
Mcfly said:
We all pretty much know if you buy a 10-15 year old car with low mileage, the assumption
is there will be some work to be done on it...  well, there might be some corrosion, or the engine might
need a little work, better change the oil, and check the antifreeze...  So the car is purchased knowing full
well some money will have to be thrown at it to make it 'driveable, safe and road worthy'.

For some reason, in the motorcycle world a 10-15 year old bike should have preserved perfectly over time... 
it's a seemingly common misperception (one I had as well on a 8 year old bike) that takes people by
surprise more often than not.

What I've learned, is that a motorcycle is more maintenance intensive than a car, a bit more to operate
than a car and its maintenance, if ignored, could cost you your life.  I recently 'tallied' my total cost on
my 2006 Concours, between farkels, maintenance and repair, and I've almost tripled my purchase price
in just under 4 years (total spent w/purchase).

A motorcycle ain't cheap... not by any means.  The prospect of having a shop do all the work I've done
would skyrocket that figure.  Working on and riding my Connie is the labors and rewards of the love of
motorcycling, and Sport Touring...  every penny spent was worth it 10 times over, every hour spent
turning a wrench, time well spent, because it all went to something I REALLY love doing...

To me, it's not the time/money spent as much as the return on investment.    :)

So don't sweat the money... it's spent on your enjoyment and safety...  if it isn't... you've chose the wrong hobby.
Click to expand...

  Perfect.  :great: :great: :great: Steve
 
Honestly, I am not mechanically inclined, and the most I could do on the motor cycles I own, is change of oil and filter , change of air filter and chain lube. I just have no clue of how to tune or fix one carburettor, let alone 4 of them. I wish I knew more.
I also get the feeling that I would have enjoyed the hobby even more if I had more mechanical knowledge.
So your sentiment on the rewards of doing the maintenance on your own,  is appreciated.

Thanks
 
NONE, I appreciate what you say about mechanical Knowledge, but here is a thought.
Go to any COG rally, or better yet a COG Wrench session.

Roam around where folks are tinkering with their bikes and/or ask questions.

There is a Wealth of knowledge at the events!

Ride safe, Ted
 
I wouldn't touch a carb either.  I don't have eye of newt, or voodoo rattles...  BUT STEVE DOES!!  I just removed my carbs and put them back in.  SISF did all the black magic on the carbs.  i'm real slow at this
stuff...  It's not as hard as it would seem.  With NO real street bike background, I've:

R&R the carbs
Upgraded the front forks
Replaced the rear shock with a C14 shock
Upgraded the aux wiring
Put in the SISF exhaust cam sprocket
Adjusted the valves

The list goes on.  All Firsts for me.
You just have to have the "hootspa"
to try it...  and a Service Manual...  and a liitle help from COG!

It only gets easier.  :)
More importantly it gives you the ability
to accrue lots of cool tools.  BONUS!
 
To any/all who are afraid to take a wrench to their bike, I offer this.

When in high school, I bought my first car - a Triumph Spitfire. I had no mechanical aptitude or anyone to learn from.  I paid no attention to maintenance, as it was all I could do to pay for gas and insurance. I ultimately wrecked the car, but never lost my interest in British sports cars.  13 years later, I bought an MG.  It needed a complete restoration and I had little more experience then I had in high school. I bought a shop manual, a starter set of quality mechanics tools and went at it.  4 years later I had a show winning car.  Since then, I have restored (3) motorcycles.  All of which I have done with a manual, and help from forums like this one.  I am no expert, and make my mistakes along the way.  I also am willing to farm out some work (like my concours carbs to Steve) when their's is expertise that I find of particular value.

My point is this:  If you can read  manual and follow directions, you can do at least 75% of what is needed to fix or maintain your bike. You will understand how and why it works, and that will make you more self-sufficient on the road, and safer. 
 
Thanks for the encouragement about doing my own maintenance.
I will order a shop manual from Ebay and see how it goes.

I wonder how my name/alias came out as "None" on this group. May be I started posting, before filling out the group profile.
So I went back later and changed my profile with a new name, but this "None" is kinda Sticky. It still does not want to leave me.

My wife had a hearty laugh when I told her that my group alias is "None."
When I could not figure out why, she said she thought only a woman can be nun !!

I also recall there was an old movie My name is "Nobody" with Terence Hill.
 
Better be careful with NONE.
Years ago, I saw where someone had a personalized License Plate made;  "NONE"..

He started getting all the parking tickets of cars that were ticketed that did not have a license plate,,, and the officer marked NONE beside the License Plate section of the ticket..

Ride safe, Ted
 
A higher mileage bike that's been well maintained may be cheaper in the long run
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Maybe that's why my 2000 C10 ran so well. It had 96K on it when I bought it in 2008. I didn't really have to add all that cool SISF stuff, but I couldn't resist.  :great:
 
Thanks for the advice. Just bought my first Connie used from a dealership a few weeks ago, a 2005 with 36,000 km's on it. Still a month or two til I get to ride it, so I have time to get her ready. I'm heading out to the garage now to check out the tires...
 
First time posting here. Currently looking at buying a used C10. Looking at a '97 with 19K miles, seems like it is in excellent condition, but has not had the carb overflow done. Also looking at an '87 with 39K miles and has a lot of recent maintenance done including the carbs with overflow done by SISF. Both bikes are Indiana bikes. Any advice on which one is preferred or any things to look for on the '97? Both bikes appear to be strong and well running, but they are only about $150 different in price. Makes me nervous trying to decide. ONly bought one used bike in my life, my other one was new which was an easy decision. Previous bikes were Suzuki Katana 750 and a Yamaha Seca 900. Thanks for any advice.
 
Look for the little things like the fluid color in the sight glass of the clutch and brake reservoirs.  Also, check the back brake reservoir.  If the fluid looks like chocolate milk then it hasn't been touched in a long time.  Have they both been garaged?  Has either been dropped?  Check the antlers that support the bags for cracks and cracks around the rear view mirrors where they attach to the fairing.  Also look to see if either bag is sagging.  They should both be square to the rear turn signals.  Check nuts and bolts for rust.  Are the brake pad good?  Are the rotors scored?  Ask if you can pull the tank.  There should be 2 rubber support pads under there.  One wraps around the frame by the coils and the other sits towards the rear of the tank where the frame members are welded together.  Missing parts could show a lack of attention to the small details.  Also, check the wiring harness while your there.  Any splicing or taped wires?  Pull the left side cover and check the harness by the J-Box and start solenoid.  Any discolored wires or corrosion?  Ten additional years can make a difference unless the owner has paid a lot of attention to the small stuff.
 
This is an interesting scenario. The '87 had an owner that looked after things (like overflow tubes). That demonstrates a certain level of care and feeding that isn't as evident as the with the '97. I would bet good money that the '87's engine has never hydrolocked. Don't think I'd make that bet on the '97.

But the '97 has 10 less years on all the vulnerable parts. And fewer miles (though that value could be debated).

I'll second Jim's point about the brake/clutch fluid....but clutch fluid discolors quickly. Dark clutch fluid is pretty typical, even when changed regularly. But dark brake line fluid is an indicator of neglect.

Looking forward to others take on this scenario.
 
Thanks a lot for the feedback/input. It is great to get "seasoned" advice. The '97 owner says no maintenance needs and the bike is smooth running and cosmetically perfect. Both the '87 and the '97 have been garaged, but the owner of the '87 has provided strong evidence of care such as rear diff oil change, carb work by SISF, brake pad and rotor replacement, the '97 owner not so much input. My big question is this....if all things were considered and the '87 has been well taken care of, would it be the better deal in your opinion? I am really struggling with this since the bikes are only $150 different in price. The '97 owner stated there had been no fuel lock on the motor and he was definitely familiar with the term. I am willing to buy either of these bikes, but just don't need to be a slave to a bad decision. Both bikes are on Craigslist for Indianapolis if you want to take a look at the posting and let me know what you think.
 
yeah, there's a dilemna there. The 87 maybe the better bike. The 97 is worth more, based on years and miles and will yield more when you go to sell it. The 97 is more friendly to getting a quality front tire, and the brakes are better.  I think you need to physically see the bikes for yourself before you decide. Steve
 
They both look very nice.  Glad this is your dilemma and not mine :great:.  The '97 has tubular handlebars which look adjustable and could be rubber mount for vibration dampening.  The '87 has a taller wind shield with appears to be a built in vent and tip over bars front and rear.  It does look like the '87 had cracks in the fair around both mirrors.  If the mirrors are snug, that should be fine.  Also, '87 seems to have already taken care of some of the trouble areas.  If the color doesn't matter, then take them for a ride and see which one feels the best (or has the most gas in the tank).
Good luck!
 
Definitely these posts have helped me some. The '87's owner reached out to me and we talked a while on the phone. Seems he is a big SISF follower. He has implemented several of the upgrades/changes from the COG on the bike. All cooling o-rings replaced, the free power mod, complete carb rebuild and overflows done by SISF, all fluids replaced, rear disk and pads done, all relays replaced in the J-box, Valves adjusted the proper way. I m going to go with the '87 with the understanding that a well maintained and cared for '87 motor and chassis just may be better than a '97 with less miles and none of the SISF mods done to it. I told the owner that the '97 is better cosmetically, but a pretty bike on the side of the road is just a pretty bike on the side of the road. I plan to go ride the '87 with cash in my hand. Thanks to everyone for the advice, your common sense is much appreciated.
 
My gut is telling me you made the right choice. Gotta love a good PO.

I didn't search CL.  How much?

 
Just as a comparison, I bought my '86 in November of '13 with 26K for $1500. But it didn't have all the stuff your '87 has (okay, I searched CL and found it). You've easily got $1K in extras over what I have. The bars are over $300 alone, SISF's work is another $400, plus the brakes, rotors, valve adjustment and whatnot.

$2,600 seems a bit high to me for an '87, but that's a lot of great stuff you won't have to pop for.

When you take it for a test ride, just know that it's gonna be tippy at low speed. Don't make those tip-over bars earn their keep....yet.  ;D
 
I did the math too. The '97 at $2700 with none of the mods would end up being $3700 in the end. There was also an $800 bike on CL that sounded pretty rough. I thought that bike would end up at $2800 and all of my time in it. I think with all the mods, and the attention to detail that the PO explained to me, I am pretty good with the '87 @ $2600. I do appreciate not having to do anything to ride the bike this spring.
 
Ktoby...link us to the CL postings if you would.

Price is subjective and has a lot to do with one's feelings about the perceived value. That said, I feel $2600 is a lot for a 1987 model. Granted it has some work done on it-- but most of that work is expected for a 30yo bike to be road worthy. You should consider depreciation of a 30 yo bike in your price calculations.

But whatever you choose, be happy with your choice, feel good about the money you spend and ofcourse the bike itself.
 
:)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) So I did the repair on my air box like SISF showed on video came out pretty good and then I was looking around on flebay for parts for bermit and I came across an air box of a 2003 connie so I bought it always good to have a spare around I opened the box and got two surprises one it had a K&N air filter in and and I got to looking at and I found this peice of foam it  with this big arrow on I beleive this is the foam that come from your two minute mod if im not mistaken SISF what a small world hahah
 

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Ktoby, I think the price is a little high too. Nice bike with some nice farkles. He seems like he did a lot of the maintenance, I would ask him if he would be willing to take off the tank, remove the plugs and measure the piston heights (with you there and an understanding of what a good height match is) to be assured it doesn't have a bent rod from a hydro lock event before laying out that amount of cash.
Good luck
 
Hello Everyone,

UPDATE: I bought the bike today. A little hard to drive in a snowstorm to go look at a bike and possibly buy it without riding it. First of all, I have to say that you honestly can tell when someone is selling you a piece of crap. I am truly thankful that I found this PO. Very professional and detail oriented gentleman. He has literally done everything right on this bike. I have NEVER heard a bike start as quickly and without effort as this bike did on a cold snowy morning (free power mod at work here). I have had quirky bikes before and this is NOT one. All of the anxiety about buying something bad were all washed away while I was going over the bike while it idled down in perfect chatter free form. Sure it is a 28 Year old bike, but I would guess that unless you can find a 28 year old bike that has no scratches or dings, I would be surprised if it can even match this one. I am glad I got it and someone else did not. I can assure you that this bike will fit my needs for a very long time which is exactly what I wanted. And by the way, it is the sexiest old school bike I have ever seen. I'll take some photos and post them here for you to see. Now I only hope I can take care of it half as well as the PO has. Thanks for everyone's help. I am now a proud Concours owner myself. It is beautiful.

Keith
 
Congratulations!!

Next; Snowmelt, Ride the bike, get to know it, Join the club,, Come ride with us!!!
NOTE: While waiting for Snow melt;  I suggest you go directly to Join the Club!!!

Ride safe, Ted
 
Welcome aboard and congrats. FWIW, I think you bought the better of the two bikes, all considered. Farkles are cool.

 
Well put Steve, I'd rather spend the money for piece of mind. Even if you spend a chunk of money, the bike you get in the end is well worth it. Just my 2 cents on the matter.

Mo
 
One thing I've learned...  do a little homework here (COG) and you'll probably spend
a lot more time riding, and a lot less time fixin' a broken bike.  I know my days on my Connie
have been a lot more enjoyable since I've found the right advice.

Ktoby, congrats on the 'new to you' Concours, and enjoy the ride!  :beerchug:
 
Thanks again for the advice and well wishes. Seems like since I bought it, the weather has turned for the worse. May not be able to ride until May at this rate. My wife's friends were giving her crap about "letting" me buy the bike. When she told me that I told her to tell them, it was a whole lot cheaper than the blonde I was looking at. She laughed and said she thought that was a great answer!!
 
"And by the way, it is the sexiest old school bike I have ever seen."

Ain't that the truth. Amen brother!  :great:
Marc
 
As a new owner of a 2003 Concours, I really appreciate everything you said.  Thanks!  (first day on COG forum -- awesome to have this resource!)
 
Become a COG member and come ride with us!
It gets even better...  :great:

You won't be disappointed!!!!

Ride safe, Ted
 
Mo said:
Well put Steve, I'd rather spend the money for piece of mind. Even if you spend a chunk of money, the bike you get in the end is well worth it. Just my 2 cents on the matter.

Mo
Click to expand...

I need to spend a lot of money to get a whole mind.  :D
 
Steve,

I'm brand new here, and brand new to the Concours. I looked thru old threads for my subject matter, but no luck. It's probably information that most already know, but here goes.

I'm having serious issues with seat height and peg/handlebar position. I have advanced RA,(worst in my hands), a fake knee, and the years have crept up,(60). I ordered some knee savers from Murph, but I need to lower the whole bike and raise the bars. I'm almost on tip toes, my knees can't take the stock position, and I have to get a more upright seating position.

Advice on the best mods to achieve this? I've only had the bike 3 days, and I really like it-other than the above. Please advise-and thanks.

Jamak
 
Jamak....first of all, welcome, heli bars are a good option for raising the bars, but they are pricey. Someone recently posted a pair for sale in the 'emporium' section. There are other ways and I am sure others will chime in. It would be a good idea to make a post in the c10 section. There is also an area for  "introductions'. I see you posted a separate thread about lowering the bike in the forum chat section, I have asked the moderator to move it to the appropriate place and I imagine it will end up in the suspension section in c10.  I'm not tryin to rag on you lol...just trying to help  ;)
 
Steve,

I just read an exchange between you & Colin about lowering links, or arms, for the Connie. This is the core of whether I'll keep this bike, or not. I need another 1" at least to be flat footed. But if Norm is out of business, it seems there's no alternative. Are there any other options? Lowering the seat just exacerbates the knee crunch. I already bought Murph's knee savers. Point me somewhere, if you can.
 
Wish I knew the answer.
As I recall, What Norm made was not lowering likes like those used on the C-10.
The lowering links for the C-14 (that I use) are built by Muzzy. Do a search there first.
Or just google C-10 Lower links ...

Here is another discussion you should see.
http://forum.cog-online.org/index.php/topic,58807.0/topicseen.html

Hopefully while your looking,,, someone will come up with a better answer than I can give you.

To get a quicker response; Go back to your original post and add, need to Lower my C-10.
That should get some quick response's...

Ride safe, Ted
 
Thanks for the info. I am looking at buying an 03 with 66,000 miles. Besides fluids and rubber, what else should I look at or ask the current owner about? This hydrolock is off putting to a prospective buyer.
 
Fletch said:
Thanks for the info. I am looking at buying an 03 with 66,000 miles. Besides fluids and rubber, what else should I look at or ask the current owner about? This hydrolock is off putting to a prospective buyer.
Click to expand...

If it makes you feel any better a lot of carburated bikes never had overflows and were subject to hydrolock....TWO things have to fail at the same time for it to occur, petcock And needle valve. Rust in the tank is one thing to look for that does cause this.
 
Rod is correct. I would go ahead and check for the usual stuff (leaks, rust, damage, etc.) you check for with any used bike. Do a google search and you will find plenty of info on that.

You can request a hydrolock test but I doubt the seller will be willing to open up the top end of his bike for that. Worth a try if it concerns you.


 
DC Concours said:
Rod is correct. I would go ahead and check for the usual stuff (leaks, rust, damage, etc.) you check for with any used bike. Do a google search and you will find plenty of info on that.

You can request a hydrolock test but I doubt the seller will be willing to open up the top end of his bike for that. Worth a try if it concerns you.
Click to expand...

The hydrolock test was a condition of sale when I bought mine...it isnt that tough, you can do it with just the Tank removed (and coils out of the way)
 
Unless you're buying a $200 basket case, a hydrolock check, or more preferable for me, a compression test, is not an unreasonable thing to ask. For me, no test, no sale.

 
I am a new C10 owner, picked up a 2000 in May as my daily commuter. I was looking for a bike that had been ridden but not abused. I have 4 other bikes in the garage but with a daily 100 mile round trip, through Los Angeles,  I needed something dependable, comfortable and narrower than my  Harley baggers. I found exactly what I set out to find. not quite 19K on the clock, ran perfect in really great shape new tire on the rear within 6 months and one on the front within 18 months. Service and valve adjustment within the last 6 months as well. I know these bikes tend to book for way less than they are worth so I plunked down 2400 and away I rode. I absolutely love this bike. Hopefully I can ride it for 2 years and do nothing but oil changes, tires and brake pads. 500 Miles a week will put me at 70k on the clock.  I do have a car but only drive it when I have to.
 
Moonshine said:
I am a new C10 owner, picked up a 2000 in May as my daily commuter. I was looking for a bike that had been ridden but not abused. I have 4 other bikes in the garage but with a daily 100 mile round trip, through Los Angeles,  I needed something dependable, comfortable and narrower than my  Harley baggers. I found exactly what I set out to find. not quite 19K on the clock, ran perfect in really great shape new tire on the rear within 6 months and one on the front within 18 months. Service and valve adjustment within the last 6 months as well. I know these bikes tend to book for way less than they are worth so I plunked down 2400 and away I rode. I absolutely love this bike. Hopefully I can ride it for 2 years and do nothing but oil changes, tires and brake pads. 500 Miles a week will put me at 70k on the clock.  I do have a car but only drive it when I have to.
Click to expand...
Do check the valves once in a while. And change coolant and hoses and o rings, oh my
 
this just came up, and I have to agree,
before a newb asks a qustion they think we should be able to solve, please take the time to outline everything we need...
bike year
miles
how long you owned it
how many miles you put on
what mods done prior
what mods you just made
what did you do just prior to the issue.....

what is your skill level
WillyP said:
Perhaps someone could write a tutorial on asking questions the smart way.

http://youtu.be/KeFoGo3N_4g
Click to expand...


this is what we get daily, please help US to help YOU...
 
Well I can see my choice to break my ZG1000 down and go over if not flat out replace anything that may cause an issue is a wise move. I need to look at the papers for the bike which I dont have right off hand so not sure of the year but I do know its a Concours ZG1000 with 45K miles, been laid down on each side by last owner and then sat for lord knows how long. Right out the gate it has a jammed/non functioning petcock and leaking on the number 2 carb from the left side.

Aside from fuel system issues the engine seems to be just in need of fluids being changed and maybe a good cleaning. I am glad that you said good looking old tires should be replaced. This was one aspect I surly over looked as both front and back look in good shape but were both low/flat after sitting so long, Will replace instead of risking it. I do look forward to any and all advice I can get on this bike. I owned a Ninja 900 some years ago but it was brand new and sold it before it ever had an issue so this will be my first restore of a bike.
 
Wow. What a GREAT bike Forum. Some are...some aren't. If all goes well tomorrow my Bike #14 will be a Connie, born in 1998. With NEW tires!! Since 1963, from Honda Super90 to Electra-Glides, to bad-ass; I liked all 13. Stand by. Locomotiveman Tom
 
Thanks for the advice. Just got my 2008 Concours, used from a dealer. Since she's been here, she's been in the garage. I plan on doing a good inspection followed by oil and filter change, air filter change, and change the final drive lube. I plan on taking care of this bike. I have a little experience, this is my third bike. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.
 
Art said:
Thanks for the advice. Just got my 2008 Concours, used from a dealer. Since she's been here, she's been in the garage. I plan on doing a good inspection followed by oil and filter change, air filter change, and change the final drive lube. I plan on taking care of this bike. I have a little experience, this is my third bike. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Don't forget the hydraulic fluids
 
Is a Murph's manual petcock conversion protection against hydro-lock?  I just bought my 06 C-10 with 25K miles from RobC a COG advocate.  He has done most of the items recommended here, but he didn't add overflow tubes.  Seems to me a manual petcock (and proper usage of it) eliminates the hydrolock concern, but please tell me what I'm missing if I'm wrong.
PS - love the post
 
aj,
The ONLY thing that eliminates a hydrolock situation is OVERFLOW TUBES. A hydrolock can occur if the bike doesn't start right away after you turn on the petcock.  A vacuum petcock is actually a better preventer since it doesn't, (normally), allow any fuel until a vacuum signal is present which means the bike is turning over before fuel is allowed to flow.

Short answer; GET THE TUBES!

Matt

Or you could just get a C14 and have fuel injection without those pesky petcocks and carbs!
 
ajsfirehawk said:
Is a Murph's manual petcock conversion protection against hydro-lock?  I just bought my 06 C-10 with 25K miles from RobC a COG advocate.  He has done most of the items recommended here, but he didn't add overflow tubes.  Seems to me a manual petcock (and proper usage of it) eliminates the hydrolock concern, but please tell me what I'm missing if I'm wrong.
PS - love the post
Click to expand...

The petcock is not the reason for a hydrolock.  a needle valve staying open in a carb is what allows fuel to
enter the cylinder.  If the needle valve is stuck open when you turn your manual petcock ON, the fuel will still
flow into the cylinder...  The needle valves can get stuck open while the petcock is off (DAMHIK).

Overflow tubes divert the fuel in the carb bowl, after your manual petcock let the gas in...  ;)
 
Thanks, I get it.  I accept how things work in the real world, not in a lab or in theory.  I'll put overflow tubes on my To Do list. The theory still interests me and I sense a gap.  Seems like the risk would be almost nonexistent  if one is actively managing the petcock you shut it off if you aren't cranking the engine.  Meaning The engine shouldn't crank long if it is in tune properly and with it spinning the carbs will be atomizing fuel because the vacuum is present.  The needle valve is suppose to shut off when the float comes up, but if it is binding or there is debris in the seat, it won't.  Got that.  But unless I let the bike sit, the gas flow while it isn't cranking, hard for me to imagine there would be such a volume of flow I'd be dumping raw fuel into the cylinders in a volume to cause hydro lock.

I actually bought the 06 Connie because i didn't want fuel injection.  I love it in my cars, but I have a $500 EFI Live program to to engine management and diagnostics.  I don't want to buy more software to work on my motorcycles or pay someone else to flash it. It is my old school line in the sand.  I bought the Connie because it isn't computer managed.  I've rebuilt a half dozen sets of carbs, I have an ultrasonic cleaner.  That doesn't make me an expert, but I'm not a complete neophyte. Bikes are my tinkering space.
 
ajsfirehawk said:
Thanks, I get it.  I accept how things work in the real world, not in a lab or in theory.  I'll put overflow tubes on my To Do list. The theory still interests me and I sense a gap.  Seems like the risk would be almost nonexistent  if one is actively managing the petcock you shut it off if you aren't cranking the engine.  Meaning The engine shouldn't crank long if it is in tune properly and with it spinning the carbs will be atomizing fuel because the vacuum is present.  The needle valve is suppose to shut off when the float comes up, but if it is binding or there is debris in the seat, it won't.  Got that.  But unless I let the bike sit, the gas flow while it isn't cranking, hard for me to imagine there would be such a volume of flow I'd be dumping raw fuel into the cylinders in a volume to cause hydro lock.

I actually bought the 06 Connie because i didn't want fuel injection.  I love it in my cars, but I have a $500 EFI Live program to to engine management and diagnostics.  I don't want to buy more software to work on my motorcycles or pay someone else to flash it. It is my old school line in the sand.  I bought the Connie because it isn't computer managed.  I've rebuilt a half dozen sets of carbs, I have an ultrasonic cleaner.  That doesn't make me an expert, but I'm not a complete neophyte. Bikes are my tinkering space.
Click to expand...

  Great theory, just never forget to shut off the petcock... oh, and the fuel needle valve springs,  hadn't thought of those... :-[ :-[  I see your point though, I have an ultrasonic cleaner, and have done a few sets of concours carbs too.

  A few hundred sets.

    ;) ;)

  Steve

 
 
I'm not arguing with real world experience, I actively solicited it.  I've just always asked 'why?'.  I'm crystal clear on the difference between and enthusiast and an expert.  I'm the former, not the latter.  Most importantly to me is the answer to the question: "What is the worst than can happen?" and the answer is catastrophic failure.  So some small certain damage to the checkbook doesn't stack up too well against the answer to that question.
 
  Probably EPA didn't want overflow tubes dumping fuel on the ground through the overflow tubes. Nix the overflow tubes! Hence the auto shut off so that would never happen when some dummy left his petcock on and the float needles failed. Guess they felt it was better to let the fuel run INTO the cyls and hydrolock the engine!! :mad:
 
ajsfirehawk said:
I've just always asked 'why?'.

 
Click to expand...

  I'm glad you wrote that. I've just always asked "why" too, and it's p*ssed people off ever since I was a little kid. Never meant to, often it was seen as being disobedient or argumentative. At this point I try to preface my questions so that folks understand I'm trying to learn, not just be a contentious, difficult  p. i. t. a.  ;) ;) ;) Steve
 
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