Author Topic: Latest Barn (ok garage) Find (Read 10089 times)

BPRM · « **on:** May 13, 2015, 06:26:53 PM »

While at and older guys house (and by older I mean 80++) I saw this bike sitting up against the wall with a walker sitting on it. I had seen it years before and never thought anything about it. Almost half joking I said "If you want to get rid of that let me know". He came back with "$5000 and take it away". It looked new with nubs still on the tires so I gave him some cash and took it home. When I put in a battery and turned the key the odometer read 2 miles! It's a 2008 XL1200 Custom and while I never thought that I would own a Harley I actually like riding it. Its got gobs of torque and doesn't vibrate as much as I expected. Will I keep it? Well at least for the summer. Down side, Griso might not get ridden as much.
No Do Rag and no Douche-Bag fingerless gloves (although I do have an old set of chaps).

balvenie · « **Reply #1 on:** May 13, 2015, 06:36:46 PM »

Nice colour ;D

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #2 on:** May 13, 2015, 06:37:59 PM »

I actually like Sportsters. Kind of. <looking around for a paper bag> ;D
Pretty bike.. ;-T

jbell · « **Reply #3 on:** May 13, 2015, 06:46:41 PM »

Nice looking bike and sounds like a great price. I think in '07 Harley went to rubber/anti-vibration engine mounts.

tiger_one · « **Reply #4 on:** May 13, 2015, 06:48:26 PM »

Moral to the story, need to meet more older men!

BPRM · « **Reply #5 on:** May 13, 2015, 06:54:48 PM »

Isn't this what your supposed to have on the back.

Spuddy · « **Reply #6 on:** May 13, 2015, 07:34:32 PM »

Very cool. Good on you...

kern16 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 13, 2015, 07:39:04 PM »

GREAT Find!
Oh by the way what is the Green Bike next to it?

Bonafide Bob · « **Reply #8 on:** May 13, 2015, 07:50:30 PM »

Nice find, I like Sportsters, but at 6,3'' I don't fit them.
Bob

Lannis · « **Reply #9 on:** May 13, 2015, 08:08:49 PM »

Quote from: Bonafide Bob on May 13, 2015, 07:50:30 PM

Nice find, I like Sportsters, but at 6,3'' I don't fit them.
Bob

At 6'2", I'd fit it, but only if the controls were back where the passenger pegs are now, and not out by the front wheel .... !

Lannis

Bonafide Bob · « **Reply #10 on:** May 13, 2015, 08:16:48 PM »

Quote from: Lannis on May 13, 2015, 08:08:49 PM

At 6'2", I'd fit it, but only if the controls were back where the passenger pegs are now, and not out by the front wheel .... !

Lannis

I had one I raced on dirt track back in the early 60's, it seemed to fit me way back then.;-)

BPRM · « **Reply #11 on:** May 13, 2015, 08:31:06 PM »

It has been tough getting used to the forward controls, but I have to say that it's kind of comfortable once you're stretched out.

The green bike.

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=72191.msg1123538#msg1123538

kern16 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 13, 2015, 09:21:32 PM »

I missed that somehow.........rea lly glad I asked because I love it!
Haven't figured out your exhaust yet. What's the black webbing on the end?

56Pan · « **Reply #13 on:** May 13, 2015, 09:27:06 PM »

Please tell me you're not going to put ape hangers on it.

earemike · « **Reply #14 on:** May 14, 2015, 04:29:25 AM »

Nice find!

lrutt · « **Reply #15 on:** May 14, 2015, 06:34:31 AM »

2006 on they had rubber mounted motors. My wife has an 06 like that. Is a nice bike and hauls down the road pretty good.

2 miles, I can't fathom how a bike could have so little miles, but then these new bikes only register when the key is on vs older bikes.

Still...

leafman60 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 14, 2015, 07:08:48 AM »

You made a lucky score on that bike!

Was the former owner of sound mind?

Many years ago an elderly gent was going to give me a '56 Thunderbird V8 convertible and spare top for me to "clean out" an old warehouse where the dusty car was stored. Overnight, I determined three things- 1. I could not take such a thing from someone unaware of it's value. 2. I could not pay anything near what the car was worth. 3. My lucky boat ride would pass me by.

The next morning at his office, before I could inform him of my self-reflections, he made everything moot by saying his son from Massachusetts hit the roof about losing the car and was en route to Alabama to retrieve it.

BPRM · « **Reply #17 on:** May 14, 2015, 09:16:24 AM »

Just a couple quick replies;
The exhaust covers were made to look like machine gun barrels, I took perforated metal and cut the width based on a 2.5 inch circle using that pi thing we were taught in school. Then put it through a roller to get it started on being round. I then put it around a 2.5 pipe pulling it together with vicegrips and welded it in a few places. I then made a tapered piece to go inside so I could hammer it round at the ends & made the little ring that holds it in place.

Ape hangers will not be installed, in fact the only custom bling is tire valve caps. It's going to stay stock.

He had it delivered to his house, fell and injured his hip and said he never felt like he had his balance back. So it just sat there gathering dust.

I was there changing out a wall heater and we had done work there before so he knew who I was and appreciated us fixing his stuff. He had been a very high paid corporate lawyer and for sure didn't need the money.

56Pan · « **Reply #18 on:** May 14, 2015, 10:10:29 AM »

Quote from: leafman60 on May 14, 2015, 07:08:48 AM

You made a lucky score on that bike!

Was the former owner of sound mind?

Many years ago an elderly gent was going to give me a '56 Thunderbird V8 convertible and spare top for me to "clean out" an old warehouse where the dusty car was stored. Overnight, I determined three things- 1. I could not take such a thing from someone unaware of it's value. 2. I could not pay anything near what the car was worth. 3. My lucky boat ride would pass me by.

The next morning at his office, before I could inform him of my self-reflections, he made everything moot by saying his son from Massachusetts hit the roof about losing the car and was en route to Alabama to retrieve it.

That took character. Haven't seen a lot of that lately.

Lannis · « **Reply #19 on:** May 14, 2015, 12:33:36 PM »

Quote from: leafman60 on May 14, 2015, 07:08:48 AM

You made a lucky score on that bike!

Was the former owner of sound mind?

Many years ago an elderly gent was going to give me a '56 Thunderbird V8 convertible and spare top for me to "clean out" an old warehouse where the dusty car was stored. Overnight, I determined three things- 1. I could not take such a thing from someone unaware of it's value. 2. I could not pay anything near what the car was worth. 3. My lucky boat ride would pass me by.

The next morning at his office, before I could inform him of my self-reflections, he made everything moot by saying his son from Massachusetts hit the roof about losing the car and was en route to Alabama to retrieve it.

It's hard to know what to do in a situation like that. If the owner is of sound mind, and would get pleasure out of giving something to a fellow enthusiast "just because", then there's nothing wrong with taking it. In that case, it might be more "wrong" to let some grasping, interfering child holler that it "should" belong to "him" and he can't give it away even thought it belongs to Dad ....

If the owner is a confused recent widow, and has, say, a nice V7 Sport that she just thinks is "that old motorcycle that's been in the shed for 20 years", then you've got a duty to let her understand what it's worth, and if you have to pass on it, you have to pass on it. She MIGHT say "I appreciate you letting me know about it, but I'd much rather just sell it to you right now for $1000 and you just take it away and I don't have to worry about it, I don't need the money and the kids will just fight over it and I'll never clear it out .....".

Or it can go the other way. Us BSA guys found a nice stock unmolested '62 BSA 650 Star in a barn when someone's Grandpa died, hadn't been ridden in 25 years, all dusty and dirty but straight, not rusty, and had some nice BSA accessories with it. It would need a complete going-through down to the sludge trap so was probably a $1800 - $2000 bike at the time. But the kids (who were full of 'American Picker' fake B.S.) got to Grandma and told her "That's a valuable collectable motorcycle, don't you let some slicker talk you out of it, don't you take a dime less than $8,000 for it ...". So they advertised it for her for $8,000, and of course everyone avoided it like it had a stinger in its tail. Some of the guys talked to her, but she stuck to the $8,000.

So a guy went to the house with a truck and trailer after about 6 months. By this time she'd "seen the light" and knew a little more about the market for old BSAs than she did before. He flashed out $1800, she took it with no fuss and bother, and the deal was done.

You just have to be honest about it, either way ....

Lannis

krglorioso · « **Reply #20 on:** May 15, 2015, 12:05:35 AM »

The foot controls can be moved rearward, but can the engine be rotated 90 degrees? Actually, a damn nice bike in all respects. Ride it like you stole it--because you did!

Ralph

cruzziguzzi · « **Reply #21 on:** May 15, 2015, 02:46:24 PM »

Nice ride for $5,000. I'da popped for it too if the bike fit a notch and quality/well priced Sportsters seem to always fit somewhere.

This week from a single estate sale - fella kicked in the middle of living a planned early retirement - I scored a 1971 GMC 3/4 ton with a 396 (yee haaa!), a Triumph Silver Jubilee and a 2011 Harley Fat Boy with only 1005 miles.

Selling the Harley (Fat Boy!?!... Really?) financed keeping the other two but I think in all reality that the '77 Triumph is on the block too.

Loves me some estate sales and generally don't concern myself with the circumstances in legitimate sales.

I'd sure love to have that later tank and rubberized engine on my 2003. I loathe my craptacular "peanut" tank.

Todd.

StaysCrunchy · « **Reply #22 on:** May 15, 2015, 03:08:07 PM »

Those are nice bikes. I had a 2006 XL1200C identical to yours (aside from the color) and I enjoyed riding it quite a bit. Comfortable, gobs of torque, and I just think it's a very good looking machine. (And no, I never donned the full "Sons of Anarchy" costume on when I was riding it lol)

HDGoose · « **Reply #23 on:** May 15, 2015, 04:00:58 PM »

I don't fit 'proper' on any motorcycle. I was told I made my ElectraGlide look like a Sportster with bags.

I like Sportsters.

LaGrasta · « **Reply #24 on:** May 15, 2015, 04:16:02 PM »

Terrific score. It was my '98 Sportster that confirmed V Twins for me, they are my forever favorite power plant.

boatdetective · « **Reply #25 on:** May 15, 2015, 04:45:07 PM »

What a tasteful, restrained, classic looking ride. Good on you.

lucian · « **Reply #26 on:** May 15, 2015, 06:04:06 PM »

Love to hear the whole story behind the two miles on the clock. Nice find .

MotoGoosy · « **Reply #27 on:** May 15, 2015, 06:34:21 PM »

Actually, 2004 was the first year for rubber-mount on Sporties.

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Author Topic: Latest Barn (ok garage) Find (Read 10089 times)

BPRM

BPRM

BPRM

56Pan

BPRM

56Pan

StaysCrunchy

LaGrasta

MotoGoosy