Hi.......howdy all
Well, I'm a newbie here and a potential convert from Buell...............considering purchasing an 87 model softail but have a few concerns. Took it for a test run today.
The bike's been sitting for many months (maybe around 5 or 6) and the owner had drained out the fuel from the carbie. So I'm suspecting that may have caused some issues with seals? Anyway under power, it chugs along fine. However, , it doesn'tt want to idle and when coasting down a slight grade or with throttle just open slightly the engine runs terrible..........farts and coughs back up through the intake, pops through the exhaust. Turning though a roundabout, feels like it's going to cough and stall when opening the throttle to power out from the turn.
My thoughts come back to the carbie, most likely needs pulling down, cleaning and resealing. I'm not keen on buying something that I'll be spending all my spare time working on rather than riding. Any seasoned owners out there got some tips.........advice to offer?
Cheers
Kuz
Thanx Mickle
Welcome Kuz , like Mickle said , easy job to fix and tune carby , once done should run well without constant fettling .
Welcome
Well I'm gonna be different to everyone else and instead tell you that you don't know the seller, and you dont know the bike. Also 87 is a pretty old bike these days! So when purchasing something old and secondhand you should always be wary and consider "worst case scenario". I'd also wanna know why the bike has been left sitting unused for so long....is the owner aware of a problem with the bike, which is why he stopped riding it?
A Harley Davidson is a big investment. How much do you know about them, how mechanically savvy are you, how much are you risking on this deal if it turns pear shaped?
If you're not sure about the bike:
1) Give him a small holding deposit to seal a deal, on the condition that the seller to get it into the shop to have it repaired at his expense before sale.....then you'll give him his asking price when the bike is seen to be running fine
2) Ask the seller to get it into the shop, you'll cover the cost of any repairs, but they'll then be deducted from whatever his asking price is
3) Get an independant mechanical inspection prior to sale, then negotiate a more fair price, based on any faults or problems which appear in the report
4) Walk away and buy something that IS running properly....there's always plenty of bikes out there
Why doi I say this?.......coz I've just been through the same thing myself on an old 87 model bike.
I purchased a secondhand bike that was breathing a bit of oil and idling a little quick, yet it seemed to run just fine on test ride. The owner told me it was no problem, that the bike has just been serviced, and maybe the oil tank was slightly overfilled,...........yet when asked, the seller wasn't willing to have any issues with the bike looked at or adressed prior to sale, he just wanted it sold as he was moving interstate (so he said).
Instead of taking his word that it's just something simple like an overfilled oil tank, I considered that at WORST it could require a top end rebuild, so I negotiated a suitable sale purchase price based on my "worst case scenario" expectations........turns out the problem wasn't so simple, and the bike DID need a top end rebuild, PLUS a new ignition system, but by not trusting the seller and negotiating the price right down based on my scepticism of the unknown, I saved enough on the purchase price to cover the cost of those repairs.
For my money, if I'm selling something I want it polished up and running fine ready for a buyer, so that I get top dollar for it. If there were a small problem or it just needed a tune, I'd have it fixed and ready for sale prior to any inspection.
If I buy something that isn't polished up and running fine, I'd have to ask myself why isn't this seller the same as me when he sells something, and what is the seller trying to hide from me? Doesn't he want top dollar for his bike? Is it something worse than he's telling me? Am I buying his problems? Does the sale price reflect the condition?
Trust no-one mate! If you're not sure, then the bike needs to be checked over to see exactly what's wrong, and exactly what the bike is actually worth!
It doesn't cost much for a mechanical inspection and compression test, and maybe it's a few dollars well spent for peace of mind, before forking out all your hard earned on a bike that isn't running quite right!
Whatever you decide, or whatever deal you come up with, get everything in writing............no longer can you rely on a nod and a handshake (that doesn't stand up legally).
Thanks for the reply Ranger and thanks to everyone for the welcome........
I have taken into consideration some of the points you raised Ranger. I and appreciate you being the devils deciple......gets me thinking about my decision.
My current ride is an XB12Ss Buell. Two days after I purchased though a private seller, the top end blew up. Some investigating revealed history on the bike and I eventually discovered the reason why the rear cylinder chewed the top land on the piston and threw shrapnel into the combustion chamber, causing the exhaust valve to stick open, coming into contact with the piston.......what a mess!!!!
I ended up fixing that.......and yes, I am mechanically savvy.
The Softail has been sitting (covered up and on a stand) for a number of years, the one and only owner passed away and it's been in possession of his brother in law since. Long story short..............I spotted it in his garage during a visit and jokingly suggested he should sell it to me. Actually, I first suggested he should let me it take it for a run, clean out the cobwebs. To my surprise, he said sure. It's not been ridden for a couple of years and could do with a good run.
I've since spoken with the local independent mechanic that specialises in HD. He's serviced the bike since new and even mentioned himself that it's not been ridden for many years. I discussed the rough running issue with him and his first thought is the carby. Basically, his words were..... "at that price, you won't go wrong". And, I believe it is a good price.
There's an electrical issue as well, which the present "carer" has had a sparkie check out. Turns out the starter is a little lazy, so he's getting the sparkie to fix that up. The bike has a new battery fitted and the sparkie tested the charging system. It's in what I would call "good" condition for a 27 year old machine. The spokes and rims have some surface corrosion on the chrome; needs a new front tyre, brake rotors will need to be replaced (or machined) and some other cosmetic stuff.........like a new throttle cable. There's 43000k's on the odometer and here's a couple of pics.......
Kuzzo, seems everything checks out if you do know the owner, you do know the history, you have a mechanic to also back that history up, and the price is right.
Good luck and happy trails!
