New member, and a question about a Harley
#1
06-07-2011 | 04:55 PM
New member, and a question about a Harley
Hello everyone! This is my first post. I'm about to buy a new or slightly used Harley so I've been meaning to start an account here. This will not be my first bike, but it will be my first Harley!
Now, I have a question. I have a chance to buy a running, ride-able 1971 HD for like 1500 dollars. Would it be worth getting to maybe fix up and flip? I think I could make at least a thousand bucks off of it. It would sure be nice to have an extra thousand to put down on my new one! I'm still torn between street bob, road kind, and softail deluxe.
Thanks for the info, and I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone!
-heath
Now, I have a question. I have a chance to buy a running, ride-able 1971 HD for like 1500 dollars. Would it be worth getting to maybe fix up and flip? I think I could make at least a thousand bucks off of it. It would sure be nice to have an extra thousand to put down on my new one! I'm still torn between street bob, road kind, and softail deluxe.
Thanks for the info, and I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone!
-heath
#5
06-08-2011 | 06:31 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,636
Likes: 2,291
From: Decatur, Alabama
The only way you're going to make money on that 1971 HD is if you buy it for $1,500 and sell it to someone for more without touching it. If it needs anything done to it at all, you will not even make back what you've put into it.
I'll take a guess and say it's been sitting either in a garage or a barn for a number of years. Bare minimum it's going to need this:
tires/tubes
the carb is gunked up and it will need rebuilding, tank is rusted on the inside, petcock needs to be replaced
New battery
oil, plugs,points, the usual maintenance items
I bet the chain is shot
Guess how much all that costs? If you can't do all the work yourself you don't want to know what shop rates are. Hookers are cheaper.
If you can get it started it's going to leak oil so be prepared for some gasket replacement. Not big dollars, just time.
The clutch is going to stick the first time you try and ride it. That may or may not be an expensive repair.
I'm assuming that you are going to get lucky and the transmission is in good working order. I'll also take a guess that there isn't anything wrong with the motor other than sitting around and you know what to do to it prior to that first startup.
Old bikes are a labor of love. The only people who make money flipping them are those who are in the business of doing just that. You will be much better off to either pass on it or buy it and make it your second bike because you are going to be doing more wrenching than riding. I'd buy it but I've already got two dinosaurs of my own.
If you decide to buy it anyway, post up some pics, get the factory service manual, and have at it. Lots of support here.
I'll take a guess and say it's been sitting either in a garage or a barn for a number of years. Bare minimum it's going to need this:
tires/tubes
the carb is gunked up and it will need rebuilding, tank is rusted on the inside, petcock needs to be replaced
New battery
oil, plugs,points, the usual maintenance items
I bet the chain is shot
Guess how much all that costs? If you can't do all the work yourself you don't want to know what shop rates are. Hookers are cheaper.
If you can get it started it's going to leak oil so be prepared for some gasket replacement. Not big dollars, just time.
The clutch is going to stick the first time you try and ride it. That may or may not be an expensive repair.
I'm assuming that you are going to get lucky and the transmission is in good working order. I'll also take a guess that there isn't anything wrong with the motor other than sitting around and you know what to do to it prior to that first startup.
Old bikes are a labor of love. The only people who make money flipping them are those who are in the business of doing just that. You will be much better off to either pass on it or buy it and make it your second bike because you are going to be doing more wrenching than riding. I'd buy it but I've already got two dinosaurs of my own.
If you decide to buy it anyway, post up some pics, get the factory service manual, and have at it. Lots of support here.
#6
06-08-2011 | 07:30 AM
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,881
Likes: 32
From: USA
The only way you're going to make money on that 1971 HD is if you buy it for $1,500 and sell it to someone for more without touching it. If it needs anything done to it at all, you will not even make back what you've put into it.
I'll take a guess and say it's been sitting either in a garage or a barn for a number of years. Bare minimum it's going to need this:
tires/tubes
the carb is gunked up and it will need rebuilding, tank is rusted on the inside, petcock needs to be replaced
New battery
oil, plugs,points, the usual maintenance items
I bet the chain is shot
Guess how much all that costs? If you can't do all the work yourself you don't want to know what shop rates are. Hookers are cheaper.
If you can get it started it's going to leak oil so be prepared for some gasket replacement. Not big dollars, just time.
The clutch is going to stick the first time you try and ride it. That may or may not be an expensive repair.
I'm assuming that you are going to get lucky and the transmission is in good working order. I'll also take a guess that there isn't anything wrong with the motor other than sitting around and you know what to do to it prior to that first startup.
Old bikes are a labor of love. The only people who make money flipping them are those who are in the business of doing just that. You will be much better off to either pass on it or buy it and make it your second bike because you are going to be doing more wrenching than riding. I'd buy it but I've already got two dinosaurs of my own.
If you decide to buy it anyway, post up some pics, get the factory service manual, and have at it. Lots of support here.
I'll take a guess and say it's been sitting either in a garage or a barn for a number of years. Bare minimum it's going to need this:
tires/tubes
the carb is gunked up and it will need rebuilding, tank is rusted on the inside, petcock needs to be replaced
New battery
oil, plugs,points, the usual maintenance items
I bet the chain is shot
Guess how much all that costs? If you can't do all the work yourself you don't want to know what shop rates are. Hookers are cheaper.
If you can get it started it's going to leak oil so be prepared for some gasket replacement. Not big dollars, just time.
The clutch is going to stick the first time you try and ride it. That may or may not be an expensive repair.
I'm assuming that you are going to get lucky and the transmission is in good working order. I'll also take a guess that there isn't anything wrong with the motor other than sitting around and you know what to do to it prior to that first startup.
Old bikes are a labor of love. The only people who make money flipping them are those who are in the business of doing just that. You will be much better off to either pass on it or buy it and make it your second bike because you are going to be doing more wrenching than riding. I'd buy it but I've already got two dinosaurs of my own.
If you decide to buy it anyway, post up some pics, get the factory service manual, and have at it. Lots of support here.
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