What should I do with my bike?

[Bill_on_a_bike]

Bike was still chugging out quite a hefty cloud of blue smoke, so I took it to a garage yesterday.

This monring they phoned me up to say that it's the piton rings / a wore bore that's letting the oil through, almost as I expected really. They didn't quote me as such for fixing this, but said it would be much more than the bike's worth anyway. I can completely believe this.

Although I should be worrying about exams and stuff, fact is, i'm not, i'm worrying about my next bike. I did not get my liscence to look at a smoke old 125 in my garden.

so, my options are:

A) Fix it myself

All I can do is replace the rings, so if they bore's nackered this might not even help. It'll take me a good days solid work I'd have thought, and i'll have to hunt down another lend of a torque wrench.

B) Sell it

Cut my losses and sell it for whatever someone will pay, which proabbly isn't much. On that note, the bike's in alright condition, the main issues apart from the oil are a front mud guard held together with fiberglass resin, and a starter button made of a bolt and some duct tape. What sort of price am I looking at here for this thing? £200 maybe?

I've taken this engine apart twice already, and it's been sitting in my garden not being ridden for weeks, frankly i'm sick of the sight of it, but if people think replacing the rings might do the trick, it might be worth a days work to get a few more quid for it.

Cheers for opinions guys.

Edited May 13, 2009 by Bill_on_a_bike

[wiffers]

I'd cut losses and get rid mate.

Can't you strip and sell on ebay as bits?

Tyres, fairing, seat, wheels etc ... engine ... surely people will pay for bits like that?

[Bill_on_a_bike]

Probably get more money that way, but I don't have the time to pull it all apart or the space to keep all the bits seperately.

[cyberwolf]

the bike got to the point were you always be spending to keep it going

i say sell it and let it be someone else problem

[wiffers]

Put it another (logical) way ... let's just say your bike will sell for £200 as it stands.

Assume you have no bike, and I came up to you tomorrow trying to sell you your bike for £200. I say "hey bill_on_a_bike, I have this bike, only £200. The engine is a bit shot, but do it up and make yourself a few bob"

Would you take it, or leave it?

If you'd leave it, then there is your answer. £200 is better than the bike. So you should get rid.

Surely you wont need that uch space to strip and sell. Do it but by bit, and take bits off as they sell

[PhatDad]

I'm not sure what the bike is but if it's a common 125 then can't you just buy a new engine for cheaper than it would be to fix it?

Then sell it.

[zzr lon]

shame you don't live near me as its an hours work to fit a set of rings and 2 hrs if the valve seals are shot and £15-£30 worth of bits so have you got a handy mate local who will do the job for a few tinnies as that is the student way.

and if you can get it to run half decent then you will get another year out of it.

never been a student but ive been down to my last penny so worth the gamble as having some transport is better than none good luck bill

[Guest]

if it was me... cut your losses Bill. If its doing ya head in, get rid.

Then you can focus on getting your exams .... or next bike ....

[Bill_on_a_bike]

Yeah, tbh I tihnk i'm going to sell it. I won't get as much for it as I might do with it fixed, but it's so much effort to get it all sorted, even doing the work myself.

She's been good to me this bike, it's a shame about this. ho hum, onwards and upwards.

[Stu]

get prices for new piston and liner and rings and all the other bits you will need

you will need to get it over bored liner installed it will be an interference fit so will have to be done in a shop they arent that expensive though

weigh up the costs of each before you decide you mind find its a lot cheaper to do it yourself if you have the right tools and not having to buy them look through your repair manual and see what the job entails

[Guest]

Well bill it needs a re,bore and oversize piston and rings . 1st 2nd or 3rd oversize depending on the damage to your barrels . Doing the strip down and rebuild is an easy job to do yourself if you have the tools . find out what the parts are going to cost + the re,bore ( dont forget gaskets ) . .try scrapies /e/bay .for the bitts piston -rings -+-barrel . Then work out is it worth the touble doing it . Theres something to think about here dude ! . Sort it yourself and not only is the feeling you get when you start it up again Brilliant but you can then sell it on soon after ,for your next bike ............ Or strip it sell it bit by bit and thats just a pain in the arse . . There is allways the 3rd option

[Stu]

There is allways the 3rd option

 

i think thats for pm and not for public view (if we are on the same wave length )

[Colin the Bear]

http://www.partfinderukltd.com/?gclid=C ... 5QodpDG2cw

http://www.bike-breakers.info/

Have a look on here for a replacement engine. Shouldn't be too hard to replace a 125 unit. No great weight. It'll be easier to stick a different engine in , then you can do up the old engine in your own time no pressure.

Hard to sell a knackered bike. Easy to sell a good runner with a spare engine.

The skills you'll pick up will stand you in good stead for all your motoring life.

Any tools you can't pick up at the car boot you can hire.

Following a manual for the first time and having the engine fire up is a feeling money can't buy

[Guest]

[Bill_on_a_bike]

I've stripped the head off and down on this bike twice, and i tell you I almost passed out when it fired back up.

It's an idea doing the engine swap, depending on the price of an engine.

Cheers for having a bit of faith in my mechanicing ability guys, it's quite uplifting.

[Stu]

Cheers for having a bit of faith in my mechanicing ability guys, it's quite uplifting.

 

with the right tools and a manual anyone can do it its just following the steps

if you have already had the head off twice then you will be fine doing majority of things

[Guest]

I've stripped the head off and down on this bike twice, and i tell you I almost passed out when it fired back up.

It's an idea doing the engine swap, depending on the price of an engine.

Cheers for having a bit of faith in my mechanicing ability guys, it's quite uplifting.

 

You seem far too mature, and know far too much about mechanics for your age You know you should think about doing some kind of mechanical engineering... by the sounds of it you'd excel.

I'd break it for parts though and get something else (got you're license yea?) Something bigger.

[Bill_on_a_bike]

MNO, 3 guesses what i'm doing (hopefully) at uni next year.

http://www.eng.bham.ac.uk/mechanical/

Can't wait either

[Guest]

MNO, 3 guesses what i'm doing (hopefully) at uni next year.

http://www.eng.bham.ac.uk/mechanical/

Can't wait either

 

Best of luck.

Can I come?

[MrOrange]

id ditch it, like others have said, it sounds like its reached the point where its just going to be a hole in the ground for you to throw what money you have into and distract you from your exams...

she's been good to you, dont let it end on a sour note - im sure there's some budding mechanic out there who wouldnt mind a tinker or sell for parts, so i think you will get a sale, at least its 200quid in your back pocket to go for a new bike...mb put an advert in your local rag and school, see what response you get, mb even go visit your local bike mechanics and see if any of them will take her off your hands for a suitable sum? just my 2cents so to say ....