2001 Kawasaki W650

I've been looking for a new bike for a while and looking to upgrade...
there are two W650s (which I am rather keen on) on fleabay at the
moment, both around the £1200 mark with reserves not met. One has
15km on the clock: (http://tinyurl.com/3x54y3) the other (http://
tinyurl.com/2qh9ec) with a few mods - lower handlebars, altered
filters, noiser silencers and a few scrapes has 77,000 miles (!).

What would be the realistic sale price for these two shinier bikes?
Parkers list them at £2500 or thereabouts for private dealer down to
£1800 for private poor.

Also what would the trade in value on a suzuki GN 125? 1999/T reg, few
scratches on the tank, engine could do with a clean, about 8 months
MOT left on it, quite a bit of pitting on the exhaust (which was re-
welded on the last MOT). Would prefer a PX rather than private sale
to get the money out and put towards something newer and shinier, in
time for the nice weather.

Any input appreciated (even of the 'why not a bonnie?' variety).

 

I quite like the looks of these bikes
--

www.ratrodz.co.uk

XJ900 Trike ** GS850 Trike
XV1000 TR1 Chop

[Rot 13 it]

Some people are like slinkys....
no real use but it makes you smile when they fall down stairs!

 

BORG said:

No-one can accuse you of failing to help.

 

Yeah they are nice aren't they...I'm looking for something with a bit
more grunt than what I'm currently riding (which shouldn't be
difficult), comfy enough for long-ish runs but nothing to scare the
shit out of me.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Simes

Is this a new rule? When was the vote?

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

That dear old chap, Wicked tugged on his old shag and said:

Last wednesday. About teatime.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Simes

Oh bugger.

<thread swerve>

You wouldn't have a spare Pan ABS/TCS rear caliper and bracket about
your person, I suppose?

Mine's started sticking *again*, and I can only conclude that after
105,000 miles it's a bit tired and shagged-out. The pistons seem free
enough, so I think it must be the sliding pins that are past their best.

I'm going to ring that nice Mr Silver tomorrow, just for a laugh, then
I'm going to start calling round breakers.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

Oi ! Thats enough of that!!!!

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, ST

NAHAY?

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

That dear old chap, Wicked tugged on his old shag and said:

Oddly I haven't...

The only time mine stuck (settle down at the back) was when the pins
were covered in shite. Whip out the pads and grease (coppaslip is what
I use) the slidy bits - the bolt that locates the caliper (the 14mm
headed one on the swing arm etc) and that usually sorts it.

Nah - it's fucked - I'll take it off your hands for a tenner - if you
deliver.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Simes

BTDT. Here's a funny thing, though. The caliper bracket is gripped quite
tightly between the spindle and the bearing spacer in the wheel when the
spindle bolt is tight, yes? So there's no radial play in it.

So the 14mm headed pin ends up pressed quite tightly against one side of
its orifice. So it can't slide very well, even if it's greased. Now,
that's OK, since it's attached to the caliper bracket, and quite clearly
that can't move sideways, can it?

So why does it *look* like it ought to slide? ;^)

I may get back to you on that.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

That dear old chap, Wicked tugged on his old shag and said:

That's Mr Honda's bit of fun. Every bike has one.

The caliper itself slides on little hidded pins IIRC. They stick and
make the 'inside' pad bind. You need to take the whole caliper off and
clean until you can clean no more...

Then have hours of fun bleeding the bugger.

This is a time limited offer - don't delay, reply today.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Simes

Yep, I've done that. I think they're just worn to the point that they're
not playing any more. If it was just the pins, I'd have a go at making
new ones, but the bores will be fucked too, and sleeving them falls
under "waaaay too much like hard work". Time to spend some money.

Amusingly, I just checked the HBoL and it says that Honda recommend
changing the caliper stopper bolt every time it's removed. Uh-huh, yeah
right. I might treat it to a new one this time though.

Oh yes. Having said that, a Mityvac does make it a bit easier.

Oooh, pressure. I *hate* pressure.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

That dear old chap, Wicked tugged on his old shag and said:

On the bright side, the scrappers have more bikes with fucked front
ends than they do with fucked rears. So you stand a good chance of
getting the wole assembly for a few bob.

Indeed. TBH it doesn't look like the sort of flimsy thing that's going
to fail too often does it?

So will your brake system after you take the caliper off.

 

Parkers is well optimistic as regards private prices. You can get a
decent one for £1500 privately, and a corker for £2k. Both the ones you
list are from traders, and I would not touch either (one's a grey import
and the other is a shed).

A dealer wouldn't be interested. It sounds a bit of a shonker. Any 125
with a valid MoT will sell on Ebay, though. Sounds like £450-500 worth
privately.

 

On a performance per £ basis, there are *a lot* of better choices.

 

I quite like the look of those calipers

 

That dear old chap, Spete tugged on his old shag and said:

Nice one centurian.

 

Privately it is then. Its not in great nick to be fair so that price
range sounds about right.

Ive had a look on auto trader for W650s' (I know, I know - previous
comments taken on board) and most are over 2500 (some up to 3000) -
all with traders. There is one for 2k in bradford with 22k miles on
it which looks interesting - might follow that up.

I was suprised to find the 3rd party insurance was only £200 with
auntie carol, given the pikey area I live in.

What are the things to look out for (bearing in mind I have a level of
mechanical fuckwittedness probably far in excess of most people on
here) if buying through a trader?

Again any help appreciated.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Simes

I've just got off the phone from Uncle David. £300-ish complete,
bracket, caliper, pistons, seals, nipples, the whole deal.

<small wince>

**** it, it's only money. Two weeks delivery. At least I'll have a
working rear brake.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer