Bike not used for years

[knapdog]

Took my RT in for its first annual service yesterday and mentioned that I was possibly looking for a 500/600 cc to restore as a winter project .
Well at that moment they had a '02 Suzuki SV650 in the workshop, that a lady had brought in, with only 5600 miles on it that they were trying to prepare for an mot.
Now I've discovered that this bike has been laying idle for the last 11 years in her garage and once mot passed, she wants to sell it.
They've had to take the tank off and reseal as it was full of rust, the brakes were seized, the downpipe is in a bit of a state and they've cleaned the carb. The tyres have minimum but legal tread. The forks are pitted but the frame is fine and the bike overall is not too bad visually.
She doesn't want it serviced such as change the oil etc but just the minimum to get through the mot.
I wonder how much bmw will be charging her for the work and what she'll want for it, but I've told them that when the bike is ready, to ask the owner to give me a ring.
The question I ask is, apart from what I can see needs doing, what hidden problems arise from a bike such ad this that has been neglected for the last eleven years?









I now need to decide what my offer is going to be.

[wightegi]

No step away in its short life it has an aftermarket end can and rust in the tank. Get a GS500 more fun and cheaper.

[knapdog]

No step away in its short life it has an aftermarket end can and rust in the tank. Get a GS500 more fun and cheaper.

I don't think that's an aftermarket can, plus they've recommissioned the tank.

[bikerbaker]

Looks pretty good from the pics, its obviously been dry stored. From my own experience reg/rec can give problems but my K1 is on 26,000. Fork legs all pit and are easily rubbed down with fine grit emery, wire wool and then polished/laquered or sprayed. Parts are plentiful and there is a quite good Forum (http://forums.sv650.org/) not SVRider as this is mainly US based.
As you say, work done by a BMW dealer is never cheap but hopefully you could pick up a bargain. A lot of people prefer the K1/K2 "Curvy to the K3 onwards "Pointy" and the naked version is more sought after than the bikini faired S models as a lot of them are being streetfightered. I am toying with the idea of doing this to my K6 as it needs a new fairing and for the cost of this I could do a twin headlight version with straight bars.
All in all, in my humble opinion, a brilliant bike which can do everything thrown at it. Bags of torque, quick enough, light and easy to drag out of the shed for a quick blast yet capable of touring. Worth a serious think indeed!
And no, that's a standard can, has a flattened area on it, very quiet.

[bikerbaker]

Also, front pipes all quickly turn to crap looking. Fibreglass wrap job. As long as you can put up with the smell every time it gets wet, but this gets better over time.

[knapdog]

Also, front pipes all quickly turn to crap looking. Fibreglass wrap job. As long as you can put up with the smell every time it gets wet, but this gets better over time.

Thanks bb
So youre thinking pipe wrap rather than trying to get the shine back.
Give me the bottom price I'd possibly get away with and the top price I should not go beyond, bb.

[bikerbaker]

Front pipes I have tried all sorts on, Jif scouring cream did quite well but ended up with the wrap which started out black but has gone white.
All second hand bikes are a gamble but I would think £1100 as a max (I paid £950 for my K1 S model 3 years ago). Lower figure is always what you can get away with but would start at £500. As said, the naked version (and its parts) go for more than the S, things like risers, bars, lamps etc all sell well so if you got it and the worst came to the worst the bike would "part out" as the yanks would say, quite well I should think. Have a look on the Forum, quite good but not a patch on this one!!

[knapdog]

Very, very useful info bb. Thank you.

[Mick-H]

She'd be better off selling it as is. By the time they get it through the MOT it'll have cost her a few quid.

[knapdog]

She'd be better off selling it as is. By the time they get it through the MOT it'll have cost her a few quid.

I agree Mick. Of all places to get it through the mot, she takes it to bmw who charge a shed load per hour.
I've been talking to a fella today who owns a bikes and scooters parts business and he was very helpful also.
He recommended getting a good condition used tank as he felt that if they were sealing the tank as opposed to electrolysis type treatment to get rid of the rust then the sealing treatment tended to break down after two years.
He also recommended getting a second hand carb off ebay as it would be difficult getting a carb that's been standing for 11 years perfectly sorted.
There could also be problems with the wiring terminals. Once new tyres are factored in there could be a £400+ refurbish cost.