Buying a project bike (non bandit) tell me it's a bad idea

[mademiriam]

Somebody locally has an 82 GPZ 550 for sale...with three parts bikes. Now really I know I should not do this, I have the bandit, and even though I have very fond memories of the GPZ I owned I know I'd barely ride it. BUT the possibilities! With all those spares there is bound to be a track bike in there somewhere. I'd love to take the Bandit on the track, but in the end...I'd love to have something I don't care about as much on the track. So all things considered I haven't managed to talk myself out of it yet, so who knows may have another toy to tinker with as the Bandit should be ready for another season with just a few minor changes.
Which makes me wonder, have any of you given in to such fancies?

[Red01]

I've often debated getting another RD350 - like I had in my youth. I'm pretty sure I've convinced myself it's better to leave it as a fond memory - but who knows, if the right one came around, I might change my mind.
(Especially if it was THE same bike.)

If you're looking for a track toy, I'd think you'd want something a little more modern and better - unless you wanna run Vintage.

[smooth operator]

  I'm hoping to still pick up my Dad's old Triumph/Rickman,maybe in the summer some time. It wouldn't be a track bike,but would be waring knobbies like it always did. I'd have to have the frame nickel coated again. And it would surly be a project. But one worth taking on. As far as a track bike, I'm with red, something newer. A sv650 is  good track bike,but there are others as well.

[mademiriam]

The tracks out here are limited...as in there is ONE! I wouldn't mind running vintage at all, i may be on a bandit everyday but I think for me that was middle ground, needed something to run with the boys and love the 'dinosaur' engineering. I'm slowly warming up to other newer bikes, mostly because they are fast (always a redeeming quality especially when they get to blow by you at 300 with your needle stuck buried at 260) and who could turn down a desmosedici?
In all seriousness I think I'll either run vintage for a year or two and drop the pipe dream...or go all in. Ideally even now I'd like to run an early 90's GSXR 750/600 or SV but then the GPZ is the granddaddy of the 600 class there is some respect given to elders. It comes down to price, I am not in to bikes to make money even though sometimes I do. In this case I most certainly would, and have a bundle of fun at the same time.
My boyfriend loves the idea (strangely), so we go look at them tonight...

[Have Blue]

I always have at least one project older bike.  I have a soft spot for the 78 through 85 GS Suzuki's.  Regardless of what you intend to do with the bike, you must enjoy wrenching if
you're going to go the project/older bike route.  If you do, it will be fun no matter what it is.
In that case, its a great idea.

[Red01]

I have a soft spot for the 78 through 85 GS Suzuki's.

  What's wrong with the '77 GS Suzukis?

[rkfire]

I have a soft spot for the 78 through 85 GS Suzuki's.

  What's wrong with the '77 GS Suzukis?

Simple. There wasn't any 1000cc or bigger until 78.

[Red01]

I have a soft spot for the 78 through 85 GS Suzuki's.

  What's wrong with the '77 GS Suzukis?

Simple. There wasn't any 1000cc or bigger until 78.

Ahhh! So your soft spot is not for the GS in general, but only for GS1000's then.   

[rkfire]

Well, I think the 550's and 750's just wouldn't be worth the effort and money to either buy restored, or to restore. Naturally that's a different purpose than what was proposed here. I'll take a 78 GS1000, a Wes Cooley 1000, or 83 1100 any day.

With one exception, I still think the GS550M is one of the best looking bikes ever made. If I found one of those in nice shape, I'd buy it in a heart beat.

[Red01]

Well, a '77 may be worthwhile someday, since it's the first year of Suzuki 4-strokes.  If one wanted to race a vintage class where the size mattered, the smaller ones might make since, too.

As for the GS550M, I didn't recognize it by the model code, so I looked it up and found (as I suspected) it was the 550 Katana:



With only 1153 made, the XN85 turbo bike would be a non-1000cc GS worth something. 

[mademiriam]

Who doesn't have a soft spot for the old GS!
I agree I think a gs550 would be great to race vintage.

[Have Blue]

Although I've had almost every GS except shaft drive models, I prefer the 1000, 1100 and 1150, so my projects are usually those three.  At present, I'm putting together an 84 450 that fell in my lap, with only 4k miles on it and needing a home.  :-)  I guess I felt sorry for the little thing.  heh  After so many miles on liter + bikes, its feels like a pocket bike.  :-)

[solman]

I have an old bike and love it.  My old project bike is a Honda CB900F.  One thing nice about having an older bike is that it makes the Bandit faster.

[mademiriam]

Went to look at the bikes. Pretty much as I had anticipated with a few surprises, for the right price I've managed to jutify buying them to myself. Now only have to find somebody with a truck or hitch thats available and agree on price with the seller... If they sell before it all falls in place there will be others. I certainly think i will eventually buy something old to wrench on.

[LowRyter]

I had a 1981 Yamaha Seca 550, pearl white, red stripes, bikini fairing....