"Pickup_man" (zekeh)
06/22/2020 at 10:30 • Filed to: None
9
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"Pickup_man" (zekeh)
06/22/2020 at 10:30 • Filed to: None | 9
| 10 |
I sold my first bike last night, a bike that I’ve poured tons of blood, sweat, tears, time and money into. The bike that instilled my love of motorcycles, the bike that is the basis for nearly every mechanical, fabricating, electrical, and tuning skill that I’ve learned over the years. A bike that I swore I’d keep forever.
I got this bike right out of high school as a worn out bone stock UJM and it’s changed nearly every year for the past 10 years, getting better every time. Over the years it’s had four different paint schemes, five or six different bar setups, the frame cut, two different seats, three different speedometers /gauge setups, a custom built wire harness, two headlights, an unknown amount of miles (rough estimate 15 k) and countless other little things. This latest configuration was by far my favorite, but with two other bikes it wasn’t getting ridden much, and having three bikes on registration/insurance didn’t seem like the best idea, even though they’re cheap.
Deciding to let it go was probably the hardest part, I went back and forth for months about whether or not to keep it or sell it, but threw it up on FB to see if there was any interest. Not a day later someone made me an offer only slightly less than my asking, but still more than I figured it was worth so I decided to let it go. The guy was pretty excited by it and really liked the bike when he came to pick it up despite the fact that the carbs were dumping gas (sat dry for a few weeks, gaskets apparently dried up) and the battery barely had enough life to get it started. Knowing he was excited about it and will probably take care of it made things much easier.
My master plan has been to sell off most of the things that I don’t use much and use all of that money for something fun I can share with my family. I’ve yet to decide what that is , but the top contenders right now are a Jeep (YJ, maybe TJ) , a fun car, a camper, or a boat. There’s still two bikes, a truck, a parts truck, and potentially my beater car to sell before I need to make that decision.
shop-teacher
> Pickup_man
06/22/2020 at 10:44 |
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Awe man! Probably the right call, but that's a tough one. That's a good looking bike.
Tripper
> Pickup_man
06/22/2020 at 10:49 |
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Snap! That is a sweet looking bike! +1 on using your stuff or getting rid of it though. Small hurdle big reward.
Shane Moore
> Pickup_man
06/22/2020 at 10:59 |
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If you were closer I ’d make you a sweet deal on my TJ so I could play around with tuning a 500 Abarth...
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Pickup_man
> shop-teacher
06/22/2020 at 12:06 |
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It was tough, there’s all the sentimental stuff, which I get very sentimental about things anyway, plus it was just a really fun bike to ride. Ultimately though I’ve been riding it less and less because I’ve got my big cruiser, and the XL600R and actually pulled it off insurance at the start of the month. I could have kept it in the shed and gotten it back out someday, but it doesn’t really do me, or it, any good sitting for years when someone else can enjoy it, and I can use the money for something I can enjoy and share with my kid.
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Pickup_man
> Tripper
06/22/2020 at 12:08 |
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Thanks! It was a lot of fun and I still did ride it occasionally, but I’ve got a big cruiser, and a big enduro bike so this one didn’t really fill a need beyond fun anymore and didn’t get ridden much. Best that someone else can enjoy it and I can use the money to get something that I enjoy and can share with the kiddo.
jminer
> Pickup_man
06/22/2020 at 13:06 |
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This is tough -I have one of these a 1971 CB500 that I’ve always though was going to be my forever bike but been toying with selling it lately since it doesn’t see much use anymore...
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Pickup_man
> jminer
06/22/2020 at 14:20 |
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I probably would have been happy to keep it around in a shed for years and get it back on the road someday, but I decided that I would be happier taking the money from this, and a few other things, and buy something that I’ve wanted that I can also share with my kid. That’s really what made my decision. That the buyer really liked it and was excited to ride it and take care of it made things easier and lessens the regret of selling.
Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
> Pickup_man
06/22/2020 at 18:55 |
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Did that start out as a Maxim?
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shop-teacher
> Pickup_man
06/22/2020 at 19:40 |
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I totally get all that.
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Pickup_man
> Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
06/23/2020 at 09:13 |
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Yeah, bone stock ‘82 Maxim 750.
