Need Some GS450 Advice! Thanks!

[Legionnaire]

I am brand new to this forum and would love some advice, I am truly sorry if this is not the place to put this sort of thing, but I looked around for a place to post CL ads, but I couldn't find anything.

I am looking into buying a GS450, I checked it out, my buddy got on it and checked the fork seals, they were good, checked the brakes, looked good, we started it up ran nice, didn't get to test drive it, but the guy said it goes through all gears smoothly. (He lives on my street so he probably wouldn't want to lie, seems like a straight forward guy)

He is selling the bike because he needs to get a good tranny for his truck, here is the ad with some more specific info: http://tucson.craigslist.org/mcy/2804969017.html

I just want to know if he has it up for a fair price or not, KBB and NADA are much lower but those aren't very accurate for old bikes and all, and I know a bike is only worth what someone will pay for it, but is his price COMPLETELY out of this worth or pretty fair, thanks a head of time!!

[Pendulum]

I'd pay 12-1400 for that thing. If you pick it up, let me know. We'll have to ride some time. I'm in Queen Creek and planning a weekend ride through Southern AZ in the next few months.

[7981GS]

I would want a front fender of some sort on there and the side covers look "custom" that might not be a good thing.
Probably worth less than he is asking for it. $1-1,200.00

Daniel

[Hornswaggle]

First, welcome to the GSR forum! He might be a little high on the price especially to advertise it as 'firm' but maybe you can get the 'good neighbor discount'. On the other hand, there are lots of 450's that go for under $1K that run fine but they need new seals, tires, probably a stator, etc. and pretty soon you've got $1800 into it. Where some sellers get into a trap is when they think they can sell it for what they've spent on it. I think if it's in good condition and after a test ride you want it then don't pass it up just because someone thinks it's overpriced by less money than you would spend on a night out with your buddies

[Pendulum]

I wouldn't stress the lack of front fender too much as long as you're wearing a full face helmet.

+1 to what Kevin said. I paid $800 for my 79 GS550, but I've sank so much damn money into it that I'd rather have paid $2k for something that didn't need so much work.

[Guest]

Welcome!

That doesn't look in too bad shape at all, and I like how he's used the stock duck tail brought forward also.

Bit hard to tell from the small photos but the frame looks unmolested which is always a good thing.

Might need shorter clutch and throttle cables though.

Where I come from that price is a steal so my judement's a bit impaired to comment on the price properly...

[tkent02]

It's way high.

[Legionnaire]

It's way high.

Dang now I am really confused! It's pretty much about market value around the area it seems than... I think I am gonna offer him $1200 and see where it goes from there, sound good?

EDIT: The owner said he chose $1500 for the price because "its not stock and gs450's are rare, particularly in good running condition"

[Tim Tom]

Dang now I am really confused! It's pretty much about market value around the area it seems than... I think I am gonna offer him $1200 and see where it goes from there, sound good?

EDIT: The owner said he chose $1500 for the price because "its not stock and gs450's are rare, particularly in good running condition"

And he made them even rarer by chopping up that bike. I'd give him 1000 tops. For the money he is asking you could easily pick up a big GS (750 and up) and build it how you want.

[jeffasaurus2]

I got an '82 450T in running condition, with an extra set of wheels, an entire extra ENGINE!, and a box full of miscellaneous parts for $850 in Denver. Granted it needed the carbs cleaned and some regular maintenance done. Plus tires, chain, and a couple cables.

[Legionnaire]

I got an '82 450T in running condition, with an extra set of wheels, an entire extra ENGINE!, and a box full of miscellaneous parts for $850 in Denver. Granted it needed the carbs cleaned and some regular maintenance done. Plus tires, chain, and a couple cables.

Oh wow!! That is insane man!! What a sweet deal, well I will come with the money in hand tomorrow and get someone to ride it around and test the compression and what not. But I think I wanna def go down from $1500 considering it's not worth it.

@TimTom That's true with cars people thing mods make it worth more when it's the opposite I am assuming it's the same for bikes. I don't think I want something as big as a 750 right now though I am a total noob.

[Legionnaire]

I have been taking my recent thread in the electronics section a little off topic, so I decided to move talk about some of my other issues over here! I am gonna list some of my woes and see if anyone can toss me from fresh ideas about them, I have searched many things, and have a decent idea of what to try, but the more help the merrier!

1. Backfire on decal/idle
2. Idle shoots up and down never stays steady, come to a stop, pull in clutch and it goes to 4k plus
3. No accel at 1/4 or more throttle, revs and makes noise, but no power, no pull, sort of bogs down

These are my ideas on the topics:

1. There are some dents in the exhaust, but no holes, it may be mounted badly,
air may be coming in the headers by the engine
2. Vacuum leak, but I have replaced intake boots, o-rings, tightened down everything like crazy
3. I don’t really know about this one…

[jeffasaurus2]

Have you cleaned and rebuilt the carbs? The hanging idle was as simple as vacuum syncing the carbs for me. Not sure about the no power deal though.

[Big Rich]

When you say there's no power, can you be a little more specific? If the motor revs up, and the bike doesn't increase in speed than you have a slipping clutch. But if it feels "flat" after 1/4 throttle, than you have a lean condition (which with a wandering high idle, I would expect). If it bogs down than it's running rich.

[Legionnaire]

When you say there's no power, can you be a little more specific? If the motor revs up, and the bike doesn't increase in speed than you have a slipping clutch. But if it feels "flat" after 1/4 throttle, than you have a lean condition (which with a wandering high idle, I would expect). If it bogs down than it's running rich.

I cleaned the carbs many times, but I have never synced them which I need to do. I think I am gonna take it all to a friends shop on Saturday and get a lot of this ironed out. I just want to make a list of stuff I need to do and what it might be, ya know?

I thought it revved up but it doesn't I will be riding along at ANY speed and then it will start to putt putt putt like it is losing gasoline, like it is sipping bits and pieces to stay going. Then I can try to yank down on the throttle and it won't do anything, I can totally full throttle the thing and I go no where, but intermittedly it will shoot forward through out the throttle being held down.

What does "bog down" really mean, because the bike doesn't stumble like it is going to stall or anything, but it just doesn't make me go fast when I pull the throttle open.

I checked my plugs and they were sooty, but the tips were white, I am assuming since there is any soot at all that I am running rich. Here are some pictures of the spark plugs: