"I've bought a cheap airhead off ebay", says a customer

Steptoe · May 10, 2017

"I've bought a cheap airhead off ebay, the clutch is slipping and there's a slight oil leak from the engine, will you have a look at it for me", says a customer.
Who then adds "how much are the repairs going to be because i haven't much money, hence why i bought a cheap 1982 BMW off ebay".

The clutch is fecked. The pushrod tubes are rotten. The main stand is worn out as are the stand lugs in the frame. The engine rattles like a good'un. The cylinderhead exhaust nut threads are very suspect.
I've ignored the black emulsion paint covering up all the frame rust.

Which proves (along with several other fine examples i've been presented with over the last year) that there's no such thing as a cheap BMW off ebay.

It's currently parked up here at a precarious angle on it's fecked side stand hemorrhaging engine oil while he decides what to do.

Tractors are go · May 10, 2017

Cheap thing's always end up costing more !

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Steptoe · May 10, 2017

Tractors are go said:
Cheap thing's always end up costing more !

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Some people just don't get that it costs the same per hour to repair a £500 bike as it does a bike costing £15K

er-minio · May 10, 2017

while he decides what to do

Add a couple of chrome bits and sell it for 15k.

Tractors are go · May 10, 2017

Don't forget the exhaust tape and silly seat; some hipster twat will pay gazillions for it.

The moral, if there is one; spend money up front getting someone like Steptoe to give you an unbiased view.

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AberdeenAngus · May 10, 2017

A fool and his money......

Kenny · May 10, 2017

Wasn't Rob Farmer , was it ?

JohnnyBoxer · May 10, 2017

Driving along yesterday, I saw a black 1982 R75/6 (I think or a 75/5) on a car garage forecourt - nice enough 'patina' etc and not mint - 29k so the garage owner said and it looked like that sort of miles

How much £4500

Closer inspection, the pushrod tubes were leaking and so was the head gasket on the opposite side

So, a bit of work to make it oil tight

It was just a run of the mill, nowt special spoked wheel roadster that would have been £2k at best 5 years ago............now it's £4500

Garage was not far from Florence either :augie

rodsharp · May 10, 2017

Not BMW I know but reminded me when I have bought classic bikes in the past ,cheap is nearly always cheap for a reason . I have heard plenty of tales similar to matey with his BMW. I paid top wack for a BSA Super Rocket a few years back and it still took me about a year to get used to its foibles, but now some 5 years and 5000 miles later its a cracker . I just get it out of the garage ,ride it and put it back till next time,maybe a wipe over to keep it looking tidy. Theres a moral there unless you really know what your doing ,Steptoe does but many of us probably dont .so steer clear of bargains.

DrAlf · May 10, 2017

JohnnyBoxer said:
Driving along yesterday, I saw a black 1982 R75/6 (I think or a 75/5) on a car garage forecourt - nice enough 'patina' etc and not mint - 29k so the garage owner said and it looked like that sort of miles

How much £4500

Closer inspection, the pushrod tubes were leaking and so was the head gasket on the opposite side

So, a bit of work to make it oil tight

It was just a run of the mill, nowt special spoked wheel roadster that would have been £2k at best 5 years ago............now it's £4500

Garage was not far from Florence either

1982? I thought they stopped making the /6 in 76. Maybe that's why it was so expensive :augie

chasbmw · May 10, 2017

I got my 90/6 off eBay for about £800 a few years ago, looked at it in the lockup for a couple of years, then redundancy got me going, a year later and lots of cash, ended up with a very nice bike. Airheads done properly are never cheap. Parts are 2x britbikes.

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ChasF · May 10, 2017

It's clearly going to be a disaster if you don't know what you are looking at and to need to get someone else to do even basic repairs.

On the other hand if you know what you are looking at and can fix it up yourself then an airhead can only appreciate in value. Most (not all) of thecommon faults can be be repaired relatively cheaply. If I was tempted then I would anticipate at least the same cost again as the purchase price to get it up to scratch.

JohnnyBoxer · May 10, 2017

DrAlf said:
1982? I thought they stopped making the /6 in 76. Maybe that's why it was so expensive

Sorry, it was a N reg so 1975/6

My typo :blast

Rob Farmer · May 11, 2017

Kenny said:
Wasn't Rob Farmer , was it ?

Neil sold me this gem a few years back. Immaculate condition, 1 previous owner, fantastic opportunity to own an appreciating classic

Kenny · May 11, 2017

You were lucky....he sold me the maroon 'only one owner' Ford escort in the background !!!

"I've bought a cheap airhead off ebay", says a customer

Steptoe

What a waste.

Tractors are go

Well-known member

Steptoe

What a waste.

er-minio

Well-known member

Tractors are go

Well-known member

AberdeenAngus

Registered user

Kenny

Trustworthy Scouser AND

JohnnyBoxer

Well-known member

rodsharp

Registered user

DrAlf

Well-known member

chasbmw

Active member

ChasF

Well-known member

JohnnyBoxer

Well-known member

Rob Farmer

Well-known member

Kenny

Trustworthy Scouser AND

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