Project story
A look at the motorcycles I've owned that needed repairs.
Build timeline
This was my first motorcycle, a 1986 Yamaha Virago XV750. I bought it for $800 while it was not running. This was my first time working with engines, and I was surprised by how much more complicated they were than the electrical systems in my previous projects. The bike needed a carburetor cleaning to run. After figuring that out, I did some general maintenance, including replacing the spark plugs and changing the oil, then sold it for $2,500.
This was my second motorcycle—or, not really, a scooter. I bought it not running and got it running over a weekend by cleaning the carburetor. I also taught myself how to change its tires and installed off-road tires for fun. After some other general maintenance, I began using it as my daily commuter, riding it to school and around the city.
I bought this motorcycle as a fun daily bike for adventures. It turned out to be a fun daily bike that I was constantly repairing. First, the fuel injector clogged, so I replaced it and the fuel pump. Then the bike ran poorly under certain conditions because it was tuned lean from the factory, so I installed a piggyback ECU—a Power Commander V from another motorcycle, modified to fit mine. One day, on my way home, one of the cylinder head valve keepers broke in half. The valve dropped into the combustion chamber and bent, damaging the camshaft. After installing a new valve and camshaft, the bike ran, but the throttle response was very laggy. It turned out that the electronic throttle ECU had fried over the winter while I was fixing the valve issue. At that point, I decided to cut my losses and sell the bike.
I purchased this motorcycle to flip for a profit. I bought it not running and fixed it with a carburetor cleaning. I did some minor paint work and general maintenance and sold it.
A 2004 Triumph Speed Four. I bought this bike running poorly. After some tinkering, it ran better, but not perfectly. Then, on a test ride, one of the cylinder head valves snapped, damaging the cylinder head and a piston. Fortunately, I had a spare engine, so I swapped the cylinder head and replaced the damaged piston. I also owned a JVS 125, a Chinese-made clone of the Honda Z125 from around the 1990s. Unlike the Honda, which used M8 head studs, the Chinese copy used M6 head studs. They didn't provide enough clamping force, which caused the engine to blow head gaskets frequently.