When Do You Throw In The Towel!!!

[Darci]

Ok, Maybe i won't sell the big hunk of iron sitting on my patio. Maybe it isn't a huge boat anchor like I had suspected. But, if the starter doesn't fix the problem, how do know when to just say "forget it" and throw in the towel?

For those that aren't familiar with my little endeavor, here is the link: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=110716

There have been times when I just feel like that's it, I'm parting her out. But, like the glutten for punishment I am, i keep at it. Am I crazy or loosing my mind?? Sometimes I wonder!!!

Has anyone been so deep into a repair that you think it will take a miracle and a million dollars to revive a "hopeless" machine from the depths of beyond??

For those of you that have thrown in the towel, were there any regrets???

 

[bradleymaynar]

It's up to you. If the project has become more of a headache than a labor of love, let it go. I'm sure you'd be able to find a willing buyer/victim who'd jump into this project whole-heartedly. There are bigger and better bikes out there.

My $.02

Brad bt

 

[don_gibb6512]

Yeah, I regret when I tore down my '83 GS1100GLD after several years of trying to get it to run smooth. Rebuilt the engine, lived in carb hell for what seemed like forever until I gave up and bought a set of Mikuni RS 34mm Flat Slides. It was after I put those on that I realized the guy that did my head messed up my valves and it was then that I decided to strip it down and throw it in my shed. I wish I would have just walked away from it and stored it away somewhere until I was calmed down. After working on so many things you get to the point where you NEED some positive experience with it and when that never happens, it can kill your feel for the bike. I know it did mine. I'm not sure even now if I could go back and work on it again. It wore me out that bad. I ended up getting an '80 GS1100E that I'm almost done with and an '80 GS1000G that I'm riding now. It's running about as good as I can get it to and I'm anxious to ride the E and see how that does. It was refreshing to get in to another similar bike but have the work I did actually be successful. There's a lot to be said for that. Good luck on your decision. My suggestion is to not part it out but sell it whole to someone else who may have the endurance to find the bugs and iron them out.

Don

 

[spyug]

Sometimes you just have to let go...for sanity.

If you are like the rest of us, you won't give up easily. If you are a half ways decent wrench, you just hate to be beaten by a lump of steel, aluminum and rubber.

If you've gone as far as you can go then let it go and have someone else go the next mile.

There are so many good machines out there. Get some cash and find something new to wrench on.

You'll find something better....that is for certain.

Life is too short to get hung up.

Chalk it up to experience and ride on!

Let us know what you get into next.

Cheers,
Spyug.

 

[Schweisshund]

I would wait awhile until your vigor is renewed. Right now it sounds like your drained. Oftentimes, I have discovered that I completely overlooked something after thinking about it a while. What would you do if you parted it out and then later you come across information that could have helped you out?

 

[jimcor]

I wish I would have just walked away from it and stored it away somewhere until I was calmed down. After working on so many things you get to the point where you NEED some positive experience with it and when that never happens, it can kill your feel for the bike. I know it did mine. I'm not sure even now if I could go back and work on it again. It wore me out that bad. I ended up getting an '80 GS1100E that I'm almost done with and an '80 GS1000G that I'm riding now.

I remember reading two seperate, and corroborted stories in Cycle World of guys getting so fed up with projects they just parked them and walked away. One of these was parked off the beaten path at a National Forest Service trailhead. It was an old Meridan Triumph the owner had poured literally tens of thousads of dollars in, but could never get it quite right. The bike and his obsession with it had ruined his life. Broke up his first marriage and was just about to do it again so he just left it there and walked away with a for free sign on it.

I forget the circumstances of the other, but he just parked it on the street and said the hell with it. Gave it away, he was so fed up with it.

It happens.

 

[Schweisshund]

Damn!! Which beaten path was that again? :-D

 

[Darci]

Thanks guys. I can't beleive a machine, a hunk of iron had me so rowled up. The way I see it, if someone were to give me $500 cash right now, as it sits, I would turn her over. But, if not, then she's mine and I will save up for a starter and see if that works.

I love turning wrench but there comes a time where I have to just stand up, take a deep breath and take a break!

How can i get so emotional about metal?

 

[NATEO]

Thanks guys. I can't beleive a machine, a hunk of iron had me so rowled up. The way I see it, if someone were to give me $500 cash right now, as it sits, I would turn her over. But, if not, then she's mine and I will save up for a starter and see if that works.

I love turning wrench but there comes a time where I have to just stand up, take a deep breath and take a break!

How can i get so emotional about metal?

a motorcycle is so much more than just metal!!!\\/

 

[jimcor]

Wanna save a few bucks, Darci? You can rebuild the starter on the cheap. New brushes and springs are usually all it takes. Buy parts or new/rebuilt starters from www.stockers.com good folks. Stocker's have helped many on our forums. If you call them on the phone they are willing to give helpful info.

 

[gsgeezer]

rebuild your starter

rebuild your starter

Wanna save a few bucks, Darci? You can rebuild the starter on the cheap. New brushes and springs are usually all it takes. Buy parts or new/rebuilt starters from www.stockers.com good folks. Stocker's have helped many on our forums. If you call them on the phone they are willing to give helpful info.

Jim's right, it is easy to rebuild starters, and if you like turning a wrench, it is one of the better projects, since your bike didn't run before you began the work! If your're that close, don't give up yet.

If you really hate it, but like GS's, save up for a good running one. They can be had pretty cheap.

 

[Jon Kram]

I find when your beloved machine tries to 'off' you then its time to consider packing it in

 

[gustovh]

If the starter out of an 81 GS 650 G/GL or 81 GS 750 L will work I will send it to you for shipping. Send me a PM
V

 

[Guest]

Any vehicle will, over time and miles, turn into steven king's "Christine".

 

[ta473]

towel

towel

the way i look at it a new bike may cost you 140 dollars a month for 4 or 5 years. and at the end of it your bike has alot of miles and may need replaced.if you put that kind of money in your gs you will have a almost new "old" bike you can ride anywhere.just my 2 cents

 

[Guest]

Hey, it's not a horse that needs to be fed every day so it won't die.

Give yourself a vacation. When you've got the energy, it'll be waiting.

 

[kenwa31]

Sometimes you just have to to throw in the towel, I had a CB750F that I pured money and time into for 2 years, when it gets to the point that it feels like a chore, and not a relaxing afternoon its time to walk away

 

[terbang]

The worst thing, in hidsight (a wonderful thing), I did was wreck out my 1100L. Same as you, it was a nightmare but I reckon if it was here now I'd have it fixed..

 

[Commodus]

Now I mean no offense here, but generally when I get fed up with my motorbikes, it's because I have failed somehow to maintain a logical troubleshooting sequence.

The bike ran at one time, therefore it must run again if it is repaired correctly. There is never a time to give up.

Make sure you have another bike to ride on while you're fixing it, and fix it. That's all there is to it. You will always get discouraged sometimes, that's OK. You're not working on a rocketship with people's lives at risk. Take a step back, go for a ride on your other bike, and come back again when you have the energy.

But for the love of God make sure you have another, reasonably modern anvil-reliable motorbike to ride as well 8-[

 

[tkent02]

Methinks, the problem is not within the bike...

Methinks, the problem is not within the bike...

but within the owner. Starters and associated wiring are very simple systems, very basic old school electrical items. A few wires, couple switches, and a motor. Read up on some basic electricity, and basic troubleshooting principles.
Get a good place to work, decent tools for the work at hand, and time enough to work through it correctly.
If this is too much, get a newer bike, that has never been altered or messed up by a previous owner, old age or corrosion.
Life's too short to get hung up on a stupid motorcycle.