spend $ on old or on new(er)?

[jerseymike]

So has anybody or do you know of anybody, spending a good amount of $ on an older bike even though they could get a newer bike with the same amount of $ they spent on fixing/updating the older bike? Why did you/they do it and how did you/they feel a year after? Any remorse about it?

Im thinking of putting about $3000-4000 into my 03 EC250, I actually have it up for sale on here. Bought it in June for $2800, have another $1000 into it with parts/service, tire, brakes, seat, etc. The motor is solid, all bearings for rims, suspension are great, no free play. Was looking at suspension work, Lectron carb, rotors/pads, chain/sprokets, mostly bolt on stuff, Mako 360, 18" rear rim, new power valve, plastics, clutch plates/basket, maybe paint frame.

I know i could get a newer bike, but kinda want to build something, something i'll probably keep a long time knowing i'll never see that $ back.

Thoughts?

 

[SS109]

I've done it. Once to a '90 KDX200 and again with a GasGas '05 DE250. Do I regret either? Nope! Loved every minute building them from the frame up and having them exactly like I wanted them. Plan on doing it yet again to my '98 KDX220 and my '11 GasGas EC250R. I'm currently collecting parts for the Gasser so hopefully not too much longer before it's done.

BTW, I finished building the '90 KDX200 back in July of 2012. Think about that... it was 22 years old already when it was done! Here's a couple of pics of each for inspiration...

 

[blitz11]

I was in a similar boat.

Turned 60 this year. Hadn't ridden dirt bikes much in the past 4 years despite living in Montana. Thought maybe a new bike would be a good thing. Not much inventory, but a TM dealer in Idaho Falls had some bikes. Looked at the TM 300 2-stroke fuel injected bike.

Nice, but I thought to myself that I'll just drop it in the rocks and wreck a nice piece of art.

Instead of buying that, I "invested" in my 2002 EC 300. Cylinder plated, new piston, etc., brake rotors, brake pads, brake lines, clutch line, tires, rear brake lever (had to fab my own mount), and re-did a footpeg mount repair which was beginning to fail after 10 years.

(Two years prior, i did the "Transformation kit" which adds 2010 plastic to the 2002 bike, and fabbed my own mount for a Showa steering damper. (BTW, that damper is fantastic.))

I also bought #8 and #9 slides, needles, and other brass to address the jetting in higher altitudes in MT. (Lived in Minnesota previous to here.) (#8 slide made a huge difference.)

Overall, the bike was sweet. Ran great. I was still faster than my brother on his new KTM 300 TPI, so i was happy. Until the black hills.

I rode the black hills with my brother and two buddies. The jetting was just a bit lean on the first day (3K feet instead of 5K feet), and my bike just didn't want to start. I'd crash (being faster than my brother doesn't mean i am fast or a a good rider - just faster than my brother.), and kick my brains out trying to start that thing when everyone else would push a button and be going.

I completely exhausted myself kicking that thing, and it was misery the rest of the week.

Tried to buy a Reiju, but no dealers had any.

the TM dealer in Idaho falls had a new 300 with the ohlins TTX shock, big tank, e-start, and six speed trans as a demo (5 hours) for $10K. Bought it.

Bike prices are nuts here, so i may sell the GG, but I also may keep it as a spare or "guest" bike. I've had the bike 15 years, and have a TON of spares, so i won't sell unless i can sell it for $3K.

Disclaimer: bought the TM in August, haven't ridden it. MT was in "exceptional drought" which meant no off-road riding, and then classes started, and i've been busier than ever. Maybe next spring i can report on the bike. It really is beautiful.

TM is sort of like legacy GG in tht i can call the distributor for info, order parts, etc. the only issue i had was finding a spark arrestor exhaust. TM in the US had Pro Circuit design and build a SA. NIce piece of kit, but it's LOUD. Damn. I took it apart thinking that it didn't' have packing, but it did. The packing was sparse, so I may ride it once, and if it's too loud, repack it.

I tried to have Pro Circuit sell me a longer housing for the SA so i could fit more packing and quiet it down, but they wouldn't. So, i am sort of stuck there. Other than that, when I took the bike apart to lube all the bearings, check fastener tightness, install the GPR damper, etc., it was all really well engineered.

That being said, if i cold have retrofit e-start on my GG, i would have not purchased the TM. Had I been able to buy a Reiju, i probably would have done that. But, my options were limited, i was sick of being the only guy with a kick starter, so i took the plunge.

We'll see.

Anyone looking for a 2002 EC 300 with all the tricks?

 

[slocalspode]

Funny how similar our bikes look alike.
Even down to the shroud decals and the gas cap.
Cheers, Jeff

 

[jerseymike]

Nice job on the bikes SS109. Did you have to get into the motor at all or was most of the work on the Gasser bolt-on stuff and bearings? Suspension work? Wish my bike had a damn 18" rear on it. I'd have to get a rim and spokes and lace the thing with original hub.

 

[(F5)]

It all depends on how worn everything is. Are the brakes worn in pin fitting and mc bore? Is carb worn? A 2015 could be significantly better in those areas. But still old enough to be significantly worse if ridden more or not maintained. Heck I own an 07, but changed out a few bits to keep it working well. It's only worth it because I kept it so long and lower seat height is important to me.

 

[SS109]

Funny how similar our bikes look alike.
Even down to the shroud decals and the gas cap.
Cheers, Jeff

You have good taste! That is freakin sweet! I bet that bike is a blast on the streets around town.

Nice job on the bikes SS109. Did you have to get into the motor at all or was most of the work on the Gasser bolt-on stuff and bearings? Suspension work? Wish my bike had a damn 18" rear on it. I'd have to get a rim and spokes and lace the thing with original hub.

Thank you! I completely rebuilt it including the engine. Cylinder was replated by Millenium, Wiseco forged piston, crank rebuilt with a Hot Rods rod by Cooksey Crank, all new bearings/bushings/seals/gaskets throughout the engine, all new suspension bearings throughout, soda blasted cases, repainted frame, etc., etc. So much invested. Sadly, it was stolen less than a year after completion and still hasn't been recovered.

An 18" GG wheel isn't too hard to find. I might even have a spare around here.

 

[jerseymike]

F5, I would either get a new Keihin from JD jetting or that new Lectron carb and be done. The bike had 3 owners, me being the 3rd. The Gasser dealer out here has known and worked on the bike since 08 and he has always told me "that bike is solid". Yes it needs mostly wear items, chain sprockets, rotors/pads, flush/replace all fluids, but nothing leaks on the bike. Ive had 2 people i dont know ride the bike and both were VERY impressed with the motor.

 

[jerseymike]

I've done it. Once to a '90 KDX200 and again with a GasGas '05 DE250. Do I regret either? Nope! Loved every minute building them from the frame up and having them exactly like I wanted them. Plan on doing it yet again to my '98 KDX220 and my '11 GasGas EC250R. I'm currently collecting parts for the Gasser so hopefully not too much longer before it's done.

BTW, I finished building the '90 KDX200 back in July of 2012. Think about that... it was 22 years old already when it was done! Here's a couple of pics of each for inspiration...

I was in a similar boat.

Turned 60 this year. Hadn't ridden dirt bikes much in the past 4 years despite living in Montana. Thought maybe a new bike would be a good thing. Not much inventory, but a TM dealer in Idaho Falls had some bikes. Looked at the TM 300 2-stroke fuel injected bike.

Nice, but I thought to myself that I'll just drop it in the rocks and wreck a nice piece of art.

Instead of buying that, I "invested" in my 2002 EC 300. Cylinder plated, new piston, etc., brake rotors, brake pads, brake lines, clutch line, tires, rear brake lever (had to fab my own mount), and re-did a footpeg mount repair which was beginning to fail after 10 years.

(Two years prior, i did the "Transformation kit" which adds 2010 plastic to the 2002 bike, and fabbed my own mount for a Showa steering damper. (BTW, that damper is fantastic.))

I also bought #8 and #9 slides, needles, and other brass to address the jetting in higher altitudes in MT. (Lived in Minnesota previous to here.) (#8 slide made a huge difference.)

Overall, the bike was sweet. Ran great. I was still faster than my brother on his new KTM 300 TPI, so i was happy. Until the black hills.

I rode the black hills with my brother and two buddies. The jetting was just a bit lean on the first day (3K feet instead of 5K feet), and my bike just didn't want to start. I'd crash (being faster than my brother doesn't mean i am fast or a a good rider - just faster than my brother.), and kick my brains out trying to start that thing when everyone else would push a button and be going.

I completely exhausted myself kicking that thing, and it was misery the rest of the week.

Tried to buy a Reiju, but no dealers had any.

the TM dealer in Idaho falls had a new 300 with the ohlins TTX shock, big tank, e-start, and six speed trans as a demo (5 hours) for $10K. Bought it.

Bike prices are nuts here, so i may sell the GG, but I also may keep it as a spare or "guest" bike. I've had the bike 15 years, and have a TON of spares, so i won't sell unless i can sell it for $3K.

Disclaimer: bought the TM in August, haven't ridden it. MT was in "exceptional drought" which meant no off-road riding, and then classes started, and i've been busier than ever. Maybe next spring i can report on the bike. It really is beautiful.

TM is sort of like legacy GG in tht i can call the distributor for info, order parts, etc. the only issue i had was finding a spark arrestor exhaust. TM in the US had Pro Circuit design and build a SA. NIce piece of kit, but it's LOUD. Damn. I took it apart thinking that it didn't' have packing, but it did. The packing was sparse, so I may ride it once, and if it's too loud, repack it.

I tried to have Pro Circuit sell me a longer housing for the SA so i could fit more packing and quiet it down, but they wouldn't. So, i am sort of stuck there. Other than that, when I took the bike apart to lube all the bearings, check fastener tightness, install the GPR damper, etc., it was all really well engineered.

That being said, if i cold have retrofit e-start on my GG, i would have not purchased the TM. Had I been able to buy a Reiju, i probably would have done that. But, my options were limited, i was sick of being the only guy with a kick starter, so i took the plunge.

We'll see.

Anyone looking for a 2002 EC 300 with all the tricks?

You have good taste! That is freakin sweet! I bet that bike is a blast on the streets around town.



Thank you! I completely rebuilt it including the engine. Cylinder was replated by Millenium, Wiseco forged piston, crank rebuilt with a Hot Rods rod by Cooksey Crank, all new bearings/bushings/seals/gaskets throughout the engine, all new suspension bearings throughout, soda blasted cases, repainted frame, etc., etc. So much invested. Sadly, it was stolen less than a year after completion and still hasn't been recovered.

An 18" GG wheel isn't too hard to find. I might even have a spare around here.

JEEEEEZ....that would be my nightmare, my wife would kill me if i put $ into the bike and it got stolen! lol. That sucks. 18" isnt TOO hard to find, but im very picky about stuff. The rims on the bike now are in awesome shape and look great. So if there was a rim with some pitting, i wouldnt use it. Even though its gonna get messed up riding in woods i at least wanna start with something nice

 

[SS109]

JEEEEEZ....that would be my nightmare, my wife would kill me if i put $ into the bike and it got stolen! lol. That sucks. 18" isnt TOO hard to find, but im very picky about stuff. The rims on the bike now are in awesome shape and look great. So if there was a rim with some pitting, i wouldnt use it. Even though its gonna get messed up riding in woods i at least wanna start with something nice

Ha! My wife let me build the KDX in our living room as I had no garage at the time! Built my Gasser in a buddy's garage.

Don't get too caught up in looks. Those blue rims you see on the KDX I built using Warp9 rims, Warp9/Buchanan SS spokes, and factory Kawasaki hubs. Even soda blasted the hubs so they looked brand new. They literally started collecting scratches from the very first ride and to think I took such care to spoon on their first set of tires to not make a mark. While they are pretty scratched up now I still think they look pretty damn good for over eight years of hard riding on them in the rocky desert.

 

[jerseymike]

Ha! My wife let me build the KDX in our living room as I had no garage at the time! Built my Gasser in a buddy's garage.

Don't get too caught up in looks. Those blue rims you see on the KDX I built using Warp9 rims, Warp9/Buchanan SS spokes, and factory Kawasaki hubs. Even soda blasted the hubs so they looked brand new. They literally started collecting scratches from the very first ride and to think I took such care to spoon on their first set of tires to not make a mark. While they are pretty scratched up now I still think they look pretty damn good for over eight years of hard riding on them in the rocky desert.[/QUOTE

Do you remember about how much you spent on the Gasser? The rims, i know its all gonna get scratched to hell. I might just stick with the regular silver ones. This way i just have to get the back since the front is perfect. Spend the $ somewhere else on the bike.

 

[SS109]

I think I was in somewhere between $2500-3000 not counting the price of buying the bike itself.

 

[jerseymike]

I think I was in somewhere between $2500-3000 not counting the price of buying the bike itself.

OK. I'm at $3500 on my list, but thats with no engine work and not counting the bike purchase. So, what is the newest bike you own or have ridden and did your EC compare to a newer bike? I mean, only real difference between a newer bike and older one that i can think of is electric start. Im not talking about fuel injected or air forks. Obviously thats tough to compare. But is there THAT much a difference between my Ohlins when they were brand new and some KYB's now?

 

[jerseymike]

I was in a similar boat.

Turned 60 this year. Hadn't ridden dirt bikes much in the past 4 years despite living in Montana. Thought maybe a new bike would be a good thing. Not much inventory, but a TM dealer in Idaho Falls had some bikes. Looked at the TM 300 2-stroke fuel injected bike.

Nice, but I thought to myself that I'll just drop it in the rocks and wreck a nice piece of art.

Instead of buying that, I "invested" in my 2002 EC 300. Cylinder plated, new piston, etc., brake rotors, brake pads, brake lines, clutch line, tires, rear brake lever (had to fab my own mount), and re-did a footpeg mount repair which was beginning to fail after 10 years.

(Two years prior, i did the "Transformation kit" which adds 2010 plastic to the 2002 bike, and fabbed my own mount for a Showa steering damper. (BTW, that damper is fantastic.))

I also bought #8 and #9 slides, needles, and other brass to address the jetting in higher altitudes in MT. (Lived in Minnesota previous to here.) (#8 slide made a huge difference.)

Overall, the bike was sweet. Ran great. I was still faster than my brother on his new KTM 300 TPI, so i was happy. Until the black hills.

I rode the black hills with my brother and two buddies. The jetting was just a bit lean on the first day (3K feet instead of 5K feet), and my bike just didn't want to start. I'd crash (being faster than my brother doesn't mean i am fast or a a good rider - just faster than my brother.), and kick my brains out trying to start that thing when everyone else would push a button and be going.

I completely exhausted myself kicking that thing, and it was misery the rest of the week.

Tried to buy a Reiju, but no dealers had any.

the TM dealer in Idaho falls had a new 300 with the ohlins TTX shock, big tank, e-start, and six speed trans as a demo (5 hours) for $10K. Bought it.

Bike prices are nuts here, so i may sell the GG, but I also may keep it as a spare or "guest" bike. I've had the bike 15 years, and have a TON of spares, so i won't sell unless i can sell it for $3K.

Disclaimer: bought the TM in August, haven't ridden it. MT was in "exceptional drought" which meant no off-road riding, and then classes started, and i've been busier than ever. Maybe next spring i can report on the bike. It really is beautiful.

TM is sort of like legacy GG in tht i can call the distributor for info, order parts, etc. the only issue i had was finding a spark arrestor exhaust. TM in the US had Pro Circuit design and build a SA. NIce piece of kit, but it's LOUD. Damn. I took it apart thinking that it didn't' have packing, but it did. The packing was sparse, so I may ride it once, and if it's too loud, repack it.

I tried to have Pro Circuit sell me a longer housing for the SA so i could fit more packing and quiet it down, but they wouldn't. So, i am sort of stuck there. Other than that, when I took the bike apart to lube all the bearings, check fastener tightness, install the GPR damper, etc., it was all really well engineered.

That being said, if i cold have retrofit e-start on my GG, i would have not purchased the TM. Had I been able to buy a Reiju, i probably would have done that. But, my options were limited, i was sick of being the only guy with a kick starter, so i took the plunge.

We'll see.

Anyone looking for a 2002 EC 300 with all the tricks?

So here is the real silly part. I have another bike. I have a 19 XC 300. Got it early Oct. Rode it twice. Reason i got it was suspension and electric start. Other than that, it does the same thing as my 03. The 19 has a smoother power delivery, but i can do that with a different powervalve on the 03. I can send out the suspension on the 03, get it close the the KYB's. The 19 has a Rekluse, i can get that on 03 also. Electric start...i'll get the Electron or get new carb/kit from JD jetting and 1 kick the bike will start each time. On a hill or slope, ok the 19 will be easier with a button to push. Maybe i need more seat time on the 19, but idk why, i keep thinking what i "could" do with the 03 even knowing thet $ i spend, i'll never see it again. But i'd keep the bike until i couldnt ride anymore. I can sell the 19, use half the $ i get for it, use on the 03 and still have money left over. Is this DUMB thinking???

 

[blitz11]

Here's my $0.02.

When I rode at Moab, kick starting wasn't a problem.

When I rode in Northern New Mexico, starting wasn't a problem.

When we rode the really gnarly stuff, and the bike would tumble down a hill or i'd stall it on some steep climb, i'd burn a ton of energy trying to start the bike. I'm 60 with a "bad" heart valve, and I don't have the beans like i used to.

(I still do stuff - "run" (well, run 200 meters, walk 50), ride my bicycle to work and for fitness (30 - 45 miles per day), but not at the level I used to.)

I am not becoming any younger, and with my pre-retirement gig, i have summers off, so if i am going to spend a few weeks/year riding in various places in the US, i am going to enjoy it and not kill myself. That alone is probably worth the $10K.

Like i said, if i could have retrofit E-start on the 2002, i would have done it, but the time and $$ to do that didn't make sense.

At this age, i have more money than time, so i want to use the best of both. For 40 years, I have wanted a Campagnolo-equipped bicycle. I am having a bicycle frame built to fit my frame, and it will be campy super-record. Should be done in April. That's another $8K. When I kick the bucket, my daughter will have a killer group to put on her road bike.

"Better" for me in this case was e-start. if the old GG had e-start, i never would have considered a different bike.

 

[jerseymike]

I was actually thinking more about that today and how nice, easy, energy saver that little button is. The few times i rode it, i didnt use it unless i had. Guess thats the plus of having both options on the Gasser. Thinking more and more and SMARTER, to keep the 19, spend some $ on it to make it more comfortable for me, more of what i want on the bike, which really isnt much.

 

[SS109]

I think if I were you I would just keep the '19 and get it dialed in. Well, unless that shorter seat height really makes the difference. Only you can decide how much money it is worth to you. Just about anything can be done with enough $$$.

Yeah, as we get older that little button becomes more and more important. I'm 51 now and kicking the bike after a tumble can be a real energy zapper for me. It's like, I already crashed, and to add insult to injury, now I got kick the hell out of my flooded bike. Ugh. I picked up a complete electric start system for '11 EC250R and I've scienced out an electric start for my old KDX just because of this very situation.

Getting old sucks.

 

[(F5)]

You're only as old as you feel. Most of my riding mates are older than me, and I'm older than you.

So I must admit the XTRAINER bought a couple of months back is awesome to hit that button. Much quicker and less strained than my mates 15 EC.

But tomorrow I'm riding my 07EC300. Starts like a charm on the kicker.

 

[jerseymike]

I was in a similar boat.

Turned 60 this year. Hadn't ridden dirt bikes much in the past 4 years despite living in Montana. Thought maybe a new bike would be a good thing. Not much inventory, but a TM dealer in Idaho Falls had some bikes. Looked at the TM 300 2-stroke fuel injected bike.

Nice, but I thought to myself that I'll just drop it in the rocks and wreck a nice piece of art.

Instead of buying that, I "invested" in my 2002 EC 300. Cylinder plated, new piston, etc., brake rotors, brake pads, brake lines, clutch line, tires, rear brake lever (had to fab my own mount), and re-did a footpeg mount repair which was beginning to fail after 10 years.

(Two years prior, i did the "Transformation kit" which adds 2010 plastic to the 2002 bike, and fabbed my own mount for a Showa steering damper. (BTW, that damper is fantastic.))

I also bought #8 and #9 slides, needles, and other brass to address the jetting in higher altitudes in MT. (Lived in Minnesota previous to here.) (#8 slide made a huge difference.)

Overall, the bike was sweet. Ran great. I was still faster than my brother on his new KTM 300 TPI, so i was happy. Until the black hills.

I rode the black hills with my brother and two buddies. The jetting was just a bit lean on the first day (3K feet instead of 5K feet), and my bike just didn't want to start. I'd crash (being faster than my brother doesn't mean i am fast or a a good rider - just faster than my brother.), and kick my brains out trying to start that thing when everyone else would push a button and be going.

I completely exhausted myself kicking that thing, and it was misery the rest of the week.

Tried to buy a Reiju, but no dealers had any.

the TM dealer in Idaho falls had a new 300 with the ohlins TTX shock, big tank, e-start, and six speed trans as a demo (5 hours) for $10K. Bought it.

Bike prices are nuts here, so i may sell the GG, but I also may keep it as a spare or "guest" bike. I've had the bike 15 years, and have a TON of spares, so i won't sell unless i can sell it for $3K.

Disclaimer: bought the TM in August, haven't ridden it. MT was in "exceptional drought" which meant no off-road riding, and then classes started, and i've been busier than ever. Maybe next spring i can report on the bike. It really is beautiful.

TM is sort of like legacy GG in tht i can call the distributor for info, order parts, etc. the only issue i had was finding a spark arrestor exhaust. TM in the US had Pro Circuit design and build a SA. NIce piece of kit, but it's LOUD. Damn. I took it apart thinking that it didn't' have packing, but it did. The packing was sparse, so I may ride it once, and if it's too loud, repack it.

I tried to have Pro Circuit sell me a longer housing for the SA so i could fit more packing and quiet it down, but they wouldn't. So, i am sort of stuck there. Other than that, when I took the bike apart to lube all the bearings, check fastener tightness, install the GPR damper, etc., it was all really well engineered.

That being said, if i cold have retrofit e-start on my GG, i would have not purchased the TM. Had I been able to buy a Reiju, i probably would have done that. But, my options were limited, i was sick of being the only guy with a kick starter, so i took the plunge.

We'll see.

Anyone looking for a 2002 EC 300 with all the tricks?

I think if I were you I would just keep the '19 and get it dialed in. Well, unless that shorter seat height really makes the difference. Only you can decide how much money it is worth to you. Just about anything can be done with enough $$$.

Yeah, as we get older that little button becomes more and more important. I'm 51 now and kicking the bike after a tumble can be a real energy zapper for me. It's like, I already crashed, and to add insult to injury, now I got kick the hell out of my flooded bike. Ugh. I picked up a complete electric start system for '11 EC250R and I've scienced out an electric start for my old KDX just because of this very situation.

Getting old sucks.

SPec sheet wise, the 19 seat height is 1/2" higher. Sitting on the bikes the 19 drops way more, im flat footed on it. The 03 im on balls of feet. Anyway, that button is nice. Im new to Ohio since late 2018, just sold my Harleys, bought the 03 Gasser in June, 1st dirt bike owned/ridden since 98. Just moved in May to where i am now, plus im self employed and work from home. So finding someone to ride with hasnt been easy. PigPen from the forum invited me to ride with him and another guy. They both have newer bikes with the magic button. I fell 2 times, stalled the bike numerous times, and i remember kicking the hell out if and getting tired and hot as hell lol. Meanwhile, theyre both up and going and nice enough to wait on me. After that ride, thats what made me get the 19, plus the suspension.

The older bike i guess is more of a cool factor and i have in my mind how it can be....with a decent amount of $ into it. But why? I have a newer bike with anything i would want and more than i could put on the older bike. So i just need to get rid of the damn thing so i dont spend $ on it!

 

[jerseymike]

You're only as old as you feel. Most of my riding mates are older than me, and I'm older than you.

So I must admit the XTRAINER bought a couple of months back is awesome to hit that button. Much quicker and less strained than my mates 15 EC.

But tomorrow I'm riding my 07EC300. Starts like a charm on the kicker.

My thinking was put that new Lectron carb on the 03 and not have to worry about anything. It will start on 1 kick everytime....or will it? If i fall will it start? Do they flood?

That "push to start" button looks nicer and lazier at 53. This is why Forums like this are great. To get opinions of others and help talk sense into things you know are dumb, you know is not a good financial decision. I have about 12 hrs riding since i bought the 03 in june, 2 hrs on the newer bike. I just need more seat time and dial in the suspension, maybe put the Lectron on the 19, look into the starter issue with these bikes and fix that before its a problem, and enjoy riding again.....hopefully not alone most the time lol