You kidding?? You should see my house+dog+boat+truck. Keep the pictures coming

You're taking this wrong legion. I'm just trying to save you some emotional distress, I enjoy tinkering for it's own sake as much as the next guy but the fact that a woman will be riding it makes it a no brainer for me. JMHO

Otherwise, by all means, I like seeing anything rise from the dead.

My friend bought a CB550 in similar condition for $1. He paid our local shop to restore it. It cost him $1,400. He's been riding it for four years now without any problems.

Other than test runs around the block (performed by me). I wouldn't "release" the motorcycle for on-road use until I had the shop check it out.

In my job and in my hobbies, I've learned you can NEVER have too many eyes double-checking your work.

Legion i too LOVE a fix it project and am showing an alarming increase in my willingness to take them on. But your girl is presumably trying to come out ahead vs. buying a ready to go bike and it seems the consensus is she will not.

And please do post updates I will certainly read every one of them! Heck you could be fixing up an old lawn mower and i'd read the updates.

Some clarifications:

I'm married. I'm doing this for a female friend who is not my wife. My wife is fully aware of why I suddenly have a second motorcycle in the garage.

I think this is more about getting her brother's motorcycle running again than a cost thing.

.......sentimental attachment.....the thing is a piece of junk. And an eyesore. Seriously.
Reconsider. It's not too late.

I draw the line on projects that look like they've been on the bottom of a salt water river since 1978.

I don't think it looks that bad. just needs a little love. I would hose it down with some PBBlaster and tell the owneer they will help you with the cosmetics. If I understand correctly Legion is only turning wrenches and providing tech support, not monetary support. Some of us have taken on way bigger projects than this in the P-car world, what would a Ferrari guy say? Junk it? I would help if I was closer, looks like fun to me. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1233000890.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1233000938.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1233000948.jpg

I'm not doing all of the work either and I'm not doing it alone. The owner, her husband, and some other friends are pitching in as well. I'm just hosting the project as I have the most garage space. (The 951 opened up a lot of space. :()

In just two pages you've gone from fixing up a beater bike for some hottie you're doinkin' on the side to letting some guy and his wife use your garage for a project bike.

While i think infidelity is a lot of what's wrong in this world I thought the initial story line was much more interesting.

I never said that. I don't know where you got that from.

My fantasy world.

And a good one at that.

I don't mean to hijack, but Crusty, what did you use on that exhaust, or is it new?

Bill

Does Prince know you have his bike from Purple Rain?

Legion,
That looks like a fun project! As long as no one is trying to make money on the deal then go for it! I love working on bikes because there is so little to them that any part of the project is never that big of a deal and it makes for a very rewarding project. Good Luck!

Crusty,
The bike looks great! I love Plastic Renew.

I bet barkeepers friend applied to the chrome would really turn the look of the bike around, I have three boys that like to get involved in that sort of thing.
The exhaust is the same in both pictures. 1200 BBQ paint and the guard is gloss black appliance epoxy. Plastic renew is great as long as you follow the directions exactly.

I use Never Dull on my Harley and it works wonders for chrome...bikes are fun projects. I've done a couple old bikes here and there. On older bikes like that one problems you run into is getting parts for carburetors and things like that. Those vac, diaphragms in the tops of the carbs can be hard to find and they are probably bad. I'd at least do some homework on parts availability before I got too far into it. it's do-able though...anything is if you want to spend the time.

bikebandit.com
http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/kawasaki-motorcycle-454-ltd-en450a1-us-1985/o/m3215

Looks like Crusty's onto something there. That place has all the goodies....Thats a great source for hard to find items...and they have all of your carb parts.
I bought a 440 LTD new back in the day. I wanted the 454 but couldnt swing the extra money back then. That 454 was a sweet bike. I like the looks of them too.