Was it worth it...

[TeeJay]

I made the mistake of travelling a LONG way to view the Gasser and didn't really know what I was looking at
It was a 2001 model EC300 first registered in 2000
It didn't appear to be too clean but it was cheap (£1,100)

So I bought it


I had absolute nightmares out on the trails with wrong jetting, bits falling off and it was a mare to get it started, so much so that I'd very often have to get a bigger friend to kick it for me
It was very frustrating, I had been tackling little problems/potentials causes one at a time to cure it but nothing seemed to work, I had spent far more than the bike was worth at this time but I was reluctant to give up with it, so I finally took the plunge and got new piston, rings, clutch to do a proper rebuild on it.
I've only actually ridden approximately 200 miles on it since I bought it and now in that time it's had...

Wavey brake disc
New front brake pads
Stripped and painted downpipe (black high temp paint)
New fork seals
Complete new plastics (except headlight)
New taller, narrower bars
New speedometer
New front sprocke
New rear sprocket
New chain
New Boysen 2 stage reeds
New jet kit
9oz flywheel weight
New later type (slightly longer) kick start
Complete new clutch including friction and clutch plates, new stronger springs
New piston and rings including top end bearing, pinion etc
Full new gasket set
New sidestand bracket (far better than the old 3rd grade workshop effort)
New rear brake pads
New tail light
Stator rewound
New carb rubbers
New Metzler 6 days extreme tyres
New 4mm tubes
Lowering links

In all I rekon I've spent over £3,500 on it including the original purchase price.

Christ, I could have almost bought a new one for that

Still, the starting problem is no more
I've still got to have the rear wheel re-built before it can go in for it's MOT (road worthiness test) but that's all it needs now

Can't wait to get it done and tested so I can finally ride it how it should be

I've learned a lot about the bike but to be honest I'd rather not have had to

No selling it now though cos it's set me back twice what it's worth and I'd hate to lose all that money

[Brian VT]

The things we do...lol.
I bought an '03, while I was on crutches, from a friend of a friend.
It wasn't clean but I wanted the bike, the price was fair, and the seller said the swingarm bearings, etc. had been maintained.
Yah, right. I spent the winter hobbling around on one leg going through the whole bike making it perfect (new swingarm bearings, etc.). I disassembled the PV and cleaned it as spotless as the whole bike. I managed to reassemble the PV incorrectly. When all was "complete" I had my buddy start it. 3 seconds later the motor stopped with a "rap" and there was coolant spilling out of my cracked cylinder. I thought I was going to puke.
I ended up putting $1500 + many hours into a $3000 bike but in the last 2 years I've enjoyed this bike like no other and I'm keeping up with a group of riders that used to have to wait for me.
I probably couldn't sell my bike for 1/2 of what I've spent on it but I already feel I've got my money's worth in enjoyment and I plan to keep it for a long time. My next bike will be another EC300, for sure.
I hope you reap the same pleasure from your time and money.

[flybars]

Sounds so similar to me! Now I have two bikes 'cause there is no way I'd recoup near the amount of money I've thrown at the Xr. I'm more poor now but I'm very happy I kept it. Both are great bikes.