Are there no good Road Stars for sale?

[129drifter]

As of yesterday I have now driven to locations in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina recently to look at Road Star 1700 bikes that did not run right (if they would even crank) or the pictures and videos were taken before the bikes sat outside in the rain rusting for years.

Fun stuff when you pull a trailer all day long to get to a potential seller who assured you up front they have clear title but they want to use your cash to go get it from a title loan company once you get onsite. Or they swear the Road Star is in great shape and you open the gas cap to find a strong varnish smell and a tank full of crusty rust inside.

Do people selling motorcycles no longer have any integrity?

I know these bikes have been out of production for 9 years. My serious question is this: Are they getting too long in the tooth for a buyer with cash to expect a decent one with around 30k miles, does not leak oil and will run right long enough for a 5 mile test ride?

[KFallsRider]

Location Location Location
I'm constantly looking for a good deal on one in any condition within reason… you’re right tho some people are just batshit crazy sometimes on price and actual condition..hell some list R* as Vstars and strats ..or wrong year models.
persistency pays off
G’Luck !

[Lug Nut]

I have buyers take videos of them starting and running lots of good close-up pictures. When I get the address I Google Earth that to see where they're living at. I get a copy of the title front and back, I do a vin check. The weird thing is I purchased very cheap bikes that were in excellent shape and I've looked at bikes in the three and $4,000 range that should have been really nice and were pieces of junk. Things that were dented or scraped that no logical way they could have gotten that way. Weird fasteners instead of OEM a fasteners, loose items. Just real hunks of junk. It takes a lot of research before I make a four plus hour trip hauling a trailer to get a bike.

I'm probably going to sell my '08 fuel injected bike Since I have my '09 Silver Roadliner all set up with hard bags windshield etc. I'm going to ask an awful lot for my Roadster because it is perfect mint needs nothing new tires etc. I sold my 2000 Turing roadstar locally for $6,500 last year. I thought that was just a ton of money but it had everything done to it you could do to it. You will definitely have to find the right buyer for a nice Road Star over $5,000. Because there are so many junky ones between two and $4,000. The problem is I'm pretty good at working on these things after all these years and I don't mind spending time in the garage but on some level my time is worth something and I'm not going to give somebody $2,000 for a complete piece of shit I have to spend 5 weekends on and another $1,000.

[129drifter]

The amount I have been willing to pay is top dollar for the right one even though the market for metric cruisers over 10 years old is pretty soft right now.

I have sure learned people will tell you anything along with fabricating pictures and videos that are nowhere near the current condition. I guess they are gambling on the idea if they can get you to drive far enough that you will buy their junk anyway regardless of condition.

I am at the point now where someone with a Roadie for sale would have to bring it here to Northwest Florida using their time and money for me to even look at it.

[KFallsRider]

[KFallsRider]

[ItBeMe]

I have 06 for sale soon in Carrollton Ga.

[Lug Nut]

The amount I have been willing to pay is top dollar for the right one even though the market for metric cruisers over 10 years old is pretty soft right now.

I have sure learned people will tell you anything along with fabricating pictures and videos that are nowhere near the current condition. I guess they are gambling on the idea if they can get you to drive far enough that you will buy their junk anyway regardless of condition.

I am at the point now where someone with a Roadie for sale would have to bring it here to Northwest Florida using their time and money for me to even look at it.

Well if you want a perfect FI bike with everything done correctly...and want to fly to indiana and ride back lol...here is mine...

Barnett clutch pressure plate with 1/2 HD springs and 1/2 regular springs,NGK Irridiums spark plugs, synthetic oil and filter, synthetic transfer case fluid, synthetic brake fluid, AIS delete, new Yuasa 220cca battery, "zero" tune PCV with rev limiter raised to 4850. Freedom Performance 2 into 1 Combat exhaust and new oxygen sensors, LED headlight, EBC HH front and Organic rear pads, custom stitched flamed ED Big Touring seat set with matching integrated rider backrest and sissybar pad, Star Bar highway bar with Kuryakan flame pegs, Geno's lowering saddle bag brackets for Silverado leather bags, dual USB power plug, Kuryakan flame Iso grips, Kuryakan flame brake pedal cover, tall OEM Sissybar with luggage rack, RoadWing rear shock with RAP, battery tender, K&N RA067v air cleaner, rerouted PCV under bike, Barons Kick Back risers, Kuryakan perch mount basket drink holder, Kuryakan tech connect phone holder, Star Accessories passenger pegs. Rechromed speedo bezel. Star Accessories Stem nut cover and fork cap covers. Studded windshield bag. 18 in front Stratoliner wheel with rotors and Michelin CIII Touring tire. WOLO Bad Boy Air Horn. About 14k miles on it.

[129drifter]

No on anything at this point (regardless of the price) unless a seller is willing to use their own time and money to bring the bike to a public place here for me to look at and test ride.

[Lug Nut]

No on anything at this point (regardless of the price) unless a seller is willing to use their own time and money to bring the bike to a public place here for me to look at and test ride.

Unfortunately that's going to be very hard unless you get somebody very local lol. I know the frustration of making a drive and seeing a big hunk of shit. It's very maddening

[brianmac]

i am with lug nut on this one, take a CLOSE UP PICS and videos. one mans "a little rust" or surface rust is another mans he left it out in the rain for a year in florida humidity, salt and UV damaging sun. I chastized oine phucker. I drove 2 hours to cuz he said no rust in tank, and one look inside and im gone. I said you should tell people up front about issues. dont waste their or your time. I tell them up front,I have an inspection camera, im going to drain gas into a clean gas can (thru a white t shirt filter) if it has ANY RUST IN tank, take 500 off the price, before I drive there, "are you OK with that", if they say no, im done. to me, the tank is the measure of how well a bike was cared for, and if its not oem paint, i dont bother going

[129drifter]

i am with lug nut on this one, take a CLOSE UP PICS and videos. one mans "a little rust" or surface rust is another mans he left it out in the rain for a year in florida humidity, salt and UV damaging sun. I chastized oine phucker. I drove 2 hours to cuz he said no rust in tank, and one look inside and im gone. I said you should tell people up front about issues. dont waste their or your time. I tell them up front,I have an inspection camera, im going to drain gas into a clean gas can (thru a white t shirt filter) if it has ANY RUST IN tank, take 500 off the price, before I drive there, "are you OK with that", if they say no, im done. to me, the tank is the measure of how well a bike was cared for, and if its not oem paint, i dont bother going

Ive had people selling send me nice close up pictures and videos in the last 3 months or so but the only problem is the ones I got were probably from 2017 before it was left sitting out in the rain under a tarp since then. They will lie their ass off about having clear title in hand, how it runs or the inside of the tank not being full of rust.

[Lug Nut]

Ive had people selling send me nice close up pictures and videos in the last 3 months or so but the only problem is the ones I got were probably from 2017 before it was left sitting out in the rain under a tarp since then. They will lie their ass off about having clear title in hand, how it runs or the inside of the tank not being full of rust.

First tell people up front I need a picture front and back of the title and if you can't do that for me I'm not interested even if the bike is free. If they want to sell they'll send you pictures of the title. That's just the first thing. I also ask a lot of questions and see how much rope they need to hang themselves lol. I was going to buy a Raider until the guy started talking about how he had it all bored out because it was leaking oil but now it's perfect and it's faster than ever. I told him he was a moron and walked away.

[MidnightRide]

Scott, if someone insisted they needed a pic of my title, I'd tell them to blow. Perfect setup for a scammer. Nor would I send a pic of my driver's license, SSN, etc.

[129drifter]

Sorry to make such a big deal out of this but if all of our conversation helps one other person on this message board going through the buying process it will have been worth it.

[Brad_G]

Lots of good suggestions have come up on this topic.

[Lug Nut]

I have had some people fail to give me a picture front and back of the title and those were bikes I lost interest and immediately. I made a 12-hour round trip one time and was told the title was clean and clear and his name. It wasn't even at his house it was still at the bank and he told me it was in his brother's name. That's why I insist on a picture front and back. I know people get freaked out about giving out this kind of information but in all reality what exactly do you think someone's going to do with a picture of a title that you currently possess in your name for an old ass metric bike worth $3,000 lol.?? I thought about it and I just can't see where someone is going to try to do anything to get my old junk Yamaha metric cruiser out from under me for free It's just not realistic. I give my ID also to people if they don't know me and they're buying a part for me as well as a video of me with the part on purchasing. I'm not truly worried about ID theft for something like an old metric bike.

[MidnightRide]

I've had my ID and bank account hacked on more than one occasion! A few months ago charges started showing up on my bank debit card for no discernable reason. The first time it happened they ran my bank account into negative numbers. Took over a week and a ton of research to get my $$ back from the bank.

They apparently used a card skimmer at a restaurant or similar, then made up a similar card with my bank info, then kept buying until it was eventually declined after they'd drained thousands from my account. I discovered it when heading out of town on a biz trip, stopping at the ATM to grab some cash. It was declined and showed a negative balance of nearly $300!

[grubsie]

If I am interested in a bike I gather any and all info I can on the bike before going to see it. Then when "face to face" I start by asking the one question I didn't ask before looking at the bike. What oil do you run in this bike? If they even hesitate to answer or answer with an oil than doesn't meet proper ZDDP levels, I just walk away. No need for any more conversation.

[SouthernCruizer]

As of yesterday I have now driven to locations in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina recently to look at Road Star 1700 bikes that did not run right (if they would even crank) or the pictures and videos were taken before the bikes sat outside in the rain rusting for years.

Fun stuff when you pull a trailer all day long to get to a potential seller who assured you up front they have clear title but they want to use your cash to go get it from a title loan company once you get onsite. Or they swear the Road Star is in great shape and you open the gas cap to find a strong varnish smell and a tank full of crusty rust inside.

Do people selling motorcycles no longer have any integrity?

I know these bikes have been out of production for 9 years. My serious question is this: Are they getting too long in the tooth for a buyer with cash to expect a decent one with around 30k miles, does not leak oil and will run right long enough for a 5 mile test ride?

I've got 3 bikes, and am thinking about selling one because of lack of room in my carport. I would sell either my 2016 Kawi Versys 650, or myt 2005 RoadStar 1700. The RS has just over 12K original miles. No problems at all, I ride it at least once a week. Newish battery and tires. Cobra pipes, sound system. Original seat, small apes. I am located in south Louisiana. I just snapped the pics. Contact me if you want more info or pics.

[MidnightRide]

Damned good-looking bike!

[129drifter]

Out of all the crazy stuff I ran into there was one real nice young man in the recent past that had a 2008 loaded up fuel injected Roadie with everything I wanted on it. 17K miles, well maintained, clear title in hand, nice Michelin Commander tires, garage kept its whole life with no rust etc.

There were a couple of minor things I had concerns about after I did a test ride the first time. We could not put a deal together then but we kept in touch.

He took care of everything I pointed out and did more than I asked for. He rented a U-Haul motorcycle trailer to pull with his truck and got right on the price. After looking at lots and lots of misrepresented junk bikes since the first week in October -- I bought this one!

[MidnightRide]

Awesome! Way to go. Post some pics!!

[Brad_G]

Great to hear you found one to your liking!

[129drifter]

This is the one I bought.



Just like KFallsRider said early on in this message thread -- being persistent pays off

[KFallsRider]

Beautiful !

[MidnightRide]

Great looking bike; nice find!