So when i got my 94 ninja 500 I tore it all apart because I didn't have a license to ride. Since then I've been very busy with work and such (ok, im lazy and clueless) and I am unable to put the bike back together.

I was considering getting outside help to put the engine back together, and have the carbs synched and tuned. I found a fellow locally who offered to get the bike running and tuned.


He wants $200 to put the engine back together, and another $100 for synch and tune for a total of $300. Do you guys and gals think this is worth it or should I wait until the bug bites me and I get motivted to try and do this myself?

thanks
-Joe

 

Personally, I wouldn't trust a rebuild that cheap. What was wrong with it initially that prompted you to take it completely apart?
One reason why I don't buy used bikes is because immoral people will spend $200 on a half-@$$ed job of putting a bike back together again and keep a straight face when selling it to some unsuspecting shlub.
Were I in your shoes, I would consider the following two options instead:

~Do I sell these parts on Ebay to raise money for another (possibly even new) bike?
~Do I hunker down, spend a lot of money on the proper tools and replacement parts to put this bike together properly for my own edification and transportation?

I found myself faced with this choice when my 1998 Honda Superhawk (a beautifully sculpted piece of dog$hit) lost all compression in both cylinders after only 47,000 miles. I spent about 7 months in the garage, working evenings in the garage after work, about $7000 in tools, manuals, overpriced Honda parts, books. (A new Honda Superhawk would have cost $9800.) And after I'd put every nut and bolt in place to the exact torque and the engine once again had perfect compression, I took it to a dealership and traded it in for a 2002 ZX9R.
I told them the whole story and the salesman said, "I appreciate you coming to me with an open kimono like this." (A more blunt verbal prelude to a rape I cannot conceive.)
They gave me $2200 trade-in for my 9R. That really, really hurt. But in addition to learning WHY the Superhawk was a piece of $hit, I also got an education.
See, back when I graduated from college, I still had a semester's worth of GI Bill left and I considered using it at MMI (Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Phoenix). MMI wanted $20,000 for their basic core set of courses.

And if you tackle it yourself, here is the greatest thing I learned in that 7 months:
Keep everything neat, organized and labelled. Two of those seven months were spent looking for some damned little nut or hoseclamp. Get one of those sewing organizers with the dozens of little plastic drawers.

Good luck and keep us abreast. Or two.
Peace!
-CCinC

 

I took it apart because I was bored and unlicensed.

It's not really a rebuild that is needed here... it is more reassembly. cams, head.

All I really wanted to do was clean it up, and I got in over my head. I've been thinking about it all day and i'm leaning towards getting the service manual and supplement, a good torque wrench, and putting this bad boy back together on my own.

If i get it back together and it runs like crap, maybe then I'll spend the $100 to have this fellow tune it for me.
I guess he is a recent MMI grad and is looking for side work.

 

Oog.
Good luck.
-CCinC

 

Thanks Chris. I hope you realize this means I'll probably be asking you a ton of questions lol

 

I'll be glad to help. But you should get a copy of the service manual before you commit to doing it.
The service manual will explain most of the things you'll need to do. (Your project might go more smoothly if you get the Haynes or Clymer manual too, to fill in the gaping holes left by our service manual.)
For my Superhawk rebuild, I bought the Factory Honda manual AND the Haynes manual, as well as a few other books, similar to this one.
This was back in 2001 before the internet had as much information as it does now.
-CCinC

 

I've already got the haynes and clymer books. my next purchase is the service manual and supplement. I almost got the online one, but i heard it's just some due scanning his manual, and the quality makes them close to useless. I see a few supplements on ebay that im watching. otherwise i might just break down and get them from kawi for peace of mind.

 

"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." -- Benjamin Franklin

 

well that is too cheap of a price for a rebuild, the parts alone will cost you that $300. I rebuilt mine and did a performance build, It cost me 390 and that was with me doing all the labor. As for the carb tuning, I have no idea the price on that because I do all that myself. Now if you are saying that that is the price he will charge to put back together what you tore apart with no new parts than that is not too bad of a price. just be wary of those people that want to do something for a really cheap price, there are good people like that out there, but most just dont know how to do it and want to make a little money.

 

My understanding was that it was only taken apart and just needed put back together. But not sure if the gaskets have already been ordered. Congrats in obtaining the manuals and starting to aquire the required tools. You will use the tools for a long time after this ride.