How to make your bike pretty for little $$$$

Austin824
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128
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Murrieta, CA US
Edited Date/Time 12/14/2014 3:03pm
Alright so I have a 2010 kx250f I'm going to put on craigslist pretty soon. Its pretty clean, i polished the frame and swing arm, has some upgrades. I was just wonder what I could do to add something on my bike for not the much $$$$ and sell it for more. I'm thinking about getting a new clutch cover to give it more bling but its like 100$ or more. So if you know anything that i could do to make it look better and sell it for more please let me know.









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MxKing809
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Big Sand Whoops, MI US
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11/5/2014 9:43am
Rule #1.... Take the numbers off
Brad460
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Richfield, WI US
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11/5/2014 9:48am
Yes, remove the numbers.

The first thing I look at is the wear on the clutch cover- looking at your I would say it has a lot of hours based on all the paint being wore off the cover.
MxKing809
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11/5/2014 9:49am Edited Date/Time 11/5/2014 9:49am
If you want, take both the covers off the sides of the motor and have them media blasted to the bare metal finish. At least then it won't show the level of wear
O___o
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CA
11/5/2014 9:50am
100 bucks?

brand new front and rear artrax tires from motosport. then take that clutch cover off and wirewheel it until there is no paint on it and the magnesium is all shiny. then hit the whole bike with a can of SC-1.

done.

The Shop

SEE ARE125
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TN US
11/5/2014 9:54am
Put some Monster stickers on it, remove the 8 and 4, then tell everyone it was Villopoto's practice bike.
vet323
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Lead, SD US
11/5/2014 9:55am
Put a two stroke engine in the frame, it'll get more $$$ Wink

I'll cosign the SC-1 tip-stuff works wonders (although Pledge works pretty good on plastic and your mom probably has some sitting on the shelf already).
Matt Fisher
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Visalia, CA US
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11/5/2014 10:04am
Yep, remove numbers, get the paint off the clutch & ignition covers, use some SC-1 to make it shine. Lastly- get some good pictures. In the sunlight, nice background, something that really makes the bike look good.
dboivin
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Saginaw, MI US
11/5/2014 10:19am
new tires, no numbers, refinish covers or remove paint...then setup quality photoshoot...find a friend or an mx photo guy and have him shoot it. good photos mean everything when squeeking top dollar from a sale. Also make sure your chains and sprockets aren't worn out pieces of shit. Nothing says i don't take care of my bike or care how it is than shit wearable items left on it.
racer369
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MO US
11/5/2014 12:08pm
Get both side cases powdercoated. Looks great and a lot cheaper. and take off the numbers
RMT
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Location
Lake Forest, CA US
11/5/2014 12:38pm
Agree with the advice of getting good photo's. Get the lighting just right and post a lot of them in the ad. The more the better. I even like the idea of putting a large chested chick in a few of the photos. Anything to draw someone to look at your bike over the competition. Make sure the bike is clean in the hard to get areas. Rear suspension linkage, bottom of engine and so on. Make all wear areas look like new. New chain and sprockets and tires are also big. New grips and no bent levers. Its still a crapshoot, but if you do these things, it will sell quicker, but for more money, who knows. There are some crazies out there on craigslist.
11/5/2014 12:45pm
MxKing809 wrote:
Rule #1.... Take the numbers off
I jmade that mistake on my last bike.. DUde said he was going to take them off. Now I see photos of him at the local tracks running my number.

Good thing everyone knows I sold it. haha
Lightning78
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Huntington Beach, CA US
11/5/2014 12:48pm
MxKing809 wrote:
Rule #1.... Take the numbers off
HAHAHHAHA that was my first thaought even before I saw your response. ESPECIALLY when your numbers have your name on them...
#991
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Melbourne AU
11/5/2014 12:48pm Edited Date/Time 4/3/2015 4:03am
...
al711
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148
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Location
Athens, AL US
11/5/2014 12:53pm
What I do when I'm selling a bike is replace tires (Artax), chain and sprockets( I use Ebay to piece the three components together for cheap) new air filter, grips and any plastic that is shot. I make sure it is mechanically sound. ( change the oil, plug etc,.)
I take the bike apart as far as I can and clean every part with an old school wire brush and degreaser(409, simple green, etc.). I also use a red scotch brite pad on all aluminum, dry most of the time, no wd 40 because it leads to a mirror finish and I prefer the factory machined aluminum finish.

examples;








al711
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Athens, AL US
11/5/2014 12:59pm Edited Date/Time 11/5/2014 1:02pm
I try to have the bike ready to ride so it needs nothing so the buyer can load the bike and ride it that day. That has been a huge selling point for my bikes usually. If a guy can buy a bike he can ride right now for a couple of thousand that looks super clean and is ready to ride it will sell fast most of the time.

I agree with taking off the numbers as well, there's a few running around with the 711 ; )
Lightning78
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Location
Huntington Beach, CA US
11/5/2014 1:21pm
MxKing809 wrote:
If you want, take both the covers off the sides of the motor and have them media blasted to the bare metal finish. At least then...
If you want, take both the covers off the sides of the motor and have them media blasted to the bare metal finish. At least then it won't show the level of wear
So I have a YZ250 I recently picked up and while the clutch cover isnt bad, Id like to blast it bare. Can anyone advise on the least expensive way to get it media (of some kind) blasted? I would do it myself but I done have a machine, Ill probably pick one up one day from Harbor Freight....Love that place. Its a simple clutch cover so it shouldnt be that difficult.....ideas/advice???
motosmith
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Washougal, WA US
11/5/2014 1:29pm
New Grips.

The best money ever spent when selling a bike is new grips.
IWreckALot
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Fort Worth, TX US
11/5/2014 1:35pm
MxKing809 wrote:
If you want, take both the covers off the sides of the motor and have them media blasted to the bare metal finish. At least then...
If you want, take both the covers off the sides of the motor and have them media blasted to the bare metal finish. At least then it won't show the level of wear
So I have a YZ250 I recently picked up and while the clutch cover isnt bad, Id like to blast it bare. Can anyone advise on...
So I have a YZ250 I recently picked up and while the clutch cover isnt bad, Id like to blast it bare. Can anyone advise on the least expensive way to get it media (of some kind) blasted? I would do it myself but I done have a machine, Ill probably pick one up one day from Harbor Freight....Love that place. Its a simple clutch cover so it shouldnt be that difficult.....ideas/advice???
Can you not just rub it out with an SOS pad or steel wool?
TeamRags
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SoCal, CA US
11/5/2014 2:07pm
Take off the numbers and graphics, put on some new pink grips and list it is as your wife's bike and never raced.
Torco1
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6591
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Location
Corona, CA US
11/5/2014 2:18pm
Make it look as stock as possible. Like everyone else mentioned, take off the backgrounds and if it was mine, I would put stock graphics back on it and either paint, bead blast or replace the clutch and ignition covers. There will be people out there that want to buy a bike that has a lot of aftermarket parts, but from my experience......there will be even more people that would feel more comfortable when buying a used bike that looks stock.....like it did when bought new.
Austin824
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Location
Murrieta, CA US
11/5/2014 2:26pm
TeamRags wrote:
Take off the numbers and graphics, put on some new pink grips and list it is as your wife's bike and never raced.
Thats a good idea but the only problem is I'm 17 and don't have a wife Grinning
rallendude
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2200
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8/17/2006
Location
Adger, AL US
11/5/2014 2:30pm
al711 wrote:
What I do when I'm selling a bike is replace tires (Artax), chain and sprockets( I use Ebay to piece the three components together for cheap)...
What I do when I'm selling a bike is replace tires (Artax), chain and sprockets( I use Ebay to piece the three components together for cheap) new air filter, grips and any plastic that is shot. I make sure it is mechanically sound. ( change the oil, plug etc,.)
I take the bike apart as far as I can and clean every part with an old school wire brush and degreaser(409, simple green, etc.). I also use a red scotch brite pad on all aluminum, dry most of the time, no wd 40 because it leads to a mirror finish and I prefer the factory machined aluminum finish.

examples;








I fell for it. Where's that pipe Al? It wasn't on when I picked it up. kidding

Clean, clean, clean. Like said before, tires, no numbers, and either no paint, or new side covers for the clutch and ignition sides.

Titan1
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Location
Lehi, UT US
11/5/2014 3:08pm
Are you trying to make people think it has less hours that it really has, so you can get more money out of it (which is a pretty crappy thing to do)...or are you trying to just make it look good so it will sell for more? Those are two different things...

I replace all plastics, front to back, put on OEM (or OEM replica graphics)...clean every aspect of it (particularly the air box...pull the seat when a buyer shows up to show them how clean it is). New Grips, and New Tires. I sell bikes with full disclosure-to the best of my knowledge-on hours and repairs (recent and needed), so the new stuff and cleaning, isn't to deceive a buyer. But because they look so darn good, I still get what I'm asking out of them (where if it wasn't cleaned up, they might low ball it).

Because clutch covers are so easy to either replace and blast clean...a good indication of the number of hours on a bike is the chain guide...the frame rails under the engine...and even the bottom of the forks...all of those places get blasted with rocks and on a bike with a lot of hours will get torn up...and sellers never think to replace them (and I learned that the hard way...when I purchased a bike that had "less than 4 hours on it"...and was in show room condition (completely torn down and cleaned)...but after getting it home and really looking at it, I realize that the chain guide was trashed, the frame rails under the engine were trashed, and the bottom of the forks were trashed. I just purchased a high hour bike that someone put some lipstick on. Yes, I was pissed...because I paid for a low hour bike.
PJ205
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1280
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2/16/2008
Location
Fallbrook, CA US
11/5/2014 3:40pm
O___o wrote:
100 bucks? brand new front and rear artrax tires from motosport. then take that clutch cover off and wirewheel it until there is no paint on...
100 bucks?

brand new front and rear artrax tires from motosport. then take that clutch cover off and wirewheel it until there is no paint on it and the magnesium is all shiny. then hit the whole bike with a can of SC-1.

done.
Boom.
Slosh 112
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Mackay QLD AU
11/5/2014 3:42pm
Put new grips on it, clean up that clutch cover and buy an new Pro Circuit sticker for your muffler, you want people to know its got a PC pipe on it,
moore433
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11/2/2011
Location
Denton, TX US
11/5/2014 4:16pm
#991 wrote:
...
That was a pet peeve of mine for regular washing and maintenance. I think a bike looks great with shiny wheels and sparkling tires.
RandyS
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Location
Grass Valley, CA US
11/5/2014 6:20pm Edited Date/Time 11/5/2014 6:35pm
MxKing809 wrote:
If you want, take both the covers off the sides of the motor and have them media blasted to the bare metal finish. At least then...
If you want, take both the covers off the sides of the motor and have them media blasted to the bare metal finish. At least then it won't show the level of wear
So I have a YZ250 I recently picked up and while the clutch cover isnt bad, Id like to blast it bare. Can anyone advise on...
So I have a YZ250 I recently picked up and while the clutch cover isnt bad, Id like to blast it bare. Can anyone advise on the least expensive way to get it media (of some kind) blasted? I would do it myself but I done have a machine, Ill probably pick one up one day from Harbor Freight....Love that place. Its a simple clutch cover so it shouldnt be that difficult.....ideas/advice???
If you have a decent compressor go to Harbor Freight, get a media blaster with the cup on top.http://www.harborfreight.com/gravity-feed-blaster-gun-93221.html On the way home stop by Walmart and get a few 5lb boxes of baking soda(under $3). The cup hold about a pound at a time so you have to refill it every minute or two. Baking soda is about the most mild media there is, it will remove the paint slowly with a standard compressor. You might want to soften it with paint stripper, that will speed things up.
Lower the pressure and you can get rid of the rust on ant painted part without any damage to the paint. You can blast just about any metal part and it will look like new without doing any damage. It's pretty amazing what you can do with refrigerator deodorant. Watch this.
GoonSquad250x
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Kennesaw , GA US
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11/5/2014 6:49pm
MxKing809 wrote:
If you want, take both the covers off the sides of the motor and have them media blasted to the bare metal finish. At least then...
If you want, take both the covers off the sides of the motor and have them media blasted to the bare metal finish. At least then it won't show the level of wear
So I have a YZ250 I recently picked up and while the clutch cover isnt bad, Id like to blast it bare. Can anyone advise on...
So I have a YZ250 I recently picked up and while the clutch cover isnt bad, Id like to blast it bare. Can anyone advise on the least expensive way to get it media (of some kind) blasted? I would do it myself but I done have a machine, Ill probably pick one up one day from Harbor Freight....Love that place. Its a simple clutch cover so it shouldnt be that difficult.....ideas/advice???
RandyS wrote:
If you have a decent compressor go to Harbor Freight, get a media blaster with the cup on top.[url=http://www.harborfreight.com/gravity-feed-blaster-gun-93221.html]http://www.harborfreight.com/gravity-feed-blaster-gun-93221.html[/url] On the way home stop by Walmart...
If you have a decent compressor go to Harbor Freight, get a media blaster with the cup on top.http://www.harborfreight.com/gravity-feed-blaster-gun-93221.html On the way home stop by Walmart and get a few 5lb boxes of baking soda(under $3). The cup hold about a pound at a time so you have to refill it every minute or two. Baking soda is about the most mild media there is, it will remove the paint slowly with a standard compressor. You might want to soften it with paint stripper, that will speed things up.
Lower the pressure and you can get rid of the rust on ant painted part without any damage to the paint. You can blast just about any metal part and it will look like new without doing any damage. It's pretty amazing what you can do with refrigerator deodorant. Watch this.
Awesome, I'm getting one of these asap. I was just buffing my frame with mothers, cone wheel & a drill. It doesn't get the books & crannies. The bottom of the engine & frame annoy me with the staining.

Questions: do I have to take my bien apart to do the entire engine? Carb hoses, wires etc? Or can I just blast it on the stand & try to get into all the little cracks. I'll remove some stuff to make sure I can get it all. So it won't effect gaskets, anything like that? Man, I'm gonna blast everytime, even the chain! LolWoohoo
RandyS
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6184
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Location
Grass Valley, CA US
11/5/2014 7:12pm
So I have a YZ250 I recently picked up and while the clutch cover isnt bad, Id like to blast it bare. Can anyone advise on...
So I have a YZ250 I recently picked up and while the clutch cover isnt bad, Id like to blast it bare. Can anyone advise on the least expensive way to get it media (of some kind) blasted? I would do it myself but I done have a machine, Ill probably pick one up one day from Harbor Freight....Love that place. Its a simple clutch cover so it shouldnt be that difficult.....ideas/advice???
RandyS wrote:
If you have a decent compressor go to Harbor Freight, get a media blaster with the cup on top.[url=http://www.harborfreight.com/gravity-feed-blaster-gun-93221.html]http://www.harborfreight.com/gravity-feed-blaster-gun-93221.html[/url] On the way home stop by Walmart...
If you have a decent compressor go to Harbor Freight, get a media blaster with the cup on top.http://www.harborfreight.com/gravity-feed-blaster-gun-93221.html On the way home stop by Walmart and get a few 5lb boxes of baking soda(under $3). The cup hold about a pound at a time so you have to refill it every minute or two. Baking soda is about the most mild media there is, it will remove the paint slowly with a standard compressor. You might want to soften it with paint stripper, that will speed things up.
Lower the pressure and you can get rid of the rust on ant painted part without any damage to the paint. You can blast just about any metal part and it will look like new without doing any damage. It's pretty amazing what you can do with refrigerator deodorant. Watch this.
Awesome, I'm getting one of these asap. I was just buffing my frame with mothers, cone wheel & a drill. It doesn't get the books &...
Awesome, I'm getting one of these asap. I was just buffing my frame with mothers, cone wheel & a drill. It doesn't get the books & crannies. The bottom of the engine & frame annoy me with the staining.

Questions: do I have to take my bien apart to do the entire engine? Carb hoses, wires etc? Or can I just blast it on the stand & try to get into all the little cracks. I'll remove some stuff to make sure I can get it all. So it won't effect gaskets, anything like that? Man, I'm gonna blast everytime, even the chain! LolWoohoo
I don't know how blasting a complete engine will work, I mean it will work but I don't know if it will get in places it shouldn't. I sure someone here that does restorations will know the answer.

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