Lc 350

[petenofear]

Hi all 
I would love a rd lc 350 again but with the prices going up and up and not wanting to pay big money what is my options 

i would like  a bike that needs work but a running project I am not scared to do a full resto 
as done many cars and bikes in my time ,

my rs turbo was a bare shell  been sat in a field for 18years rotted out 

and now back on the road 

what will I have to pay been looking but only the bay and people asking top money for crap 

pete 

[veg]

Sadly top money, the days of £500 350's long gone, my last before my present I sold in 09 or 2010 was an lc-rgv-ypvs hybrid total rebuild which sold for £3900 just paid £3000 for a 25000 mile 350 import.
Best way I would think by a 250 frame or chassis and Bing a pv motor in but still going to cost you .

[petenofear]

Yes if I recall I sold mine for less than £500 to a mate and he still has it that was 17 or more years back

I won't a project really but my Grand don't look like I will buy one

Will have to put some more up and tell the miss it was less lol

[dusty350]

Hi
Yea, you are right, prices have been rising sharply for some time now, and a decent bike is gonna cost you quite a lot of money now. Value depends on spec and condition. Matching number bikes command the highest prices, but if the numbers thing doesn't bother you, you'll save money there. Quite a lot of 350's are converted 250's, and again if that isn't an issue for you then they are more attractive cost wise. There is a guy in Wales - Hopkin ? on ebay, often has german import Lc's for sale which often seem reasonably priced, but value will depend on how much of a project a bike will be. Even buying parts to build into a bike is an expensive business. Good rebuilt engines make £600 plus, frames, if you can find one with paperwork are £500 plus, then there is everything else so getting as complete a bike as possible is probably your best bet. Keep thinking the bubble is gonna burst regards prices, but no sign of it yet !

Put an ad in the wanted section too - nothing to lose

Good luck

Dusty

[paulincayman]

I found a "bargain " in Canada, great exchange rate..paid approx £1200 for matching numbers 81, , then another 1000 to get it here plus same again in important duty at 37%.... spent a further 500 on the missing bits including a non essential fork up grade.. still not got to look at the engine .....you really have to love them..

[petenofear]

Thanks guys for your help

Not reply worried about matching numbers but would be nice

As you say prices are rising

I no this from the rs turbos I have owed lots and years back only paying £100 for them

There now 15k up that's why mine will stay will me unless I have a offer I can't refuse haha

I got lots of toys and only thinking now of when I am old and retired I could sale up and have a pound in my pocket

But still only a boy at 38 so time to injoy for some more years ahead I hope lol

[neo]

Oct 2, 2016 20:47:47 GMT 1 dusty350 said:

Hi
Yea, you are right, prices have been rising sharply for some time now, and a decent bike is gonna cost you quite a lot of money now. Value depends on spec and condition. Matching number bikes command the highest prices, but if the numbers thing doesn't bother you, you'll save money there. Quite a lot of 350's are converted 250's, and again if that isn't an issue for you then they are more attractive cost wise. There is a guy in Wales - Hopkin ? on ebay, often has german import Lc's for sale which often seem reasonably priced, but value will depend on how much of a project a bike will be. Even buying parts to build into a bike is an expensive business. Good rebuilt engines make £600 plus, frames, if you can find one with paperwork are £500 plus, then there is everything else so getting as complete a bike as possible is probably your best bet. Keep thinking the bubble is gonna burst regards prices, but no sign of it yet !

Put an ad in the wanted section too - nothing to lose

Good luck

Dusty

Dusty

I recently bought a pv off Hopkins on eBay and he's a good bloke mines ok he advertises bike well and reasonable I think, mines all motd just awaiting dvla to release the year uk v5 so I can get some plates made up as was German but it's a very original bike pics will follow 👍

[wallcraft]

I would sell up one of your toys to fund your desires, not what you want to hear but maybe the only way forward.

[dusty350]

I just sold a large job lot of parts that I was hoping to build another bike out of. I held on to them for ages thinking I could collect everything for a complete build, but then add on the cost of refurbing everything, and the fact I kept tripping over it all, I decided it was a project too far. Buy the best, most complete bike you can get would be my advice. Sounds like Neo had some luck with his, and German imports seem plentiful on ebay. A grand isn't gonna get you much nowadays I'm afraid

Dusty

[wolfboy1]

having owned and ridden two strokes for the last 20 years ( rgv250 ns400r rg500 350 ypvs ) just sold my 350 ypvs and i don't think i'll bother buying another 2stroke as prices imho are unrealistically way too high ..

[veg]

Agree they are getting stupid, but look at any older bike the market place is dictating crazy prices. My mate has a couple of old Brit bikes and refuses to buy any more his argument is that even in the day certain bikes weren't desirable why are they now. His bikes including a 1928 sunbeam are used not restored. Yet here I am throwing money at a 34 yr old bike like it's going out of fashion. Guess I'm as guilty. Problem is the market will crash as we all start kicking the bucket and younger generations aren't interested in our toys.

[icarus001]

I paid £2000 for my tidy non-matching numbers 350LC in early 2013, the same bike now would easily be £3000.
It now owes me many times that because I paid for a professional restoration, it's literally like brand new, but I think it will be a while yet until prices rise to a point where I could get my money back.

I remember walking away from a very tidy N2 some years back because I thought £1200 was too steep - I'd rip their arm off now, lol.

[Tobyjugs]

The problem with buying a wreck is it costs a lot to build it up. If it was me i would wait around until someone on the forum sells one. The basics would have been sorted and in the long run it could be cheaper unless you get that RD Fever and need other reeds other pipes, big bore kit, aaaaagh more power

[icarus001]

Oct 3, 2016 16:30:59 GMT 1 Tobyjugs said:

The problem with buying a wreck is it costs a lot to build it up. If it was me i would wait around until someone on the forum sells one. The basics would have been sorted and in the long run it could be cheaper unless you get that RD Fever and need other reeds other pipes, big bore kit, aaaaagh more power

It's an expensive hobby, even a rough one is going to cost you at least £2k now, then when you throw in an engine rebuild, professional paint job and some bits and pieces you're already another £2k in.
Four grand would get a really nice modern bike that will ride rings round an LC, so you've got to really want one.

[petenofear]

It's not a modern bike I want been there done that got a cbr 600 rr if I won't it for free it's one of my dads spare bikes

But they just don't do it for me

As for a project I don't mind doing the work as said and the cost is not really a big issue as will be doing it over time bit here and there
More I think about it think I would rather a project as gets me out the house from the miss and kids lol

In no hurry to have on the road and ride just want one sat there with the rest lol

I build my rs turbo from a bare shell welding and painted the car my self

I am not really in a hurry but with prices going up would like one sooner befor they get out of hand

I will post some photos of my rs build if anyone would like to see

Thanks again for all you help pete

[wroughtironron]

You might be better off looking for an RGV or similar ? My fully rebuilt 350 Hybrid stands me at £6500 - a lot of money, but mint bikes are expensive now.

[iwantalc]

Oct 3, 2016 17:13:24 GMT 1 wroughtironron said:

You might be better off looking for an RGV or similar ? My fully rebuilt 350 Hybrid stands me at £6500 - a lot of money, but mint bikes are expensive now.

a decent rgv is similar money to a lc ,

[bare]

I keep reading these LC prices.. year after year.
Why? Average income is the UK is erm.. Markedly less than in North America.
LC's are quite rare in USA.. yet their pricings are a fraction.
Last Month I sold my '82 350 LC (albeit taken apart matching numbers, valid/registered paperwork, lotsa spares...
a pickup truck load of boxes etc) For 800$ Cdn what's that? 400 gbps.
And pleased to get it.

[dusty350]

It seems all old 2 strokes are making serious money now. Have you looked at X7's on ebay recently. And all models of Suzuki Gt's - 250's, 380's, 500'S and 550's ? 750's have been silly money for years now, Rg and Rd500's are regularly over 10k. Even Kh250's are expensive now. I think ebay has a lot to answer for. You get a chancer advertise a bike with a big price tag and everyone thinks that's what it's worth, plus these bikes appeal to guys of a certain age who may be able to afford these inflated prices. Nostalgia is a powerful emotion and often wins over when deciding whether to buy a bike or not. I never bought any of mine as an investment, but you can imagine some people do.

Dusty

[icarus001]

Oct 3, 2016 17:54:44 GMT 1 bare said:

I keep reading these LC prices.. year after year.
Why? Average income is the UK is erm.. Markedly less than in North America.
LC's are quite rare in USA.. yet their pricings are a fraction.
Last Month I sold my '82 350 LC (albeit taken apart matching numbers, valid/registered paperwork, lotsa spares...
a pickup truck load of boxes etc) For 800$ Cdn what's that? 400 gbps.
And pleased to get it.

Loads of blokes like me who hit their 40's or 50's and had disposable income, and wanted to re-live their youth.
I got another one for my 40th birthday (I'm 43 now), I was only 9yrs old when they originally came out and I lusted after one in my younger teenage years, by the time I was old enough to ride one they were old hat, but I still got one....although I didn't keep it for long, I got a TZR250 and then went racing.

I think I'm one of the younger guys into LC's, most people I meet are a bit older, with a few exceptions.

[petenofear]

You got 5 years on me I am 38

Not looking for any other bike got my fs1e rd125. Now a 350 lc is needed

Just talked to a mate and he said there is one sat in his neighbour shed been there years
He is going to ask for me but I don't hold much hope

[reggit]

I can't believe the prices these days, bought mine for £800 in 1991, think I may have been stung! It's been a love, hate relationship! Tried to flog it in the late 90's but no one wanted it - lucky with hindsight!

If I could lay my hands on a decent frame, I could nearly build another bike with the spares I've got hogging the garage. Even got the (very rough) matching number cases, but not got round to trying to tidy them up after a mate TIG welded the usual broken bit and found they had more magnesium in than he expected - burnt a bit upto the engine numbers.

Seen a few rough 250's at just about affordable prices on the bay, but they need a lot of money throwing at them.

Not just 2-strokes that have gone silly - I was noseying round for another of the bikes I lusted after in the early 90's Kwak 750turbo - they're silly prices now!

PS I just turned 48, so am getting a bit old and doddery now (and have bugger all disposable money).

Attention will turn to the CB1000 and FJ combination next......

[tout]

I would like to see some pics of the RS rebuild please
Gettin a semi on.....my era my type of car