MBS, is there a cure?

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 11:45 am

MBS. Multiple Bike Syndrome. I have it bad. The only semi-effective treatment seems to be another bike. This one found it's way into my trailer yesterday...

I already have a 1978 Burgandy GL1000 that I have torn down almost to the frame. Many of the parts are already powder coated, but the bodywork was faded and I was expecting an OEM-type paint job with decals to be at least $700-$800. Then this one came along for not much more than that with good bodywork and only 15,000 miles on the clock.

So I had to grab it. It will need the usual stuff to run again - belts, carb cleaning, brake rebuilding, fork seals, tires. But it turns over nice with good compression and the bodywork and chrome is beautiful. And with more than 2 bike's worth of spare parts, this will get the best of everything, including all those parts that are already done.

Now I just have to find a home for the other one. Anyone looking for a project bike? Cool

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:38 pm

That looks like it was good buy...Good luck with it...

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:45 pm

Of course you had no choice Tom but to snatch it up.....thank God you were able to save it from God knows what fate!!! Safely in your garage now you can get it back to its showroom condition once again....MBS...so that's the technical term for what we have???? Well, it best to just forget the labels and just continue on rescuing bikes from potential Cafe Terrorism....

Hawk Joined: Sep 05, 2008 Posts: 502 Location: Orlando FL

Café Terrorism - I like it.

A hacksaw and no plan.

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 1:13 pm

Groesbeck wrote:

Café Terrorism - I like it.

A hacksaw and no plan.

I think Tom generally makes bikes better, isn't that the exact opposite tact to making those horrible POS hacksaw/no plan cafe bikes we see littering Craigslist?

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 3:14 pm

Just don't put a clock on the phuckin thing!

Looking forward to seeing it in person (hopefully next month).

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:13 pm

Tom must have a thing with Comstars...

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:25 pm

I hope not I like this illness, Vicki and I are up to 9, not all F, but 9 no the less, trying to make it a nice even 10. Anybody nkow of a good deal on a modern observed trials bike?

Hawk Joined: Sep 05, 2008 Posts: 502 Location: Orlando FL

MBS is a minor condition.

More Bikes Than Will Fit In Garage (MBTWFIG) is the one you have to avoid.

Hawk Joined: Jan 10, 2012 Posts: 439 Location: Chicago

Ok, I think I've been diagnosed...Thanks doctor Tom...Whats that you say..?..."there's no cure"..."other than lack of $ and storage space".....

E

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:45 pm

MBTWFIG isn't an issue....back yard storage shed holds 4....after that one must downsize the house and upsize the garage....two bedroom with 8 space garage is perfect....allows room for growth....what happens after that just ask E.....his solution works...

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:02 pm

Tom your right. The best treatment is to get another bike.

Rather than getting rid of the other bike you should consider "selling" it to a mate. You make up the number of dollars you "sold" it for because they are only imaginary dollars anyway. Probably a very low number because he is a good mate. He must be a good mate because he is letting you store your bike just in case you need it one day.

I am guilty of selling bikes for real because another one followed me home and I was running out of room and had to make a quick decision. I regret selling those bikes. So now I just "sell" them to a friend. One mate has a Honda Dream and a CB1100 I "sold" him and another mate has a CX500 and soon a CB900 so I can make room for another CB1100 waiting to come home.

Wayne has a very sensible approach, maybe worth considering

Good luck with your decision and you can always sell it later.

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 1:10 am

Scotts outlook is perfect....nothing wrong either with a few of the same color...seems perfectly normal to me. I could certainly use another Red 1100....I can't downsize the house and upsize the garage however with Isabella coming, so I need to be more careful....but a back yard storage shed to put yard equipment and bicycles in easily frees up space for a few more bikes in the garage.....

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 2:21 am

The other burgandy GL will find a new home eventually. My focus with this one is to bring it back to life and leave it mostly stock. The paint, although very nice, is far from flawless, with a chip and a scratch here and there. But overall, it will look pretty nice after I've finished cleaning, polishing, and detailing it. I look at bikes like these as "survivors" that I prefer to resurrect, rather than restore. The bulk of the work it needs is mechanical, along with some associated cosmetic improvements. For example the brake system needs to be gone through, so all the powder coated calipers, brackets, and master cylinders that I did for the other bike (still in boxes on the shelf) will go on this one. I have nicer Comstars (no Rick, I really don't love them that much) that came from a third burgandy '78 (long story) that will go on this one. Lots of other goodies, too, along with braided SS brake lines, 1100F bars that I PC'd to look like chrome, etc.

When it's done it will be relatively unrestored - more like "refreshed." Then I plan to ride and enjoy it. Wink

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:04 am

Refresh is a good plan....that was exactly the plan for my 750 and now, somehow I'm building an 887 motor to go in it.....O_O and before too long you're going to get a box of parts to P/C....That's all falls under the auspices of refresh right????

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:42 am

There's a cure. Move to nyc, i envy you guys and your mbs. Hell, i'd kill to have more than 500 square feet of living space.

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 8:38 am

Mrnagrom wrote:

There's a cure. Move to nyc, i envy you guys and your mbs. Hell, i'd kill to have more than 500 square feet of living space.

One bike is better than none in any ones book any day of the week.

Your welcome to come over to my place and have a beer if you want a bit of space. I don't live on a big block of land but I have a garage with a fridge and some bikes.

Have a good one
Scott

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 11:45 am

scottx wrote:

Mrnagrom wrote:

There's a cure. Move to nyc, i envy you guys and your mbs. Hell, i'd kill to have more than 500 square feet of living space.

One bike is better than none in any ones book any day of the week.

Your welcome to come over to my place and have a beer if you want a bit of space. I don't live on a big block of land but I have a garage with a fridge and some bikes.

Have a good one
Scott

Wayneo's on the way Scotty!!! Afternoon with a mate from Oz and one bike in the garage is priceless....not to mention cans in the garage fridge.... Smile

)

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 12:09 pm

Wayno any time mate your welcome

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 2:13 pm

The only cure for MBS is to keep buying bikes. How can the solution not be obvious.

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 2:59 pm

Dr. Tom, these are my symptoms, please, please, doc what is it?

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:08 pm

PPHHeeewwww. I thought I might have that but Dr jenny says i'm just a normal gearhead. Really nothing to worry about.

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:25 pm

Mrnagrom wrote:

There's a cure. Move to nyc, i envy you guys and your mbs. Hell, i'd kill to have more than 500 square feet of living space.

You, my good sir, are lying. There is no cure. Didn't you see my garage?? Either that or you are just in the denial phase and have a more severe case than you realize. May god be with you.

In all seriousness, I have a few other bikes that I'm hoping to move on from. Here's the current garage roster:
- '02 VFR800 project. Electrical/flood damage. Sad

- '74 CB360T, full cafe job. Tons of fun
- '74 CB200T, half-ass cafe job. 1/2 ton of fun,
- '72 CB350Four, scrap/project. This bike has "boundless ambition" written all over it.
- '49 Russian army sidecar. Bullet resistant (but not willing to test).
- '89 GL1500 w/ sidecar. Suitable for multi-year intergalactic voyages.
- '81 CB900F / F2 / Super-Duper-Sport. Capable of "raped ape" performance.
- '82 CB900C, 4k miles, original tires...
- '12 Triumph Tiger Explorer. Waterproof (?)
- '73 CB350Four. Speed resistant.

This is a cry for help.

Hawk Joined: Jan 10, 2012 Posts: 439 Location: Chicago

djhurayt wrote:

Dr. Tom, these are my symptoms, please, please, doc what is it?

Yea, I love when I see a His and Her side of the garage....mine is the same way.....so I park outside....

E

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 6:01 pm

One of the disadvantages of living north of Palm Beach....his and her sides of the garage for cold and snowy mornings.....here it is MY garage...Man Cave and "F" Heaven....there is a sliver dedicated to "her bicycle", something I permitted in a weak moment...but that can be rectified as I mentioned above with a small backyard shed for bicycles and yard tools....David clearly is on the right track, but look how much more room there is if you kick the 4 wheel necessity out to the driveway!

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 6:06 pm

let me put you in contact with my Vicki, maybe YOU can suggest that to her

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 6:28 pm

Happy to contact Miss Vicki....but the Factory Service Manual supplemental section on bike wife management is important...Cary and Keith taught me a lot on technique!!!

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 7:31 pm

No I really don't think you will want to suggest she keep her MB outside. It may not be pretty.

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 7:39 pm

Now, what I could possibly do is suggest she get her bikes (Ducati 696 Monster & Honda CRF230) on her side of the garage. But that probably would not end well either.

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 8:15 pm

Hmmmm difficult one huh....