Can only echo the comments from everyone further up the reply list: Although I never added up all the bills (after all, it is like a GIRLFRIEND: you are either committed or not....and I had her on the side for 28 years now), I am sure I spent about $5000 on her.

Parts from boats about $1800, frame painting and the like $800, new Tyres, seat upholstering. All adds up - and my bike was complete and in good nick! No new engine parts were required.

Labour of love - money can't buy the fun the restoration was.

But it would be interesting to know what she would sell for. Not that I sell, just out of interest.

It's amazing just how quickly costs can add up. At least my engine seems to run OK.........I haven't been able to ride it so I assume it changes gears etc OK. I decided very early it wasn't going to be a 'correct' rebuild, and have saved money every where I can. I'm more concerned with safety and reliability than looking right. Which is probably just as well

should I comment too...
bike €900.-
parts €4000.- (at least)



looks like I'll start (if I have the time) later this year finishing her..

Around 2000 euros.
Not including the diesel spent while moving from specialist A to B, C, etc. Something about 500 euros extra.

I dont know how mutch I will spend on mine 3AJ, so far a set of new tires (Bridg. TW301/302) for 145€, a set of FZR headlights for 65€ and 12€ for a oem front disc guard. I have the cylinderhead at a shop to be repaired, the valve guards that has come loose from the head. It needs a new cam chain, gaskets, oil and filter. Carburattors are not opened yet and look bad, Brakes need new seals and pistons for the calippers and rebuild kits for the M/C:s. Seat is at a shop for a new cover as old broken. After that I will have a ridable bike, but...
Chain & sprockets need to be replaced + rear cursion rubbers as bearings (proberly will change both wheels bearings)
Front brake disc is corroded -> to be replaced.
Screen is a homemede ugly one....
The wheels I will just try to take corrosion off and paint/clearcoat to save money. Searching for nice ones on e-bay.
Mirrors are corroded but cheap on ebay.
Muffler is rusty, but will do for a year or 2...
Forkboots are on the wishlist also, as some missing stickers, and heated grips!

So as I think what I did pay for the bike (that is a uncommon model where I live) I did a terrible deal...But I wanted a 3AJ

Mine started off as a 700 and something quid means of getting home from girlfriends at the time after selling an r1....
It was reasonably ok other than an engine rattle and horrifically noisy 3rd gear...rode it around for a bit,before thinking bloody hell I best look at motor...con rod was shagged but I got lucky with a new genuine rod and big end on ebay for an insanely low price,I just rebuilt the crank and shoved a piston in it then rode it from UK to Bosnia,up through Italy then to Spain then home..
Pulled it apart again over that winter done 300 quid or so on gearbox ingrediants and found a used 3aj oil pump,had frame powder coated and slung it back together again before riding it to morocco in 2012..
After welding up the silencer for the 2nd time I found the kawasaki kxf 450 silencer that I'd ended up with kicking around under bench for around a year fitted pretty well quite easily..that's 200 quid I didn't have to spend on an arrow for it..
I eventually found 2 of the elusive left hand side panels as it had the wrong type on the left hand side.
The rear shock was pretty shagged out and lost rebound damping pretty badly pretty quickly so probably the most expensive item I bought for the bike was a rear shock.
I'd guess the bike and what I've spent on it adds up to a couple of grand or just over so given that I've done 20,000 miles on the thing its been pretty cheap motoring.
I rode back from Spain to UK in November 2011 with a New Zealander Paul on a BMW f650 and he was pretty surprised at how economical the xt was,there was very little difference to the BMW,which are exceptionally good on the squirt,I'm pretty sure I've seen 650 km on a tank of juice and not ended up walking yet.
I done the fork seals last weekend and shoved another mot on it this week,so its pretty much ready for another adventure very soon,I'm taking it back to Spain at end of November with me.
I wouldn't say its a restored bike,but I may give it a bit of love when I've got no other on going projects..

I haven't noted systematically all the expenses - I think I would stop the restoration if I did

However, my current estimate is around 3000 euros : 1000 euros for the bike and the rest for different parts and services. Note, that I haven't touched the engine.
I don't count here the cost of the tools that I've bought during the restoration.
In my case the items that raised significantly the bill were painting of the bike body, powder coating and new Excel wheels. The other items were not very expensive but there were a lot of them giving the above mentioned bill.

It´s about time I tell my economic story of my XT600 build. I have to blame I didn´t know about this
thread until now. Unfortunately the XT in the build is sold.


Expenses
--------
Bike #1 XT600 €500
Bike #2 XT600 €350
Bike #3 XT600 €400
Costs for Boats parts, powder coat, paint, tires, CDI and so on €1400
Some spare parts I purchased in the beginning of the build €250
---------------------------
Total €2900


Income
-------
I had parts to build another XT which I sold €600
Sold the Duro can from number #2 €150
Sold the engine from number #3 €300
Sold 1 frame and reg-papers €100
Sold a set of wheels €100
Sold some other smaller parts €100
In the end I sold the number #1 XT600 €1250
------------------------
Total €2600

So, €300 in expenses and maybe another €300 in petrol costs. No bikes left, only some odd parts.
It was fun though and I´m doing it again.

To have a bike that you love so much you spend thousands of pounds on, I think it's an attachment, like a relationship the time and money you put into it you only count the cost when it ends.
I've got no intention of counting up the cost just in case the misses sees it, as the misses says it's just toys in the shed, it's not it's love and don't ever ask me to choose between you

kevingrahambutler wrote:as the misses says it's just toys in the shed

Yep & that shed will be on ebay (no reserve) the day after you fall off the perch, trust me.

Mezo.