Reply With QuoteThe question I'd be asking, is how they got broken, and is there any other damage?
Hi folks,
I'm looking to get myself back on two wheels after a slight hiatus, and in the market for a Harley.
I found one which seems like a bargain, but with one catch...it's got a few broken cooling fins.
Question to those more mechanically minded, how much of of a problem would this be? Would the engine run much hotter, or would it be negligible hence just aesthetics?
Repairing it I would assume would cost an arm and a leg.
In my mind, surely the cooling won't be that affected, and that the main problem would be selling it in a few years as it may put people of.
Thoughts?
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The question I'd be asking, is how they got broken, and is there any other damage?
A few broken fins is not an issue but they can be repaired. Checkout the modifications thread and drop Merch131 a pm as he had some mended on one of his projects.
The difference that damage will make to cooling will be so small it'll be immeasurable. It's almost cosmetic.
As long as the price reflects the damage, go for it.
I'd have absolutely no problem with a few missing fins.
In the 70s a pal of mine had a Yamaha 350 with a big lump broken off the outboard left hand head fin. I always thought he should have cut off the whole fin and smoothed it down to blend in. But, he never did and your eye always went to every time we rode together.
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Personally. I would pay the extra and find one without that damage to cylinder heads and barrels. Unless it’s silly cheap.
What other damage is there?
Derby cover looks dented. Is the fuel tank marked? Bars bent? etc.
Category N?
If you buy. I wouldn’t faff around trying to have fins welded back on.
There should be lots of near new barrels and heads available, as lots of people change these to get a bit more power.
I remember years ago struggling to sell original Harley barrels and heads after a screaming eagle conversion.
As others have said it won't affect cooling, but it does look like crash damage.
Agree with all the comments. Harleys are all about the image so when it comes to selling on then it might be difficult. If it was an air cooled commuter bike then it would not be an issue.
Broken fins like that say to me that whomever pulled that engine apart was a bit of an animal.. so what else has he had a go at?
Expect overtightened nuts n bolts cross threaded fasteners and stripped threads..👎
When I 1st looked at it I thought something had probably fallen onto it caused the damage
I thought more like the bike had fallen over onto something. It looks like the impact has bent the fins upwards.Originally Posted by lewie
Yeh maybe- it doesnt (to me) look like it was moving accident damage - have you asked how it occurred?
I know nothing about motorcycles but that was exactly my thought on seeing the damage.
I'd wonder what else was damaged...
M
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Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
That's for the guy who's thinking of buying it to do.
I wouldn't have thought anything structural if it just fell over, certainly doesn't look like crash damage. So if anything, just components which could be unbolted and replaced or refinished simply, and the awkward cylinder barrel was left is my best guess.
Never forget the only natural position for a motorbike is on it's side.
That amount of cooling fin loss would have very little effect on the head cooling.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Good advice, I was /am inclining to steer clear. Just wondered how much of an issue this can be. As if just aesthetics, then I'm probably ok with it (though resale may be harder down the line)
There is no other damage. I'm yet to get details but it did get a engine conversion from 883 to 1200, and I'm assuming maybe they dropped the head during the conversion.
It is indeed Cat N sadly
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As others have said, walk right by. It might be a garage accident eg another bike or item falling against it or it could be crash damage. Either way its plainly not right and furthermore as Enoch refers to the current / previous owners couldn’t be arsed to fix it. So what else has been skimped and missed.
Most Harley owners are fastidious, their bikes are immaculate, so just wait until another comes along. Like watches its a buyers mkt at present.
Steve
Ps just seen your response above. If they dropped the head and went ahead with the conversion that tells you something. This looks more like impact damage.
See attached details on bike write offs
https://begin-motorcycling.co.uk/mot...ies-explained/
Last edited by higham5; 23rd January 2023 at 17:24.
The damage is to both the head and the top two fins of the cylinder barrel so this won't be the case. Either the bike was dropped, or the assembled engine was dropped after the conversion was carried out (if the conversion is an engine out of frame job that is).
I'd walk away also.
Unless significantly cheap, then walk on and find another one which is better. Condition is everything, and whilst it won’t affect the cooling terribly, it will make a huge difference to the marketplace when selling on in the future. A mint low mileage Harley will hold its value really well, a categorised write off with existing damage still showing will be very hard to find a home for. Thorpey69. 33 years as a motorcycle dealer.
Cheers gents, appreciate it. I will indeed be prudent and look for something else instead
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As it’s a Cat N, it’s clearly been in some form of accident and subsequently repaired. I’d suggest that the engine itself hasn’t been touched, just the east stuff repaired to sell in for a profit.
If the bike seems otherwise OK, it probably is OK and unlikely to give you any trouble. Buy it cheap and it should prove to be a good buy. You can choose whether to have the fins repaired or not but it will always be a (relatively) cheap bike.
If the plan is to keep it long term then that won’t matter but if you like to change your bikes fairly frequently then you may find it more difficult to sell on at a later date.
Lifelong bike nut, plus I spent a while way back when working in a bike shop.
Good call, trust me. This raises all sort of red flags.
I always buy bikes to ride.
Providing the price is right, I'd be happy with that.
Coolest bikes have a few battle scars & patina.
Can't see the point in coffee bar garage queens.
Buy it...ride it.
Maybe pop up the spec and asking price - might get an idea of the deal
If your retina after a break (as I did) might make sense on something not mint to start with
I picked up a sh G650 on my return to 2 wheels - got back into the swing of it and then bought a new T700
HD Iron 883 (converted to 1200)
2020 reg with 6000 miles
5.5k
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Looks to be a bit of a bargain.
Not many low milage 2020's around for that money.
Is it actually on the write-off register?
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