New member introduction

[smoothoperator]

Hi everyone. Just joined the forum so here's my introduction. Vintage, well my first bike was a Raleigh Chopper, first moped a Puch Maxi and first motorbike a Yamaha RD200. Looking from what I've seen so far makes me a typical new member! Moving on, current bike is a Triumph T100 that I bought new 3 years ago. Recently finished converting my Kona bike to mid mount ebike. It's already faster than my Puch ever was. Now retired and looking for a project with much greater longevity and challenge. So I haven't bought the bike yet. I'm looking for a 400/4, but will consider 550 or 750. Looking at ebay there are just a handful of candidates. Any advice welcome. Some thoughts so far. Only place I have looked as yet is ebay, is there somewhere else I should be looking? I've seen complete bikes looking tatty/reasonable around 2 to 3K. By 4k they look too good to need restoring although I'm sure some do! A dissembled fairly complete bike ending soon currently around 1K, better to buy a complete bike I think due to the fun of disassembly and the learning to be gained. I really want one that would benefit from a complete engine rebuild as I see that as the right level of challenge. Any pitfalls, newbie mistakes or money pit avoidance ideas and general advice really welcome. Thanks for taking the time to read this and looking forward to your ideas.

[Nurse Julie]

Welcome to the Forum.

[Moorey]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with the hunt.

[cooleronthecoast]

Welcome to the forum.  My first road bike at 17 was an RD200 too.  Which model did you have?  Mine was the 200B with the TLS front brake and teardrop tank.

The photo is not my actual bike, but it was the same colour.

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[smoothoperator]

Hi there. Mine was a 75, gold, teardrop tank, can't remember about the front brake but must have been TLS. I never liked the colour and always looked at my friends purple and white one with envy. Moved on to the coffin tank with an RD250.

[taysidedragon]

If you can find a bike that's running and you can have a listen to the engine you may avoid a moneypit that needs new pistons, valves, bearings, cam and primary chains replacing. By the time you add everything up it will come to a fair old sum!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I agree with what has been said if you can hear it running that's great but IMHO they are likely to cost more than none runners but there is risk.
It seems that everyone pretty much knows now that 400/4's fetch good money so bargains are few & far between.

I paid £2k for a none runner off e-bay that I went to see before I bought it. I've seen some heaps at daft money with partially restored  ones at well over £3k.

Best of luck with your search.

[philward]

Welcome to the forum. Regards what bike, you sound genned up so it will be what you fancy I guess - full rebuilds are all money pits in my experience, buts its fun of the build for a lot of us as by the time you add all the build up, you could have bought a rebuit one (but you know its right when you've done it youself).
Good luck whatever you get.