What Was Your Most Expensive Build?

GoldenMotor.com

jonnyp929

New Member
Apr 15, 2013
25
0
0
New York City
What was the most expensive build that you have done so far?

how about the cheapest?

my most expensive build was a trek mountain bike with a sd stinger engine
upgraded brakes , new seat, cruiser handlebar
$40 bicycle (guy was moving out and had to sell asap.) he upgraded to a suspension fork and $50 tires and $150 wheels and a suspension fork.
he build was around $270

the cheapest was a free bicycle with a $140 kit from ebay.trk
 

scotto-

Custom 4-Stroke Bike Builder
Jun 3, 2010
6,505
24
38
Ridin' inSane Diego, CA.


Over $3,000 by now and still growing every year with improvements, new tires, drivetrain and all that's needed for racing it from one year to the next.

The hours of labor involved are endless which makes this bike almost priceless :D

Money well spent for my enjoyment ;)

.wee.

I think the cheapest bike I've built from a new bike and a new kit was $237 and it was reliable and cheap to maintain.......that was some time ago mind you......
 
Last edited:

16v4nrbrgr

Active Member
Mar 17, 2012
1,728
4
38
North Bay
Wowee, you've got a lot of money poured into that engine Scott! Makes the $500 KTM50 crate engine seem like a bargain.
 

racie35

Active Member
Nov 17, 2012
1,702
5
38
usa
My 212 ambassador started as a frame and fork mainly and using mostly new whizzer parts went to around $13-1400
 

wheelbender6

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
4,059
221
63
TX
It would be difficult to say how much I spent because I was always changing my motorbike.
-I changed from a mountain bike to a cruiser frame.
-I changed the rear wheel from a multi-speed to a coaster wheel, and then to a disc compatible wheel (for disk mount drive sprocket).
-Changed the front wheel to a drum brake wheel.
-Changed my lights from 6v white wire driven to several battery powered varieties.
-Went from 3 piece crank to one piece, to 3 piece wide, to one piece wide crankset.
It continued until I sold it.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
I keep track of every penny I spend on a build. I keep all of my receipts and add them up when the bike is finished. It makes me want to go out and buy a motorcycle.
But then I'd be just like every other wannabe biker.
I'll stick to motorized bicycles. All things considered, they're still cheaper.

Tom
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
0
Central CA
"Wanna be biker"?

What's that?

I've always been a biker. And a cager. A bicycler and a walker. Before that I was a crawler. I was a kick scooter too until that satanic device tossed me to the ground twice.

A few more years and I'll be a "tripod"

Wanna be biker indeed.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
LOl, Mike.
I mean the guys who all week wear a suit and tie and work in an office then go out on weekends in muscle shirts and doo rags and pretend they're bikers. They buy a Harley and all think they're Peter Fonda. No offense to those of you who have ridden motorcycles since Hector was a pup. (I've never known who Hector was but my dad used to say that) :)

Tom
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
0
Central CA
That's more like it. For a minute there I thought you'd lost your mind.

I know you want the Bonneville. Go on, get one. You're not a wannabe, you're a want to be again. They're nice. Sweet. The fender isn't going to detach and throw you to the ground. 10 grand out the door. Brand new.

Re-join the club. There's no shame, you already had one. And you can have another too - :)
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
That's more like it. For a minute there I thought you'd lost your mind.

I know you want the Bonneville. Go on, get one. You're not a wannabe, you're a want to be again. They're nice. Sweet. The fender isn't going to detach and throw you to the ground. 10 grand out the door. Brand new.

Re-join the club. There's no shame, you already had one. And you can have another too - :)
Don't tempt me. The Triumph dealer is just five miles from my house. I drive past it once week and always stare at the showroom window when I drive by. Temptation at its worst.

Tom
 

Mike B

New Member
Mar 23, 2011
2,256
7
0
Central CA
10 grand less for the kids. Go for it. You're not getting any younger.

Like the retired folks in the Winnebagos with the "We're spending our children's inheritance" bumper sticker on it.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
Don't have kids..............it's all mine, MINE!
I just don't want to outlive my portfolio. :)


Sorry guys, Mike and I highjacket this thread. I'll be quiet now.

Tom
 

rustycase

Gutter Rider
May 26, 2011
2,746
5
0
Left coast
Well I certainly had the most $'s spent in my V-twin build, but that was another time and place, long ago and far away. It met most my needs then, but would kinda be over-the-top, now.
The MABs don't have quite enough HP for me so I can't justify dropping a bunch of $'s in one.
I've been trying to re-locate the website of a shop that is in the mid-west, or on the East coast that is building real motorcycles with Vanguard twins and the Briggs singles in their mc's.
...can't find 'em!
A 400cc/13-15hp thumper would do me just about fine for the travelling I do anymore.

I figure I could build from the ground up for under $2k.
rc
 

culvercityclassic

Well-Known Member
Sep 27, 2009
3,115
177
63
Culver City, Ca
Please don't make me disclose what was in the last four bikes I built....makes me kinda sick but then again part of it was other people's money.... I must say they sure ride nice....