I just acquired a '96 1400 project from my dad...he'd been sitting on it for probably close to 10 years after it was sitting in someone else's basement for a few years
Needless to say...it looks pretty rough, but almost everything is there and fortunately it has been kept either in a garage or in a basement since it was last ridden in 2005, but it still needs a good bit of attention. I knew what I was getting into when I told him to load it up and bring it to me!
Here's a pic:
Besides the obvious exhaust and seat situation, it really only needs a good cleaning and polishing. It's already got a brand new Mustang seat still in the box, but it needs the lower (stock) back rest pad that snaps onto the storage box. The exhaust appears to be the stock headers and just some straight tubes from something else- they don't mount to anything anywhere. This seems to have caused the exhaust bolts in the front cylinder to be stripped out...I've already drilled and re-tapped, but I'll need to get some studs to permanently mount in the cylinder since I'll never be able to properly torque the factory bolts properly now that the holes are kind of loose. And then find some slip-ons or something proper to finish the exhaust correctly.
Needs fork seals (fork rebuild, actually), probably rear shocks, all 3 hydraulic systems need going through, none work. Fuel hoses are cracking, air filters are powder, and there's a pin-hole in the gas tank
probably tires, hopefully not wheel bearings, but probably.....bla bla bla....really everything to be expected to have rotted out after sitting for 15 years. And I can do all the work myself, so it won't cost much but my own time.I got a new battery, new plugs, cleaned out the air boxes and changed the oil & filter and got it running yesterday....it doesn't run well, but it runs
. No doubt the carbs will need attention and the open exhaust and open air boxes are having an affect based on the jetting--which who knows how it's currently jetted...not to mention the gas was fresh, but who knows what kind of trash it was picking up in the lines, pump, carbs, etc.Soooo, I fully intend on getting this bad-boy running and probably keep it for a while. I've been wanting a decent cruiser style bike for a while now and the price was right on this one
I'll definitely be around asking various questions and looking for old parts! But, I'm no stranger to the Search function on forums and there's already a LOT of useful info around here!
