TOPIC:

Anyone ever keep a running total on a project they have done? I never have and never really wanted to know how much I spend on stuff like this. Good thing I'm single. I have decided to to track this time so if anyone wants to know how much stuff costs they will have a reference. So far it's $20 for metal plate and $40 for sandblasting. I might even keep a total for grinding discs and such. As soon as I get it welded I need it to be blasted again before powder coat. as soon as it's coated I'll post some pics.

I did with the KZ750 2 years ago and the new 1000 now. I wrote down everything for the 750. I bought it for $650, added lower bars, shorter clutch cable, tires, speedo, side covers, seat cover, plates, title, insurance, and some small items. The total came out to around $2000 on that bike. I add the insurance and plates since it is an "expense" for the bike. I sold the 750 cause I wanted a bigger bike. Smaller cc bikes are great dont get me worng, but I figure my next bike will be the 1000 (which I have now) and I will keep it forever since its not really possible to "outgrow" a 1000 cc bike. Anyway, the bike cost me $1400, Stator $150, regulator $85, plates, title, insurance.. $350. I dont consider it to bad of a deal cause the bike is near perfect and anything I get for it now would be for "upgrades", not spending money on repairing or replacing things that previous owners broke, tore up, or abused.

Post edited by: dannyg40, at: 2007/10/16 04:03

I used to keep a running total, but if the wife EVER saw that piece of paper...that would be the end of the projects and the beginning of a lot of home improvement!

mariozappa wrote:

I used to keep a running total, but if the wife EVER saw that piece of paper...that would be the end of the projects and the beginning of a lot of home improvement!

amen brother!

a couple of e-mails do sneak through every once and awhile.

I think she's still counting the boxes from Z1E she finds on the front porch.

I knew what this topic was going to be about as soon as I saw it. Haven't been keeping a ledger but sticking receipts in a ziplock on the workbench. Fortunately, I'm just trying to get the 750 running well and saving cosmetic issues for next winter.

So far I've been able to keep my purchases small enough to stay under the wife radar, but that's going to end soon. Got about a $150 wish list from Z1 that I'm sitting on. Was going to ask for it for Christmas, but "we" just got a condo at Breck for Christmas for the family present so that went out the window.

Sigh, guess I'm just going to have to grovel and use the "it's better that me going out boozing and chasing skirts" tactic

i made a very BIG mistake a few months ago,i started to add up what i have $pent on my latest 900kz,i stopped but it was to late i was sick for days,could not sleep for weeks,when i think about the money, the loved ones, the girlfriends that i have lost due to these these things we call kZ's i ask myself was it, is it worth it!
the answer is always YES but we must remember to never speak of what it really cost us to own these machines,for we are merely mortal men that god him or herself has been so kind to allow us to work on, cherish, and actually ride these bikes,so forget about what it cost who cares if your children are starving order them pistons/cam kits,get that that custom paint job and enjoy every moment while you can!

My wife is already "great" at keeping up with what I spend on mine, but so far I haven't spent a whole lot on it. The most expensive items so far have been the chain and sprockets. Other than that, it's just been nickel and dime stuff, carb holders, cables, etc. She does wince at me buying stuff for it though, but then all I do is remind her that just before I bought this bike, she'd already told me she wanted me to buy a Harley. But I found my KZ instead. So if I look at it in that respect, I should have a budget of around 25 grand I could spend on this bike, right?

I used to keep tabs on the cost of bike projects until I built this custom VTX last year.......if I added up the cost I would have been sick. Now I just don't want to know, bikes are my passion and I do not want to spoil that passion with a dollar cost....


Post edited by: Night_Train01, at: 2007/10/16 11:09

I learned a long time ago that if I spent every dime I had on my wife then she would never complain, but spend money on stuff that's not for her and wow, did I hear about it!

The mail man is cool, he sticks all the boxes inside my truck, now I just have to get UPS and FedEx to do the same.
What she don't know she won't complain about

And I "never" keep track of how much I spend on the shop or the projects. What's the point? I'll never be able to sell a project bike for what I have in it, and if I knew how much money I was loosing when I sold one I'd just be depressed.

But it's got to be cheaper than paying a professional to make me sane, and I enjoy it

And it's cheaper than drugs or alchohol

I did not spend a penny on "parts" for 27 years as I bought the bike new and took care of it. However, after 27 years it needed to be freshened up, so with new turn signals, Dyna S, ebay fenders, etc, I dropped about $1500 into my bike. Looked great, ran great, and was thrilled with results. Since accident though I'll be spending a few hundred to get her back to pre accident status. Wifey knows how I feel about bike and insists that I get it back up and running!

steell wrote:

And it's cheaper than drugs or alchohol

Well, I gave up the drugs....