Turd bike

[mjd334]

I bought an 83 honda shadow vt500 with an incredible amount of problems (admittedly, I caused several of them). These problems are as follows:

Firstly, there was the clutch slipping issue that has not yet been resolved because i don't want to rebuild the clutch and potentially ruin it before warmer weather.
It needed new handle bars, bam problem solved, drag bars installed. But oh wait, they dont clear the tank and i snapped the choke cable insert when turning and found upon dissassembly that the cable was frayed. It seems impossible to find an OEM Choke and I don't know what other cable would work in its place. (I installed risers last night and it turns just fine)
The throttle cuts out momentarily before re-engaging, maybe this is due to the broken choke cable not allowing the choke to be pulled in (electrical tap is only so good at fixing thinks).
While holding the bike only by the left handle bar (I was standing next to it after the battery had yet again died) when the grip tore in half. The bar slipped right out of the grip and it fell to the ground. I stood there clutching the torn foam grip.
The fall dislodged the antifreeze filler cap and effectively drained most of my coolant, and it shattered the plastic sheath around the air filter. Oh yeah, the break lever snapped too. and there is a new mean dent and chip in the already ruined paint on the tank. All before 6:30 in the morning.
The bike failed to start the next two days and required charging to fire it up.
The left side of the handle bar vibrates like a jack hammer at highway speeds (I do have a weight for it, just have yet to install it)
The speedo cable whines like a little kid who just lost their cookies. (Cable just came)
The clutch cable has melted to on of the exhaust pipes even though it is in the stock holding bracket. Mercifully it still works... most of the time.
The clutch cable screw (bent by the last owner dropping it) popped out of the perch while in midride, in a place where I could not pull over, and shifting was rendered to be impossible. I had to screw it back in with one hand at highway speeds until i could shift again and fix it at the next night.
The headlight and gauges are held on by zipties
The mirrors are too narrow on the new bars to allow for any usable visability.
And the seat is tearing at an incredible rate and I don't know how to slow down the damage without being ghetto with the duct tape (which I am not above doing, especially considering that most of the bike is held together with zipties.
Money is tight right now too and I have had the bike for a month.

I needed to vent thanks. Any advice on any or all of the unresolved issues would be greatly appreciated. I just want to kick the darn thing everytime I walk by it.

[Aced It]

Hmph, I thought this was gonna be one of the new OCC theme bikes. "Turd bike" ... hehe; I giggled. Sorry for your troubles though.

[mjd334]

haha good one!

[Orangeflame]

[Ps69pher]

you should post a picture or two of this beauty

[750shadowC2]

I think you need to slow down and fix a couple issues before you think about riding. To me, it sounds unsafe as is, and rushing will only keep making things worse. Start with the mechanical issues. Clutch NEEDS to work, not most of the time, ALL the time. Make sure the coolant is full and not leaking, check the brakes, make sure they are 100%. Then work on the choke cable, bars, grips and seat. Some cheap vinyl and a couple staples will fix the seat up fairly easy covering the whole thing. Or even some vinyl and glue to patch it up. Make a proper mount for the headlight and gauges and then think about hitting the road.

[Buicknick72]

Sell it and use the cash as a small down payment on a used bike. Monthly payments will be easier to manage than fixing up an old bike, and then you'll be riding.

Bringing a old bike back to life can be very fun, but it does require money and a lot of time to invest up front.

[mjd334]

I currently jury rigged the bike to a point in which the clutch is fully operational. A new cable came so that should solve the shifting issue and the coolant replacement was easy enough. Appart from the broken brake lever, the brakes are fine. I love bringing it back to life, but I hate the cost. rode it almost 50 miles yesterday, and it seems fine for now (fingers crossed)

[Buicknick72]

ya, the old bikes will nickle and dime you till no end....

[mjd334]

Thats what zip ties and wire ties are all about. Get every penny out of the darn thing until one of three things happens. 1. finish college and can afford a bike that is worth something 2. It dies and Is beyond repair 3. I wreck it.

I'm obviously hoping ot avoid the last two lol