Good deal or not? '83 Nighthawk 650

[Mad Puppy]

All,

Looking for a little advice. I'm lookiing for my first bike and found a '83 nighthawk 650 with 45K mi.

Looking at it I found there is a dent on the tank and scratches nothing too major, front fender scrape, needs a new rear tire, there is a jury rigged headlamp switch (appently the lamp stopped working), and what appears to be a leaking seal in the front camshaftcover. I beleive it is just the gasket seal but have a mechanic friend who will go with me to recheck it.

Riding it I think it runs well and straight. I do hear a little something in the valves that from research seems to mean it needs a valve adjustment. I feel confident the mechanic friend will have advice there.

He has a new front tire, new battery, and rebuilt starter on it. the scratches and dent are fron a curve laydown in May. He replaced the damaged turn signals, and bent gear shift lever. This was his first bike bought last year and he has since purchased a newer nighthawk 750.

He was asking $800, said will take $700.

Looking on NADA.com I found that the ave: retail is $845 (meaning needs no repairs and is cosmeticly good)
and low retail is $645 (meaning needs minor cosmetic repairs and minor mechanical work, needs new ruber)

Seeing how $700 is just $50 off my target for this bike as I see it. Looks worthwhile what do you all think??

[jmillheiser]

with the high miles I would be cautious. that noise shouldn't be valves needing adjustment on a nighthawk. Nighthawk 650/700s had hydraulic lifters which dont need adjusting.

I dont think the bike is worth the 700$ asking price from what you've told me. Sounds like this bike is starting to develop engine problems

[Kal]

Sounds like a project bike, could be nice but has lots of niggerely little problems to keep you off the road.

I'd suggest you pass on this one and hunt down one in better condition.

(I have a yard full of project bikes that I've been trying to get the time for over the last year so you may not want to listen to me, I dont seem too! )