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Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 11:08 pm
by Nut-Magnet
Hi
I'm shopping for a ZXR400 L5 - L9 and have seen a few going on eBay and around the web on dealer sites.
Reading a few of the threads here on paint and styling i'm wondering now if a custom paint scheme actually devalues a bike.
Seems some love the original factory colours and graphics, and others like a good custom job.
I'm sort of working from Parkers guide pricing and i've got first offer on a nice bike but, i'm not sure of the paint and there's no graphics to speak of apart from just a "KAWASAKI" sticker on the main fairing.
2002 L9 with 12,000kms and full service history, 2 owners Main Kawasaki dealer as original supplier.
£1,600.00 with the dodgy colour scheme........
I quite fancy the MotoGP Kawasaki colours
Kawasaki MotoGP bikes as the bikes has the black wheels and frame already that's less to paint. But would i ever realise the £500 spent if i was to sell it.. ..
Cheers Nut
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 11:20 pm
by masterofinsanity
down to individual preference mate i mean this was on ebay recently, some liked it others loathed it.
i'm sure my paintwork has upped the value considerably on my bike.
personally i'd be asking why its a L9 and not in original colours> has it been crashed repaired?
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 2:36 am
by Nut-Magnet
Hi masterofinsanity.......
I viewed and bid on that one... I went to £820.. when i viewed it i did ask about a cash offer
and i was thinking somewhere between £1000 to £1200 but, he didn't take up the conversation so i didn't push.
I'm not sure how much the winner bid but, i just didn't get in quick enough with a final bid.
The seller oldhicky seemed genuine and a nice bloke and i should have trusted my instinct a bid higher earlier..
Still if it works out i could be the owner of this Fuggli ZXR coming my way....
It's very pink...!! 
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 2:50 am
by Nut-Magnet
Sorry.. .. why the paint job..
I know the current owner through a friend of a friend.. It was stolen and stripped while dry stored in a lockup.
As it was off the road it wasn't insured so it was put back together with secondhand parts, forks and bodywork.
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:33 pm
by Xphyral
in most cases i've seen custom paintwork hasnt devalued the bike it just hasnt increased it's value. The only real drawback to a custom paint job is having the paintwork repaired if you damage it. custom work is going to cost you a lot more than simple refinishing of an original.
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:51 pm
by rover220
wont increase the value really.
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:22 pm
by masterofinsanity
Xphyral wrote:in most cases i've seen custom paintwork hasnt devalued the bike it just hasnt increased it's value. The only real drawback to a custom paint job is having the paintwork repaired if you damage it. custom work is going to cost you a lot more than simple refinishing of an original.
that reminds me i'm getting a few stone chips ...........

Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:22 pm
by deviant
In general, people will assume you've crashed it. Plus any custom paint job is going to be a matter of taste, so you're probably reducing the number of people that will like it compared to a standard scheme.
It's never going to add to the price you can get for the bike - particularly it's not going to pay for itself.
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:19 pm
by tattood_dude
hi
i cant see the pic of the ebay bake but sounds lke the one that i won.off a guy called bill in sittingbourn?
he seemed very genuine to me too,i viewed the bike and won it at £840. he didnt mention it was stolen!
still,it runs and rides very well and loving it

Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:27 am
by Nut-Magnet
tattood_dude wrote:hi
i cant see the pic of the ebay bake but sounds lke the one that i won.off a guy called bill in sittingbourn?
he seemed very genuine to me too,i viewed the bike and won it at £840. he didnt mention it was stolen!
still,it runs and rides very well and loving it

Hi T_D
It was back in May but from memory the bike had swirl(s) of Red Blue and Yellow on the main fairing... one of the footrest hangers had a weld repair.
And if your the one that bought it you left A W E S O M E as your feedback.
Out of interest what was wrong it wasn't running at the time.
Hope you don't mind me asking..... How much did it cost to get on the road all legal...
Paul.
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:42 pm
by tattood_dude
hi,yeah thats the one,get a lot of looks..dunno if thats a good thing or not hehe.
i got rid of the red screen and put a black duoble bubble screen in and new grips..looks a bit meaner now lol.
well when i got it homei put some petrol in it co someone told me the petrol could of "gone off" and still wouldnt start.then got a new battery and still wasnt having it.i just left it a month or so then tried it and started.starts first time evrytime now
after that i put new oil filter,oil change and new plugs on it and passed mot no problem.all that cost bout £50 so got a bargain really

Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:17 pm
by Nut-Magnet
tattood_dude wrote:
i just left it a month or so then tried it and started.starts first time evrytime now
after that i put new oil filter,oil change and new plugs on it and passed mot no problem.all that cost bout £50
so got a bargain really
Hi T_D
It did look better up close than in the photos.. And i was thinking the same about the screen..
Gutted it was such a simple fix but, i valued it at £1,200 / 1,300 on the road and the fix could been
an engine replacement @ £350 (there was an L5 engine going at the time for that) I was so tempted to bid £1,000 but lost me bottle.. ..
With eBay you pay your money and take a chance and it seems you did get a deal..
I've blown my bike budget this year on a load of Makita 18v tools, digging out the cellar and damp proofing that so i've got a place to keep and work on a bike...
Just need to bank £200 a month now and start shopping for Zed next year for summer.. ..
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:19 pm
by tattood_dude
hey N_M.
i did go and view the bike the day before the auction ended and fell in love with it.i hadnt passed my tast then but wanted it!!
my mates convinced me to go for it saying there couldnt b much wrong with it co it was turning but not firing.
was sat in front of the computer with me stopwatch so i bid as late as possible.....sorry bout that mate!
this might be a stupid question but whats a zed??
im starting to think about getting maybe a r6 now as me mates r having to wait for me lol
do you know much bout bikes? i need some new clutch plates and springs for it.
mat
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:04 am
by Nut-Magnet
Hi Mat.. ..
This is the place to ask if you need bits for your ZXR.
I'm sure there's a few owners here who know... And there's the parts wanted section
or
Here's a clutch question with a dealer contact
I myself don't touch the oily bits
ZED = Well i'm not sure what model i'll end up with ZXR, ZRX, ZX, depends on how the savings go and if i see (or hear) something that i really like but, it will be one of the Z models.. probably..
Paul.
Re: Custom Paint... Does it improve worth or devalue a bike
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:46 am
by masterofinsanity
this the one you bought tattood_dude??
