Classic & Vintage - Old Motebecane - a keeper?

I just picked up an older Motebecane Jubile Sport at a bike swap for $30. After big miles on the road on a hardtail, thought I'd try a road bike out.

If I like it as much as I suspect I will, is this frame worthy of a drive train upgrade? I'd like to get SIS shifters, maybe a 7 speed cassette. Probably means a whole new drive train. The frame is a steel Vitus 888, current equipped with a 6 speed cassette (or freewheel?) and a suntour BL r. derailleur.

Any opinions?
Thanks!

Motobecane used the name "Jubilee" alot thru the 70s and into the 80s. I bought a Moto in 78 as my first "real" bike. Couldn't afford the Jubilee but wanted one. That year they were a metallic gold with blue decals.

Yours sounds like an early 80s bike with the 6 speed. It should be a freewheel. The Vitus 888 was a tubing they used alot.

Definitely a keeper.

What you have is basically a $30 bike. I wouldn't waste a lot of money on upgrading it. Just keep it as-is, and it will be a decent training bike.

Does this look like your bike?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3618848056&category=7298

Well I guess it's worth twice the other estimate.:D

I do have a higher opinion of the bike than the other poster but I wouldn't spend alot trying to modernize. Tune it up and enoy it. Vintage Motos are nice riding bikes.

:beer:

Yep, that's it, except in silver. I have to get a few spokes replaced and the wheels trued, but other than that, it is a pretty nice bike.

I wouldn't fire huge amounts into a new drivetrain; I've got one of those in the basement a guy gave me for fixing his girlfriend's bike (oddly, it was largely equiped with dura-ace parts, go figure. Talk about an upgrade.). It's a nice, capable bike; likely the rear hub spacing is at 126 (or narrower), so if you wanted to go with a newer rear hub, you'd probably have to cold set the rear dropout to 130, although sometimes you can just squeeze on the wider hub. You can still find older cassette hubs at 126mm (seven speed, no higher). Either that, or convert the bike to a fixie if you live in a flat area, that's what I'll likely do to mine.

A capable ride/beater if you're not out to conquer land speed records.

It's just junk, dont throw more money away.

Unless you are racing, there is nothing wrong with a vintage road bike with vintage components. I generally keep the friction shifters, upgrade to a 7-speed freewheel, and replace the brake pads with KoolStops.

I bought a Gran Touring in '75 as my first "real bike". I rode the hell out of it untill '92. The only thing I ever replaced (besides tires, pads and bar wrap) was new rims after I took out a jaywalker. French bikes are cool but you may run into french threading in the BB or elsewhere which can hamper parts swapping.