+1 I specialize in1980s Japanese bikes. I really recommend specializing. First, you will become an expert on values and fixing the bikes. Secondly, you can accumulate the parts you will need. A lot of common parts between all the Japanese brands of that era.
!00% disagree as well. If you are gong o flip long term, then your reputation as a supplier of clean, ready to ride bikes is like gold. Buying and selling incomplete/unfinished bikes is not going to build the reputation I am seeking. I have had several people come back for bike #2 and bike #3. Even if you charge market price, buyers appreciate getting s good clean, ready to ride bike at a small fraction of a new bike.
Buy the flipper right, and buy your parts right, and your time and effort will be rewarded. I can list so many examples. But just a couple of quick ones: The 88 Tempo I picked up for $36. I put good new tires on it, tubes, bearings, good lined housings, new cables, etc. Sold it for full market value. A second one was the 80 Voyageur 11.8 I picked up for $16. New tires, swapped brake calipers with a nice set in the parts bin, new tubes, cables, lever hoods. Sold it for full market value.
The keys are:
1. Buying the bike right.
2. Buying the parts right.
3. Doing all the work yourself.
4. Don't buy crap. Crap plus your time and effort to rehab still = crap. Buy good solid road bikes only that have a good upside.
I continue to find bikes to flip, although it does take time to find flips.
Last edited by wrk101; 05-23-09 at 10:26 AM.
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