Yeah. We run the rebuilt diesels hard on the dyno to prevent bore glazing and turbo slobber, but as said, I appear to have become very paranoid about two strokes.

Perhaps it is because this particular bike has been a right pain in the butt, as an already supposedly "fully restored and rebuilt bike" that has cost far more than the already heady purchase price to put right, and I cant think anything other than wonder when the next thing will break. I cannot think of a single part of that bike that has not needed intensive attention.
It was a fully refurbished and restored deathtrap.  I was very close to seeing the seller in court.

It has severely dented my confidence where bikes are concerned. My 25 year old VFR750 which has already been restored to as new condition was not a quarter of the heartache or cost, despite being 10 times more complex.

<sigh>  What you are talking about is why I strongly prefer "untouched" examples.  Often something that has been "restored" costs more than starting out with a nice complete example that may not even run.

I decided a few years ago I'd like to have an older Corvette.  I decided on the 1991 model with a manual transmission.  1991 was the last year of the classic Chevrolet small block engine design.  The electronics are manageable and remarkably "user friendly"...  plus if needed you could fairly easily go completely "analog" and have a running car.  Anyway, I finally found one that had been left original with just over 50,000 miles on it.  It needed work.  They all do.  For example the original fuel injectors tend to fail and this one was showing those symptoms.  (And it's a fairly complex job to change them on this model)

I paid too much for it since it didn't run all that well...  but to me I'd rather have something that has not had shoddy and often hidden repairs done!  I have been slowly fixing it up and it runs like new again.  In fact, everything now works like new, even the optional TPMS (Porsche had the first production TPMS in the late 1980's, Corvette soon followed in 1989. TPMS didn't become common on vehicles for another 15 to 20 years) and the optional Bilstein cockpit adjustable shocks that Ferrari also used in that era.  I'm sure in the long run I'll be much better off than if I had bought a "restored" example that had "hack" repairs done to it.

(I was surprised to get the TPMS working again.  Everything was there and with a little TLC and some troubleshooting it became fully operational.  The amazing part is the sensors banded to the wheels are piezo crystal powered, no batteries needed, and they are still working after all these years...  well, one was bad but it had been physically damaged during a tire change, found a used one on ebay.  Most of the time on these old cars when the "Service LTPWS" dash light comes on the "repair" is to gut the TPMS system since new parts have not been available since 1996.  I was lucky it was all still there... Same with the adjustable shock system. )

Yep, I’m with Mark on the “untouched “ thing. When I saw my bike on ebay last fall, I knew it was complete. The only thing that had either been restored or replaced was, oddly, the upper chain guide/guard. Asked the owner a few questions, any rust in tank, etc and made up my mind to go for it. It had been “aesthetically neglected “, but mostly well maintained. Super happy to have it now - makes me smile every time I look at it.

Untouched bikes are very rare in the UK. The DIY culture is strong annd unfortunately that means that if you buy a house, a boat or a motorcycle, some clueless idiot has already bodged it.

The only bit of that bike that is as bought is the powder coated frame. Everything else has been redone.  The idiot even did a home grown, partially working 12v conversion and butchered the wiring harness beyond repair.  It is now a replacement from the US with modifications for the UK charging system.  He even butchered the CDI wiring and fitted a modern 12v cdi from a chinese bike.  Obviously did not realise that the CDI was seperate from the charging system.  Yep, even the CDI is new old stock.
all this on a bike that is fully provenenced as been used for only six months and 2000 miles before being parked up for 40 odd years.  He even took a dremel to the original headlamp reflector in order to fit in a 12v led headlamp bulb with gaffer tape.  Of course it was nowhere near the reflector focal point...
This dreary theme continued with every single part of the bike, and he supposedly a motor vehicle college lecturer.

Why???  I ended up.threatening court action and he sent me a £500 rebate back to avoid it.  A drop in the ocean compared to the cost of putting everything back to completely original not including my time.
What is even more worrying is that he genuinly thought he had done a good job with it.

It is concours now, but I just cannot enjoy it anymore.

I'm sad that you don't feel you can enjoy that masterpiece you've created!  It's truly special. 

Tinkicker it looks BETTER than new you should be proud of your achievements 

Stunning bike Tinkicker, just stunning.

I can relate to how you're feeling, I've been there myself, but I hope you find the peace that allows you to enjoy it.

Also, you are an asset to the forum, and I want to thank you for your participation in general and this excellent thread!

Cheers!

Well it certainly looks better than it would have on the showroom floor, and that is no small accomplishment! 

Wow must say that sure looks better than new.
I'm wondering how he advertised it for sale to be happy to refund 500 pounds [can't find the pounds sign].
Did you view it before buying or buy unseen & have it delivered.
It's all in the wording of the advert i guess.
Selling DT175 warts & all. Has issues, too many to list etc.
Or selling restored as new--& where do you draw 'that line'
Sounds like you must've paid top dollar [pound] for it
Certainly a credit to your patients & perseverance.
What is the silver square thingy low down below the side cover [regulator?]
Do we have pics working again?.

Two bikes I had from new in my youth and always regretted trading in almost immediately after was the gen 4 Honda VFR750 and the DT175mx. Always promised one day I would get replacements.
Very keen, high use motorcyclist meant that my bikes were bought new and the latest models.
Never had room for bikes that were not really going to be high mileage everyday riders, so the years went by.
Got the job at the motorcycle activity centre and that put me off bikes seemingly for life, sold everything and bought a boat instead.

Ten years after deciding that job was going to kill me and went back to my core trade as a heavy equipment engineer, a slight interest in bikes started to return.

After a few years of looking and waiting for prices to stop falling and bottom out, first bike I replaced was the VFR.
30,000 miles on the clock but the plastics and paint were original and excellent.
It was very expensive for a VFR, although five years on I would be paying £1000 more for it. I bought it just at the right time. Prices are slowly starting to rise.

A well looked after one with excellent original paint is the holy grail these days and a good candidate for restoration.

I wanted the showroom condition bike I had in 1997 so it was stripped and completely rebuilt, forks rechromed, new rear damper ect.
Not an oil seal, hose, bush or bearing that has not been replaced throughout.
Apart from the core motor. At 30,000 miles a VFR motor is barely bedded in. Absolutely bulletproof.

Yes the pics work if you embed the BB code.

VFR. Excellent bike, voted as the best alround bike ever made back in the day. I tend to agree. It is excellent to ride and build quality is legendary.
It gave no real heartache during its rebuild. Everything just fell into place.

First ride of the season this year.