I've Been Had ----- sorta ---- maybe

[Coyote]

When I bought me current 550 project. no mention was made of the mileage. When I got the bike home and started looking it over, I noticed the speedo read only 3240. I figured it was broken as both lenses had been busted out. I tested both gauges anyway and found both functioning normally. I still didn't believe it till I started working on it. So many things were like new. The bike had the tool kit and all the bolts were original S bolts. The clutch basket looked brand new with no notching. I was sold the mileage is correct.
Someone PM'd today looking for the old gauge set. I dug it out to see what I need to include with it as I knew one of the chrome bottoms was missing. Then I saw it. What's wrong with this picture?

[pearljam724]

As you can see the gauge have been tampered with. Evidence, is the green epoxy that has been removed from the gauge perimeter to open it up. Unless, you did that ? You can't trust mileage on any of these bikes for a few reasons. One, the gauges are very easily tampered with or switched. Two, it is extremely easy to unhook the speedo cable at any given time. Lastly, mileage doesn't mean squat. Especially, on a two stroke. Never, knowing the truth about original crank seals being in place or not. Never, knowing if the bike at all times was receiving the proper amount of 2 stroke oil. Cylinder wear, etc. Unless, at the time of buying you open up the motor to investigate those things. But, no one in their right minds does that before a purchase. I would rather purchase a used vehicle with a fair amount of miles. Compared to one that does not. That way you know that the vehicle has not been sitting for too long. But, a majority of buyers are just the opposite in wanting a used vehicle with low mileage. Any vehicle that is over 15 years old with supposedly low mileage. Has either sat too long, had mechanical problems at one time or odometer possibly tampered with. The worst thing regarding a bike, car, etc. Is it not being operated consistently enough over a long period. It creates a ton of mechanical issues. The only exception is a motor that has been completely rebuilt and it can be proven.

[Coyote]

Yes. It has been opened. Still is. But I have to ask myself why? There are only 3 reasons to open a gauge. First is to reset the mileage witch is EXTREMELY difficult to do, and I seriously doubt that is the case. Second reason is some gauges have the ability to get dirt on the inside of the lens with no other way to clean it. The third (and I think this is it) is to do a lens replacement. Both lenses are broken out and my guess is the owner took it apart to look at replacing the lenses. more work than he wanted he lost interest. May have ridden the bike for years with tach only. Then time to sell the speedo was dropped back in the can and bracket put in place to hold it in. I will never know the true answer.
I have taken several of these gauges apart and it's a bear to dig out all the old epoxy.I'd like to know how he did this without putting a single scratch on the metal. And notice how clean the gauge can recess is. Not a single speck of epoxy is left. It's clean as new. It just doesn't work that way.

[tz375]

I believe the gauges were replaced with a used pair after it was crashed............

That doesn't make sense because the bike was it such nice condition, but how did that bracket get such a nasty dent in it? Probably not a crash. Wrong sort of damage, but maybe someone tried to steal the gauges or lever them off and the owner replaced the gauges and anything else that was damaged but kept the old bracket.

The stories that old bikes could tell.....

[Coyote]

but how did that bracket get such a nasty dent in it?

Dent? If you are talking about the area at the top, that's OEM. There's a cushion in that hole.

[tz375]

In the first picture, the bracket looked damaged to the left of the hole and in the new picture it looks just fine. Guess I was reading too much into the picture.