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Le Mans Mk1 buying advice

retoohs

Just got it firing!
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
8
Location
New Zealand
Hi guys I'm new here so first hi to all. Today I looked at a mk1 LM which is supposedly a '76 model. The bike has sat in a shed the last five years and not started. I'm assured and believe it was running well when the last owner past away but I worry as it has 71,000km on it and I need to make an offer without it running, its for sale as is at present. It is black and the seller told me it was an available option in Oz, true or not? It is showing it's age and I'd definitely be spending money there tidying it and I suspect repainting red or blue, back original. How I should value this. The owner is asking $18,000NZ which I think is pretty steep. Cheers.
 
Last edited:
Welcome to the forum.
That's $16,000 CAD or $13,000 USD. That sounds like an awful lot of money for a non-running bike in that condition. I looked at the pictures. Personally I would not pay anywhere near that much but I'm no expert.
 
Welcome to the forum.
That's $16,000 CAD or $13,000 USD. That sounds like an awful lot of money for a non-running bike in that condition. I looked at the pictures. Personally I would not pay anywhere near that much but I'm no expert.

Hi Raven thanks for your reply. I'm hoping to get some idea of what to offer taking into account the gamble I'd be taking on the internals.
 
Hi and Welcome,

It doesn’t look terribly bad in the pictures, it’s sort of clean.
I noticed the front fork gators seem to be almost completely compressed.
Can you get the engine to move by rocking the bike back-and-forth or turning the rear wheel ?
Does the current owner have any history with the bike ?
Last oil change, brake pads, etc...

It’s like a basket case in one basket, you don’t know what your getting into.

Good luck,
Don
 
The decimal point is in the wrong place! I believe that year still has the chrome bores so a complete rebuild is necessary. Unless you are a very competent mechanic with very deep pockets or a masokist run from anything that old.
 
The decimal point is in the wrong place! I believe that year still has the chrome bores so a complete rebuild is necessary. Unless you are a very competent mechanic with very deep pockets or a masokist run from anything that old.

indeed - not to say there isn't some value there, but a Non runner ( if its seized ) vs. something that's been restored to "As New" condition don't command the same money .
 
Hi and Welcome,

It doesn’t look terribly bad in the pictures, it’s sort of clean.
I noticed the front fork gators seem to be almost completely compressed.
Can you get the engine to move by rocking the bike back-and-forth or turning the rear wheel ?
Does the current owner have any history with the bike ?
Last oil change, brake pads, etc...

It’s like a basket case in one basket, you don’t know what your getting into.

Good luck,
Don

Hi Don thanks for the reply. It turns over fine and was being ridden every sunny weekend by the last owner until his death 5 years ago. It is clean just reay scruffy with oxidised netal and badly chip paint in areas such as side panels. He had a Norton and the Le Mans and talking to his old riding partner always chose the Guzzi to ride as it would always start and never had problems. Ideally I'd like to get it to my mechanic who owns and races classic Guzzi's to get it looked over. Be great to get compression checked,,oil in engine, gearbox and rear drive checked for filings and he has a tool for checking crown wheel and clutch I think it is. Sadly this isn't going to happen as bike is over 300km away. I'm imagining even if nothing major needs repairing immediately there will ve lots a little things after 5 years storage such as seized calipers, dry cables that have frozen etc. I'm serious about this bike and don't mind spending coin on it where needed but only if I get it at a fair price ro start with. At 71,000km Im thinking even if engine is running sweet it won't be far off a rebuild.
 
The decimal point is in the wrong place! I believe that year still has the chrome bores so a complete rebuild is necessary. Unless you are a very competent mechanic with very deep pockets or a masokist run from anything that old.

Are you sure its chrome bore? I thought they'd moved away to the steel bore with moly rings by then. Even so Im expecting even if it runs well it will be a little tired and need a rebuild
 
Have you seen the bike in person yet - or are you also going by the pictures and what you've been told ?
Who is trying to "Cash in on the sale" the Widow, a well meaning friend , relative or a hallucinogenic opportunist.

Id like to hear Todd / Bill / or some other knowledgeable Old Wench weight in ...
Best case would be *consumables* like cables / tires / rubber seals that dry out.
Worst case would be &^%#@^$ - restoration project !

What was the bike worth *new* / 40% - 50% - 70% value now.
There Cool old bikes - but was it a Series race Winner / Ridden by Burt Munro or Steve McQueen.
I don't mean to devalue it - but its No 1955 Ferrari :)

NADA guide Prices - Le mans 850 ( US$ )
Excellent $8,320
Very Good $4,225
Good $2,310
Fair $1,690

Cx100 Price then/now:
$4,949 (1980)/$4,500-$6,500
 
Have you seen the bike in person yet - or are you also going by the pictures and what you've been told ?
Who is trying to "Cash in on the sale" the Widow, a well meaning friend , relative or a hallucinogenic opportunist.

Id like to hear Todd / Bill / or some other knowledgeable Old Wench weight in ...
Best case would be *consumables* like cables / tires / rubber seals that dry out.
Worst case would be &^%#@^$ - restoration project !

What was the bike worth *new* / 40% - 50% - 70% value now.
There Cool old bikes - but was it a Series race Winner / Ridden by Burt Munro or Steve McQueen.
I don't mean to devalue it - but its No 1955 Ferrari :)

NADA guide Prices - Le mans 850 ( US$ )
Excellent $8,320
Very Good $4,225
Good $2,310
Fair $1,690

Cx100 Price then/now:
$4,949 (1980)/$4,500-$6,500
 
Hi Retoohs, Im selling an immaculate 2006 red Breva 1100 for NZ $5000.00 , 100,000Kms, regularly serviced, Im in Auckland

25 years newer + big block + more miles + 1/3 the money !!
But not quite the same style as the La Mans.
Put some flat bars on it and a bikini faring :p and you are on the Road !
 
^ And that's the painful truth ! Not a great choice if you just want an older Italian motorcycle .
BUT , if you Want a Le Mans , well ,check out the depth of your pockets . The happy owner of
a Le Mans 2 for the last 28 years :) . Just be careful what you wish for ! Peter
 
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