One of the members of the Omaha/Council Bluffs VJMC group I belong to had given me the name of a guy up in Dakota City, NE (about a 60 mile trip from my house north) that had several hundred bikes including some Visions. I finally arranged to see the guy today and here is what I found. He does have several hundred mostly 1980-1985 Japanese motorcycles. Most of what I saw were engines in frames with the rear wheel attached. Already detached were lots of sets of carbs, panels, gas tanks, etc. We did find four Visions. I had been hoping for a complete bike but again they are tore down somewhat with no forks, tanks, plastic panels or seats. These items are perhaps somewhere else but his organization is pretty much all in his head. Everything is however in a building (actually buildings, I didn't see it all-I think the other buildings house a lot of the pieces already taken off the bikes.)
I think at least three of the bikes had what appeared to be good factory exhaust systems. Two or three of the engines perhaps might be good. No 83's were found. I did see some side panels in a pile. He thinks he may have a good silver tank at another location and carbs. I did find and buy a near perfect seat for $50.00 which I will store for a year or two as my seat that Smoken Joe sent me is still pretty good (just starting to loose some stitching). I couldn't tell but I would think the TCI's may still be on the bikes, everything was just too jam-ed up to see much at this time .
I told him I would be interested in a good tank, exhaust system, set of carbs if he finds em-but he won't be doing much till spring. It's not that I need these items now, just thinking of the future.
If any anyone else wants to contact him on a Vision or other Japanese bike part here is his name and address, I don't think he does this on the internet at this time.
He is Edward Gaynor, 555 180th Street, Dakota City, NE 68731, phone 402-987-3568. He works a full time job, best to reach him after five or on a weekend. Nice guy, I guess he was both dealer in a past life and bought wrecked bikes from an insurance company, as to how he accumulated all these bikes.
Not quite the find I was hoping for but still a find.
:) Hey, a good find Don 8) Thank you for sharing this with the ROV members mate... 8)
8).......TIGER....... 8)
I too have come to the conclusion that having a parts bike is the way to go. I have bought some stuff on ebay like carbs and an 83 shock. I'd like to have a better gas tank and have spares like TCI unit; RR, and stator but when you add shipping cost the ebay deal gets pricey for unknown reliability. I did uncover a parts bike 100 kms from home, but it was one of those deals where the old guy that owned it took the bike as debt owed to him. I asked him how much the debt was, and he remarked "a lot more than this old Vision is worth." But he steadfastly held at $500. That was way more than this crap wagon was worth. I said to him the gas tank was probably the worst one i had EVER seen on a motorcycle. He said" just strap on a gas can, put in a new battery and she'll run." Aahhh....Bu bye.
Now I do have another lead on a Vision parts bike right here in my city, but i am at the mercy of a friend who remembers the bike from 2 years ago but can't quite recall the acquaintance who owns it. Any one know of a good memory tonic?
Only memory tonic I know is good scotch but it is reverse what you need.
Quote from: Walt_M. on March 08, 2009, 06:11:44 PM
Only memory tonic I know is good scotch but it is reverse what you need.
8) All and any of the "Glens" for me...as long as its a good single malt, aah, a we bit of heaven 8)
...but this is my favorite http://www.whisky.com/brands/glenmorangie_brand.html 8) 8) 8)
8).......TIGER (hic!!) ....... 8)
I realized, ten years ago that i was headed into a badly underfunded retirement ( due to my wife's many chronic illness's) so I started collecting as many old Visions as I could find. Some cost 1 or 2 hundred dollars , some were free (I'm riding a free one) One batch of three cost 1500. but included a Yamaha 850 triple , which I subsequently sold for 1200. One of the three was Vision racer, with dual disc front end and '83 shock.Which , of course ended up on my bike. It had a custom lowered seat and exhaust system (which went to Blake Stoddard)
All in all the three ended up costing me, maybe 100. I have not scrapped a bike that was salvageable, some were OK but had no title, some were rolling parts departments.
The total is 8 and a half and an engine. one I ride, one is a spare , which is really a place to start if something happens to the rider. a spare frame with swing arm and rear gear box. Some of the rest has been sold to various Visionaries and the balance is in a 8 x 14 shed in my back yard. My plan it to have enough parts to keep riding until I can't ride any more! (their going to have to pry my cold, dead hands from the grips)
I'm a big believer in parts bikes , the one I'm riding is the combination of my first Vision (the one I crashed and destroyed in OR in '03 and the best parts I had and could get from fleeBay. Get all the parts bike you can find! If you don't have room for the complete bike , get suit cases at a garage sale of thrift store and fill them with all you can and stick them under the bed.
The life of a Visionary is much easier with parts bikes!