February 2021
My friend who owned the Stinger had bought a "project" bike in the form of a 1976 GT125. While it was complete with many spares, including what appeared to be a whole engine, it was going to need a lot of time and effort to get to a point where it could be used.
While the obvious problem with this bike was down to a departing drive chain having destroyed the engine sprocket cover, there was no way of knowing whether the engine was sound, or the gearbox similar, or in fact much at all.
Such bikes are ideal for owners who can work on them at home, but if one is to engage the services of a skilled person to do it for them, the cost is going to become prohibitive in no time at all.
Even though it is a "small" bike at 125cc's, it still has as many mechanical parts as a large bike whose resale value could absorb such expenditure, but this could not, and one would thus spend far more money than the bike could ever be worth.
My problem is that I would get caught up in the project and not be able to recuperate my own losses.
I found a suitable engine sprocket amongst the spare parts which would allow the fitting of the final drive chain without risk of throwing it as the old worn out one had, oiled it so it would actually go around the sprockets, and gave it back at no charge.
I just could not afford to be there.