ELR models are retro-cool, retro-rare, and retro expensive. We have watched the prices climb on these Eddie Lawson Replica bikes over the past few years. This particular example is a ONE owner bike, however it looks like it might need a bit of loving to bring it back to its former glory.
1982 Kawasaki ELR for sale on eBay
From the seller:
Original owner will sell #400. It runs, but has been sitting for 15 years and I think the valve seals have cracked. It blows a lot of smoke. The chain has a sticky link. Needs TLC but is very complete. It still has the original break-in sticker on the tach!I have uploaded more pictures including:
the serial number.
the owners manual (slightly worn but plastic coated since 1983) in
the complete tool kit (including a 5mm wrench for the cap screw I added)
the damage to the tank paint caused by the seat rubbing on it
the left and rear viewsI have the Kerker sticker and button, still in the original plastic.
The title is from California but was re-issued in 1992. The title is clear, but since it hasn’t been registered since 1998 the DMV has no record of the bike. They told me that I would have to take the bike to the Highway Patrol to verify the serial numbers and such. Shouldn’t be any problems here, just the effort to do it.
I don’t think that the tank has any rust in it but I didn’t check thoroughly. I have only run it for a few minutes at a time, and only 3 or 4 times. Each time I had to put the petcock on ‘prime’, so I haven’t made sure that the vacuum petcock is working properly. It might need a new diaphragm. It might need many things!
There aren’t any dents or big scratches or broken cooling fins but there are a few nicks here and there. This bike has had an intimate relationship with the road, you know.
The intake manifolds are currently soaking in WD-40, but they aren’t getting any softer. They do fit but it’s a struggle. It was a struggle when they were pliable!
I have just rebuilt the carbs for the 3rd time now. It seems that the new rebuild kits have parts that are different from the original parts, so I used the originals where possible. They should be nice and clean, but I just didn’t want to keep running it with it smoking because of neighboring garages. You’ll have to wait until after the valve job to see, or find a place to burn a quart of oil to find out! It did warm up to idle with the choke off but I turned it off right away.
I’m sorry to see my baby go. I picked her up on a beautiful April 12, 1982 at Santa Ana Kawasaki. It was raining like mad but I rode all day anyway.
I have stripped it to the frame 4 or 5 times and cleaned it with a toothbrush. Hard to tell now that I’ve ignored it for so long.
With high-tech nitrogen filled “piggyback” shocks, a stout 1000cc four cylinder mill (air cooled with 2 valves per cylinder – and borrowed from the GPz lineup), triple disk brakes and enough green paint to make you visible from miles away, the ELR was really a unique bike in the day. It still is today. This particular bike is available on eBay with a starting bid of $16,000 (!). That would set some kind of record for an ELR, and this is not the nicest we have seen….by far. Check it out here, and then let us know what you think!
MI
So my 10,000 mile example that needs no work at all in excellent shape should be worth $25000+. He’s dreaming!!!
sitting for a long time and blowing lots of smoke? sounds like this bike will need some piston ring work, probably not cheap
Though no Kawasaki expert here is what I think : On the down side , yes you will need to redo some stuff on the bike , and it is not cheap starting price , nor will redoing it be exactly cheap . On the plus side : One owner bike , he has everything that went with it and it has 15 years less wear on it (though I agree it is a double edged sword as not running it for so long can be just as damaging as beating on it for 15 years (probably worse not running , seizing up stuff !) .
And Russell , be happy for him if he gets good loot for it ! As in real estate , if your house on the block sells for big $$ it will drive up the value of all the rest of the houses too ! 🙂
Still a lovely looking bike. Ok it’s really expensive for what it is however it’s a great example
I would have at least cleaned the thing. that cost zero dollars. that being said a bright shinny turd is still a turd. my suggestion, pull the add clean it up, get it running and re-list it
Theres such a thing as the bubble bursting also when prices get out of hand on the high end too. Sane reasonable pricing>speculation
This Ponzi scheme on bikes implodes sooner or later. That asking price is for a pristine bike, and be wary of fake ELRs.
This has nothing to do with this bike in particular, just the state of the prices I see on the site lately. My first new sport bike was a blue & white GSXR 750. I sold it after 16 wonderful years in great shape to the next “caretaker” for a little more than I paid for it new. After a couple of years of mountain biking I purchased an 85 RZ500 from the original owner. I will never forget him crying as we loaded it in the trailer. I was fortunate enough to be the “caretaker” of that ride for about four years before selling it for just a little more than I paid for it. ($4,000) My current ride is a 93 Ducati 900SS. A true gentleman’s express. In a few years I will sell it for a fair price to the next “caretaker”.
The point I am trying to make is this: All the wonderful machines I see on this site are meant to be ridden, heard, seen, cared for, and then passed on for a fair price so another enthusiast can enjoy them. I just hate it when someone tries to profit unfairly. It just seems to spoil the sport.
goggles… capitalism, ever heard of it? In a capitalistic society you can ask anything you want for goods and services, and the beauty of the flip side, you don’t have to buy it, if you don’t see the value. How is investing in a bike any different than a stock? with both there is always someone thinking it’s the right time to buy and another thinking it’s a right time to sell. Your history proves that. As all bikes can be ridden in their true nature, Not all bikes should be or were even made with riding in mind when manufactured. Case in point, would you really want to ride an AJS Porcupine, that is worth 750k and virtually irreplaceable? or do you think Ducati really manufactured the MH900E for the none collector? So, I disagree strongly with you, not all bikes on this site are meant to be ridden. Only some are 🙂