I found a 2006 night train close to me for $7000. It’s a beautiful bike with 20k on it. Has the typical mods. I asked the owner if he’s had the tensioners done and he said he’s owned it the last 3 years and has never had any issues and never got them done. Is this worth the gamble? He won’t move on price at all. I’d really hate to buy it and then find out it needs the expensive tensioner fix or if they fail completely and the motor goes a week after buying it

 

Priced about a grand high and the tensioners are unknown. If you could get it for 6 or less and do the work yourself if needed. Otherwise I'd keep shopping...its a buyers market that this guy is apparently unaware of.

 

Disagree on the price for upstate. Trains seem to be few and far between around the Capital district. Nephew has been looking for one for a few months now. 20k is nothing for mileage.If you pass would you send me contact info. It's not like the tensioners are bad in every bike. Where in upstate are you ?

 

His price is high, and the tensioners need to be inspected.

I believe he is asking too much because he has not addressed the tensioners. The fix can run from about $500 to just change out the tensioner pads, up to over $2K for gear drive cams. He may get his asking price from someone unaware/unconcerned of the tensioner issue, but if the tensioners are ignored, and any kind of mileage is put on that bike... they are truly rolling the dice... IMHO...

At 20K the tensioners should be OK. There were many bikes going many miles that didn't have tensioner problems, but they put their mileage on the bikes in 5 or 6 years. They used their bikes.... I believe a bike that is run will usually be maintained better than one that just sits around....

This bike has sat around most it's life, and tensioner age seems to factor in the tensioner wear equation as much as mileage......

I changed tensioners on a 13 yr old Heritage @ 22k miles. The tensioners were good on wear, but were pitted.... they were brittle and could have started breaking up at any time... As it was, the debris from the pits could have blocked/restricted oil pathways in the lifters, or other areas...

I just added a 2001 Springer to my garage a year ago. It had 9.8K miles.... I recently checked the tensioners (11.3K miles) and they have little wear, but again, have some pit marks.... they too are getting brittle... That bike will be upgraded within the month...