What have I got here?

So I picked this bike up for $100, sight unseen. There are engine issues and a few parts missing, but overall I think I have something I can rebuild to ride alongside my little guy's XR100.

All I know about this bike is that it looks very similar to my XR100, and this one's engine is stamped 194cm3. So I am assuming I have a 1990-1994 XR200R. Reason I assume 90-94 is that there is no 17 digit VIN like on my 1995 XR100. Instead I have this, very haphazardly stamped into the neck of this frame. 87002014833 It's 11digit, but with no letters for country of origin, engine style or anything. Was this common with these bikes pre-95, and do I have a 90-94 XR200R? Need to know so I can order the correct parts to get this thing flingin' mud again!

Thanks,
Mike
 

SRAD97750

Moderator
Staff member
It should have had a standard VIN....
Looks just like a 1990 on google images.
What is the engine number? Usually the year can be determined from the code.
-BIG DAN:thumb:
 
It's sold.
How much did this bike sell for?

I am curious because I am debating whether or not it will be worth it to rebuild the XR200 that I started this thread about because...

I bought a stolen motorcycle.

Interesting story actually. I've bought and sold cars my entire life but have recently decided that I wanted to start riding dirt bike, and naturally fixing up and selling dirt bikes seemed like a good way to make some extra cash for a mechanically inclined person. The motorcycle had an 11 digit VIN code on the frame and I got a bill of sale from the seller. After trying to decipher the 87002014833 VIN number on the frame and coming up dry, I put some paint stripper on the headstock and went after the truth. The original VIN was filed off under several coats of paint and a little body filler - well done. After delivering the bike to the RCMP, the proper owner was located and offered the bike to be returned to him. He declined, knowing I had already paid for the bike, and his insurance had already paid him out, he released the bike into my possession. I am currently going through the process of getting the bike a new VIN number assigned from the ICBC provincial insurance company here in British Columbia, and it will once again be registerable. Win.

After many hours of trying various techniques to recover the VIN I was able to define the Make, Model, and year portions of the original VIN. It's a 1986 XR200, but the engine is a 1981 XR200 engine from a dual shock frame - a poor fitment into the mono-shock frame of my '86.

Will it be worth the trouble to find a correct fitting engine? How much will it cost and how hard will it be to find? Is it going to be worth the trouble to restore this bike? Keep in mind that this bike has quiet a story, and I greatly prefer reviving old motorcycles than buying something new. If the parts are our there, and it is reasonable, I am going to restore this beauty and learn to ride on it.

P.S. It's already earned the nickname Lunchmoney, since it seems to keep getting stolen. Bad omen? Nah.....
 

SRAD97750

Moderator
Staff member
Awesome.
I would be into that thang for $1000 in top running and registered condition. Any more and it's not worth the trouble. Keep us posted and post some photos of your progress.
-BIG DAN:thumb:
 
Top