Am I crazy -- can you talk me out of this?

[rotor]

Well I'll try (this being a former owner of a 77 KZ 1000)

You will spend nearly as much for an old bike restored as a new bike

for that unless it was totally gone thru by a caring professional, you get 40 year old technology, carbs (4) that tend to plug up, you get spindly forks with springs that have borne weight for 4 decades and worn out shocks, everything will be 40 year old rubber..fork seals, bearing seals, carb boots, wheel dampers, all the wiring will be 40 years old, as will all the electrical switches, a weak alternator, you get a small acid battery to fire everything, skinny tires of unknown age with tubes of unknown age, spokes that have flexed a billion times, weak lighting, especially the headlight, weak brakes, spindly frames, instrument faces that have stared at the sun for 4 decades, cables that may have not been changed in 40 years, faded paint, old crumbly seat foam, gaskets that may or may not be up to the job of keeping oil inside, pipes rusting from the inside out, brake cylinders in need of rebuild...want me to go on? lol and this is coming from a guy that has a subscription to and a complete collection of Motorcycle Classics Magazine. I love looking at beautiful examples of classic motorcycles.

I have had 1/2 dozen classics, all great to look at, all a pain to own and hardly a joy to actually ride, or keep running. As a classic owner I used to figure 2 hours work for every 1 hour of riding. Got rid of all my classics. Almost fell prey again about 2 years ago when I found a barn find 76 GL1000 with 14 thou miles for $2800. Thought about it awhile and remembering how much work they were vs how much pleasure I actually got from owning/riding a 40 year old motorcycle around I decided to pass. Some guys don't mind/actually like tinkering on old stuff to keep them running. Not me, I'd rather be out riding. If it were me and I wanted a Kaw 900, I'd run, not walk down to the nearest Kaw dealer for a brown and orange 900RS

My wife and I in 1977

Are you really saying there is a caring professional that will make the motorcycle, my wife and me to look and operate like the three items depicted? I'm impressed! Where do I find him?