I cannot believe the amount of trouble! I was given a 1989 EX for parts that had been stolen two states away, hacked, rattle-canned black, thrashed and crashed, used for burnouts, impounded and left on its side in the weather for two years. Duct tape for a gas cap. No ignition switch. Drained and filled the float bowls, put a battery in it and after maybe 30 seconds of on-off cranking, it started up and idled fine. Once I broke the rusted solid chain links loose, it rode just fine. Even turned and stopped. I put some cheap signals on it and they worked.
What on earth has happened to some of these bikes?