What to buy and how much to pay
If the KE175 you are looking at is complete and in decent condition then buy it… pure and simple. Most trail bikes took a real hammering when they were being used in anger and suffered as a consequence, leading to a variety of pattern and/or alternative parts being fitted just to keep the bike functional. Finding one with all the correct parts is going to be key to the veracity of any restoration project. Never forget that a trail iron with all the correct stuff in place will always be a better option than someone else’s stalled resto. For these and numerous other reasons we’d strongly urge buying the most cosmetically complete KE175 you can find and worrying about the mechanicals later. That said, obviously avoid anything with gaping holes in engine cases, seriously twisted forks and/or chassis. Decent projects all there or thereabouts seem to start at around £1750 with readily restorable versions coming in at £2200-£2700. Wrecks can be had for less than £500 but, honestly, we’d not advise that route. If you’re looking to pay much more for a project then everything that’s there really does need to be in very good, used, condition and with particular emphasis on the front pipe and exhaust system. The bike sold Stateside in much larger numbers than here in the UK so that’s always going to be your default go-to market place. ebay.com seems to have some real bargains but, as always, beware. We know of one KE restorer who has already had to shell out over £100 for a kick-start lever which is serious dosh for something so small. Top money for a prime example is around the £4500-£5500 mark dependent upon condition. Given the choice, what would we go for? Our bike in camera is a 1976 model that also came in orange/blue; both are exquisite so we’d like one of those please. All the variants are essentially the same just different colours with some a little more cosmetically restrained. Given their rarity any KE175 would be a welcome addition to any classic stroker fan’s garage.