The restoration is never cheap and generally in the long term the value is below the equivalent bike preserved, even if it you spent more. In this area of the site you find a summarization of the costs and work of a full restoration: specific information will be reported in the technical areas.

Consider the following extimated costs (in Italy):

1. fork maintenance/rebuilding (check/replace bushings, fluid, tolerances measurements, oil and other parts if chromium coating is perfect): 150 €
2. new chrome coating 100 €/stem (check for damage as shown in the area dedicated to the fork !!!)
3. engine rebuilding at "zero hour" status: 1000 € (especially for the Rotax 123 that requires the right expertise, to follow the procedures of the workshop manual and perform thorough checks and measurements and replacement more that the bearings, made in plastic sprockets, clutch discs and actuator, etc.)
4. painting of the plastic fairing/tail/tank: 450 to 600 € (starting from single-color black without  sticker application to more complex versions as Reggiani version, always stickers excluded)
5. stickers: 100 to 250 € (you can find kits sold as "replicas and non-original" that are not suitable to bring the bike to the original shapeand that often have dimensional  and colour mistakes, especially for the fluorescent colours and other details, but also on-demand good reproductions made by, but hte original set is the best if the adhesive is still working; be careful because the adhesives require precise positioning, difficult if you do not have the masks in the original kit or samples from which to copy!)
6. painting/polishing frame: the painted frames 1992 and 1993 is complex to reproduce and also can become difficult to polish the frames of the following years if you do not unmount the entire bike because no professional work on the mounted bike; following a do-it-yourself strategy and without dismantling to preserve to the maximum the state "preserved bike" you can do also a great job of polishing by drill, abrasive waxes and buffers suitable for the same finish as it was originally, but it takes a lot passion and ability and a very long time
7. painting frames and handlebars: 40 to 200 € depending on the pieces and their conditions
8. tires: 250 € mounted and balanced
9. chain / crown / pinion: 100 € mounted (always without OR, originally chains manufacturer is Regina)
10. complete overhaul of brakes systems (pump seals and washers/rings, measuring tolerances, leakage test tube, pads, without painting of the calipers): from 70 to 180 €
11. Windshield: 70 € (genuine parts are still available, sometimes referred to extrema / RS 50, online and in aprilia shops, but also tailored or "standard" repros)

Then there are pipes, cables, wheels, discs, pads, steering and swingarm bearings, saddles cover and many other parts that may be missing or that need to be replaced or restored that drives up costs further. For this reason a nice preserved complete is to be considered as the best base to get a nice bike, reliable and restored (the so-called "conservative restoration") in full compliance with originality and with reasonable costs.

Regarding the engine you can find people offering "rebuilding" for 300 €, but only the seals and bearings cost at least 100/150 €. Is up to you to trust and accept the possibility that the newly overhauled engine does not exceed the first runnings, you must change the clutch plates after a little or the plastics sprockets broke. Just keep in mind that a lot of people measurethe cylinder, choose the piston size and trust in the box without measure also the piston. Sometimes this make the piston to be too big and it seizes. A job well done takes time and costs more than a merely bearings subsitutction: work out of tolerance wear the bearings and also the placements of them in the crankcase and on the crankshaft.

The same professionalism and the related costs made a the difference between a good and an excellent paint work or between the only change of the fluid of the fork and its fully ispection.

I think the do-it-yourself can be a way for routine maintenance, but for a lot of works expertise, experience, equipment are needed. Try to see a fairing (real not a the picture !!!) painted "at home" or by a shop specialized in motorcycles...

As for maintenance also the restoration will be taken at the appropriate technical areas and there will be constant improvement, so visit regularly to enjoy the news!

Marco "djembe"