I asked about this bike, seeing it isnt 'completely original' to be told it has not been modified & is as it came from the factory etc etc.. Someone confirm what I'm thinking? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220745667369&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123 -- Nige, 'That's shot the fox' Eunos Roadster (for summer) Grand Cherokee (for winter)
Dunno, but why does it matter? Cos if you buy it, you'll rideitmoditrideitabitmoregetborednigeit. All in a couple of weeks.
Well it matters he's a liar. The right lower fairing is *not* fucking original as i have pointed out to him, he says they are all like that??? -- Nige, 'That's shot the fox' Eunos Roadster (for summer) Grand Cherokee (for winter)
A few seconds on Autotrader shows they've all got a Yamaha sticker where his has got the blocks, apart from two, one of which is his.
A tight northern pikey Ginge, much like yourself. -- Nige, 'That's shot the fox' Eunos Roadster (for summer) Grand Cherokee (for winter)
I mean, it's hardly the end of the world on a 11 year old bike, but he's a fucking idiot. Most likely been dropped, but he knows nothing about that.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220745667369&ssPage Name=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123 Not sure, but he's in Carshalton, five minutes from the Chateau and if you want to arrange it, I'm quite happy to have a look at it today.
http://www.honda-decals.com/yamahar1history.htm shows the original 98 model has a panel with the blocks. It could be a 98 model registered in 99, perhaps an import as the blue was in short supply in the UK. Or it has been repaired with a 98 panel. Hardly a deal killer on a 12 year old snotter.
Of course it may well have been dropped before he got it and he may not be aware that it's slightly different. When I got the busa it looked utterly mintilly-mint and showroom fresh and it was only a few months later I discovered that it had had a bit of a lie down, maybe two in the past [1] Either way, if you don't want a bike where the owner is misrepresenting it or doesn't know it well enough to describe it properly then surely you simply ignore it and go look at something else..? Or ask him if he's happy for you to bid on the basis that the bike is "as described" and if you win the auction and it's not then not only will you not buy it and neg him, you will look to recover your out of pocket expenses through the courts. [1] the main fairing bracket was both pattern and distorted.
The other side is as it should be, the decals are not a 98 bike. -- Nige, 'That's shot the fox' Eunos Roadster (for summer) Grand Cherokee (for winter)
has he polished the frame? I only know one reason for frame polishing on sports bikes and that's to hide damage.
TOG is there now, so he'll let us know, but i think it's been dropped myself. Hope not, it's tidy otherwise.
And for the benefit of all: hmmmmmmmm...... Clean as a very clean thing, but the first check is always the numbers and the V5 said 'NUMBER UNKNOWN' for the engine number. Seller has had it for 10 years. Was told it was a German import, and said it had come up clean on HPI. Frame number looked OK - it's not easy to re-stamp on those rough cast alloy headstocks without it showing. If you grind down the number you're left with a tell-tale smooth surface. VIN plate number OK, too. Engine number - didn't look like it had been stamped, but etched in with a tiny drill. The only way I can describe it is that the indentations for the characters looked like a neat line of welding: cccccccc (if you get me). I don't know enough about R1s to know if this is genuine or not, but I wouldn't risk buying something with an unknown origin and especially not with that legend on the V5. Bike was at his Dad's, next doot to where he lived. Dad was my age with a lovely old 1971 Triumph TR6 in the garage. Dad was looking more pensive as time went on, because obviously he'd never known that the thing had this odd history. I said: "If it was me, I wouldn't buy it." Turned to Dad ad said: "And I bet you wouldn't either...." and (with commendable honesty) he answered slowly: "I'd have to think about it..."
OK, Tog has kindly had a look at it. It's mint, no damage... But..there's no engine number on the V5, it just says 'not known' I haver checked & that fairing lower is from a 98 model bike, but the rest of the bike isnt.. FFS
Yer welcome. I owed you a favour, anyway. Seller was straight - you get a feeling for this sort of thing. He bought the R1 when he was 21, ten years ago (Christ knows what his insurance premium was!). My feeling is that he was young and inexperienced and just started gibbering at the thought of an R1 - we've all been there - and simply didn't put it through the wringer like I did. After what you've said about the bodywork, I think seller got tucked up, 10 years back, and I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole.
The fairing lower isnt a big problem, just take the old decals off & put the right ones on, but the engine number screams to me.
