New restoration or older restoration

I would always go for one which is in regular use. Road muck, even, dare I say it, the odd minor oil leak. Normal check apply of course - full roadworthiness checks plus does it sound OK and go as it should?

So many shiny restorations are purely cosmeticwith no attention paid to the mechanical aspects.

Caveat emptor!

I do agree with Gordon, but having said that, 1000 miles would normally show up most teething problems. It should have had a tighten down check and adjust, oil/filter change, valve clearances adjusted etc at 250-500 miles. Brakes should be bedding in nicely.

Nobody gives you a warranty of course, not even the so-called classic dealers, who are the ones to watch, more so than an enthusiast who has restored his bike and then put 1000 miles on it. The dealer probably won't have even ridden it, let alone checked the gearbox oil, or whatever. It is the bike which has only done 30 miles since restoration that one may treat with suspicion.

Likewise, the one in daily use, whilst still starting and running well, may be getting a bit slack and shortly in need of an engine refresh; perhaps why it is up for sale?

As ever, caveat emptor....

I would be looking for a well used and well loved bike being sold because the owner has died.Good chance there will be nothing wrong with it. And ask to buy any spares /tools which will otherwise go into a skip.

Previously robert_tuck wrote:

I would be looking for a well used and well loved bike being sold because the owner has died.Good chance there will be nothing wrong with it. And ask to buy any spares /tools which will otherwise go into a skip.

Accessibility toservices and partshasgreatly improved in the"interweb" years. My experience is thosewhoactually do arestoredo a much better one these days. There arestill boge ups and "daddid hisbest methods", it depends on the"ideals"of the restorer; even ifmoney is tight, there isso much information topoint you in the rightdirection and get a goodresult.. If itsexecutedbyadunce,now or then, youwill see it in theworkmanship....

We all want that one, Bob! Not a comforting thought for our older members, though, knowing that the vultures are circling....! I jest

Another tip when viewing is to take a knowledgeable mate. He may be more objective than you, as he does not have the excitement of ownership in prospect.

I have bought a couple of" restorations", Both had dangerous and mechanicaly innept work. Give me an honest used bike everytime. I have also managed to intervene twice just in time to save very valuable projects from the scrap man. One saving realised £36,000 .00 for the family.And I never got so much as a thankyou. If there is a next time ------.