Where's my old RE5, TUT 406S

[raychappo]

Hi Guys
I'm looking to buy an RE many years after my first acquaintance with one in the mid 80's.

I was wondering what ever happened to my original bike.
When I bought it, it wasn't in very good condition cosmetically with flaking paint, lots of rust and rot but with a great engine.
Being in my early twenties at the time, I couldn't afford to do a proper restoration. I just wanted to ride it.

For some reason, I decided to have the frame stove enameled gold and rest of bike sprayed black. It looked a lot better than when I got it but looking back now I should have kept it original.
I rode it for about 4 years covering a few thousand miles.

I sold the bike to a friend who never rode it, just kept it outside in all weathers so I guess it started to deteriorate again.
He then sold it on a couple of years later.
Does anyone know what happened to it and if its still around or broken for spares?

The registration was TUT 406S it was an 'M' model so can only think it was stored for a couple of years before being registered in 1978.
If anyone knows what happened to it please let me know.
Ray

[steveuk]

according to the dvla website it has not been on the road since 1985, it was first registered in 05/08/1977 and its black

[raychappo]

Thanks Steve

It looks like it hasn't been on road since I sold it then.
I guess its been stripped and parts transplanted to keep other on the road.

Looking back I guess there was something suspicious about its history as I bought it in about 82 so it was only 5 years old but exhausts, chrome work, seat etc. were in an advanced state of decay so those parts had either been swapped or it had lived outside on the coast in the sea air for its first 5 years

[raychappo]

The frame would be easy to spot, it was stoved in gold and the tank etc. were in black.

[raychappo]

Found it, I was called today by the woman who has owned it since she bought it in 85 from my friend.
Its still in one piece but being used as a spares machine for her other RE5 which has a sidecar.

Whoever it was that told her I was enquiring about it and gave her my number, thank you.

Its good to have found it at last and coincidentally I spoke to her at the Ramsey Sprint in the IOM this summer without even knowing that she had my old bike.... spooky.

The RE5 enthusiast world is so very very small