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Post by gordonh on Feb 8, 2020 9:16:29 GMT -5
Hi,I have been offered an RE5 for £3000 the bike is a 1976 and in very good condition,it is some distance away so have only viewed pictures.There are bolts missing from the water pump cover,the bike is a non runner.The owner states it was like that when he got it and he has not investigated it. Is £3000 a good price and what other problems should I be looking for.I have very little knowledge of RE5 s so any info would be appreciated,many thanks Gordon
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Post by janski on Feb 8, 2020 13:26:36 GMT -5
Sounds like you are in the UK. You really need to see this bike with someone who knows a lot more about the RE5. If it runs it has a chance of realising the asking price. I hope you get a reply from someone close to where you are. Please read as much from this forum to spot the pitfalls of owning one of these fascinating bikes.
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Post by Ramblin' Russ on Feb 8, 2020 15:11:37 GMT -5
Hi Gordon Totally agree with janski, these bikes are a bit different and it would be best to ask someone who has experience with them to have a look with you and check for issues with compression etc. If it's all good £3k is a good price, in my opinion.
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Post by wayne on Feb 8, 2020 18:04:40 GMT -5
Where are you in the UK? We have numerous UK members. If someone with a good RE5 or two could volunteer to host you for a couple of hours, go over and educate yourself on what it should look like.
Otherwise, get the seller to send you some pics and post them up here (there is a thread on how to post pictures) for us to have a look at. If you're short on time, send the pictures to my email and I'll post them for you. You'd have my email from my approval note that I'd have sent.
Missing waterpump bolts worry me a little as I'd ask Why? Why would someone remove them and not return them? Or, have they been snapped off (it happens)? It would pay to have a very good look over the whole engine.
I had a "professional" restorer send an RE5 to me for a final go over. The bike was purportedly "finished". I found the restorer had replaced missing bolts with Stainless bolts that were too long and had bound into the alloy threads and then snapped when removal was attempted. He'd used modern SS panheads on the generator cover which, in my country, have a larger head diameter than original. As they were into recessed holes, one had cracked the gen cover casing and had gone unnoticed. There were many other serious issues (ie would cause an accident) but you get the picture.
Yet, superficially, this was ready to go and to quote the restorer "the owner had spent a bomb on it".
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ap951
2nd Gear
Posts: 279
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Post by ap951 on Feb 8, 2020 22:11:09 GMT -5
I've come to value when "...…..every nut and bolt is original and where it should be." a lot more than I used to. I think finding correct hardware with correct plating is just about the greatest challenge in preserving/restoring an old motorcycle. I do not like stainless, its incompatible with aluminum castings and will gull the aluminum
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Post by Jess on Feb 9, 2020 11:35:38 GMT -5
I've come to value when "...…..every nut and bolt is original and where it should be." a lot more than I used to. I think finding correct hardware with correct plating is just about the greatest challenge in preserving/restoring an old motorcycle. I do not like stainless, its incompatible with aluminum castings and will gull the aluminum That is why God made anti-seize ;-)
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t140v
3rd Gear
Posts: 422
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Post by t140v on Feb 10, 2020 10:40:44 GMT -5
Hi,I have been offered an RE5 for £3000 the bike is a 1976 and in very good condition,it is some distance away so have only viewed pictures.There are bolts missing from the water pump cover,the bike is a non runner.The owner states it was like that when he got it and he has not investigated it. Is £3000 a good price and what other problems should I be looking for.I have very little knowledge of RE5 s so any info would be appreciated,many thanks Gordon Hi Gordon, I am un the UK and fairly knowledgeable about the RE5 however my knowledge of prices for non runners is nil, the best person to talk to is Roger Jones, lives in Stafford and is your best bet at getting a balanced view on the value of the machine and the cost of restoring it. My email address is s_knox50@hotmail.com drop me a line, or you could contact Rog on this forum HGH770N . Regards Stuart.
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