What you need to know when buying an old British motorcycle

When buying an old British bike, here are some things to look out for.

Words by the Classic Bike Guide team

Most vendors will be honest, and most bikes for sale will be legitimate. Some sellers will just want their pride and joy to go to a nice person. But some will not. Some will be baddies. This may seem like we don’t trust anyone – we don’t. Always best to take a knowledgeable friend, too

Quiz the seller

What do they know? How long have they had it? What’s the best way to start it? Why are they selling? Find out if you trust them, but also, they should be a great fount of knowledge, which will help. What have they replaced recently? Keep questioning them to find any holes in a story. “It was my late father’s” – that’s fine, but where are the photos, the stories… and why can’t they find the paperwork? I bet they found the will.

Does it start?

If it doesn’t, ask ‘why not?’ “Just needs a carb clean” is not a suitable excuse when selling a motorcycle costing many thousands of pounds. You’d much rather hear: “I don’t know what I’m doing and would rather somebody else sorts it. I’ve priced it accordingly.”

Is the engine hot or cold?

If it is hot, it may be that the owner anticipated it being hard to start from cold. Or it may simply be that the vendor wanted to make sure all was well before you came to see it. Not everyone is a shark. If you can, run it until hot to hear any noises with thinner, hot oil, and then turn off. Wait 10 minutes and see if it starts again, as tired magnetos work badly when warm.

Will the vendor let you try to start it?

You may not succeed, but British motorcycles can be temperamental beasts for the newcomer and a failed attempt, followed by the owner showing how it is done successfully, is fine and a great learning curve.

Does it make mechanical noise?

It is best to hear one before you go to buy one. British bikes can be very noisy mechanically, so what you are listening for is unusual, off-beat noises. Heavy mechanical thumping from the crankcase area might indicate trouble, loud rattles from the top end means that the tappets are poorly adjusted, or that everything is worn-out.

Can you engage the gears?

Does the clutch work properly? Try them at a standstill – but gearboxes can be stiff when cold, remember.

Does it leak oil?

This may not be as bad as one thinks. If leaking, that means it has run recently and the oil is circulating. Excessive oil leaks are more concerning. Undo the oil filler cap and ensure that when the engine is running, you can see a steady flow of oil coming from the top feed inside the tank.

Is the oil clean or dirty?

Clean oil may mean it’s been looked after, or work has just been done. Wipe the oil on your finger to see if you can find debris. This might show nothing, but it does make it look like you know what you are doing. Ask them about servicing.

How does it look?

Do not be dazzled by shiny sh*t syndrome. A great paint job, cheap chrome exhausts and a lot of polish can take your attention away from other, more important issues. Ask how often it got used.

Does it charge?

If fitted with an ammeter, this is easy to check. If not, get it to idle, turn on the lights, and rev it lightly. If charging, the headlight should brighten up.

Do the engine and frame numbers match?

The easiest way to cure an engine failure in the half a century or so for the bike you’re looking at was often to fit a replacement motor. It’s no big issue if done properly but the price should reflect this. If you are looking at a Triumph, this is important when considering value. Late BSAs should also have matching numbers too, but it is less important with early ones. Later Triumphs and BSAs should also have the Triumph or BSA logo stamped behind the numbers. Matching numbers are important to collectors, so non-matching can mean a significant drop in the asking price. Most important is whether the frame and engine numbers match the logbook. If not, you are taking a chance that at some point in the bike’s past, it has been fitted with stolen parts.

Is there a V5C?

These cost only £25 to replace. If the vendor hasn’t got one, you have to ask, ‘why not?’

Original registration number?

This isn’t a massive issue for general use but for some it can affect resale value if the original number has been sold. If it has ‘not transferable’ on the logbook, it’s an import or the registration number has been sold. After all, this is how classic bike dealers started, as a cheap way to sell private numbers.

General checks

Check the wheels for alignment, spokes for tension, the chain for sag, and the swingarm for play (put it on the centrestand and give things a good heave). Check the shocks and forks for leaking oil, stanchions for rust, exhaust for holes, and grease nipples for cleanliness. Do the instruments work? Can you get good parts for this model? The rarer the model, the more of a job you have on your hands. All sortable, but you should factor in cost when making an offer. A wheel rebuild will start at £240-£300 and go up. Is the paint to your requirements? Add £400-£1500 for a respray. Are the tyres cracked or worn out? There’s another £300. Add £40-£50 for a battery and £60-£80 for chain and sprockets at least.

Can you ride it?

This is a tricky one. The owner is unlikely to want you to without the full selling price in their hand. Do you really want to ride an unknown quantity on a road you don’t know? Chances are it won’t be insured or have an MoT, after all. It is for both of you to decide. But what if it’s legal, the right price, straight and really is what you want, even if it looks tired? Buy the motorcycle and let the fun begin.

How much should you pay?

Research is the key. It doesn’t take much effort to go online and see what things are selling for, but this is a sellers’ wish list – not a buyers’ guide to prices. Scour this mag’s small ads (there are bargains to be had… last month’s £3000 Triumph T100C, for example, and there was a £250 Starfire recently).

Have a look at ‘real’ auction sites rather than eBay, and look at past auction prices, remembering that buyers will have factored in the 10-20% buyers’ premium and collection charges to their offers. This will give you a decent idea of what things are selling for.

‘Make me an offer, mate’

This is also a tricky part of the process. Dealerships are easier to deal with; generally, the price a bike is advertised for is the price you will pay. With private sales, things are more complex. As a rule of thumb, ONO means they’ll settle for 10-20% off, while OVNO means 5-10% off. ‘No offers’ means just that.

There is etiquette to all of this – be civil. Making an insultingly low offer might succeed if the seller has become desperate to get garage space. But it might just offend them so much that they tell you to go do one. How much will you actually save by not paying the asking price?  Pay full whack and it could be that the seller will suddenly discover they have a stash of spares, or manuals, or history, that they will throw in.

What happens if you want to find out something about the bike after you’ve taken possession of it? If you have given the seller what they asked for it, they might well be happier to get a phone call or an email a month later to answer a question about ignition timing or where to get carburettor jets. They will probably help you shove it into the van, too.

Paying the price

To conclude the negotiation safely, pay by bank transfer. Electronic payments are fairly instant these days; you can do them from your phone, and they are generally trusted. Carrying big wodges of cash to unknown locations is never clever.

A seller who refuses to accept a bank transfer as a payment method may have something to hide – or may just live in an older world and not have the internet.

And if you buy something from Facebook Marketplace, you only have yourself to blame. Caveat Emptor.