I've just been to look over this bike just up the road:



It's an honest machine, 65k miles, ABS isn't functioning (but I think it just needs resetting), recent new battery, asking price is £1,000.

It's been used as a daily commuter for the past four years and has suffered cosmetically.







Fairing is damaged where it's had a lie down.







Quite a few stainless fasteners in place:















Now my quandary is this:

The asking price is realistic for anyone who wants to use it exactly as the vendor has, as a commuter hack.

I'm not overly fond of the 8-Valve K100 and ordinarily I wouldn't really consider one (nothing really wrong with them, I just think that the 16-Valve models are enough of an improvement to justify preferring them to the earlier machines).

Now the SE has two things that make it worth some consideration: The 'S' forks and the bellypan. The forks are not as good as the next generation but they are a huge improvement over the earlier un-braced versions. Yes I'm superficial enough to think that the underside of the K motor is a visual mess, that whoever signed off the idea that they could be sold without it being covered should never be forgiven.

If the bike wasn't quite as cosmetically challenged, I'd be happy to pay the price and do whatever needed as a rolling restoration.

To do what is needed to save an SE the price is double what I'm prepared to pay - given that the two-tone paint job will cost lots to set right (the rest is just labour intensive and my time is free). The black transmission etc all needs stripping and re-painting, the frame is very bad under the tail unit and the white wheels need a total re-spray. All jobs that take time but are relatively easy.

I could pay the price and the bike would make a good basis for a "street-fighter" project but I'm a bit reluctant to do that to an SE (even though I'm not a great fan of the colour scheme) and recover some of the price by flogging off the fairing.

The owner has just been diagnosed with epilepsy, hence the sale. He has a Triton undergoing a full, detailed and beautiful restoration. The RS has a new MoT but is SORN'd.

I've told him that I need some time to consider the options.

What to do?

That's a good value

Buy the friggin' bike!

I would.

It's all there. I maybe wouldn't give it a full resto; I'd ride it around for a while. Let it grow on you.

Or cover it in postage stamps and post it to me!

That is $1600 here I'd trample the bugger in the rush to get to the bank IF it is a genuine SE

I've noticed that values are lower here than in Oz and the US.

I'm still mulling over the options.

Oh and if I don't buy it I'll point anyone who wants it in the right direction.

No harm in going in a bit lower, you've identified all the problem areas, probably will cost another couple hundred quid, do the Wheeler Dealer bit.

To properly put the paint right would be about 1500 quid and that two-tone job is one of the main things that makes an SE "special".

The rest of it would take another few hundred and much time and effort (time I probably have as long as my condition doesn't suddenly take a dive) and I quite enjoy the effort.

That leaves me with a bike whose real value will one day match the expenditure.

Like I said, the problem is that even allowing for the vendor taking something off the price, it is actually worth the asking price as a commuter hack. My commute is down a flight of stairs into my garage and my slippers are good enough for that.

Quandary over.

I've decided not to buy it.

If anyone would like to do so, the bike is located just outside Plymouth and I'll pass on contact details to the vendor.

You are right, bike are more affordable there.