This one looks like a very interesting proposition for all you 851/888 folk,but unfortunately no engine number on show,perhaps grounded off as a replacement engine or other.? https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1247814
As far as I'm concerned the ONLY reason to grind off the original engine number is because the motors probably been stolen. Can anyone think of another reason? Steve R
they don't make it simple do they?? (Bonhams) so.. Lot 348 will be on Auction at the Oxford site, Auction by telephone, absentee and online, on the 15th Aug 2020 commencing 10 am.
It doesn't say that it has been ground off though - perhaps it's just a blank, unstamped crankcase, having been replaced at some point? If it has been ground off however - it would indeed be suspicious, or at least misguided.
Love the way they waffle on about a specific model of a bike but very little details about the actual bike being sold. Replacement cases have no numbers, or ex race ones perhaps.
whatever the reason, the bike's provenance has take a serious shot to the head and judging by the absence as to the reason behind the "NOT KNOWN" engine number, with full cynicism applied, their 12,651 mileage can also be taken with a pinch of salt (MOO).
it's the fact that we have to speculate instead of someone making a bit more effort to remove the mystery.
I think that's where the auction house think the bidding should start at no saying it will. The vendor could easily have given a reason but only if he knows, could be an inheritance that he wants shot of not knowing anything of substance regards the bike. We can only as you say speculate.
hence the term - the price attached to an auction house item pre-bid is often an unrealistic one these days ime. It didn't used to be the case.
We don’t have to speculate... if any of us are that bothered then we can book an appointment and view the lot, decide if it’s for us and bid. TBH it’s decent of them to highlight the “missing” engine number ahead of the sale. If I was in the market for the bike and wanted to assure myself of the provenance then I’d book the appointment, go check it out and decide if I wanted to bid or not from there. TBH the chase used to be part of the fun... This age of entitlement does my head in, whatever happened to caveat emptor? It’s a 27 year old bike... and if someone is really interested, and does the homework, finds it’s legit and indeed does get it for under £10k then they’ve done very well. If they rock up and inspect it and it smells fishy then they can bid accordingly or run for the hills. Personally I’m not going to be interested in it and so I’m not going to put that legwork in... so the seller owes me nothing. Disclaimer: I’m probably just chippy because I’m fed up of people telling me that the 860GT I’m advertising with explicitly described GTS tank / mudguards has the wrong tank and mudguards, or asking for the frame number of my MHR or just calling up and wanting to know the minute by minute history of a bike that was built when I was four, or whether their uncle Melvin was the first owner of the bike that was first sold 18 years before I was born. If my grumpiness is the product of my own issues then I apologise.
True, but an SV650 is a better bike and nicer to ride than a Pantah, and more reliable to boot. It isn’t worth more though.
