It’s nice to be nice. I’d rather be nice than rich. Which is lucky, as with my smarts I’ll never be rich.
Fairings now off. From a position that no ones body should have to get into I can get the briefest glimpse of a number. I can’t read it, or get anywhere near it without removing the exhaust and now the endo scope won’t endo or scope. Thank you to everyone for getting me this far, and apologies for my stupidity. I really appreciate you taking the time to help.
No. Every thing is in the way! I can just about read a couple of the numbers but that’s it. Rather brilliantly, it’s also been done in such a way that when you shine a light on it at anything other than the optimal angle- with a tolerance of about a millionth of a degree- the entire area flouresces (that definitely isn’t spelled correctly) and you can’t see any of it.
Ok. Wearing my wife’s glasses (I don’t wear glasses) and shoving three different torches (some of them my wife’s too) in to various holes (some of them my wife’s also) I can just about see the number. I can’t fucking wait to do this on the blokes garage floor. He’s going to be fucking THRILLED. Huge thanks to everyone who has helped me today. Now all I need to do is put my mates bike back together than drive all the bloody way to Bristol just to repeat the process.
My favourite part of this journey- it’s one I’ve done a lot- is the part where the sat nav says “turn left in 104 miles”. That’s just so dispiriting, somehow. I’d rather it lied and said “oops, my mistake, not this one, probably the next one” 52 times. Thanks again you lot. Fingers crossed that whatever it is I’m going to see (I quote- “it’s a Ducati I bought off eBay. Think it’s red.”) isn’t terrible.
This probably won't, but just might help you to read the number now that you know where it is? Locate the embossed number. Make a cut a strip if selotape the same size as that fits into the space.You can also try paper but there e may not be enough space to cram a sheet of paper into it! Break/cut a lead-based wooden pencil into two pieces. Shave the wood off the pencil so that only the lead remains. Shave the lead with a penknife and then put it on your finger tips. Rub the lead over the number. Wash the lead off your hands. Very important to get all the lead off! Place the selotape over the number. Run your finger nice and slow over the number several times to capture an impression. Congratulations! You now have (hopefully) captured an impression of the engine number. One other thing. When you get a chance could you pm me your 'phone number cause “you’ve got a van, haven’t you? Would you mind just...”
Jez, you’re now officially my new best friend. Thank you. That’s so fucking brilliant. Honestly genius.
As it turns out, the engine number was missing all together, possibly as a result of a replaced engine casing, possibly as a result of something else less friendly. No answers were forthcoming, and indeed many other questions remained “dunno mate”d, so I’m currently driving home without it full of a curious mixture of regret, suspicion and Percy Pigs. I’ve no honestly no idea why people mis-describe things. If he’d been honest I’d still have gone excitedly, instead of leaving disappointedly. Because no amount of extra haggling can over come the feeling that the seller either assumed you were an idiot, or was trying it on, or possibly both. Thanks to everyone for all their help on this. Bristol is a really really long way away, by the way.
I hope so. Though if it shows up on here in a weeks time with someone saying “look at this absolute gem” not only will I be kicking myself, but my friend will be kicking me too.
So what was the story exactly? If it had a bare Engine Number and the original casting it could have been a Corse or customer supplied race engine / bike or even an early pre production bike (the frame number should show the latter). If it was a knock off with the Engine number ground out it was deffo a knock off...
It originally had an engine number when supplied. Now, for reasons unexplained, it does not. No further information was forthcoming.
I'd feel confident walking away from that. Age of the bike isn't so much of an issue but condition and a knowledgeable owner is. Even a decent flipper will have some answers to questions, even more so on a bike like a Duc where most people will ask for history, receipts, servicing etc. I'm going to ask but won't be offended if you are uncomfortable with it, can we see the add? or would you rather just call it a day and move on?
I don’t mind you asking at all chum, but the ad was pulled early as my mate did the deal exterior to eBay, so I’m afraid I’ve nothing to show you. In hindsight, now that I’m home and after 10 hours in a van, I find that I’m mostly convinced I made the right call. Not sure my friend will see it the same way, but I can only do my best. None of us have x-ray vision or can see into the future, and if it’d turned out to be in any way not what he wanted I’d be mortified even if he wasn’t.
