I have a letter from Snells among my docs explaining that the engine has no serial No due to a casing swap.
I’d have been cool with that too. But claiming not to know anything about it whilst it must have happened during your ownership is something entirely else. Like I say, it may still be a great bike, I might have totally fucked it up and maybe I’ve let my recent experience with the 899 colour my judgement, but it comes to a thing when an idiot like me can’t get more excited than anxious.
Im afraid I’ve no idea how I’m supposed to know that, Ex. I was more interested in the fact that there was no number to be found where a number should have been found, and the owner knew nothing about it. As I say, there may well be a perfectly acceptable explanation, and the bike might be an absolute winner. I’m no expert at all. I do know however that my instinct is to always want to trust people, and always to see the best in everything, and yet I still was uncomfy doing the deal to the extent that I didn’t do the deal. I’ve only ever done that once before, and that bike was stolen. The good news is, if my friend doesn’t agree he can always go get it himself, I’ll even go back with him and help. More than happy to be wrong, just not happy to have somebody else pay for my mistakes.
You did the right thing buddy. I would have walked away too, if it didn't feel right walking away is the only option especially when buying on behalf of a friend.
The pre Pani's would have the same texture and surface level as the rest of the casting - so I guess it would be the same for the Pani. i.e. a textured surface with no machined flat where the number is 'stippled or stamped'
If you saved e-bay advert to your watching list, you should still be able to see original ad from ended items to get item number?
I didn’t save it. It’s not my purchase. First I knew of it was my friend asking me to call him to arrange.
It’s weird, because I’ve never checked an engine number on anything before. I just had a bit of anxiety about this bike for some reason, so wanted to have as many things as I could to be diligent about. The engine number wasn’t the only question mark by any means, and in and of itself was not insurmountable, it just all added up to a feeling of unease and since it was not my own money, I couldn’t in all good conscience not worry about it. As I say, it may well be that all the little things I saw were no big deal, and ultimately of course there’s nothing money can’t fix, but it was the likelihood & outstanding questions I couldn’t quite countenance, most especially when it’s someone else’s hard earned cash.
