FUN WITH FREE ADS
Scott Redmond gives us tips on how to root out a bargain.
The small ads, it’s one of things that’s hardly changed in this digital world that we live in. There was a time when they were king, but like video killing the radio star, the internet is now our first port of call when we get a biking itch we want to scratch. But hold your horses, there’s still life yet in the old classified. Every month we print a rake of your private adverts in CMM, and every month we flick through them to see what machines and parts are lurking at the end of our fingertips. In another life I was an ad rep on a weekly motorcycling newspaper of some repute. With us getting a hold of the newspaper way before the general public, it was amazing how (ahem) some dealers were willing to throw a few bob our way to supply them with the paper 24-hours or more prior: the early bird and all that. It was a similar ‘naughty’ sensation when Bertie sent me the free ads to this issue, way before you got to see them. I’m not saying I’m like I was back then, but the feeling of ‘getting them before you see them’ even if some have seen light of day before was interesting. I can speak for CMM when I say we’re proud of our free ads section, so here’s a pick of ads that caught my eye while I had a cuppa and a Belgian bun. Now, advert writing is a dying art, some adverts leave you with more questions than answers, yes I know it’s impossible to cram every detail in to a handful of words but the very basics of an advert require a price and a phone number. If you’re biking on a budget here’s a bona fide bargain that I spotted: a Honda VFR750F-K. It’s a 1989 model and looks pretty standard. The seller informs us that it’s had a few quid lavished on it recently, including new chain and sprockets. It’s even still sporting its seat hump. The seller hints that he’s reducing his VFR collection: this could be a thinly-veiled way of disguising he’s a trader?
Or, it could just be the truth! Well worthy of a phone call, and with a starting price of £1350 I doubt this one will hang around too long. Away from the Japanese manufacturers there are plenty of bikes from the continent on offer, avoiding euro trash I’ve zoomed in on this Ducati ST2. It’s not one of the coolest Ducati models, which means it’s not one of the expensive ones either. It is dead sensible thought. The styling of the ST2 wasn’t too hot, but 18 years on this bike looks quite distinctive in its own way. The Captain Sensible approach of that jaunty fairing is complemented by the panniers, there’s even a tank cover. It’s racked up 46,000 miles but is blessed with heaps of service history. All this for £1500, it’s a bit of a deal for a bike to do miles on. It wasn’t too long ago that you not only had a pick of race-rep two-strokes, but also didn’t need to part with a kidney to buy one. Those days are gone, so stop whining and accept it. Often overlooked in the quarter litre sector is the KR1. The KR1-S was the superior bike. Trying to find a decent 250 is harder than you’d think, but they do pop up. This ad is short and sweet, the bike benefits from a new Hagon shock and the crank’s been rebuilt, beyond that information is sketchy. I’d love to know how many owners it’s had, is it a UK bike etc. but at £3100 it would be nice if the former keepers were in single figures and it was a genuine bike for the Blighty market. Not all classics carry inflated price tags, even better some have never been cheaper. The Yamaha TDM850 looks a steal. Its asking price is £800, even better the seller is inviting offers with his ‘ono’ tagged on to the sticker price. The TDM is one of many forgotten bikes, not too many people wake up with the thought of buying one of these versatile twin cylinder bikes, but if you’re looking for a good all-rounder that won’t break the bank this bike is the one for you. Confusing adverts can be the result of a poorly put together ad, or the result of typo errors (we are only human after all!) Here we’ve got a tidy RD350LC 2 YPVS. It’s a 31K model that appears to have 31K miles on it! Then at the end of the advert it gives the speedo reading as 27,500 miles? I wouldn’t get too hung up on it though; it’s unclear whether there’s any paper history to back up either reading. In general, we all like to think that the seller is a church-going goodie two shoes, but an honest description is sometimes rarer than you think. One man’s minter can be another man’s munter. One little advert leaves you in no doubt what is on offer. A 1982 Honda CB750 that’s offered in a non-running state, it’s also in poor condition. The seller does tempt us by claiming that it’s not beyond repair, it’s not turned a wheel for six years, so
chances are it’ll be a total strip down at best, or be suitable for parts at worst. I often dismiss the ads with no pictures, I’m not too sure why, but after eating my Belgian bun and studying the photo ads they are easy to overlook. Often there are gems hidden in the lines of classifieds. Here is a perfect example. A 1985 BMW K100RS up for £750. Come on, that’s probably the best bargain in this month’s edition? It’s even sporting a pair of new tyres and some panniers. Further info is lacking, but would you put new tyres on a bike that’s no good? Course you wouldn’t. If you bought this bike you could let me know if my hunch was spot on… Here’s something that you don’t see every day: in fact we can’t actually see it at all because the vendor hasn’t supplied a photo! One of the last five Hesketh V1000s ever built is up for grabs, the photo wasn’t the only thing our seller omitted, he’s also forgotten to give us a price. Poor advert for such a rare beast, I’d say! With winter around the corner here’s a project for the serious shed dweller: a 1983 Honda VF750F that’s been stored for 25 years. My mind automatically conjures up a disturbing image, one involving knackered cams and mechanical misery, but without calling the number I’ll never know, it could be an immaculate gem? Think positive people! Check out those free ads and give them a go