I think it's only the people in the WD scene that think that. Most people want a chromed and brightly painted show winner than a matt green bike. If people are painting bikes in army colours thinking the bike's worth more, it's the WD scene that has over-inflated the market. But more likely it's someone that knows it's easier to spray a bike from top to bottom in matt paint, wheels and all, than have to get everything re-chromed etc. I've spent a fortune on this B25 I'm doing because of the shiny bits. It was cheaper to buy a new Lucas headlight shell and rim, wheel rims, mudguards etc than it would have cost to get the old ones re-chromed. If I could have sprayed it all one colour it would have saved me a lot of money.

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

It is true tho' that a genuine military bike will command a premium over a newer postwar civvy bike. The economics are very complex. Even a military bike with all the wrong parts seem to cost more. Hopefully this forum will help sort the wheat from the chaff, cos' a lot of people less knowledgable are getting ripped off.

All very interesting chaps but no one has given me any thoughts on value? The levers are wrong but otherwise it appear to be an honest bike but with the XM 20 engine prefix. I would really like some thoughts on price please. Cheers, John

Well this one was advertised for £4600 but I can't see what it actually sold for? Ron

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C595989

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

E mail me a couple of pictures and I'll give you my opinion John..Or post them here to get a wider view....

I'd hate to think you made a decision based on a value I put on a bike that I've never seen....

Reasonable solo M20s can fetch anything from £3500 to £5000 or more, a fairly meaningless price range if applied to a specific bike...

It's only the spec. details, overall condition etc. of a particular bike that enable that figure to be narrowed down a bit....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

John, so its just the engine that's XM20 not the frame?

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

There was a WX frame numbered M20 in RAF colours for sale at the 2014 clsssic mechanics show in the outdoor jumble near the entrance,if it is the same one the seller was asking £4500 I don't know whether it sold for that much as the seller is one you can haggle with,if it did have many correct WD parts but not all.

No Rob, I have seen the frame number also, and it's XM20, so a 1946 (civy) model year bike.

I think Steve above is mistaken with a prefix WX? Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Yes sorry my mistake,it was XM20 It was to the left of the main entrance hall in oily rag type condition.

I think that most parts on 1946 civilian machine are the same as on a 1945 WD machine except for pannier equipment, prop stand and some electrical bits, many of these 1946 bike parts could even have been manufactured before the war finished.

But the question of value depends on too many factors in this case.

As a 1946 Civilian machine it needs a complete paint job and a few bits of chrome and it still won't be as valuable as a WD machine, maybe £3500 finished.

It can't have any value as a military machine if it isn't one, but it does have a value as spare parts to complete one or more WD machines, how much depends on how good each part is and where they were "made".

IMHO
Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

And now I'm wondering if I saw it for sale at the W&P show last year, there was an RAF blue M20 inside stall DD33 & DD34 I think? It was the stall with the Vickers K hanging up in it.

http://www.shootandscoot.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/sns-stall.png

Can't remember how much it was and I didn't look to closely because it wasn't wartime.

Did anyone else notice it?

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

['Yes sorry my mistake,it was XM20 It was to the left of the main entrance hall in oily rag type condition.']

That may have been Steve from George Yeomans...I was with him on the stall for the weekend so had plenty of time to look over the bike if that was the one...

It was sound but not very good in terms of having the correct parts (incorrect and post war parts were fitted and some things were missing)

As always though, an all over coat of military paint does tend to blend it all in and convinces those who aren't sure that everything is correct...

My own TRW was touted by the seller as in original paint...Obviously not the case as the lining wasn't correct, the finish wasn't consistent and some things were painted that shouldn't have been...

The real giveaway though was the sprung hub...Never fitted to TRWs supplied to the Forces and having metal parts painted in the same colour as the rest of the bike...

It didn't bother me too much as the price was OK but it is best to do your homework before buying a bike you aren't familiar with......Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Hi Rob

The M20 in RAF colour was on Jontys stall he was selling for a friend
It was very post war with lots and lots of incorrect parts IM thing the price was 4K

All I can remember thinking was its JUNK !!

email (option): John@fieldandrurallife.com

Thanks John

Al least I didn't dream it.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk