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Re: Matchless G3 - no success - back on the market

He'll be hoping for a punter who didn't do the groundwork research that you did.

It never ceases to amaze me what some guys will buy based on what they are told by the seller or what is written on a registration document or other bits of paper. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Matchless G3 - no success - back on the market

Indeed. This seller was more a mechanic, working on classic bikes with passion (he has about 13 oldtimers with this Matchless being the only military), getting them mechanically in perfect condition but less informed about the value of a military bike and the fact that not 100% correct/matching parts bring down the value considerably. Anyhow, I learned something about the mechanics of those bikes and did my first successful kickstart of a wartimer so all in all not a full waste of time void(0);
fingers crossed one day (not too far from today) I'll manage to buy one.

Steven

email (option): stevenjmw@hotmail.com

Re: Matchless G3 - no success - back on the market

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C892934

email (option): snvosselman@gmail.com

Re: Matchless G3 - no success - back on the market

Thanks for the hint Sven but I spotted that one already a while ago. a bit too far from where I live (Antwerp, Belgium). So still hoping to find one closer by (may I'll think different within a year or so when having no hits).
Steven

email (option): stevenjmw@hotmail.com

Re: Matchless G3 - no success - back on the market

Steven, if you're restricting yourself to the Belgian market then I think that you're going to struggle to find a bike to top specification. They're in a minority anywhere and the Belgians are probably among the most 'approximate' restorers in Northern Europe...even with the post-war FNs and Gillets that they should know well. At least they don't paint them fairground colours with an oil tin clipped to the front mudguard as their southern neighbours tend to do though ! However, a culture of not having any 'keuring' for motorcycles means that a lot of liberties are taken with many aspects.

A mix of G3 and G3L parts is not uncommon in late-war rebuilds, as are BSAs built up of early and late war components. They were intended to be interchangeable.

If you want an early-war bike to early-war specification then you're probably looking at around 5% of the bikes on the scene or you're going to have to do it yourself using the best available donor machine. Some have been known to buy and sell a motorcycle just to be able to obtain a fuel tank or mudguard !

The Netherlands is of course home to many M20s but my personal feeling is that I'd avoid the two or three dealers there with the big advertising budgets as they happily sell rubbish for top money.

Re: Matchless G3 - no success - back on the market

Hi Rik,

Thanks for your feedback. Indeed the BE market is probably quite small but I also try to follow the international market (NL, DE, FR, UK). The thing is that I would like to find at least one that I can visit and be back in reasonable time. I try to avoid dealers indeed and as such I hope to create some "exposure" amongst you guys to let the community know I'm looking for one, hoping then to obtain a good one at a decent price. As for example I wouldn't mind to travel to NL (in the end I work there too :)) but finding a good lead seems to be not that easy to find and Marktplaats (which is about the only private offer online site I know for NL) is not really helpful. Finally, I'd like to mention that I'm not necessarily looking for an early-war bike, just a WW2 bike in good running condition. Any leads (or other Dutch sites I should look at) always welcome...

Best regards,
Steven

email (option): stevenjmw@hotmail.com

Re: Matchless G3 - no success - back on the market

Hi Steven, I had a look on the bike and must say for 6000 euro its not to bad !
If the fenders are with rib. If you want to buy a 100% original bike you pay a high price and you must hope everyting inside is correct. Take a good runner and take some time to complete it. The parts wath come from the bike have a value you can sell. You enjoy your bike more I think.
Regards. Bram

email (option): Bram@ockhuizen.com

Re: Matchless G3 - no success - back on the market

Hi, check out milweb nice looking 1938 bsa M20 or whatever for sale in England.

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

Re: Matchless G3 - no success - back on the market

Hi Bram,

6000 is indeed not bad which was my highest offer by the way but the seller didn't want to come down, he wanted about 1000 more which is then a bit too steep to my opinion.



email (option): stevenjmw@hotmail.com

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