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Straw poll

I am interestedd to know if members of the forum feel that they would be prepared to pay a higher price for a WD motorcycle that has a known history and comes from a particlar campaign such as Normandy or North Africa. Do original war time markings add to value? Very few WD bikes seems to have any form of provenance and it seems to me that a known provable history should have some effect on value, but how much? Cheers, John

email (option): tinley@btinternet.com

Re: Straw poll

Yes, yes and yes. Not sure how much extra, that depends I guess on what it is. I was thrilled to read my own frame and engine numbers in the BSA ledgers.

Henk

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email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Re: Straw poll

Back in 2002 I paid £2,000 for my G3L which, at the time, was way over the odds. But I had the full history from '43 on, and it appeared in an episode of Dads Army.
So yes I paid extra for the provenance.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: Straw poll

I've always wondered where my bike could have been. It came out of a crate when I bought it, complete with tool kit and bags. The guy had 6 of them at the time. He told me it was a leftover from the Six Day War between Israel and Egypt.

As I'm cleaning parts for the restoration, I think how cool if I could know where that dirt came from, who rode her, etc.

Yes, I'd pay a bit extra, but it has to be verified.

email (option): britool51@hotmail.com

Re: Straw poll

Having destroyed all the originality of my likely Dunkirk survivor because I wanted a working motorcycle rather than an incomplete exhibit for a museum that I don't have, I wouldn't expect anyone to pay much over the odds for what is now only an alleged BEF connection (it's not for sale by the way )

However, I would pay extra for a barn find machine if it was found in theatre with the correct markings or just possibly if it had a census number that appeared in a photograph.

At some point though, a decent bike with no history becomes worth more than a wreck with provenance. I'm attracted to any 1940 machinery which turns up on mainland Europe devoid of later fittings but I'd hope to pay less for it than most seem prepared to pay for cobbled together bitsas of indeterminate age and origin. Of all the areas of the old bike hobby, military machines is probably the one where the least notice is taken of numbers, apart from the odd rivet counter.

Re: Straw poll

my M20 is still army registered it is sand coloured and has a 6 royal tank regiment mailed fist on the tank the chap i brought it off in 1978 told me it was on the back of a lorry he brought from a disposal sale he was told the lorry came from the suez crisis in 1956 6 royal tank regiment were deployed to the suez crisis still using the white mailed fist on a black back ground no paper work for the bike as the lorry was sold as a lot number and didnt list any contents in the back of the lorry and the YE registration key cards are missing

Re: Straw poll

Mine came from a container with scrap from an Egyptian Army Museum. REALLY scrap, thrown together using even wooden pegs and wood screws to hold it upright. Unfortunately, it was in the time this website did not yet exist, so I try to forget all the money wasted on the wrong parts....
But I learned to love her dearly...

email (option): viaconsu # planet dot nl

Re: Straw poll

I would probably pay a bit more for a known a history. I gained more enjoyment from my bike when I was told its army registration number, correct C number, and other information from the key cards. Knowing all that just made me feel closer to the bike.

Mick-- was it the Dads Army episode where sargent Wilson had to do his motorcycle rider training, fell off, and was picked up by a visiting Russian? If so, that one was on TV a couple of weeks ago. Its still funny

email (option): gasboy@btinternet .com

Re: Straw poll

Hi Pete, yes, that's the episode. The riding shots were done by my friend Phil Basey, an ex RASC motorcyclist, who owned the bike up til I purchased it from him. The markings are 225 motor ambulance coy.RASC, which were on it when it was shipped over on D+3
Cheers, mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: Straw poll

I would prefer to know the history of my bikes, and would (and have) paid more due to an interesting history.
I'd love to know the history of my M20 (Frame WM20 91941 , engine number WM20-8239 ) beyond what I've learned from the serial numbers listed in British Forces Motorcycles book.
There's a couple other numbers stamped on the upper frame tube, probably shops rebuild number? If anybody can look in the key cards it would be appreciated.
Thanks, Vincent

email (option): bsa3man@rocketmail.com

Re: Straw poll

I had a relative who was killed on D Day..4/7th. Royal Dragoon Guards, 8th Ind. Armde. Brigade. With that family connection I would definitely pay more for a machine verified to be connected with this unit...More generally, I am interested in a machines history but don't think I would really pay more for it...Ian

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

Re: Straw poll

The only danger with putting a monetary value on this provenance, is that it feeds the unscrupulous 'seller for cash' who does not truly care for the history but is willing to profit by the knowledge.
I would love to know the history of my M20. To be proud of it's history and have the knowledge of exactly where it had been.
I would not be happy to pay for that knowledge, if it was part of the purchase price, only due to the fact some would be after the profit.
If I was truly after the motorcycle I would have to think about how important it was at the time.
However I would not want to penalise the true collector and preserver as we all try to be.
So would be prepared to pay towards the proven history found on one of our groups cherished motorcycles. If any were made to part with them.

Paul C

Re: Straw poll

I don't know whether I would want to pay more for history but I always enjoy the paperwork that comes with a new purchase.
I think I would be more interested in a bike that comes with a wodge of paperwork, old MOT's and a tax disc holder filled to bursting with the old discs.
I have bought bikes with no more than the log book, even less than that sometimes but they do tend to be cheaper.
So I suppose history will bump up the value a bit, but if it is millitary history you have to be very sure of the sources - Millitary motorcycles and vehicles generally seem to have myth and legend around them like antiques. Any Queen Anne chair in an antique shop will have had Queen Anne sitting in it at some point
regards
Clive

email (option): cliveandjo@lineone.net

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