If you are under 70 and didn't grow up with these things, my tip would be to manage your expectations. Bikes have advanced so much since these beautiful old things were rattling down the road.

This reminded me of when, as a 17 year old, I was allowed to ride a potential purchase OIF Lightning with the owner on the back. I blasted past a police car at a time when the 50mph speed restriction due to petrol shortages was in force, summer 1974. I got a ticket, a £10 fine and a licence endorsement but that was a bargain, because on pulling up again near my home, my forearms and hands were totally numb from the vibration. The flickering red oil light had told the tale and it wasn't an untruthful one. Happy days ! Bought a Trident T150V instead.

The older bikes you can more nicely explore around them compared to many of today's machines that are so covered up by their designs. The directness had towards inspecting items of function are so beautifully felt and seen upon the older machines. Over the years it appears the industry has seemed to have lost sight or control of this, a rider's direct approach to it!

What excellent advice. Thank you so much for that . I fell into the distraction trap when I bought my 98 Honda Rebel . I missed a very rusty tank and rear lights not working . The only cure was a new Chinese tank and a carb clean. Light was just a bulb . The salesman never stopped talking and yes a mug of tea was also involved ! I finished up failing to check everything. The bike is now great but I learned a lot from the experience . If people follow your advice , they won't go far wrong. Happy riding .

What a good idea. I have owned 8 bikes and learned a lot of things to look for.

When buying a classic bike, check for rust. Frames do like to rust on these bikes, especially where you don't normally look, such as in the main stand area.

If your going to ride daily don't get an A65 egg without doing the SRM type end oiling mod. Seen more blown A65 cases than any other classic. Look closely at the fasteners and wear on them with mag glass. You can also look for replacement bolts and nuts. Clean sometimes can be a rip many well tuned bikes that are fully capable will have misting areas and check gear oil too.

Been there done that. Cost me 000's. Never knew if I'd get home. Hated the sight of it in the end. And got fleeced by "experts" along the way. Sold it at a huge loss, bought an old Bandit. Runs like clockwork, starts every time on the button. Completely cured now. Never again.

@derekcollins1972

3 жыл бұрын

You just bought a lemon maybe. I bought one as well but knew it. After a total rebuild I love it and wouldn't trade it for the world.

Excellent video full of worthwhile tips. But if it's your first "Classic Bike" or any other used vehicle rodeo nothing beats bringing along a truly knowledgeable friend.

You will always be buying a certain number of problems on a classic bike if you want a reasonably priced machine, the good ones aren't let go

It is now even more clear to me how little I know. I don’t feel confident to by a pair of roller skates anymore 😱. Thanks for the lesson.

Great video. I just bought my first classic British bike, a 1964 Triumph Trophy. It's got a little patina on the tank and it's not stock paint scheme but that means I don't have to be too precious about keeping it flawless....and I was able to get it for a decent price. It has a TLS front brake and an Amal concentric carb instead of the stock monobloc. She fires up on the first kick and rides great. : )

havent ever seen someone cheking the swingarm in those kind of videos very goood advice

Thanks for another common-sense tutorial on classic bike ownership. I especially like the tip on avoiding getting side tracked. Much appreciated.

Needed this 50 years ago when I bought a Triumph but learnt quickly & moved to a Honda then BMW. Love British classics but not to own one. Great channel & brilliant content

@carlarthur4442

Жыл бұрын

I've owned a B M W K75c for 15 years never let me down , but I could do with a lighter bike now , trouble is the prices are stupid money now for classics .

I've ridden and had bikes for years and know what I'm looking at being an engineer but always good to have a refresher. Love the channel. 👍

Walking around grays motorcycle dealers in Chatham Kent in the 1960s all the British bikes had drip trays under them all the Japanese bikes didn't

I saw your thumbnail and thought "That bike looks familiar". Sure enough, an A65T just like I used to own years ago.

Spot on, thank you for another fantasticly produced and presented video. I feel a lot more confident looking for my first classic bike now. This video and channel is worthy of mainstream TV, I hope some producers are watching. With respect, move over Henry Cole, let's have Dave and his classic bikes!

"If there's oil dripping out of it, walk away" Adhering to that principle, you will never buy a classic British bike. 😂😂😂😂

@phensriwood8081

2 жыл бұрын

There’s oil leaks and then there’s oil leaks.

@mattgoodmangoodmanlawnmowi2454

2 жыл бұрын

If it was a Norton in the 60s in the US the primary cover ALWAYS leaked oil because US distributor Berliner specified stamped primary covers vs. the forged ones first sold in the UK, as my Dominator SS 88 was. I was the envy of all the Atlas owners. It’s when a Norton leaks elsewhere that you need to worry.

@ibnewton8951

2 жыл бұрын

Ne’er a truer word spoken! 😉

@mattgoodmangoodmanlawnmowi2454

2 жыл бұрын

@@ibnewton8951 Spoken like one who has at least experienced one of the two types of Norton primary chain covers. Mine never leaked oil.

@DANTHETUBEMAN

Жыл бұрын

or a old Harley 🤪

Great video Dave. Lots of brilliant advice to give us a bit more confidence when viewing a potential purchase. It’s also pretty good advice for checking over our own bikes. For a novice like me your videos really are priceless. Thanks.

Thanks ,very useful, I watched this a few times before getting a T150V ,gave me a bit more insight into the old British bikes!

Just found and subbed to your channel. Great advice all through. It’s so easy to buy a pup. Thanks.

One of the best, most informative uploads, thanks

The picky owner of a well kept older motorcycle is also looking you over. So, be courteous about it when you are doing your thorough inspection.

Daves the brit bike authority !, thanks for the Great info.

If there isn’t some emotional connection to the bike then you are pretty much purchasing an appliance. Nothing wrong with that but you’re going to see things differently. You wouldn’t buy a washer or dryer or vacuum cleaner with problems but with a bike, especially a classic model, you may want to fix them yourself or oversee having them fixed. There’s nothing wrong with buying a bike that has a check mark in every box but it can be really rewarding filling in some empty boxes yourself. This is a good video, a little common sense goes a long way but if you come across the bike you were meant to own then a flat tire (or two), wiring that is as scary as hell or hearing “well it ran when I parked it” won’t matter very much. Count out the money and let the adventure begin.

not one syllable wasted, pure gold.

Yeah I have gone all OCD with my new bikes. Loved it when I had old marked machines seemed to have more fun with them.. You have inspired me to go back to the classic bikes. Now looking..

Awesome video! Glad that someone makes pure motorcycling content. Keep up the good work team. Cheers!

Top Tips Great Advice I’m sure this will help many potential buyers avoid any nasties. 👍🏻

Great info as always Dave.

You are a very informative guy, love watching your channel keep it up.

Thank you for your informative and educational video

Nice video, thanks for the tips and well mannered approach

All good advice. Mechanical nouse and common sense, but easy to miss things when you're "in love" with the object of your desire (just like with a woman). Another thing I do is start it up and let it warm up while you're chatting, then check for rattles and smoke.

Brilliant video thanks

What a very thorough video. Wish I could remember half the things you checked. Never checked bearings in my life. That’s a note for next time.

Excellent advice as allways

Love this guy!

I've bought used vehicles all my 72-year life, bikes and cars and the one thing I always look for is evidence of maintenance or lack thereof. The quality of replacement parts (tires, oil filters, batteries, hoses, belts, etc.) tells a story. If the oil drain plug has the corners rounded off, that probably means the oil was changed often. One thing to be aware of on the old British bikes and maybe others is that there is a thing called sludge traps in the crankshaft designed to collect debris from the oil and when these fill up, it's pretty much game over for the bottom end. Unfortunately, you have to tear the engine down to inspect them. I changed the oil on my '76 Bonneville every 500-700 miles and they were absolutely clean when I finally got that far into the engine for other reasons. Oil is cheap, rebuilds aren't.

cracking vid dave, good informative info.

Sage advice. Thank you very much.

Dave, a clear and concise video aimed at buyer beware, from Diwn Under

I've done vintage Honda's for decades. Done a 60s Triumph and a bunch I can't recall. While I love modern bikes and their electronic ignitions, I've seen too many 80s and 90s bikes that can't spark and you can't get the black boxes for. I'd recommend points era bikes first in line. Right now I really like watching videos of that Canadian who rides a 72 Guzzi long distances on class 2 roads. Wish I knew where all the old bikes are hiding. Many have a lot of life and miles yet to deliver.

@hodaka1000

Жыл бұрын

They're hiding at my place

Thank you for the Tipps, my next bike I will do this

Excellent advice,,,the excitement of a new toy, overides the logic,,many of us should have gone along to a club first,,,instead of buying a beautiful photo online...cheers to your Channel

This video came just at the right moment! I am looking at a 1976 BMW R75/6 that is not running. I have some experience with the BMW Airheads, but it is so easy to have your rose colored sunglasses on. Thank you for the valuable information and to remember to trust your gut.

@nightster6378

3 жыл бұрын

A nice bike your looking for though prices are now rising on these forgotten classics only enthusiasts previouslt bought, about 2 years ago I bought a really nice, totally original with a few faults 73 R75/5, I specifically wanted the drum brake and single clock with integral techo, therefore faults taken into consideration I paid full price for it as they were rarely appearing for sale, here in Ireland especially. As it turns out I could probably add about £1500 on to what I paid. It appears R80's are rapidly rising also, I think mainly as people have the cafe racer vision. Some can be nice. this guy made a nice job of this R75/5 tastefully done though with the toaster tank. kzread.info/dash/bejne/epd1uNJsYpyfc9o.html I dont normally buy restored bikes as I value patina, that said around the same time I purchased a mint 73 Laverda 750SF and mint 78 Moto Guzzi Le Mans 2 again forgotten classics by many and again on the rise. People are now looking for these bikes to invest in. I prefer values to stay low and affordable for the enthusiast regardless if he is a user or a collector who always hankered after a certain model and not the investor. Sorry for the long comment and good luck with your search for a great very usable bike.

NICELY DONE VIDEO

Rider, too.🥰 I hope you drive safely.👍🏻 I saw a good video.👍🏻 I'm still a beginner, so you look great. ❗❗❗❗❗❗

Excellent Excellent

THANX FOR THAT ADVICE . WISH ME LUCK

A well thought out approach. No excitement just a few minutes of calm examination. Sometimes oil weeps sometimes it rains. I could live with weeps. Bearing replacement is not brain surgery either. But, the price should reflect the value of your labor.

2 episodes in 24 hours, thank you, i can appreciate the time and effort to put these together. I bought a 6 year old t100 last year and developed OCD as a result lol

@thra5herxb12s

3 жыл бұрын

How is a 6 year old bike a classic 😂

@curbmassa

2 жыл бұрын

@@thra5herxb12s A British bike that runs for 6 hours with no problems is a certified classic.

Great vid, thanks. I wish i had of understood and watched this before i got mine

Thanks Dave, my problem is over enthusiasm, I make excuses for it if I like it, I need a checklist

What a bloody good video I wish I'd watched this before I bought my a10 👍

Very useful thank you

sound advice, subbed

Cup of tea mate! 😄

Greeting from Indonesia.. Nice sharing.. 🤩

This guy knows his stuff,listen.

All old Brit bikes sound like a Swiss cobblers shop on piece rate ,& are likely to loosen your fillings when they are running normal .

Triumphs have two roller bearings but BSAs have a plain bush on one end of the crank, if the oil light is flashing on the idle you’ll need to pull the crank replace the bush and clean the muck built up in the crank pin.

Check fork stantions are visibly straight. check front down tube visibly staight and headstock perfect. check bike is symetrical from the rear. Check compression on kick start feels the same for each cylinder.

nice looking bsa there one i might like to own myself. looks similar to the triump tiger in some ways as well.

thanks mr dave i hope someday i can own meguro 500

Tank Sealer .... will ethanol petrol disolve it ? Put it in gear engine .. how much back lash in the drive chain is ok ? Play in the front brake pivot ? Frame number & engine number & v5c ..

Yep. I usually go with a mate so they can deal with the distractions and you can focus 100% on the bike. Be a bit standoffish till you've checked it out. Then join the conversation. Start from front to back and have a few tools. Especially a torch 👍

@BilgemasterBill

2 жыл бұрын

For our North American viewers, perhaps I should point out that "torch" is merely the UK equivalent of "flashlight". The writer of the previous comment is not suggesting that one set fire to bikes deemed unsuitable, or anything like that. As for "mate", this perhaps more familiar British Britishcism simply means "friend", so the commenter is not suggesting any "nookie for horsepower" tradeoff or other lurid swappage.

@ibnewton8951

2 жыл бұрын

@@BilgemasterBill Funny, and true!

Just buy it and have Dave fix it.

In this video our friend Dave Mitchell (from Mitchell's Classics) explains how to go about buying your first used classic motorcycle.

The most classic I go is triumph speed twin 2019.

Would you be better to by a recently restored bike or an old used running bike. There is a restoration place not far from me always has classics for sale. Not sure what reputation is. Dealer I bought my modern classic from occasional has old one usually restored.

Any comments on the reproduction Royal Enfield's (made in India). Look classic but without the olden-day problems. See a few around town and they sound great and look great.

@hodaka1000

Жыл бұрын

I recently paced a 500 Enfield for about twenty miles with my SR500 and was pleasantly surprised at how well the Enfield performed I thought I would've flogged him but they were neck and neck

The back wheel is buckled too.

Hi, l wana buy a Royal enfield 750 vintage twin. What could be a reasonable price..? Please advice.

My neighbour who has cancer gifted me a 1965,a 65 lightning I wanted to get it running for him, but I’m not sure what to do?

1969 BSA lighting are hard to find in the states. But great videos.

@jimifed2798

3 жыл бұрын

They are? maybe they blew up .

Sounds draft when I bought it was brand new motorcycle now 45 yrs old and vintage my beautiful triumph Bonneville t140 silver jubilee

If you're going to buy a classic bike as a daily........ Dont sometimes it feels like i open the bikes tool kit more than i open my phone lol

Look all around the barrels for cracks. If you find any there may well be more you can't see that are big trouble. Look for excessive vibration as well. Also a sign of trouble.. Shiny shiny can hide a multitude of sins.

Take someone with you who really knows what they're doing.

@totalrise1811

3 жыл бұрын

What if you have no one to go with?

BSA 650 oil pressure low. Dirt damage in main bush.

Have you thought about making a video about why someone would want to buy an old classic bike? What are the advantages over say a modern retro bike? Personally, I am struggling to see any advantages. I could see it if the price was say a 1/3 of what a new retro bike would sell for but the majority of classic bikes sell for considerably more than say a new bike like a RE 650 Interceptor for example. I also struggle with the same thing with old cars from the 1960s/70s, having owned such cars back in the day...

@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel

Жыл бұрын

Hi Graham, thanks for your comments. Yes, this is actually a very good question to ask :)

When I was younger and more foolish than today my choice of machine was Triumph. You could completely rebuild the engine Taking the greatest care and within a few miles oil would be dripping out of every orifice the bike had. You needed to plan any trip over 100 miles And would be extremely lucky if nothing fell off in that time. Today my bike of choice has been a Suzuki and has been for 30 years. I now have a Hayabusa and as long as I kept the tank with plenty of Petrol I could reach any part of Europe without losing a single drop of oil. The only reason the so called “Classic” bike market has boomed is because older men have very very deep pockets with untold amounts of disposable cash. And secondly they now look at these old bike with rose tinted glasses. They are still as crap as they were 70 years ago, but instead of costing £25 for a second hand bike they are now £5000 -£6000-£7000 and sometimes much much more. Go ahead fill your boots but don’t expect to arrive back home with clean hands.

@hhuodod2209

3 жыл бұрын

Couldn't agree more, British bikes were junk, hence why they stoped makeing them, who wants rebuild the engine after 2000 miles X

@victorimmature

2 жыл бұрын

what if you like tinkering around in the garage ? i would bet there are people that have had no probs on rides over 100 miles , and when your old 100 miles is to far anyway . and loads of old men have killed themselves on bikes like yours trying to relive their youth , each to their own i say .

@peterroberts3453

2 жыл бұрын

@@victorimmature each to their own you say?. Obviously you have never owned a motorcycle of any type. There’s tinkering and enjoyment, I can’t remember ever enjoying stripping the engine down every other month and paying through the nose for the privilege. Only those that don’t own a bike think that because the modern motorcycle is very powerful you are going to kill yourself. The reason for 99% of motorcycle accidents is car drivers who say they didn’t see you.

@CrusaderSports250

2 жыл бұрын

@@peterroberts3453 why did you do an engine strip every other month, in the late seventies I would ride the 400 miles back home from college at the end of term and then back to college after the holidays, first on a 1968 250 Enfield and laterly on a 1960 700 Enfield, you had to remember they were older bikes and keeping your speed down aided reliability and gave far better fuel returns. The biggest problem British bikes faced was owners that removed casings with screwdrivers, denting the jointing face and then reusing the gasket, low and behold an oil leak surprise surprise, or rebuilding the engine with "good" second hand parts and often "tuned" into the bargain often by a mate who was an expert only by dint of knowing how to put it back together after taking it apart, without to many parts left over, and never use new oil in the engine if the old stuff is available. With those levels of servicing it's a wonder they ran atall let alone were reliable, talking to people that bought them new in the fifties they never had the same problems, they were oil tight and reliable, come forward to the seventies and the new Japanese bikes were all reasonably new and were dealer serviced so no more mates and their screwdrivers, some of the Japanese companies were just divisions of far larger concerns, so didn't have to make a profit as they could be used as tax losses and were used as research as well, if all you do is make a single product you cannot compete long term with that, our designs were old and money was not spent on development, for a lot of companies that money was not there anyway, R & D is and always has been expensive (read up on how Lord and lady Docker lived and financed their lifestyles with the profits from BSA/Triumph among others). The collapse of the British bike industry is very complex and has many facets non of which on their own were enough to destroy a complete industry.

@peterroberts3453

2 жыл бұрын

@@frankmarkovcijr5459 if this is true take a picture of the speedometer. Obviously the speedo only goes to 99999 . There isn’t ANY 65 triumph that has done Half a Million miles anywhere on the planet unless it’s had 50 complete engine rebuilds. None of my Triumphs (and I had many) did more than a few thousand miles between total rebuilds. It must have been a lovely dream you had......

No drips? There’s no oil in it.

Thanks Dave , i followed your advice , and had the cup of T snatched out of my hand and told to clear off , :) just joking . seems like great advice .

Seemed fair but little drip ov oil not unusual

Dont even think about it if you have zero mechanical ability, because things need checking every ride.

@thra5herxb12s

2 жыл бұрын

@Bill My clutch lever would have been touching the bars long before 100 miles 😁

You’re in the wrong ball game if you think you’re going to buy a 50 year old plus bike and it won’t need something doing to it, that’s part of the joy of ownership.

I have made the mistake of buying a 52 Matchless G80 that looks beautiful and was even a show winner!.. But it has turned out to be a bit of a dog mechanically.. But hey ho.. I wanted a bit of a hobby and Thankfully I am a retired engineer..

Look for smoke from the exhaust .... oh, 2 stroke :D

It's "concours" not "concourse". The latter is the entrance to a large building or site.

And never buy one if you don't have a decent place to work on it. Where you happily can spend many winter hours. Though in my country it's always coffee. Only Classic bike I ever bought new was a BSA B44 back in 1970.

Brill. Is that a buckle in the rear wheel?!

@Ivorbiggin

3 жыл бұрын

I think 🤔 so

@geoffgreenhalgh3553

3 жыл бұрын

Flat spot in the front and rear rims, strange.

what's the type of motorcycle that he has in this video?

@madssnabel3277

3 жыл бұрын

Bsa Thunderbolt , probably 1967 or earlier.

@BladexEyes

3 жыл бұрын

@@madssnabel3277 thank you :)

@madssnabel3277

3 жыл бұрын

@@BladexEyes you are welcome

"If you're lucky enough for the seller to let you have a ride..." I wouldn't buy a bike that I couldn't test ride unless it was not road worthy.

It’s ironic that the A series Beeza is the worst possible “classic” you could buy. Those engines, with the original bottom ends, self destruct in 12,000 miles or less. Hint: don’t buy one of those lemons unless you’ve seen the bottom end with your own eyes and checked the big end bearings. The A65 pretty much killed the British bike industry all on its own.

BSA: Bring Spare Amsoil.

I mean if only you could be so picky where I live. Once in a blue moon classics that are worth buying pop up. You have to jump on it… and learn how to fix them. If I was so picky I wouldn’t own any.