New user, buy or not.

[xaler]

Hello
I am J.K. from Czech Republic. I'm sorry for my bad english.
I have the Indian Royal Enfield Bullet 500 from year 1996. My dream is to buy a real English motorbike.
I have the book The essential buyer guide BSA 500 and 650. I've been watching eBay for a long time. I want to buy the BSA A10, but I don't have £ 6000. I'm waiting for a broken bike. Right now it is in the Czech Republic for sale BSA A7. The price is 1800-1900 pounds.
Motorbike needs renovation. The engine is removed and partially disassembled, needs new bearings, pistons, etc. A new paint must also be applied. The bike has no documents, no history. Maybe imports from America? The seller says the frame does not have an identification number. Can you look at the picture and assess the condition of the motorbike? Is it an American model? Is it original or puzzle from parts? Should I buy it or wait for a cheap A10 at Ebay.co.uk? The engine may be worn out, is it expensive to repair? Do you know the year of production, engine power? (insurance, driving license).
Thank you for your help. J.K.

[muskrat]

G'day JK. 
It looks like a bitzer. To give a date we would need frame and engine numbers. Later front forks & wheels, earlier headlight shroud. But with that twin carb head I wouldn't be able to get my £ out of my pocket quick enough
at a rough guess you'd be looking at £1000 for a full motor re-furb, probably the same on the roller.
I'd buy it.
Cheers

[a10 gf]

Welcome to the forum !

[RDfella]

No documents, no history and no frame number? Probably been stolen. Could cost a pile to fix anyway. Don't touch it.

[KiwiGF]

Hello
I am J.K. from Czech Republic. I'm sorry for my bad english.
I have the Indian Royal Enfield Bullet 500 from year 1996. My dream is to buy a real English motorbike.
I have the book The essential buyer guide BSA 500 and 650. I've been watching eBay for a long time. I want to buy the BSA A10, but I don't have £ 6000. I'm waiting for a broken bike. Right now it is in the Czech Republic for sale BSA A7. The price is 1800-1900 pounds.
Motorbike needs renovation. The engine is removed and partially disassembled, needs new bearings, pistons, etc. A new paint must also be applied. The bike has no documents, no history. Maybe imports from America? The seller says the frame does not have an identification number. Can you look at the picture and assess the condition of the motorbike? Is it an American model? Is it original or puzzle from parts? Should I buy it or wait for a cheap A10 at Ebay.co.uk? The engine may be worn out, is it expensive to repair? Do you know the year of production, engine power? (insurance, driving license).
Thank you for your help. J.K.

Frame numbers are sometimes present but owners don’t know where they are and paint has obscured them anyway, if it’s important to get it road legal you need to find out if it REALLY is missing.

Personally I don’t factor the FULL cost of restoring major items like the engine into the purchase decision of a used bike, as after you’ve done the work that part is “new”, not part worn out, and you will get the benefit of that newness for many years, assuming you keep the bike.

I’d probably buy it in the absence of a better option, that cylinder head is worth a lot of the asking price, incorrect parts can be sold or swapped, if originality is what you want.

[Billybream]

Hi, interesting bike, the frame number should be just below the head stock on the left side of the frame as viewed if sitting on the the bike, the engine number again on the left, directly under the barrel on the crankcase above the primary cover.
Suspect it's an A7 Shooting Star so 500cc with under 40hp, but not from the States.
I would guess the bike is 1956, give or take a year, with some later items.
You will need some deep pockets if you want to return this bike to its original state but just to get running its looks worth a gamble.

[a10 gf]

Something 100% original, matching nr's, fine shape, engine overhauled etc will cost quote a lot... so in view of that the price is quite decent, the twin head adds some big +++. Wanting something to show or something to ride ? Of course both, find your balance of satisfaction vs cash spent. Personally I am not hunting originality, just whatever I am happy loking at and riding.

As for repairs & parts, most maintenance parts don't cost that much individually ...but will have a big tendency to add up to quite a lot over time. Machining work, depends on the hour wages in your country. F.ex. start by asking a known good shop how much it costs to bore out cylinders and fit a timing side crank plain bearing. Cylinders, check that they are not bored out beyond max.

No documents, so never been registered legally in CZ? Assuming it's not a stolen bike or something, will there be problems (or impossible) getting CZ paperwork, quite an important 'detail', may depend of rules in your particular country. Can the seller be trusted if asked for details about the gearbox\engine internals, previous work done etc?

Do lots of research. A7A10's mechanical\engine etc everything can be fixed and parts available, good original tinware can be more difficult.

Good luck, tell us how it goes, welcome to ask detailed questions. And the english is very good.

[Rocket Racer]

hard to tell from the pictures but something odd going on around the carb manifolds, looks like twin carbs??  *conf2*the alloy head and the big badge fuel tank suggest a sports A7SS model which should be part of the engine number.
In NZ its almost impossible to register an import without clear evidence of title. so let the buyer beware.
Its complete suggest 1958-60.
The sporting 500 have a good reputation once sorted.

[bsa-bill]

Welcome JK -  your English is fine well done
fairly tidy bike for the price although I'm not sure how it compares with UK prices

[Swarfcut]

   Bit late now, this thread started in March. Rear wheel looks like 18" rim, and attention to detail is poor....tank bung half out, lower front stay on upside down. Obvious problem with kickstart. Add to that the appearance is that of a mix and match " bitza " (bits of this and that), it could still be a useable machine, looks complete.

    Its value is when money changes hands, and really depends on how the buyer costs the hassle and uncertainty of what's inside and the lack of paperwork and title. Then again, it could be bought just as a source  spares.

   Offer scrap value, there is not much else in it's favour.

 Swarfy.