Buying advice please!

[unclerob]

Hello all, I joined a few months ago because I'm planning to buy an A10 this winter, (it'll be the 9th one I've owned but there is a 30 year gap since the last!). So far I haven't come across anything that I was really taken with but this morning I saw one on ebay that I'm tempted by, hoping for a bit of advice before I contact the guy and have a look?
Not very good at links etc but its on there as BSA Goldstar fitted with DA10R engine.....
I'm not so much concerned about its condition mechanically, reading between the lines I'm guessing theres a good £2000 needing to be spent on it and thats fair enough.
What I am thinking though is it too expensive? I can understand that having a goldstar frame makes it more valuable but to be honest apart from the kink in the frame for the oil pump bit I couldn't tell one apart from a normal A10 frame, as to the other cycle parts not much idea really....
I'd appreciate any thoughts anyone may have, cheers....

[a10 gf]

I saw one on ebay

Hello, without the link it's difficult. Don't know which browser you're using. But this should work in any browser:

Alt 1: right mouse click on the address bar till it's marked then ctrl + c to copy it, and ctrl + v to paste it in the post.

Alt 2: left mouse click on the address, left mouse copy, right mouse paste in the post.

And there are even more ways of doing it.

[bsa-bill]

Hi unclerob

I'm guessing your looking at this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BSA-GOLDSTAR-FITTED-WITH-DA10R-650CC-ENGINE-/310493199649?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item484ad63d21

he's asking too much I think for the condition of the bike, you would have thought he might at least have put a couple of badges on the tank.
Tank is going to need chromed at best, possible replaced.
Many of the RGS replica bits are there I suppose so if that's your aim then if you can get the price down it might be worth a punt but I think your estimate of money needed is maybe a bit low (looking at the oil around the pipes)

More knowledgeable members will know more about the frame number, looks a bit funny to me ( small C )

[Goldy]

One off the much discussed subjects with classic bikes is if the are original or not. Some people want the machine to be exactly as it left the factory, with matching frame and engine numbers and even extra documentation, and this of course increases the value. The e bay bike is far from original and should therefore be much cheaper than the price listed.

[a101960]

Far to expensive for what it is, and I am afraid to say the seller has it completely wrong. This what he is saying. He has not done his research very well!

 ?THIS IS A 1960 REGISTERED GOLDSTAR HYBRID, USING THE ROLLING CHASIS FROM A GOLDSTAR  CATALINA MODEL AND A 650CC DA10R ENGINE. RUMOUR HAS IT THAT THIS COMBINATION WAS USED BY EDDIE DOW WHICH LATER WAS TO BE TAKEN UP BY BSA WHEN THEY PRODUCED THE ROCKET GOLD STAR ".

This is what John Gleed Eddie Dow?s Workshop foreman has to say on the subject ?People think that we used new Gold Stars, and just fitted new Rocket engines. This was not so?  He also states that the workshop was far to busy to do that and the cost would have been to high, he also goes on to say that BSA would not supply new engines anyway.

My advice would be not to buy.  That bike is going to be a money pit. There are much better bikes available for that kind of money.

John

[RichardL]

With the theory that the price will be whatever the market will bear, I hope it doesn't sell at that price. After all, with over 450 members, we make up a fair portion of the market. Now, if it could somehow be proved that it was Eddie Dow's own bike, I suppose that would change things. I have no idea of that, of course.

Richard L.

[unclerob]

Many thanks for all the comments. I have to admit I was very tempted to go and have a look when I noticed it on ebay the other day but I thought maybe a bit pricey and now glad I resisted....I wasn't really worried about the work to be done (in fact I was looking forward to it) but knowing I'd paid too much in the first place would have taken the gloss off a bit!! Will keep an eye on what happens to it though, might make an offer still but now thinking around £5500 is more like it. As I've mentioned before I'm very much out of touch as far as costs go but surprised my estimate of £2000 is low....I meant that as parts only....think the last A10 part I bought was a new con rod ...about £10 I think...from Derek at Owen Bros in Battersea Rise....great shop...anyone remember it?  Thanks again!

[a101960]

£5500 is more like it

Thats is still far to expensive. £3000 tops for a bike in the condition you were looking at on ebay is more like it. For example, Saddleworth Classics are offering an RGS replica at £5600, and Two Wheels of Farnborough have one for £4750. The tank alone will cost you nearly £1000 to get it re-chromed and painted.

John

[jfligg]

Hello Uncle Rob
  If I had 7000 pounds I would build my own bike from scratch.  That way you control the quality of the build.  No polished turds that way.  It would be a waste to buy this bike with the goldie frame and not use it as such.  If it was a Eddie Dow machine then thats another story.  I am not sure of the availbity of projects over there.  Thats the way I would go; then when you are finished you know what you have.  If you need any help finding a project let me know.  Jeff

[Topdad]

Hi Rob, welcome, re your question I agree with the previous comments and just to confirm what had been said I went on ebay and within 3 pages saw the basis of some good projects plus 2 bikes ,again which were overpriced however prior to this there have been some very reasonably priced complete bikes. Basically don't just buy have a good look around poss contact,they have a branch in kent, the BSAOC  may know of a local bike with some history at a reasonable  price. terry Sloan was the listed name of there contact person 01795 665680 they meet at the the red lion herne hill in or the cock inn Luddesdown, my copy of the Star is pretty old so name may be out of date but worth a call, best wishes in your quest BobH.