I had a pleasant surprsie yesterday

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TC · #1 Post by TC » Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:53 pm

Last night I was the guest speaker at the Harrogate Advanced riders group.

Although I live in Reading, Harrogate and Pately Bridge are my family home towns (on my mothers side) and so I used the opportunity to call in and see my aunt and cousin as I have not seen her since my uncle died about 10 years ago.

Anyway, we had a pleasant lunch, at which point my aunt said "have a look in the garage, you may be interested in what is in there!"

I thought there may be a couple of trains as my uncle was an engineer and built the large scale loco's that you can ride on and which were worth a lot of money.

Anyway, I opened up the garage and sat inside was a Suzuki X7 250 on a W plate in immaculate original condition with just over 1,000 miles on the clock, and in front was a V reg Suzuki GS1000 with around 2,000 miles on the clock also in original immaculate condition.

The X7 belongs to my aunts brother who purchased the bike new but only did a 20 mile trip once a year and he is no longer able to ride as he has terminal cancer, and the GS belongs to my cousin who also brought his bike new but was involved in a serious crash on his Yamaha 750 leaving him with a brain injury meaning he is no longer able to ride.

I cannot recall the last time I saw 2 bikes of these vintage just sat there as if it was time warp, it certainly brought back memories for me.

So, now, I have got to speak t some friends in the trade and get some ideas of value as it s criminal (IMO) having them just sat there rotting

lazarus · #2 Post by **lazarus** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:31 pm

Well as a supporter of Reading Football Club you wont get many other pleasant surprises

TC · #3 Post by TC » Tue Nov 13, 2012 4:34 pm

lazarus wrote:Well as a supporter of Reading Football Club you wont get many other pleasant surprises

But Reading is my second team only because that is where I live. My first love is the blue side of Manchester and has been for nearly 50 years

Anyway, Reading have always been slow starters under Brian McDermott. This time last year they were at the bottom of the Championship and look what happened

Not suggesting that they are going to win the Premier League, but it will not surprise me to see them climb the table, and bear in mind that they have only lost one of their last 6

Willopotomas · #4 Post by **Willopotomas** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:59 pm

X7's £3000+ for minters.

GS1000's are similar. Beware of anything mechanical that's been sat for long periods. Seals perish and bearings seize.. Just bear it in mind is all.

A friend of mine has an X7. Nice little nutty bikes. Successor to the GT250.

fatboy · #5 Post by **fatboy** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:02 pm

Thats around the era that for me Jap bikes fell from grace, they became homogonised delta box anonimities.
Absolutely the right move to make, two interesting bikes will now go to new loving and probably pampered homes, modern classics saved

D-Rider · #6 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 8:28 pm

Nice finds TC

Willopotomas wrote: A friend of mine has an X7. Nice little nutty bikes.

He's talking about "Mr Magneto"

Willopotomas wrote: Successor to the GT250.

A chap in my year at school had a T250 - predecessor of the GT250

HowardQ · #7 Post by **HowardQ** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:35 pm

Really nice surprise TC !!

I had a T350, (predecessor of the ?????).

Then again I suppose it was replaced by the GT380, bigger heavier and an extra pot.
It was too heavy and not as good, but looked flash.

The X7 was a very popular, fast 250 in its time before Yamaha power valves came along.

I went down another road at that time with 350 Kwacker triples.

I couldn't afford two more bikes, but it would be nice to have both of the Suzukis in my garage.

Willopotomas · #8 Post by **Willopotomas** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:48 pm

D-Rider wrote:Nice finds TC

Willopotomas wrote: A friend of mine has an X7. Nice little nutty bikes.
He's talking about "Mr Magneto"

Yep.. That's him!

Took it for a spin one afternoon. Really good fun. Lots of revs. Makes it sound like you're bollocking along, but are actually only doing about 70/80mph.

struv · #9 Post by **struv** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 6:44 am

oldskool suzuki forum is where all the peeps for these bikes live. but dont just go on there with no prev posts trying to sell stuff

introduce yourself and tell the story and see if anyone contacts you .but they are all tight arsed vultures so beware

TC · #10 Post by TC » Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:09 am

struv wrote:oldskool suzuki forum is where all the peeps for these bikes live. but dont just go on there with no prev posts trying to sell stuff introduce yourself and tell the story and see if anyone contacts you .but they are all tight arsed vultures so beware

To be honest, if my aunt decides to sell (once they have been valued) they will be sold through someone I know who specialises in the older classic bikes, so thanks for the heads up, but I certainly would not go to a forum I don't know and try and sell something. I don't even really like doing it on forums where I am known

Gio · #11 Post by **Gio** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 11:21 pm

Had a friend who had one the suzuki that is, Must admit I love the old bikes far more character than the modern stuff.

TC · #12 Post by TC » Sat Nov 17, 2012 12:46 am

HowardQ wrote:Really nice surprise TC !!

I had a T350, (predecessor of the ?????).

Then again I suppose it was replaced by the GT380, bigger heavier and an extra pot.
It was too heavy and not as good, but looked flash.

The X7 was a very popular, fast 250 in its time before Yamaha power valves came along.

I went down another road at that time with 350 Kwacker triples.

I couldn't afford two more bikes, but it would be nice to have both of the Suzukis in my garage.

First big bike I had after passing my test was a 3 month old GT380. Biggest mistake I ever made

My old CB175 Honda that I took my test on was more fun that that heap of poo.

I always preferred the GT250 to the X7, but then I also liked the original GT125 and GT185 as a new rider as they had the looks and performance of bigger bikes, and of course there was the Yamaha RD200 Twin as well as the 250 and 350. Never went down the route of the KH Triples, probably because my cousin had one and kept bragging about how his dad always brought him whatever new bike he wanted (being the twat he was and I believe still is) so it put me off them to a degree, although I did eventually have a KH500 with full Rickman kit. Fantastic in a straight line but a b@statrd through the bends

Anyway, I digress. Surprisingly the X7 is only worth between £1500 and £2,000 tops and the GS even less as it is not as desirable as the big Kawasaki's such as the Z900 or Z1

Somewhat surprised at the low valuations given the condition, but my buddy who gave me the values I have known for years and is a specialist, so I have no reason to doubt him.

fatboy · #13 Post by **fatboy** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 5:26 pm

No dis repect tp your buddy, but would it hurt to seek a second opinion ?
Will they increase in value when the sun shines again ?

D-Rider · #14 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 5:37 pm

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/cla ... uki-gt250/

Gio · #15 Post by **Gio** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 5:45 pm

D-Rider wrote:http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/cla ... uki-gt250/

Sorry he's very greedy, I bet he's added 50% on for new old bits that have been added that are not that new!.

Asa case in point I have so far spent £1840 on my CB400, when its completed I might be lucky to get £2000 for it, but then it won't be for sale, its for riding