Thinking of buying a '50s 350

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Plugsnpoints
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Location: Essex UK

Re: Thinking of buying a '50s 350

Post by Plugsnpoints »

Hi, I have only recently joined the club, and in the past few weeks have acquired a '57 350 with alternator.


If you look under general topics you will see how much I have learned, been frustrated at times, but also been beaming from ear to ear with it after sorting all its foibles out.


I'd say keep looking, be patient and one will turn up at the right price. There's a few restored ones of course, but like someone said, you learn a lot from playing with their insides and reassembling them even before you ride it. There's no brakes to bleed, or ECU to go wrong, and they're dead cheap to insure and run.


Mine's going to be a slow burner as they say, I'll get around to restoring it over a long period of time. The reason I bought it was to get it running and sell it on to fund another project. It's too late for that now, I'm in love with it!


It's such good fun to ride, really comfortable, easy to ride and makes such a great noise (much better than a Harley, in my opinion!).


The only downside is you have to leave a bit more room to stop, and the headlight is not up to modern driving at night. But the lights can be upgraded.

Go for it! :D
mikeydpippin
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Re: Thinking of buying a '50s 350

Post by mikeydpippin »

Don't forget they are like old men, dribbling and peeing in the pants syndrome also known as wet slumping....😳🤪🤪😩
Mike
Plugsnpoints
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Location: Essex UK

Re: Thinking of buying a '50s 350

Post by Plugsnpoints »

That's a good point. I'll have to remember that when I'm riding overseas in the continent.... :oops: :rofl:
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Re: Thinking of buying a '50s 350

Post by Group Leader »

Plugsnpoints wrote: I'll have to remember that when I'm riding overseas in the continent.... :oops: :rofl:
With reference to "older men", is the "the" in this statement superfluous? :rofl:

In all seriousness, after a gap of 40 years in riding I returned to the wonderful world of motorcycling and, in particular, AMC machines via a 350 16MS. I have now covered nearly 5000 miles on it in about 18 months, just pootling around the backlanes. For the price I paid for it plus the usual consummable spares like cables, fuel taps, rubber grips, a tyre etc (as I didn't want a project) that works out at around 80P per (s)mile.

Absolutely fantastic and I still have trouble getting the crash helmet off because of the grin each time!

As others have said, try and take a look at a few before leaping in so that you get a feel for what is actually good value and what isn't. Having visited a number of dealers since getting my bike (purely out of interest you understand, can you have a collection with just one thing ;) ) I have confirmed that seeing photos of bikes on websites is one thing, seeing them in the flesh (or should that be the rust?) is often another thing entirely.

Good luck!

Alan
1953 AJS 16MS, 1939 BSA 250 and a 1/3 scale Sopwith Triplane but that's another story ..... :lol:
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