I'm new to this forum, so I greatly appreciate any help. I'm looking at a restored 1963 Rocket Goldstar, for sale at an extremely well-known dealer. This guy has a very good reputation, and has restored and sold several cars in the $10 million plus range. Of course I know there are numerous fakes in the market, so I need to get a better idea of what I'm considering, not that I think he would knowingly sell one. He did not restore this bike in his shop. I believe he purchased it in the current, restored condition. He did mention to me his outside motorcycle expert, who is a collector and restorer, has stated that this bike is completely correct as original. It also was sold to him as numbers matching and original. I am planning on looking at this bike right after the new year but need some help as follows:
- Any information on how to identify an original versus a replica would be great, so I know when I'm looking at it
- Is there a registry or any help available on the serial numbers/VIN for the original/correct bikes?
Lastly, and completely separately, I've owned and ridden several bikes. But it's been awhile, plus, I've never ridden one of these. Any opinion on how comfortable and rideable these bikes are, for shorter trips (say, 90m or less) and how they handle also would be great.
Thanks!
With high value bikes the seller would usually have some provenance of its origin and what has been done to it.
Speak to the previous owner, what does he have to say.
Certainly I would expect that a dating certifiate from a reputable source such as the BSAOC or VMCC would be with it which would confirm what a frame with that number was made as (there were a number of scramblers made) and whether the frame and engine numbers are those with which left the factory together but even that would not prove that the bike in question was genuine, it is buyer beware.
Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure there are any certificates he has with it. But I do have the numbers from the engine, frame, and tranny. I'm also looking for other attributes and details that would confirm the bike is as represented.
The numbers are as follows: Engine number is DA 10R 7983, Frame number is GA10 605, and Tranny is ARRT.
I'm not an expert, but from the web info on serial numbers I've found (http://classicenglishbikes.com/tech_file/bsa.html#1963, https://www.britbike.com/bsapitstop/dating/post1960.html), those seem to be in the correct ranges. If someone could help me confirm this and how the sequences work, it would be much appreciated.
Also, I do have some experience and have seen restamped serial numbers. You can't always tell if the restamp is done well, but from what I can tell these do not appear to be restamped.
Thanks again.
ARRT is a wide ratio box fitted to US exported models, US bikes sold as Gold Star Twin and usually red in colour.
Those numbers would be 1962.
photo from 1963 US East Coast catalogue.
Reimported US models often presented in UK model colours by restorers..
I guess I'm not understanding the SN conventions. The SNs shown for 1962 are DA10R 5958 for the engine and GA10 101 for the frame, and for 1963 DA10R 8197 for the engine and GA10 390 for the frame. The numbers for this bike are 7983 for the engine (in between the 62 and 63 numbers) and 605 for the frame (higher than both the 62 and 63 numbers. How does this make it a 62?
Thanks again.
I have sent you a PM - look under "My messages" at top of page.
Quote from: JulianS on 23 Dec, 2018, 15:54
I have sent you a PM - look under "My messages" at top of page.
Replied, thanks.