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[Norm]

Or they just buy a frame without numbers, we have all seen them welding them up on a dirt floor in some shed, stamp the numbers on it and put it all together in a few hours, no big deal if you have plenty of parts everywhere at your disposal

[Essex Lad]

The frame/engine number is B/135580.
Cosmetically, I really don't care if it is correct or not. TBH it is better being a bitza, because it will never have any further value than my own intrinsic interest in ownership.
If you carefully read the ebay feedback, they all suffer with the same issue as me - lack of communication until you report them, then they start responding. No one who has provided even negative feedback on ebay has not taken delivery of a bike eventually.
The real grin for us is that we intend visiting the workshop/dealer when we go to India for a couple of months next year, just like Guy Martin. We are under no illusions about the make do and mend industries in India. I have found those very same things when I have worked in Asia and South America. I have seen a Toyota wing beaten out of an oil drum in an afternoon.
The real risk is whether I can get the DVLA to register it at all. But let's cross that bridge when we come to it.

[papasmurf]

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-i ... ed-vehicle

[Chris Tindal]

Not criticising Essex Lad, just discussing the subject. The closer it is to original spec, the more likely you'll get it registered.

[Tim NZ]

The number is in the right range for 1975, but there should be more to the eng/frame numbers than that?


Starting in 1969 RE added a number/letter code for the Year and month, plus there should also be an X at the end of the number to signify metric main bearings...

[Tim NZ]

Pics of the bike look nice, but 99% of that bike is of post 2000 manufacture and most definitely NOT a 1977 Army bike!!
Sorry to say it, but close scrutiny of the Paper work will undoubtedly prove to be spurious copies...


Probably one (three actually) of the best examples of dodgy Indian paper work and renumbered bikes that I have come across, is 'one' particular '1965' Bullet that is known to exist in THREE different countries!
(Same eng & Frame numbers!!)


Did I hear some one mention Maddan Motors?

[Essex Lad]

Yep, Madaan motors

[mustaphapint]

I'm with Essex Lad on this. If it looks OK and it is reliable or can be made reliable who really cares if it's original if the new owner is not going to try and pass it off as something it's not. The fact that it may have been cobbled together in a Indian's backyard may even add to the appeal, it's certainly keeping the locals in some kind of work. The main thing is whether it can be registered in the UK and I wish EL good luck with that. If it was me and I couldn't register it I would buy the cheapest, scruffiest, roughest looking box of spares or basket case with a V5 and adopt the identity of that for my new bike.

[Essex Lad]

A pint to mustaphapint, who understands where I am going with this.

[Norm]

Anybody googled Maddan Motors lately, is the "Maddan Motors is a thief" still there, that was really funny