February 16, 200422 yr If I had the money I'd buy it: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2460778227
February 16, 200422 yr Yea nice bike, I just can't understand how someone could buy a brand new bike and keep it in thier shed for 20 odd years. Bikes are for riding not collecting. Maybe someone could explain the appeal, i just don't get it!!
February 16, 200422 yr Author I kinda half understand it. I'd love to own said Cota and if I did I'd drag it out once or twice a year 'cause I'd be scared to rub the polish off it. But on the other hand I agree that bikes are to be ridden.
February 16, 200422 yr I think this is the same guy that had a '76 TL250 "in his collection" and sold recently on e-bay. Same deal, 25-30 miles, always inside, one minor scratch, ect. That bike had a buy now price of $4500.00!!! What a beautiful bike though.
February 17, 200422 yr I'm probably qualified to comment on why have a bike you can't ride. I see bikes like this as historical artifacts, as examples to use in restoring others. Bikes can be restored, but they're only original once. Little details, quickly lost on riders are instantly evident on a survivor. Getting them back to this condition is extremely difficult and costly, and without this documentation, impossible. You can buy a bike like this 348 for less than the cost of a restoration. As a survivor it needs to be detailed to perfection and displayed in a museum for all to see, photograph, document, and drool over. How else would you know which side of the bike all of the transverse bolts were installed from, or some other trivial fact that makes all the difference to a proper restoration but no difference to a rider? It would be extremely selfish to ride a brand new old bike, especially, perhaps the last one. Used bikes fill that need. I have a very similar bike, a '79 349 Cota, with 3.4mi. on it. I've detailed it and shipped it off to the Trev Deeley Museum for safekeeping. I went through the pain of making the decision not to ride it, and it's a decision that I could go back on if I wanted, but I could not go back on the decision to ride it. That's a one way trip. Of course, not riding that one is justification for buying another one! Win, win.
February 24, 200422 yr Yes, I know of another one too, a '78 348 w/800 or so mi. but it looks as good as my 349 w/3mi. Spotless. It's in the chap's living room, for sale too at $2350 CDN. Good price, about $1800 U.S. The one on e-Bay just went for $3200 U.S.
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