Unbelievable

[Jerry]

Are you guys (over the pond) hurting that bad for a bike? No wonder a lot of our bikes end up being shipped overseas. This one probably needs that left rear-wheel bearing....

[TomB]

Due to our climate a lot of our 30 odd year old bikes are in pretty poor shape or have been scrapped years ago. Some areas of the US appear to have climates that preserve old bikes well, having lots of good condition old bikes about seems to hold your prices down so a lot have been imported here.

Looking at our UK club bikes and what comes up on UK Ebay there seems to be nearly as many Specials used here as Standards now, all the Specials here imported years later as used bikes. And as you can see in my sig' I own an XJ11.

Are we hurting £1600 for that heap? Nope!

[jetmechmarty]

Due to our climate a lot of our 30 odd year old bikes are in pretty poor shape or have been scrapped years ago. Some areas of the US appear to have climates that preserve old bikes well,

We have vast areas that are very cold for 10 months out of the year. The new bike was ridden a few times over the course of two summers then fell out of tune and the battery went flat. Then, it languished in the garage for 30+ years. You have never been cold if you haven't visited North Dakota, Minnesota, or Bangor, Maine in the winter time. Motorcycles get long winter breaks. Excluding this week, I ride year round. Because I can!

[TomB]

Another good reason UK bikes rotted away early, our climate means you can ride all year, its cold, wet and miserable but do-able, I ride to work every day too. The roads are salted to melt the ice which corrodes your bike even more.

DK's are just one company that imports from USA
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Cars-Motor...lspares&_sac=1