Just been to look at this....

[teebowbusablaster]

My last one had twin discs.

[teebowbusablaster]

[malky]

Looks like its got an earlier exhaust system on it as well

[teebowbusablaster]

Yeah, linked at the front. Asked the dealers if they had any news, was told " not had it on the bench yet, it'll be sometime this week".
Not that keen to sort it out are they ?

[asco58]

Yeah, linked at the front. Asked the dealers if they had any news, was told " not had it on the bench yet, it'll be sometime this week".
Not that keen to sort it out are they ?

They don't sound very efficient, If it had been sitting for a while and they knew you were coming, they should have made sure it was ready and running beforehand.

If you have it, put the registration number into the DVLA website (https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/) and and look at the date of first registration. If it's registered much later than the year of manufacture then it's probably an import from the USA. From what I know, USA models did not have plated cylinders with raised studs and they kept the linked exhausts throughout production. After doing a little research, I am pretty convinced that the forks on this bike are from a GT550K but someone put later model dust caps on them. It should have the same forks as your previous 550 did. Check the MOT history (https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history) as well if you can, and ask why the clocks are zero because something doesn't seem right there and also is the engine been rebuilt.

Hope everything goes well and let us know how the viewing goes.

[teebowbusablaster]

[asco58]

That's interesting, The bike was registered and made in 1977 so it must be a UK bike or at least the frame is. Then as you suspected before, the exhausts are older or from the US and it probably originally had nikasil cylinders. I'm not sure if the engine has been changed or someone has just put earlier non nikasil cylinders on the original bottom end. Old Japanese Bikes website suggests frame and engine numbers starting with a 7 are for 550B's as a guide.

I'm not sure what the deal is with this bike but there are definitely questions to be asked about the forks, engine, exhausts and clocks but their advert claims it to be completely stock.
I hope this information will be helpful for your viewing.

[teebowbusablaster]

Yes, the more I look, the less inclined I am to shell out £8000 on it, just too many deviations from standard.

[Alan H]

shell out £8000

[teebowbusablaster]

It was going on the bench Saturday, I'm guessing that it didn't, or if it did, it still refused to start, as the dealer hasn't been in touch.