It was probably your opening gambit about being a collector!
Ray
EXACTLY!! Vincents are meant ro be ridden, ridden far, ridden hard and ridden often - not hidden away in a "collection"
Now as to costs, my personal experience is as follows: Irrespective of what documents are provided, irrespective of how good (or bad) the bike looks, irrespective of what anyone, especilally the seller tells you you must approach the purchase of any old bike with the expectation that major restoration work will be required on every aspect of the bike - mechanical, electrical and cosmetic. In my case by bike was advertised as completly restored - only need to add a battery, fuel and oil to pose as a new bike. That was 18 months back. Already I have spent almost as much money as I paid for the bike in repairs and the cash is still pouring into the project. But I consider it all "sunk cost" and that the next tranch of cash(this time for a big end rebuild) is just adding to the investment.
As to purchase prices: one of our section members has just returned from the recent USA auctions and reports as follows: Comets in apparently concourse condition US$25,000 to US$32,000, Rapides US$45,000 to $52,000, Shadows - start at US$110,000 and keep going, Lightnings and/or Grey Flash when on the market are at astronimical prices. And remember at the auctions you get no chance to even start the motor, let alone actually ride the bike before you bid on it.
The other thing to keep in mind is that it costs almost as much to restore a single as it does to restore a twin. Actually, when you consider the Burman box on singles - I expect that overall, a twin may cost less to restore.
Bitter lessons, hard learnt - but there is no way I would part with my Vinnie.