Buyer Beware: Real or Fake?

[vin998]

The best advice when buying a Vincent is to contact the Club’s Machine Registrar or Machine Researcher BEFORE you buy it, to make sure it is legitimate.

We offer a free service and once we have good, clear photographs of the relevant numbers, we can quickly tell you if what you are looking to buy, agrees with the current VOC database. By just doing this one thing, you can potentially save yourself from losing a lot of money and your pride.

Like the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the VOC realised what had been happening with classic bikes in the past and as a result we changed the way we operate.

Over the years, machines have been restamped, documents forged, bikes cloned, and even photographs altered in order to legitimise a machine. Many people, including the VOC, have fallen victim to these practices.

The VOC have no control over what happens to a machine after a certificate has been issued. Bikes get rebuilt and parts swapped around, so never rely on old certificates as proof of legitimacy, and don’t take anything for granted.

Make sure you read our new caveat that @Josh Smith has now included at the top of Flogger’s Corner in MPH852 going forward.

So, buyer beware — get it checked before you buy! Simply click HERE.

@vin998 Simon Dinsdale (Machine Registrar) & @Lambers Jonathan Lambley (Machine Researcher)