As a post script to my newbie post I thought I'd try to post a pick of my Kat ready for restoration. Don't be fooled, as well as a unique paint job which I feel it is time to cover, everything is seriously in need of stripping and refurbishing and since I have everything to make it original I want to, and feel I should make it just about standard. I love the fact that so many Kats are out there in anything from concourse through to seriously tricked but when you have the makings of an original, why not?
Anyway, out of curiosity I went to see a local restorer who I could see knows his stuff from the projects in his workshop. He told me that the least I would pay for a nut and bolt job was £6K but to expect to have to budget up to £10,000! Now I always intended to fettle the bike up myself but I think I understand why we are seeing the price of classic bikes rocketing if collectors are going to pay this kind of money.
What really did my head in was what he said about value although I think it was probably his justification and sales pitch. He thought a concourse pop-up was worth £15,000. Are there really people out there who will pay that kind of money for one of our beloved Kats? I smart at the kind of prices we are seeing now with a fairly standard 750 with an asking price between £3-4,500 or a big Kat for £5-9,000. I don't think it bodes well for the enthusiast or my chances of adding an 1100 to the stable in the next year or two for a realistic price. Am I wrong or are we going to be made extinct by the collector in a few years?
- My Pre-restoration pop-up with a rather dated paint job
how about a really tatty Z650 the owner said was worth £6500 plus a Raleigh wisp moped 
