GS 550 Cafe racer Project for sale

This bike started life as a 1980 GS550e and the plan was to turn it into a Café Racer and use it not only on the road, but on the track with the NSA as well. However, not long into the build process I found the frame was rusted through in places and effectively scrap.
I replaced the frame with a good second hand one , sent the details off to the DVLA and continued the build.
The frame has been modified to remove lugs and mountings which were no longer required, and trays added for the electrics and seat mountings.
The engine is standard and ran when I began this project, so I have no doubt it will still run although it has been standing a long time,
The bike has R1 rear sets and RD400 clip on handlebars, the seat unit is from a 70's Ducati 350 Desmo. I had planned to fit a full fairing (old Honda CR73 racer style) so the headlight is not fitted at present.
It has a new battery (not yet filled), new steering head bearings, fork seals and a Motad 4:1 exhaust.
There is not much work to finish this machine, it needs wiring and a rear light, the motor needs re-commissioning and the rear brake needs a hose, the paint of course............
However, I received a phone call this morning which brought a stop to the whole job.
Due to the change of the frame number, the DVLA are insisting that the bike needs a VOSA check (NOT an SVA test)  and will require Tax and an MOT before they will issue a V5 log book. I sent them the original V5 log book when I applied to change the frame number, and they will not return this as the details have changed.
So, this bike is effectively in limbo............
I have decided to sell the whole thing as either an on-going project or as a parts donor bike.
Priced to sell at £500

That's a shame, just when you were starting to get it fettled.

Don't worry about the VOSA check, they take the bike into a room and check the frame and engine numbers to make sure they aren't from a stolen vehicle then charge you 40 quid for the privilege! Did your new frame not come with a V5 or is that what the miserable jobsworths have held on to?

Would help if you said where you are geographically and give the folks on here an idea of what you're looking for money wise, most people would rather not make an offer than come up with a figure only to find it's way below your expectations.

Thanks for the reply Paul.
The frame was bought from a company on Ebay called DK motorcycles and was reportedly an import from the US, so as it had never been registered in the UK it had no V5. Maybe I should have realised this would prove to be a problem but due to my naivety I didn't give it a second thought.
The woman I spoke to from the DVLA was very nice, if not at all helpful and just gave me the facts., a VOSA check, tax, MOT and insurance will be required before a V5 can be issued.
Your description of the VOSA check certainly eases the pressure somewhat, I drive trucks for a living and come into contact with VOSA on a professional basis and let me tell you, they are not at all friendly people and best avoided at all costs.
The paperwork the DVLA have held onto was the original V5 which came with the bike when I bought it off the miserable lowlife who filled the frame with P45 filler. I had sent it into Swansea with a copy of the new frames purchase receipt and pictorial evidence of the frame change.
I hadn't put a price as I didn't want to alienate people by over estimating the value, preferring to let any interest find it's own level but I take your very valid point.
The bike is Just south west of Bristol near Weston Super Mare, I have a van and delivery can be arranged at cost.

I had the same issue with my old CB750, no V5 and when I applied for it I got a shock when two coppers turned up at my door. It seems the bike had been nicked from North London back in the late '70s and had been lying in bits in storage in Manchester right up to the time the bloke I got it from took possession and moved it to the wilds of Perthshire, where he quickly lost interest and left it lying in a shed for another 5 years!

The police put me in touch with the original owner and he agreed to sell me the title for 50 quid, he even posted up a load of receipts and the last MOT, but I had to take it to VOSA and have them check the numbers before the DVLA would issue me with a new V5.

Pity you're so far away, I could have been interested in your GS, but I'm about 14 miles West of Edinburgh so you'd need to add a couple of hundred quid on for petrol!

I would still advise sticking up a ballpark figure, you'll probably get a better response.

Good luck with the sale either way.

Yeah, with petrol prices what they are today Scotland is an expensive trip from Somerset
I have put the price on the bottom of the original post. I set it at £500.....
this is £50 less than I paid for the bike originally as I realise I was ripped off and paid too much and since then it's had a lot of bits and work thrown at it. Do you think that's a fair price?

Don't think that's a bad price, if you have to get rid try Gumtree as well, I've shifted a few bits on there and it's free.

I've avoided Gumtree for a while as there was a spate of thefts locally after items were advertised. I realise this can happen whichever medium you use to advertise, it just happened to be Gumtree, but mud sticks doesn't it.

It's better to search over internet for low prices Yamaha Cafe Racer instead to search over Gumtree and other sites. You can also look into the website Cafe Racer for Sale, you will surely find amazing Yamaha sports bikes here.

Good Luck!

Hi Marycrown,

I suspect that as his original post was in October last year your Good Luck message, whilst well meant, is probably missing the mark!