Possibe purchase but...

[Jez]

Went to look at a 2012 (62) glee today, extras include top box and carriers, protection bars, heated grips  looked OK ish, a bit dirty and unkempt but nothing that a bit of tlc wouldn't put right. Asking £4.3k, 10,000 miles but then noticed some rust on the forks. Is this a major issue and walk away or is it acceptable and can something be done.

[UK_Vstrom650]

If it's surface rust it should rub/polish off then just put loads of ACF50 on it to stop reappearing. There will probably be a tiny pitting mark.

Wouldn't stop me buying it as it's away from the seals.

[Jez]

Thanks, I was about to secure the purchase but this rust put me off. There is a fair bit more similar looking rust above the bracket to the top of the forks and not sure if its surface only. Although a decent price, I think I'll keep looking and if nothing else is available I'll reconsider. this rust combined with a dirty bike makes me think that what else has been neglected though?

[Hondaman]

Forget it!
It's not the one at Macclesfield by any chance?

There are plenty of mint low mileage cheaper ones if you watch & wait. Why buy a rough one?

[Jez]

Hondaman, the very one! been looking for a couple of weeks now not that many around. Having said that there was a very nice looking 2009 (58) next to it  for £3.3k, £1k less but 3 years older. Am I being ageist or modelist?

[Hondaman]

I popped in there before I bought my glee (privately), that one is a shed IMHO, rough probably lots of winter use, crash bars are cracked,  it's been dropped albeit lightly.
I remember seeing a very tidy older model in there.

Do you need panniers?
Keep looking, there are plenty of well priced, nice, low mileage ones

[UK_Vstrom650]

If there's lots of rust elsewhere then definitely shop around. Mine has been used through 3 winters and it's not covered in rust. (Could only see the rust on the left on my phone)

[imindoors]

Same here. All year daily ride and 20k miles and no rust to speak of, and I'm not fussy about cleaning.

I'm sure you could find better.

[Jez]

Good advice blokes I'll keep looking, in the market for a glee £4k  up to £4.5k for
a mint condition with extras. Just getting a bit itchy and need to be  patient

[Hondaman]

Good advice blokes I'll keep looking, in the market for a glee £4k  up to £4.5k for
a mint condition with extras. Just getting a bit itchy and need to be  patient

There are quite a few on ebay within and even below your budget, one on gumtree & one in the fs section here that is above your budget but has lots of extras included

[ukiboy]

The rust wouldn't put me off as it's well above where the fork seals travel up to and like stated in a previous post, it should polish out.
What would put me off is the price!
My Glee is an August '14 registered bike with 7300 miles and if I was selling it now I'd be happy to get £4300 for mine.
Offer him £3900 ish...