I hadn't expected to sell my AJS 18S at all but it turns out that I recouped almost all my costs of owning it and making it what the seller claimed it was: a perfectly working, restored bike. I'd lost faith in pretty much all his work and after four months of discovering and rectifying cut corners it was a superb bike - but no longer one I wanted.

I advertised at a very optimistic price and a chap called up, basically said, I want your bike, I'm coming tomorrow, and did just that.

So, it's not all doom and gloom on prices. In fact, now I'm looking at what next I think most people are pricing quite high. Selling prices might be another matter though.

I think I've become what's called a Millennial. This means I don't really get excited by Laverda triples, Tridents, Commandos, Rickman Kawasakis or anything similarly special - they just seem like big, old barges that people would like a lot of money for and which will inevitably cost a lot more to keep on the road. Talking of roads, and my experience coming back cross-country from Hampshire on the AJS the other week, I don't want anything with stiff suspension - so no racer rep type stuff. I do fancy another Stelvio but, as I said below, they are huge and not exactly trustworthy although they have a lot of go and suit the tall man. I think, like Jerry, I must be a young millennial and therefore need a reliable, comfy, modern bike. Like, er, a V Strom...