Previous owners

Nice work. My success rate on tracing the history of motorcycles I have purchased is less than 50%, but I always try. Speaking to previous owners (POs) helps me appreciate what the machine has gone through. I bought a '71 BMW R75 /5 from my dads best friend in upstate NY, I traced the original owner to California and found that he worked at Google, we spoke, had a great conversation.

My success rate for cars is near 80%. Having a title, social media and the navigation data makes it pretty straight forward; I usually write the POs letters giving them the option to respond or not. The 2016 Volvo Polestar purchased from a non-dealer independent was purchased from a leasing company, but serviced by a Volvo dealer. I called a friend that works for a Volvo dealer, gave him the VIN and got name and address. I did connect with the PO who wanted to buy it back...

My first experience buying a used car came when I fell in love with a Volvo 740 turbo manual transmission., it showed 28K miles. Cupid's arrow(s) made me blind to the signs I elected to ignore. Actual 125K miles, hit on every corner and was a swimmer from Virginia. I got it to go another 100,000 miles, but those miles were expensive. A $25 CarFax wouldn't have pulled many of Cupid's arrows, but would have given me plenty of negotiation power; live and learn; it can hurt to pay high tuition. I was so smitten I didn't do a market comparison; it was there, I wanted it, I bought it; same process I went through with my first wife...

See it, ride it, research it, then buy it or walk away.

Best.

Ok, not a Commando, but one of the previous owners of the Domi-natrix from the 1960s saw my bike at a show and sent me quite a few pictures and tales of when he owned it. One such story was how he had to tow his mate on a BSA back from a holiday from Wales to Sheffield, both bikes were two up with camping gear.
Somehow the bike looked like a more "honest" cafe racer in it's previous life.
Also, no kickstart lever as it interfered with the rearset footrest. Bump start only.

I am the second owner of my Commando, the first owner being the Hertfordshire Constabulary... I did once spot a Commando that was two numbers up from mine, presumably another ex Interplod. Mine is ...18M, the other was ...20M