Is January the best time to buy a cheaper 350 or 500? Post Xmas self assessment due etc?

The flaw in that statement is somewhere between,

 

 "buy a cheaper 350 or 500"

 

If its a general 350 rd your after the earlier 350b is still out there for sensible money but your into the sharks for anything water cooled or a 400 (350 is probably a better bike in truth but hey).

 

Do the work you might get lucky..

 

 

I would have thought you are about 30yrs too late with that question

You just missed ab RD400  on ebay , ,went for 2.5k    ,cheapest  for ages,,,  ,the rd400 has a longer stroke than the rd350. ,, has more bottom end,,  easier to ride, .  Tdr"250s are cheaper,  and faster    ,,XT"s    ridiculous  prices,,,,

"cheap". Nope. Like jimmy said, you're decades years late. 

Classic Bike Imports is a good website to gander around, every now and again they have something interesting come in. Other than that the only way you're gonna get a cheap XT or RD is with a load of good luck honestly. You're gonna have to move soon, as soon as the sun comes out again bike prices are gonna rocket. 

Like the look of rd500 as an investment. Prices under 12 k at the moment