[The_AirHawk]

The 599 is the one with the flat black. I don't think the 919 ever had it (could be wrong here though.) I've only seen 19s with glass black (plus some other colors.)

Early 919's had a "flat silver" colour and a "flat charcoal" that was nearly black. Wasn't 'til the 2nd-year of 599 production that the 919 got gloss paint, IIRC. Very bland-looking bike, almost-certainly the reason it didn't sell well. That, and the fact that the motor was the poster-child of the "tuned-for-torque" derision by most of the magazines - even though most-every owner I've talked-to about it sez it's not really all that bad.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Kind of OT, but is there anything I need to wary of with a "new" bike that has been sitting for 2 years? I'd imagine if it ever had gas in it that could be bad, tires could start dry rotting, oil probably has become acidic, etc - aything else?

Mouse nests in the airbox (or even crankcase - saw pics of that once!), mouse-chewed wiring, corrosion in wire-harness connectors (depends on condition of bike before storing, and how it's stored), modifications half-completed (or half-assed completed) and then forgotten before storage, drying hoses, drying seals, antifreeze turning acidic and then to goop as the engine disintegrates from the inside-out, water in the cylinders (from weather), rust on the cylinder-walls from condensation and then the engine "suddenly" needs rings (usually only with iron liners, Nikasil-coated aluminium or iron cylinders probably won't be as susceptible to this), clogged carb passages (especially on the idle-circuit).

But wait! - there's more................