Hey Kommisar, sorry for the delay, I got a new job and they block BF .

I agree, it is very easy to say this bike does not need a restoration. But unfortunately, I have no hard and fast line on when to preserve and when not. I also have a bike that is only 4 years old but unlike you, I don't touch up any dings in the paint. I value it as a very utilitarian vehicle, the paint chips are not affecting that utility and I won't bother with the repair. But if I hold on to that bike for the next 40 years, the value to me switches from being purely functional to having value due to it's history. Again, I find that point of change to be subjective and I can't say at 27 years 9 months and 16 days the historical value automatically kicks in. It's kind of like porn, I know it when I see it.