Raleigh Avanti

[Goldenwonder]

I've been given a Raleigh Avanti, not a model that instantly springs to mind when thinking about retro Mountain bikes, but it's got some cracking kit on it, full XT, even down to the headset & seat post. Th only things that don't look original to me are the saddle & bars.
Does anyone know anything about these?
Thinking really if it's worth keeping, or stripping for the parts to save something else?
A picture of how I got the bike:

 

[perry]

looks like the bars had an argument with the front wheel and wanted to get away from each other

 

[Goldenwonder]

I know, looks horrific! I've taken the silly bars & stem off now & put something a little more sensible on it. Even though I might never ride it, I couldn't have it in the shed looking like that!

 

[old school pete]

I could be wrong, but I think these were actually pretty good BITD. I can remember pinging the down-tube and it being butted/quite thin in construction. Mind you the model I saw looked a bit different to the one above, it had full xt and the same colour frame plus a u-brake.

 

[ferrus]

I remember a 'test' of this bike in a long forgotten 'ATB' magazine in '87/'88. The reviewer was none other than Daley Thompson and the test track was.. a running track!!
It should have a 531 frame and fork, and the original stem was a goofy lump, unique to this model in the range, I think,- colour coordinated with the frame,[baby blue in the catalogue..]
Daley liked it.

 

[ferrus]

Oh, and it cost c£500 in '87, so almost competing with a Stumpy.
Just noticed yours has a rear canti, so is probably more recent.