Author Topic: The price of classic bikes is it healthy  (Read 3623 times)

Offline petrolderek

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The price of classic bikes is it healthy
« on: May 30, 2018, 04:38:24 PM »
What dose everyone think. There doesn't seem to be any end to the rise in asking prices for classic bikes. Personally I don't think its healthy for the interest or sport or hobby or whatever you might call it. It almost as though everyone wants to be a dealer not really interested in the machine just buying one to sell later for a profit. I don't suppose there is anything wrong with that but at some point its going to end in tears it cant go on. At some point possibly when the interest rates go up prices will crash when the speculators sell them off and put their money back into the banks. Its happened before then common sense will prevail ( hopefully )

Offline mini-me

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Re: The price of classic bikes is it healthy
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2018, 05:13:52 PM »
Dead right, no its not healthy,but this same question has been largely asked for decades.

Once a price of something starts to rise all the chancers come out of the woodwork,[or in the case of this forum, a van at Kempton].

I saw it in the late 70s early 80s people paying silly money for rubbish,but that bubble burst.

Lately I have been browsing old Classic Motorcycle mag and have been wondering where have all the bike in those long lists of stuff for sale gone to?

I think an awful lot is just hoarded, think of that silly shed programme and the vast collections of dusty barns they "uncover."

A well known dealer who has pages of the stuff in the mags is reputed to have a couple million quids worth stashed away, class bikes of the kind which never appear in his lists.

When people cannot afford even a mediocre 350 because of its alleged worth that tends to drag up the prices of junk,old mopeds, french tat and so on.

These things have peaks and troughs but I doubt the next trough will be so low as to make bikes in demand very cheap. Those days are gone for good.

People also fall for bullshit for some makes, Vincents for one, ok bike but not worth the money asked, and as for Broughs, I stuggled to get £900 for an SS80 and petrol tube sidecar chassis back in 1980; I knocked it out to another dealer for what I paid for it, never touched another since.

Offline Rex

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Re: The price of classic bikes is it healthy
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2018, 06:28:54 PM »
What dose everyone think. There doesn't seem to be any end to the rise in asking prices for classic bikes. Personally I don't think its healthy for the interest or sport or hobby or whatever you might call it. It almost as though everyone wants to be a dealer not really interested in the machine just buying one to sell later for a profit. I don't suppose there is anything wrong with that but at some point its going to end in tears it cant go on. At some point possibly when the interest rates go up prices will crash when the speculators sell them off and put their money back into the banks. Its happened before then common sense will prevail ( hopefully )

My long-departed dad used to say the same thing about just about anything, but particularly houses.
"A thousand quid for a house? Ridiculous, there's not a house this side of London worth that much" etc etc.
As some puffed-up little man on another list is wont to say ad nauseum, "It's only worth what someone will pay" and it's true.
The one I can never get my head around is "Jap classic" when applied to some 1980's slow-selling no spares Jap mundanity. presumably the prices are being pulled up by the rising prices of more desirable stuff, but asking 2-3 grand for some old mid-range Honda is just bizarre to me.

Offline petrolderek

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Re: The price of classic bikes is it healthy
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2018, 07:11:58 PM »
I have just been on ebay and been looking at "well known dealer " BSA bantam bushman £5500 another dealer Greeves trials £6250.00. What!!! I used to buy bikes in bits bikes that have been dismantled and then left ( that's another mystery to me why strip them down then leave them until half of its gone missing before selling it )anywhoo I like to put them back together not over restore them get them running and then get something else but I have moved over to the dark side and been getting these USA Jap imports, it pains me but I have got to say the bikes are cheaper  to buy in far better condition generally easier to get parts and they are desirable. I don't do it for the money but I don't loose money either its just my hobby better than watching the crap telly. Three years ago I bought a Honda 305 Dream for £275 from a dealer!!! on ebay it looked like it had come out of a canal. It was seized the petrol tank and swinging arm had rotted through in four months in was on the road the only parts I struggled with was the speedo and the carb covers everything else I got either used or new. Its my rider bike now.

Offline petrolderek

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Re: The price of classic bikes is it healthy
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2018, 07:15:25 PM »
bike before restoration

Offline mini-me

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Re: The price of classic bikes is it healthy
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2018, 09:39:27 PM »
Sterling work, and a good job, but did nothing for me back in 1963,still doesn't.