Honda-SOHC
Other Stuff => Misc / Open => Topic started by: florence on April 21, 2016, 08:10:59 AM
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Has anyone here bought bikes at auction (not online) and if so was it worthwhile and a good experience/ value etc.
Any thoughts welcome as I am thinking about buying another bike for a project and notice that ebay prices are generally quite high as ebay is available to all 24/7.
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Greetings from Memmingham Airport Germany. If I was in the market for a fully restored bike I think I would go to an auction & not deal with the horse traders like frank and freddie or eBay sharks. I will be at the Sunday Bonhams auction at Stafford to witness the bidding on YLY 70H the 750 K0 press bike
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Don't forget to factor in the buyers premium plus VAT if you want to bid
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cool
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Don't forget to factor in the buyers premium plus VAT if you want to bid
If you mean me Bryan ;D ;D... I won't be bidding on anything, I will have my mitts firmly clamped in my pockets, otherwise my missus will have another part of my anatomy clamped very firmly , should I be tempted to buy anything, as I now have 8 project bikes. The USA auctions have to be the best .. I know it was 2 years ago and I am always banging on about it but a 3k mile totally original Museum sandcast 750 for less than 10k GBP said it all for me.......... and it wasn't a one off as there had been another one sold at a similar bargain price shortly before that.
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I would never ever buy in an auction.
I want to talk to the guy who is selling a bike and investigate (him and) the bike without any time pressure.
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I buy a fair bit at collective machinery sales and farm sales, motorbikes come up, though I have yet to buy one, but just like ebay, there are all manner of people selling, from crooks who are palming off totally shoddy junk - often tarted up to look better than it is, to genuine good stuff in very reasonable order. As with ebay, you look as best you can at the goods, and decide on a price you won't go past that takes into account the risks. Some auctions do offer some form of garuntee that stuff is working if sold as such ( but for how long!) Good point about watching out for vat and buyers premiums.
Prices can vary even more wildly than ebay, I have seen old wrecks get three figure bids, and what look like genuine barn find mopeds, complete with keys in the ignition and a layer of dust for under £5. I did visit one proper dedicated motorbike auction, but seemed to get high bids for often dammaged bikes, and you were charged entry which seemed a bit like money for old rope. Trouble with these things is often there are traders who'll mop up any bargins and try their luck on ebay. Seen a fair few vehicles double their money from conventional auction to ebay, but the traders will happily run you up to close to the ebay value if they have space in the van.
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I think the large auctions quite often have sales by families after bereavement or by elderly owners who can't ride anymore and need the money for old age. In these cases the bikes are usually genuine and quite often have a well documented history.