SOHC.co.uk Forums > CB750
Could do better.
Laverda Dave:
Exactly right Lobo. Look at British bikes as a prime example, they reached their peak about 10years ago apart from the blue chip machines such as Brough's, Vincent's, early Bonneville's and the like. Why, because like us the guys who wanted to ride the bikes of their youth such as BSA 650's etc are now in their 70's and 80’s and likely to have retired from biking. The same bikes are now decreasing or have become stagnant in value because the 'younger' generation as in us, were brought up on 70’s Japanese and Italian bikes.
Johnny4428:
My first restoration was a 1961 Matchless G3 I would have been three when it was new on the road! I just fancied a bit old British motorcycling nostalgia. I get what you guys are saying about value because of the average age of us guys at the moment. Personally whether my bikes are worth £10 or £10,000 makes not one bit of difference to me. It’s my passion, interest and hobby and quite simply they are not going on the market any time soon.
McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
Interesting post & comments on the subject of Classic Bikes and values V buyer age / value demographics.
My stance on cars has always been not just reliving my youth or wanting to buy something I could not afford when they were new & fashionable but were they great to drive back in the day?
There are lots of vehicles that have great styling but are a camel to drive - for me it's the same with buying my 400 I wanted a bike that had a certain period look that I liked plus it had to have some modernity like a disc brake rather than drums all round.
Although my early bikes were mostly British I was bowled over when I bought my first Japanes 4 cylinder a Suzuki 750GS I liked the grunt but it is the smoothness of 4 cylinders that I love.
Like many others here my bike is a long term keeper.
philward:
I agree with all the previous comments. My bikes are about the pleasure of ownership as well as building/riding.
Lobo:
I’m a bit of a slow learner, in that I’m embarking upon a complete restoration of my ‘750 K2, despite 2 previous restorations on a CB400F & Fizzy FS1-E setting me back more than just privately buying said models in showroom conditions 😂. Honestly James, I don’t know how you make a buck… given all the OEM & NOS parts you use.
Locally (I’m in Oz) we’ve 2 respected restorers, and the one who did my Sandcast is winding down as it’s all becoming, ‘too hard’. Trades are pushing up their prices significantly, ie Chroming, blasting, painting, plating: let alone the cost of OEM / NOS parts (when you can source them) rocketing. Bob (restorer) was lamenting to me how over the years he’s been collecting NOS SOHC stock whenever he came across it, eg long ago he bought a few new SETS of Sandcast gauges at $200 each. (Now, a single such gauge comes in at $1000). And when folk come to buy…. they mentally tot up a value nearer to their memory of said parts, or have an inkling what Bob paid in the long past…. and expect those savings to be passed on. Consequently, selling restored bikes for a price that reflects their true modern value is becoming harder, if not impossible. (Note… I did NOT buy my Sandcast from Bob, tho’ he did indeed restore it a few years back)
Closer to home, I reckon my K2 was worth $15000 in its current state, and yet I’m splashing out $12k+ on new body set, complete engine rebuild, having bits chromed, plated, blasted, load of DSS / Yamiya / Cruizin parts.
Madness…. because I know where I can go and buy a beautifully restored (OEM grade) 1969 Gold Diecast K0 for $25K tomorrow, or a similarly restored Green 1970 K1.
But as mentioned, we’re all here for the love of it versus any financial figurings.
Ho hum.
Simon
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version