Parts price increases in a falling bike value market

[martin_uk]

The price of parts does not seem to be decreasing in line with bike values.

I am not surprised, as everything is affected by wages, energy, rates etc.

However, it does make it difficult to justify the spend on restoring a bike when the parts and services ie painting, wheel building are likely to cost more than the bike is worth.

The value of parts does depend on demand and bike they fit.

A similar Honda Cub part is clearly not going to command same price as a CB750 K0 or for a Vincent

I have been put off restoring bikes I have been offered and I am sure may others are.

It was generally about the challenge of bringing something back to life.

I always knew I would not make money, but you do hope you are not losing too much.

An inexperienced restorer will probably be shocked at actual cost and disappointed.

As a friend said, "any hobby costs money"  but it does affect my motivation.

I guess that vendors will lower margins if demand drops and there will not be the financial return to remake parts.

Probably more bikes will be broken as worth more for parts

Interesting times



 

[Laverda Dave]

I tried to make a conscious decision not to undertake any further restorations at the moment due to the spiralling costs of my hobby. Following my early retirement in 2017 I have restored 7 bikes (well, a bloke has to do something in his spare time  ).

I have seen how prices have escalated and everything also takes longer. The price of chrome has gone up significantly as have tires, they have nearly doubled! Painting and powder coating have gone up because of the energy costs to heat the ovens and operate the blasting equipment. As you say, the cost of spares especially genuine or NOS continues to go up and up. Buying anything from CMSNL incurs not only the inflated cost (supply and demand) but significant tax and postage on top.

I don’t restore bikes to make money, I never have done, I restore bikes I could never afford to buy at the time and at least restoring them over a period of time spreads the cost but every bike I have restored has cost me far more than they are worth but as I don’t smoke or really drink I chose to spend my disposable money on my hobby.

Saying all the above I still have my Jota engine to rebuild, It was with the late, great Keith Nairn of Laverda Scotia in Glasgow to rebuild but following his passing in July myself and a good few others are now waiting for a space to come up with one of the other two Laverda specialists who can rebuild these engines that require an awful lot of special tools and knowledge. I have already been told by one of these specialists it will be well into next year before I can even drop the engine off to him for inspection and it is going to cost a small fortune to rebuild. The ironic thing is Keith was the only person in the country who had the equipment to rebuild a Laverda crankshaft properly, even the other specialist sent their cranks to him to rebuild!

I also have my old Rickman CR750 to rebuild, that needs the frame and all the ancillaries re-nickel plating and I will likely try to find another 750K6 engine to put in it as the one that came with it is now in bits up in Glasgow. I need to take a reality check as once finished will I still want to ride the CR with its laid out riding position with clip-ons and rear sets and considering it was built as a genuine race bike for the Avon Production Championship (now BSB).

You can't take the money with you (although I have designed an asbestos lined cash box so I might try ) so enjoy your hobby, if you like drinking buy the best scotch or smoking, buy the some Cuban cigars. It's all personal choice at the end of the day and prices are only going the same way as taxes.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

My first restoration project was triggered by my final full retirement at the age of 69 yrs, exacerbated bt the Covid outbreak.
My wife was part time in the NHS as a receptionist, this soon became 6 days a week during Covid.

I was going stir crazy at home with nowhere to go, until I found a local 400/4 on ebay in need of help. I knew the 400/4 would be uncomfortable due to my height. Hence the 500 K1 as my next project, my 400 Superdream is my last project, primarily due to my home circumstances. When the SD is finished I will tinker with 400/4 to improve the cosmetics amongst other things.

I thought I might have a return of 50% loss on my projects if I wanted to sell, in the present economic climate I might be luck to get 30% back. Its always been about the enjoyment of returning a bike to its former self, the network that is woven into the sohc UK Forum of like minded folk facing similar challenges in dismantling & assembly.

I hope to ride the SD around May next year, I have no plans to ever sell as parting would be like having a pet dog put down when its still healthy.

[Athame57]

I'm just glad my bike is very much part of me and it isn't for sale. I wonder what a new brake lever and indicator lens is going to cost me. I was deliberately pushed off my bike by an e-bike rider and I could get very politically incorrect about it.

[Bryanj]

Depends if you want genuine or pattern mate, ive probably got used ones about if i can find them!

[Athame57]

Depends if you want genuine or pattern mate, ive probably got used ones about if i can find them!

Lucky so far, I already have an indictor ordered years ago but not fitted, I wonder if I can dig up a brake lever?