Strong values...

[retro rocket]

I have been watching selling prices on Ebay for 70's Huskys and I feel recently that there has been some strong resale values and very good interest for good original/restored bikes.

Also some quite remarkable prices on bikes for restoration ...

It's probably worth noting that I have not seen the better or 'properly restored' machines going for more than the heart breaking costs that go into makng these machines right again... eg; $5 to 10K restos.

Any thoughts out there?

 

[ruwfo]

Plenty of people selling bikes,they swore they'd never sell, for real good prices (cheap).
It's a buyers market for Vintage bikes, from what i've seen. Though i've heard from
a few people selling to someone in Europe is the way to get top dollar, i'd guess because
of the value of the US dollar?

Husky John

 

[RUF]

Both of them, for me. I am Italian living in California and I see very good prices sometimes for very good old Huskys. With this excange rate Euro/Dollar is cheap to buy here.....Yes, this is a buyer's market right now.

Husky430wr

 

[Dirtdame]

I don't think that a person can restore a machine and hope to get the cost of restoring it out of the bike. I see old CZs and Bultacos on E Bay and Craigslist going for 6 to 8 K and there are no takers. And no wonder....there are more people who appreciate the machines than have that kind of money to spend on one. I am always looking for a bargain bike somewhere....a good old original machine that's in operational condition that somebody just needs out of their garage or shed and they are hoping to get a few hundred dollars out of it at the same time.

I bought my 1986 Kawasaki KDX200 C1 brand new for 1500 dollars, yet in 1990 for me to restore the little machine to only somewhat of it's former splendor it cost me 1500 dollars in parts and the labor for replating the cylinder and pressing up a new crank rod. Never mind the value of the labor I put into the machine to completely tear down the chassis, motor and suspension. Later, I sold the bike for 800 dollars and then two years later I bought it back for 700 dollars. I ain't never lettin' that little bike out of my hands again!

 

[retro rocket]

The exchange rate 'was' very good for European people wishing to purchase US bikes but that is mostly over (there was a gold rush of sorts in the export market from the US to Europe about two years ago) - A very weak Euro and Pound have slowed that now.

Friends of mine in the motor industry were shipping classic cars two years ago out of the US as fast as they could list them on Ebay - selling wrecks for twice there US value.

Certainly in the UK people are regularly filling shipping containers with 70's and 80's dirt bikes from the US and shipping them home to a keen restoration crowd who know all the good stuff comes out of the US ... Values fluctuate and its always a case of some bikes being more valuable than others but generally as a rule of thumb a US bike will almost double its value once landed in the UK/Europe.

 

[fran...k.]

Any thoughts out there?

I recommend taking a real estate appraisal course. Yeah sure if you want to actually do it as an occupation you must pay an equal fee to take a test and do an apprenticeship. It is probably around $200 for a course these days.

Just from memory a proper appraisal needs a) a knowledgeable buyer, b) a knowledgeable seller, c) sufficient time and exposure(advertising)

I have gone through the specifics elsewhere on the internet about used welders and got hostility. I will keep it short.

High dollar sales probably are just advertising I bought two new left over bikes from dealers listing new left over bikes cheap. In one case I bought a different model and in the other case I had it set up a specific way both sales were not on eBay. I don't bid if the seller doesn't answer questions even a simple as what sort of schedule they operate on to coordinate pick up. Lots of them don't. You generally have no way to know for sure if a sale was completed. What with all the keyword spamming, cap lock listings, non refundable deposit with pay pal which needs lump sum payment for their protection (alleged read the user agreement and make that call yourself) to work.

Might I ask how many bikes you have bid on through the eBay system? It seems like some rat bikes of the vintage you mention appear to sell for $450. Clearly my take is different from yours but I have no interest in right hand shift and little really pre 1980.

Fran

 

[retro rocket]

I recommend taking a real estate appraisal course. Yeah sure if you want to actually do it as an occupation you must pay an equal fee to take a test and do an apprenticeship. It is probably around $200 for a course these days.

Just from memory a proper appraisal needs a) a knowledgeable buyer, b) a knowledgeable seller, c) sufficient time and exposure(advertising)

I have gone through the specifics elsewhere on the internet about used welders and got hostility. I will keep it short.

High dollar sales probably are just advertising I bought two new left over bikes from dealers listing new left over bikes cheap. In one case I bought a different model and in the other case I had it set up a specific way both sales were not on eBay. I don't bid if the seller doesn't answer questions even a simple as what sort of schedule they operate on to coordinate pick up. Lots of them don't. You generally have no way to know for sure if a sale was completed. What with all the keyword spamming, cap lock listings, non refundable deposit with pay pal which needs lump sum payment for their protection (alleged read the user agreement and make that call yourself) to work.

Might I ask how many bikes you have bid on through the eBay system? It seems like some rat bikes of the vintage you mention appear to sell for $450. Clearly my take is different from yours but I have no interest in right hand shift and little really pre 1980.

Fran

Fran

I think its fair to say that my observations on 70's Husky prices are without a doubt less than scientific - idle speculation would about sum them up.

To clarify I am neither a realtor nor a market analyst. A qualification in the forma as you suggest is an interesting thought and would certainly have usefull applications to life in general... not a bad idea.

To answer your question I have bought two bikes through Ebay - I did my due diligence regarding the sellers. Both purchase were relitively easy.

In several hundred other purchases (not bikes but parts of bikes) I have found Ebay to be exceptionally easy. I would infact go as far as to say that Ebay has facilited almost completely my ability to source the correct parts for restorations.

In regard to my initial post here are a few recent sales results that I feel suport my belief that prices are strong and reflect a good market:

1970 - 400cr - mint - $5950.00

1975 - CR250 - original resto case - $1025.00

1971 - CR400 - (McQueen bike) - $10,001

These were all from Ebay - and I agree there is no real way to tell if those or other sales were completed but I suspect most are, I say that because I rarely see bikes reposted which to me suggests sales were completed. (?)

One more off topic sale I noted was a 76' RM250 in original condition that just sold for $6001.00

If values have not in fact gone up it would seem peoples willingness to open there wallets has however returned, and that in the long run has to have a positive effect on long term value.


Tom

 

[1Tuff500XC]

My general observations are that it continues to be a buyers market, on everything. Though on ebay, some bikes are getting the interest and strong money as well. You can still get lucky, or see others get lucky, and have no competition in bidding on specific items every now and again. That certainly still happens. I think with the ever increasing internet user numbers, and then ebay users, and then folks that figure out how you can set up the ebay search system, and...........well, certain hot commodities are rarely going across the block so to speak, unnoticed.

The flip side to this, is of course craigslist. Which many still think of as strictly a local online classified, like the newspaper. When the reality is, with all the search utilities available, it's super easy to watch for specific models of bikes, or whatever, all over the country. Watching those listings, often provokes two thoughts within me. I very frequently spot deals that amaze me, often quickly followed by the thoughts of wow, another economy victim selling their prized possession, only because hell finally froze over.

I think some of what you might be seeing the effects of bidders whom are fortunate enough to have not been killed by the economy, that simply go into the I must have it mode. And somebody else does the same. Both have deep pockets, and whammo, still a very strong sales price, despite the economy.

It's still a total buyers market, on everything, 90% of the time, from what I can see. With very isolated exceptions, here and there.