Investment Bikes

[Mr. Dazzle]

£1100 in 1980 is the equivalent of about £5000 today, so you're only just into making a profit.

If you'd invested £1100 in the stock market and got 5% a year return (which ain't all that racey for the markets) you'd be sitting on £8500 now. You wouldn't have been able to take your stocks out for a ride though On the other hand, if you'd averaged 10% growth in the same period (which again is by no means impossible) you'd have more than £60k now.

Boring lesson of the day, if you want to invest don't do it in bikes Bikes are just an expense

[weeksy]

You're a bundle of joy

[Mr. Dazzle]

I totally agree putting money in the bank is boring Just pointing out the idea of an 'investment bike' is for the most part a pipe dream. I think the very best you will get is a bike effectively for free, after a long time.

[2xtwins]

Interesting thread...
About three and a half years ago I liberated some monies from my pension to buy a 1983 CB1100RD. UK bike, genuine 6200 miles, totally standard, unrestored, previous owner had had it since 2010 but, as per previous owners, had used it very little.
Mind you with 2x Kawasaki H2 triples, a CBX and a CX Turbo plus some modern bikes he was spoilt for choice.
It took me about 12 months to close the deal - yep, it wasn't cheap (£13500 iirc) but within the last month I have turned down two offers, significantly higher than this.
The old girl is being ridden and is now about 50 short of 8000 miles. The weather was dry today here and the roads not too mucky so a very enjoyable 30 mile spirited bimble round Hants and Berks was in order.
High days and holidays, but I will always ride it. I just limit myself to local journeys and don't foresee me doing much more than 750 miles, certainly less than 1000 pa.

Kev

[Mr. Dazzle]

... I liberated some monies from my pension ...

Ah - from a sensible investment you mean?

Yeah sounds like a good deal though. As a way to enjoy a bike for less than it might otherwise have cost you then it makes total sense.

[cheb]

But 30 miles is barely enough to get the engine properly warmed through.

I wonder how a Brough or Black Shadow pans out as an investment if bought new?

The pinger has just gone off when my teas are ready so my musings will have to wait. Mmm, cheasypeas.

[Asian Boss]

Back when I was in Northo, living in the grounds of the mansion full of posh women, the matriarch had bought a new Goldwing 1000 as an investment. That didn't work out well. It didn't help it had corroded somewhat and an auctioneer had 'taken liberties' with it.

[Mr. Dazzle]

But 30 miles is barely enough to get the engine properly warmed through.

I wonder how a Brough or Black Shadow pans out as an investment if bought new?

The pinger has just gone off when my teas are ready so my musings will have to wait. Mmm, cheasypeas.

I just tried and failed to find out how much a Black Shadow cost when new. But for argument's sake say it was £20k (how TF you deal with decimilisation is a question for somone else ) in the 73 years since 1948 an investment which grew at 4.5% (the typical 'conservative' growth rate which factors in inflation) would now be worth about £530k. Which is about what a mint Black Shadow will set you back now! So even that super fancy bike isn't a gold mine.

[Whysub]

I am sure the market for old British bikes will fade out, as those that lusted after them in their youth but could not afford them, are dying off. I cannot see many 50 year olds wanting to buy a Triumph side valve ahead of an LC350. I certainly don't, and I'm older than that.

You can see it in the values of pre-war American cars. Very few want them now, and prices are dropping and availabily increasing.

However, someone seems to think that bikes are great investments.

https://www.themotorcyclebroker.co.uk/

[Druid]

No good asking me, I'm guaranteed to lose money on every bike I buy only for the price to go up a year after I've sold it.

[KungFooBob]

No good asking me, I'm guaranteed to lose money on every bike I buy only for the price to go up a year after I've sold it.

We should start a club!

[Mr. Dazzle]

Tell me which bikes you're about to sell so I know what to buy. Or is that insider trading?

[Potter]

Boring lesson of the day, if you want to invest don't do it in bikes Bikes are just an expense

Indeed,
I have lots of boring anecdotes and explanations on assets and liabilities.

Also, the universal truth is that if you could afford to buy a Vincent Black Shadow new in 1948, then store it in a temperature and humidity controlled environment for 72yrs, as well as do periodic maintenance to keep it in good condition, then you didn't need the money in the first place.

Matey with the RGV's and 500 two strokes should sell them now, they will ebb and flo a bit but he'll be lucky if they even match inflation over the next twenty years. This idea of a pension fund in motorcycles is a bit of a myth unless you've been very lucky and inherited your granddads Brough for free.

[weeksy]

... I liberated some monies from my pension ...

Ah - from a sensible investment you mean?

Yeah sounds like a good deal though. As a way to enjoy a bike for less than it might otherwise have cost you then it makes total sense.

I don't get the sensible investment if you're too dead to enjoy it. Pointless being rich the day you die, even if you're an Egyptian God

[Mr. Dazzle]

Kinda hard to know exactly when you're gonna die though and having to chose between the heating and the food kinda sucks

Believe it or not I spend money too I just don't think bikes are something you're gonna retire on.

[weeksy]

Kinda hard to know exactly when you're gonna die though and having to chose between the heating and the food kinda sucks

Believe it or not I spend money too I just don't think bikes are something you're gonna retire on.

I agree they're not. But you have to compromise somewhere in life otherwise what's the point being here

[Mr. Dazzle]

. But you have to compromise somewhere in life otherwise what's the point being here

Sure, so just buy what you want/can afford and don't try to do much else IMO.

I agree you might make 'a bit' of money, but as I said I think the best you're really gonna do is reduce the effective cost not actually end up in profit.

[Mr. Dazzle]

BTW, just for shits and giggles I've taken a look the Bonnie...

FiL paid £375 for it in 1972, according to the BoE's inflation calculator that's the equivalent of £5060 today. The bike is currently insured for £14k, no idea what it is actually worth.

Ha! Clearly I'm full of shit.

[weeksy]

Yeah but using your logic, you'd have needed to buy 50 of them really.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Also ignores the expense on keeping it in good shape. I've "owned" it less than a year and I've already spent more than a grand in maintenance to ride a few hundred miles