Auction bikes

[Count Steer]

Tried to help a friends wife sell off their vehicles after he died suddenly, gave up on the end as she saw everything as being worth way more than it really was - everything was special & rare according to her but in reality it was mostly run of the mill or a pos.

Similar thing here. SiL's husband bought a vintage, running (it was driven there iirc), Rolls Royce for significant £££s with the idea of uptarting it and hiring out for weddings. So it sat there for years after he'd half dismantled it. Can't have had any antifreeze in - block froze and cracked - which was discovered some time after he passed. (May be the reason his enthusiasm for the project waned too).

Now it's basically a pile of spares and a knackered engine but 'must be worth a lot given what it cost'. It'll probably be worth about 15-20% of the cost if someone actually wants the parts or has a spare engine.

[IccyV2]

The issue I would have at the moment is trying to put a fair value on any classic vehicle - prices seem all over the shop. The current fractious geopolitical situation means it's definitely a buyer's market, but doing due diligence on what you're getting is the hardest part. I'll be looking to move my 888 SP3 on at some point in the next few years, but I have absolutely no idea of its true value.

I think there is an actual formula for this and I've invested in cars that so far seem to be working. I reckon in general most stuff that appeals to most buyers will be in a window of appeal, but it would be a long post with quite a few variables and I don't think anyone here is in that target audience, so no one would read it.

In a nutshell though, IMHO you've missed the window, people who know what an 888 SP is and really wanted one back in the day are probably 60-70yrs old now. Same with my LC, the peak has passed, I can't see it coming back, I don't think they have appeal that reaches beyond the window, those outliers exist but they're very rare, almost all classic vehicles outside the window have gone down and it does cycle, but if you view it historically I honestly don't think macro economics comes into it much.

[IccyV2]

Tried to help a friends wife sell off their vehicles after he died suddenly, gave up on the end as she saw everything as being worth way more than it really was - everything was special & rare according to her but in reality it was mostly run of the mill or a pos.

Perhaps he told her they were worth a lot more than they actually were so she didn't moan about him spending so much

[mangocrazy]

The issue I would have at the moment is trying to put a fair value on any classic vehicle - prices seem all over the shop. The current fractious geopolitical situation means it's definitely a buyer's market, but doing due diligence on what you're getting is the hardest part. I'll be looking to move my 888 SP3 on at some point in the next few years, but I have absolutely no idea of its true value.

In a nutshell though, IMHO you've missed the window, people who know what an 888 SP is and really wanted one back in the day are probably 60-70yrs old now. Same with my LC, the peak has passed, I can't see it coming back,

That may be the case, I guess I'll find out when I come to sell. What I would say is that the age profile for LC buyers is at least 10 years older than that for 888 SPs. LCs were an early 80s thing, 888 SPx models were early 90s. And then there's scarcity value. The market is awash with LCs, but the SPx models were limited editions of less than 500 units. It's not really comparing like for like.

[IccyV2]

That may be the case, I guess I'll find out when I come to sell. What I would say is that the age profile for LC buyers is at least 10 years older than that for 888 SPs. LCs were an early 80s thing, 888 SPx models were early 90s. And then there's scarcity value. The market is awash with LCs, but the SPx models were limited editions of less than 500 units. It's not really comparing like for like.

I know they're different bikes but the age thing is the same.
This is why I said it would take a longer post to explain, in 1982 a 17yr old would drool over a 350LC and would have spent ten years on two strokes, and then the same people drooled over the 888. So they're the same age because they're the same people, even though the bikes came out 10yrs apart.

The LC is more common but it's more sought after so it balances out.
I try to keep an eye on markets, Doncaster Motorcycles bought an 888 in last week that had been stood for 15yrs due to an aging owner, not sure what they paid for it.

[ZRX61]

Tried to help a friends wife sell off their vehicles after he died suddenly, gave up on the end as she saw everything as being worth way more than it really was - everything was special & rare according to her but in reality it was mostly run of the mill or a pos.

Bloke I know went to the hospital with back ache, turned out his spine was eaten up by cancer. He left the hospital about 3 months later in a box. He owned three autobody shops in town. I also knew his daughter & she mentioned tools & guns for sale. I got a great deal on some of the guns & a bunch of ammo.
Tried to buy some of the tools, but she thought everything was worth a fortune & I couldn't make her see sense. She thought one of his old SnapOn boxes was worth $10k, reality was around $500/$600 A few months later the son broke into his sisters place, stole most of the tools & sold them off for pennies to fund his drug addiction.

[mangocrazy]

That may be the case, I guess I'll find out when I come to sell. What I would say is that the age profile for LC buyers is at least 10 years older than that for 888 SPs. LCs were an early 80s thing, 888 SPx models were early 90s. And then there's scarcity value. The market is awash with LCs, but the SPx models were limited editions of less than 500 units. It's not really comparing like for like.

I know they're different bikes but the age thing is the same.
This is why I said it would take a longer post to explain, in 1982 a 17yr old would drool over a 350LC and would have spent ten years on two strokes, and then the same people drooled over the 888. So they're the same age because they're the same people, even though the bikes came out 10yrs apart.

The LC is more common but it's more sought after so it balances out.
I try to keep an eye on markets, Doncaster Motorcycles bought an 888 in last week that had been stood for 15yrs due to an aging owner, not sure what they paid for it.

Yes, take your point. I have almost certainly hung on to it for 10 years longer than I should have, and the same is probably true for the LC. But then I've always found it hard to sell motorbikes. Cars come and go, but bikes tend to remain.

[cheb]

If I had the space for em....


https://angliacarauctions.co.uk/auction ... ajs-cs-500


https://angliacarauctions.co.uk/auction ... -motocompo

There must be a solid reason behind that second...uh...selection?

Because it's a brilliant concept, Honda did a similar one IIRC.

Re the value of things, I think people start to believe their own lies that they tell their spouses.

[Bustaspoke]

[Because it's a brilliant concept, Honda did a similar one IIRC.

That's a Honda Motocompacto,here you go; https://www.bing.com/images/search?view ... orm=rc2idp

More details here https://www.motorcycle.com/bikes/new-mo ... t-44594659

[IccyV2]

Yes, take your point. I have almost certainly hung on to it for 10 years longer than I should have, and the same is probably true for the LC. But then I've always found it hard to sell motorbikes. Cars come and go, but bikes tend to remain.

If you’ve had your fun out of it then you’ve been well paid for it anyway so whatever you get is a bonus.

I bought my dream car and I’m in the same position, I’m not sure it will ever return what I’ve spent. I bought with my heart and that’s always expensive. I’ve got other cars that I really like but I applied my formula and they’ve already gone up 25%.
But I’m working longer than I originally intended so hopefully they’re only ever going to be a bonus now rather than assets that need to be cashed in from necessity.

[IccyV2]

The little Honda is surely based on the Flying Flea from WW2.
Google it.

[Rockburner]

The little Honda is surely based on the Flying Flea from WW2.
Google it.

Probably inspired by it.

It was specifically designed and built to fit into the boot of a Honda City, as a "last mile" form of transport. Ie, you drive to work from the suburbs in the car, park somewhere cheap, then use the MotoCompo to do the last little bit to the office, carry it up and store it's under your desk during the day, then reverse the process to go home.

[mangocrazy]

Yes, take your point. I have almost certainly hung on to it for 10 years longer than I should have, and the same is probably true for the LC. But then I've always found it hard to sell motorbikes. Cars come and go, but bikes tend to remain.

If you’ve had your fun out of it then you’ve been well paid for it anyway so whatever you get is a bonus.

I bought my dream car and I’m in the same position, I’m not sure it will ever return what I’ve spent. I bought with my heart and that’s always expensive. I’ve got other cars that I really like but I applied my formula and they’ve already gone up 25%.
But I’m working longer than I originally intended so hopefully they’re only ever going to be a bonus now rather than assets that need to be cashed in from necessity.

Both bikes were bought as a 'heart' purchase, with absolutely no thought given to future values, so yes I've had more than my money's worth from both of them. The LC was my daily driver for 10 years making 9 or 10 trips to the TT and I've done more track days than I can remember on the 888, so as you say anything more is a bonus.

I also worked longer than I really wanted to, but that was due to the Ponzi scheme that was Equitable Life going titsup at the turn of the century...

[Taipan]

That may be the case, I guess I'll find out when I come to sell. What I would say is that the age profile for LC buyers is at least 10 years older than that for 888 SPs. LCs were an early 80s thing, 888 SPx models were early 90s. And then there's scarcity value. The market is awash with LCs, but the SPx models were limited editions of less than 500 units. It's not really comparing like for like.

I know they're different bikes but the age thing is the same.
This is why I said it would take a longer post to explain, in 1982 a 17yr old would drool over a 350LC and would have spent ten years on two strokes, and then the same people drooled over the 888. So they're the same age because they're the same people, even though the bikes came out 10yrs apart.

The LC is more common but it's more sought after so it balances out.
I try to keep an eye on markets, Doncaster Motorcycles bought an 888 in last week that had been stood for 15yrs due to an aging owner, not sure what they paid for it.

Yes, take your point. I have almost certainly hung on to it for 10 years longer than I should have, and the same is probably true for the LC. But then I've always found it hard to sell motorbikes. Cars come and go, but bikes tend to remain.

There is certainly a point at which vehicles pass their nostalgic value and just become appreciating classics. That market is full of peaks and troughs though, but its fairly obvious when the market gets buoyant, and it's just a waiting game if you're selling.

[IccyV2]

I’ve seen the market drop quite dramatically on vintage stuff, I reckon my Rudge is worth half what I paid. I was surprised recently to see bikes sitting at half their pre covid price unsold.

I don’t think many younger people have the inclination or money these days and by the time they’ve got to retirement age their nostalgic purchases will probably be post-2000 stuff never mind pre-WW2.

I’ve completely lost my enthusiasm for bikes but that might come back once I’m out of the rat race.