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Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 11:42 am
by IccyV2
I got sent a link to this by a mate because there is a nice Superlight and a ZXR750 in the auction.
If I was in the UK more I'd end up divorced and with a warehouse full of bikes, I had a ZXR750H1 and it was memorable, old riding position, harsh suspension, not very quick but when you wound it up it sounded like the gates of hell were opening and Old Nick himself was coming out for a play.
https://angliacarauctions.co.uk/auction ... aki-zx-750
If you had the space and time you could pick up a lot of great old bikes at auctions, I thought it was worth a thread.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 11:48 am
by weeksy
That's about the pick of the bunch.. i like the Greeves as well but i'd never ever ever ride that.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 11:52 am
by Skub
It's a case of buyer beware at auctions,a bit like Forest Gump's box of chocolates,you never know what you're gonna get.
A mate paid top dollar for a 73 H2 last year. It was absolutely mint,but it was finished to be a show bike and the engine was a shiny dog. Nothing that couldn't be fixed,but it's a sound idea to factor that in when bidding.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:07 pm
by IccyV2
The bloke that rebuilt my LC was like that, he was absolutely anal about everything, even the internals to the seat lock were re-passivated in the right colour and no one is ever going to take it apart to see that, but he made a couple of errors that were fairly easily put right but were mechanically wrong.
Some of these guys make the bikes look amazing for a museum piece, but they're not thinking about them as a road bike to use.
I think the stuff in these types of auctions are just owners trying to offload them with the least amount of hassle, there are some cars I'd love on there like the big red V12 Jag, but you just know it's going to cost a fortune to fix otherwise the owner would fix it and sell it at a premium. Same with the blue Porsche 930, that's a £200k car anyway you look at it, that's what mine cost to buy it and get it right, but it's got an estimate of £55-65k, so either they haven't got a clue, or the car prices have crashed, or there is a lot of unseen work that needs to be done.
Classic cars can be mega expensive.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:17 pm
by Rockburner
IccyV2 wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:07 pm
The bloke that rebuilt my LC was like that, he was absolutely anal about everything, even the internals to the seat lock were re-passivated in the right colour and no one is ever going to take it apart to see that, but he made a couple of errors that were fairly easily put right but were mechanically wrong.
Some of these guys make the bikes look amazing for a museum piece, but they're not thinking about them as a road bike to use.
I think the stuff in these types of auctions are just owners trying to offload them with the least amount of hassle, there are some cars I'd love on there like the big red V12 Jag, but you just know it's going to cost a fortune to fix otherwise the owner would fix it and sell it at a premium. Same with the blue Porsche 930, that's a £200k car anyway you look at it, that's what mine cost to buy it and get it right, but it's got an estimate of £55-65k, so either they haven't got a clue, or the car prices have crashed, or there is a lot of unseen work that needs to be done.
Classic cars can be mega expensive.
Also a lot of widows/exes selling off the vehicles that are now "superfluous" in the hopes of a high pay-back.
The issue I have with that is the unrealistic expectations that are doled out by the auction houses themselves, in hope of a quick buck to themselves (they make plenty on charging BOTH parties for the transation remember).
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:18 pm
by Count Steer
IccyV2 wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:07 pm
I think the stuff in these types of auctions are just owners trying to offload them with the least amount of hassle, there are some cars I'd love on there like the big red V12 Jag, but you just know it's going to cost a fortune to fix otherwise the owner would fix it and sell it at a premium.
I had a Jaguar with that 5.3l v12 engine. (Not that red one!).
The engine really was the only thing that was any good about it. (Although I was amused by the need to fan cool the battery to protect it from the heat and the veritable gust of warm air that would blow out from the wheel arches
).
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:33 pm
by Rockburner
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:34 pm
by IccyV2
Rockburner wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:17 pm
Also a lot of widows/exes selling off the vehicles that are now "superfluous" in the hopes of a high pay-back.
The issue I have with that is the unrealistic expectations that are doled out by the auction houses themselves, in hope of a quick buck to themselves (they make plenty on charging BOTH parties for the transation remember).
I don't have a lot of experience with it, I have seen the auction places underestimate and buyers get carried away and spend too much. Remember Princess Dianas RS Turbo that had an estimate of about £100k and sold for £750k!
I'm keeping my cars all up to date and well looked after, so if I croak my missus can put them straight into a decent shop and get good money.
Some of these guys leave them in barns for donkeys years and then the poor wife/kids have to try and do something with them and often they're not worth very much unless they're very special.
Our plan is to sell ours off as we go along though, I'll be sad to sell some of them but they'll boost our retirement nicely as long as there isn't a bad downturn on the prices. I think I've gone over the top with my 930, I'm not sure I'll get back what I spent on it unless prices really step up, the others seem to be very promising though.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:48 pm
by Rockburner
IccyV2 wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:34 pm
Rockburner wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:17 pm
Also a lot of widows/exes selling off the vehicles that are now "superfluous" in the hopes of a high pay-back.
The issue I have with that is the unrealistic expectations that are doled out by the auction houses themselves, in hope of a quick buck to themselves (they make plenty on charging BOTH parties for the transation remember).
I don't have a lot of experience with it, I have seen the auction places underestimate and buyers get carried away and spend too much. Remember Princess Dianas RS Turbo that had an estimate of about £100k and sold for £750k!
I'm keeping my cars all up to date and well looked after, so if I croak my missus can put them straight into a decent shop and get good money.
Some of these guys leave them in barns for donkeys years and then the poor wife/kids have to try and do something with them and often they're not worth very much unless they're very special.
Our plan is to sell ours off as we go along though, I'll be sad to sell some of them but they'll boost our retirement nicely as long as there isn't a bad downturn on the prices. I think I've gone over the top with my 930, I'm not sure I'll get back what I spent on it unless prices really step up, the others seem to be very promising though.
The experience I have is with my Dad's collection - it was basically "his inheritance" (he didn't have any other pools of money of any size), and they all needed to be insured etc if they were to be kept (which wasn't affordable).
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 1:15 pm
by IccyV2
Yeah that's where I have put quite a lot of effort in, I'll keep all mine up to date with servicing, MOTs, etc.
I'm really happy with them, I think I chose well.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 1:21 pm
by 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.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 1:35 pm
by Skub
mangocrazy wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 1:21 pm
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 the coming days it'll be even more of a buyer's market. Toys are the first to go when it's a struggle to pay the utilities,adding to the fun you have some of the potential buyers who will also be pulling in their horns.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:13 pm
by Count Steer
Rockburner wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:48 pm
The experience I have is with my Dad's collection - it was basically "his inheritance" (he didn't have any other pools of money of any size), and they all needed to be insured etc if they were to be kept (which wasn't affordable).
Doubly or triply+ complicated with physical assets of not absolute value to divide up between multiple inheritors too - unless they are sold.
(Seen a few animated discussions by offspring over just one house. A collection of things could be a sibling minefield!).
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:36 pm
by Rockburner
Count Steer wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:13 pm
Rockburner wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:48 pm
The experience I have is with my Dad's collection - it was basically "his inheritance" (he didn't have any other pools of money of any size), and they all needed to be insured etc if they were to be kept (which wasn't affordable).
Doubly or triply+ complicated with physical assets of not absolute value to divide up between multiple inheritors too - unless they are sold.
(Seen a few animated discussions by offspring over just one house. A collection of things could be a sibling minefield!).
At least that side was easy: everything went to Mum and she then doled out a few tidbits to keep us happy.
(eg the JAPton)
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:44 pm
by Count Steer
Rockburner wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:36 pm
Count Steer wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:13 pm
Rockburner wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:48 pm
The experience I have is with my Dad's collection - it was basically "his inheritance" (he didn't have any other pools of money of any size), and they all needed to be insured etc if they were to be kept (which wasn't affordable).
Doubly or triply+ complicated with physical assets of not absolute value to divide up between multiple inheritors too - unless they are sold.
(Seen a few animated discussions by offspring over just one house. A collection of things could be a sibling minefield!).
At least that side was easy: everything went to Mum and she then doled out a few tidbits to keep us happy.
(eg the JAPton)
...and Rev Fred got the Brough Superior.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:56 pm
by Rockburner
Count Steer wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:44 pm
Rockburner wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:36 pm
Count Steer wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 2:13 pm
Doubly or triply+ complicated with physical assets of not absolute value to divide up between multiple inheritors too - unless they are sold.
(Seen a few animated discussions by offspring over just one house. A collection of things could be a sibling minefield!).
At least that side was easy: everything went to Mum and she then doled out a few tidbits to keep us happy.
(eg the JAPton)
...and Rev Fred got the Brough Superior.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 9:39 pm
by Skub
There must be a solid reason behind that second...uh...selection?
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 9:41 pm
by Dickyboy
I bid too much for my Morini (£3.5k including fees & delivery) recon it would sell easily for £2.5k but it should be a good way to donate £3.3k to ms society for the price of £1k
Dad's brough was valued at £60k by Bonhams some few years ago - just been sold (not in an auction) for £35k, things are already way down on price before the latest debacle.
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.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 11:54 pm
by Nobby
IccyV2 wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:34 pm
Some of these guys leave them in barns for donkeys years and then the poor wife/kids have to try and do something with them and often they're not worth very much unless they're very special.
Almost on topic.
My Brother moved on nine years ago, and one of his possessions was a Plane.
The planes whereabouts was known by my SiL,which was at a friend’s Barn. The subject of collecting the plane came up at his funeral, with the owner of the Barn admitting that he only had the fuselage in storage, and the wings were in a safe place somewhere else.
Conversation has been had with all of my brothers friends, colleagues and acquaintances, but nine years on, the “somewhere” has not been found.
North Yorkshire if you want to know.
Re: Auction bikes
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2026 4:38 am
by ZRX61
IccyV2 wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:07 pm
The bloke that rebuilt my LC was like that, he was absolutely anal about everything, even the internals to the seat lock were re-passivated in the right colour and no one is ever going to take it apart to see that, but he made a couple of errors that were fairly easily put right but were mechanically wrong.
Some of these guys make the bikes look amazing for a museum piece, but they're not thinking about them as a road bike to use.
There's a bloke like that here, quoted $45,000 for a *museum quality* '75 H2...
