The Italian classic most of us will never be able to RIDE....or AFFORD!!

[Tusayan]

Virtually all my current (9) motorcycles have maintained value or appreciated.  My SS has appreciated at roughly 7% annually for 24 years.  R100GSs are also good, Ive owned three, the first two were sold at a profit after lots of use, the third that Im riding today was bought for just under $3K and has appreciated at maybe 5%.

Buy the right bikes at reasonable prices, and (1) you ride bikes that the market likes, usually for good reason and (2) your hobby is less costly.  Depreciation is a hidden and often avoidable cost, even in motorcycling.

[Huzo]

That Ducati is droolworty.
The MV is as ugly as a slapped arse...!

[JJ]

$3,800 in 1979 dollars is likely the same or more than a mint Mk1 Lemans sells for today.
Sames got for the $4,000 in 1985 dollars for the SF2.


There are many investments you could of made with that money back then that would be worth way more than the bikes are worth today (again, in mint condition).

Motorcycles are not financial investment vehicles.

They ARE, however, investments in good mental health.   Keep then ones you enjoy, sell the rest.

Agree 100% - motorcycles are investments in mental health, not financial. 

With the $4K from the Laverda, I bought my first NEW home in 1985...a little 3-bedroom 2-bath, 1 car garage patio home in Chandler, AZ for $66,000. 

I lived in it for a while, got married, then rented it out and took a 15-year mortgage.  Today it is worth about $200,000, and I still own it...and it generates $1,100 per month in rental income.

[Tusayan]

I've accumulated four houses and they're a key part of my retirement plan, so I'd agree that they're often a good place to put money.  I'd also agree that if you don't let salesmen suck you into buying new, depreciation prone bikes when you're young and financially vulnerable, and instead buy classic bikes with long term value, you're more likely to get money out of the bike someday for use in buying another house!

Then someday you might scale back, sell one of those houses and buy an MV 750S, if you really want to have one before you croak

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

$3,800 in 1979 dollars is likely the same or more than a mint Mk1 Lemans sells for today.

Right you are!
"$3,800.00 in 1979 had the same buying power as $13,837.39 in 2018"

My brother was looking for an R90S around that same year and found one for sale in Falls Church, VA. Same guy had a Ducati 750SS and MV Agusta 750S also for sale - either one, $7500. "Adjusted for inflation, $7,500.00 in 1979 is equal to $27,310.64 in 2018." Buying either one and stashing it away would have been a good investment (says "Capt. Obvious"). 

[jas67]

Right you are!
"$3,800.00 in 1979 had the same buying power as $13,837.39 in 2018"

My brother was looking for an R90S around that same year and found one for sale in Falls Church, VA. Same guy had a Ducati 750SS and MV Agusta 750S also for sale - either one, $7500. "Adjusted for inflation, $7,500.00 in 1979 is equal to $27,310.64 in 2018." Buying either one and stashing it away would have been a good investment (says "Capt. Obvious"). 

Hinds site is a great thing, ain't it!

Who knew, back then which bikes would appreciate and which ones didn't.   Then again, $7,500  in 1979 money (27k today) is a big chunk of change to put into a motorcycle, hoping it would increase in value.

If you bought Apple or Microsoft stock in those early days, you'd have had way more gains than any motorcycle.   Then think of the bikes you could buy today with that money.

[Tusayan]

I know a guy who actually did consider motorcycles as his retirement fund, and he was thoughtful enough to love the right motorcycles, for the right reasons:  he had for example seven '73-'74 Ducati 750 Sports and two '74 750SS's among 40+ wonderful bikes.  Unfortunately he sold them all for about a third of what they are now worth and as I understand it didn't have a real retirement plan.  Bummer 

I don't think many people would recommend considering motorcycles as a key element in your retirement fund -  that is a black versus white interpretation of a grey subject.  I think the better way of looking at it is that you can choose to buy and enjoy things which you think have lasting value, and not ignore the issue of future value.  That's what I did in 1994 when buying my one owner, original condition 900SS - it was obviously to me an intrinsically timeless thing that I could also enjoy using.  I didn't see it then as bevel Ducati versus investments, I saw it as bevel Ducati versus Yamaha or whatever, plus investments.

[weevee]

Buying either one and stashing it away would have been a good investment (says "Capt. Obvious"). 

No need to stash it away.  You can use it all you want, so long as you look after it well and its originality doesn't suffer.  We've all seen the 'Brough-in-a-basket' sold at auction for a six-figure sum.  High-end bikes such as these will sell for top dollar despite their miles, simply because they rarely become available.