The Somber side of motorcycle collections

[steven c]

https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/the-somber-side-of-motorcycle-collections-what-happens-when-the-collector-is-gone?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=boosted-posts%7Ctpfn-content-organic&utm_content=common-tread-ride-event-organic&utm_term=the-somber-side-of-motorcycle-collections-what-happens-when-the-collector-is-gone-020422-%7Ctpfn-organic&fbclid=IwAR0Rox-58hsqBmHA8ABfbL5csNdjomzK9LTvx-XkWK2Jd-M3XJVvLnMvIh8

 I have a small collection of bikes and at 65 I think about this, I would hate to stick my wife with getting rid of them. I just can't decide what to sell!

[mtiberio]

Currently going through this. Back in October I was given 6 months, maybe a year to live (if I do everything they say). My intention is to sell down the contents of my garage so my family doeesn't have to. Sold my last street bike. Have 2 Land Speed Racers for sale. And if I ever figure out how to sell on ebay and not have to box and ship stuff I'd sell a ton of parts there as well. Maybe I'll hire a kid for after school packing and shipping...

[brider]

The collection is for the collector. My dad collected many things but had a passion for collecting PEZ.

Your sentiments are spot-on, I've never heard this topic framed this way before. Oh, and I live 5 minutes from the PEZ factory in Orange, CT. Did your dad ever make a pilgrimage to it's museum?

I have a vintage stereo and vinyl collection, and I've asked my kids if they will have any interest in any of it. They won't, I know, so my best hope is they make an effort to advertise the stuff properly to catch the eyes of other collectors.

[TOMB]

@Steve C.

I know where the Eldorado can go.

TOMB

[Cal3]

Currently going through this. Back in October I was given 6 months, maybe a year to live (if I do everything they say). My intention is to sell down the contents of my garage so my family doeesn't have to. Sold my last street bike. Have 2 Land Speed Racers for sale. And if I ever figure out how to sell on ebay and not have to box and ship stuff I'd sell a ton of parts there as well. Maybe I'll hire a kid for after school packing and shipping...

Sorry to hear you are having health problems. Lets see if you can spoil the Dr's forecast!!

[mr_pacman]

While I only have one motorcycle, I do have a number of mechanical wristwatches. My biggest fear is , if I die, my wife will sell them off for what I told her I paid for them :)

[steven c]

Okay Tom just leave the keys and title under the seat.

[blackcat]

About three years ago I had a minor heart attack and when I got better decided that I better get my Norton & LeMans back together so it didn't get kicked out of the garage for chump change if I passed.  The Norton went back together first and then the LeMans. I have been selling off some parts(Guzzi,Norton,Auto) here and there and I need to sell more parts that are redundant. And I have a price sheet and instructions for my wife if I go south quickly instead of a slow illness that would enable me to sell them off myself.

I only own six...wait, seven bikes so they will need to go as my wife won't want them as she doesn't ride. Maybe she'll keep the 1000S. 

[twowheeladdict]

My thoughts are that if they need to be sold for maximum dollars to provide for your wife when you are gone, then either sell them now, or make written arrangements to sell them as soon as you are gone with a trusted friend, your wife, or a broker.

If she doesn't require the money, then just have accurate records that go to her when you die and she can decide what to do.

[fotoguzzi]

The collection is for the collector. My dad collected many things but had a passion for collecting PEZ. The PEZ collection or should I say the thought of collecting PEZ reminds me of my father. As a physical collection they are really meaningless to me my mother and brothers as they are something we are not into. When I'm gone if there is anything my family wants, they are more than welcome to take it. The rest can be thrown out, donated or auctioned off with no remorse or regret. Material stuff as I go down the road of life, I'm finding is not all that important.

Breaking a collection also gives other people the opportunity to add to their collection. Kind of like parting out a bike. Some see it as a dirty deed but the sacrifice of one bike can keep many bikes running.

YMMV

I inherited about 40-50 Pez from my SIL.. do you want them?

[fotoguzzi]

No razors but she left a collection of shaving brushes, there pretty cool. Want to start a side collection next to your razors?

[JJ]

It's pretty simple actually....the collector eventually passes away....and the wife and family left behind say: 

"OK...sell it all, and ASAP...and just send me the check!"   

[Scout63]

All my 10 or so bikes together may be worth 30k tops.  Not even a nice nearly new car. All the car, boat and bike titles are signed in blank and in a folder for my wife to do with as she sees fit.   The real problem is a garage full of boxed parts, fuel tanks, etc. all of which are important for some project.  I’m guessing they will go to the dump.

[larrys]

My FIL was a collector, and near the end of his life became a junk collector/hoarder. There were the trains, Lionel, America Flyer, HO, and N gauge. The quill pen, inkwell, and fountain pen collections, tabletop cigarette lighters. Books, a couple rooms of full bookshelves. A substantial coin collection. Then the hoarding stuff. Pop never saw a broken power tool that he didn't like.
It took four weekends of estate sales, a couple antique auction buyers, and two thirty yard dumpsters to clean out his place. I will try to not leave that kind of mess for my kid.
Larry

[Motormike]

The real problem is a garage full of boxed parts, fuel tanks, etc. all of which are important for some project.  I’m guessing they will go to the dump.

I have a garage attic full of old take-off parts and spares from 45 years of riding.  When I sell a bike, I go through the stuff and most goes to the dumpster.  I've gotten pretty good at knowing what will sell and what needs to be tossed. Any bodywork or plastic will sell.  Luggage and panniers sell before you can hit the "list" button on Ebay.   Stock seats? Forget it, ebay is full of em..into the trash they go. Stock mufflers? Into the scrap metal bin...the shipping costs exceed any small value the part might bring.  I have a 97 Buell S1 stock muffler ready to toss in the dumpster.  For all I know, it may be the only one left in the whole country, since everybody replaced the ugly thing.  Doesn't mean anybody would pay for it. 

[Moparnut72]

I had some early handle bars for my Audace. A guy wanted them to try and reshape them to the shape of the later ones. Had him just pay for shipping. More trouble than it was worth but it helped out fellow a Guzzi owner. I almost threw them away the last time I shoveled out the shop but couldn't do it. Signing all my titles is a great idea.
kk

[aklawok]

 I hope that most of you are aware that some states (like arizona for sure or florida i thinks) that have strong senior protection laws require signatures on titles be notarized to be legal. hope this helps someone.

[D Knaus]

All my vehicles with titles (bikes, trucks, cars, etc) are titled TOD - at time of death to the person I want to get it.  This is in Missouri, I don't know if all states allow this on their titles.

[Shorty]

I'm pretty sure no one will be able to identify the crankshaft adaptor I have in that small drawer full o stuff.  How many people are putting G-5 engines in their Eldos anymore?     Big pile of dealer brochures and period advertisements. Copies of magazines that I sold an article to back in the day. Nope. The boys will squabble over the tools. The bikes are late model and easy to flip. The dumpster will back up and haul the rest away. Then my wife will claim the space and totally devote the house to her foo foo arts and crafts.

[Furbo]

I finally realized that I'm not going to build another cafe bike and started getting rid of parts a couple yrs ago. Still have 2ea Laverda 750 speedo drives and sets of Ceriani forks I need to ditch.

Bikes - the unusual stuff will be hard for your family to sell, the LM, Eldo, Buell, .....if it were me, get down to the DL650 - my son has one and if I only had one bike - that'd be it. The Kwak trailies are great, maybe sell the F7 (to me) and keep the other for the occasional blast. It's newer and can sell to a non 2-stroke nerd.

[Motormike]

Every time I sell two bikes, I seem to aways buy one more!    Is there a Betty Ford clinic for motorcycle addiction?

[Motormike]

If I can bring myself to sell two bikes a year (and not buy anymore)  the last one will be gone when I'm....hmmm....94.  Sounds about right.