The Golden Age of Used Bikes

[Northern Bill]

When I was 16 I visited Scotland and  I bought an Ariel 350 in good running order for 2 pounds.  At that time I was making about $1 an hour part time sweeping floors at a Woolworths store so the bike cost me about $5 in Canadian dollars. In Britain at that time bikes were plentiful and cheap with small cars making a lot of the old bikes worthless.

It seems to me that we have entered the Golden Age of Used Bikes here in North America.  In Canada, the want ads are full of good used bikes for way less than a $1000 and you can even find running bikes for a couple of hundred dollars. In Canada, with our short riding season, many of the bikes for sale have extremely low mileages and are often like new. Right now you can buy a used superbike with over 100 horsepower and running gear that was state of the art on the race track only a few years ago for next to nothing.

In this climate it is understandable to see threads asking if $6000 is too much for a good Le Mans but when you think about it $6000 is cheap for a bike that is coveted and is in really short supply.

Out of curiousity, what is the best bargain you have got on a bike?

[JJ]

When I was 16 I visited Scotland and  I bought an Ariel 350 in good running order for 2 pounds.  At that time I was making about $1 an hour part time sweeping floors at a Woolworths store so the bike cost me about $5 in Canadian dollars. In Britain at that time bikes were plentiful and cheap with small cars making a lot of the old bikes worthless.

It seems to me that we have entered the Golden Age of Used Bikes here in North America.  In Canada, the want ads are full of good used bikes for way less than a $1000 and you can even find running bikes for a couple of hundred dollars. In Canada, with our short riding season, many of the bikes for sale have extremely low mileages and are often like new. Right now you can buy a used superbike with over 100 horsepower and running gear that was state of the art on the race track only a few years ago for next to nothing.

In this climate it is understandable to see threads asking if $6000 is too much for a good Le Mans but when you think about it $6000 is cheap for a bike that is coveted and is in really short supply.

Out of curiousity, what is the best bargain you have got on a bike?

Probably this latest find a few weeks ago...a 1995 Triumph Sprint 900 for $500!! Excellent overall condition, with only 44K original miles and clear CA title.  It just needs a sprag-clutch...and a little TLC.  The prior owner did not want to deal with replacing the sprag-clutch...






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[oldbike54]

 I never pay much for a motorbike , while exotica is fine for some folks , the regular old motorbike works just fine . Yeah , we are in a golden age , MC's are more reliable and perform better than ever , a Jackal would have been considered a high performance beast in 1968 

 Dusty

[Northern Bill]

That certainly is a bargain.  Strangely enough a friend of mine went to see a Sprint a few months ago.  The owner couldn't get it started and just wanted rid of it.  My friend gave him $800, took it home, put a new battery in it and it was good to go!

[Sheepdog]

Probably this latest find a few weeks ago...a 1995 Triumph Sprint 900 for $500!! Excellent overall condition, with only 44K original miles and clear CA title.  It just needs a sprag-clutch...and a little TLC.  The prior owner did not want to deal with replacing the sprag-clutch...






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That's a steal, JJ. Wasn't that the first year Sprints were imported?

[Tusayan]

It seems to me that we have entered the Golden Age of Used Bikes here in North America. 

Yes, bikes from the 90s are a really good deal now and it's probably my favorite era for combining relatively modern function with the more elegant simplicity and more tasteful styling of older bikes.  I can't compete in the $500 range (!) but I've bought a couple of very clean 90's Italian sport bikes for $4K or less. Another bargain (for me anyway) was a showroom new solo seat 996 Ducati with demo miles for well under half the original price, bought a few years ago. 

Meanwhile I see friends wasting spending $20K on a new bike...   I just bought a very well equipped new car for that amount. I believe as they age they are thinking it's now it's now or never to establish themselves as a 'top of the line motorcycle' kind of guy....  And my reaction is to think it's never a bad idea to look at social trends and see if you can profit by going in the opposite direction.

[JJ]

That's a steal, JJ. Wasn't that the first year Sprints were imported?

Yes, I believe so...these were made from 95-97, and Cosworth Engineering had a hand in designing the cases for this motor, etc.  I

It is a well built, solid, and reliable machine and I, (with some help),  will get her going again, and "In The Wind" and use it for "trade-stock" or just sell it...or maybe I will keep it and flog it.   

I am familiar with this motor (3-cylinder, 100+ HP, liquid-cooled, 6-speed, etc.) because I rode a 1993 Trident 900 when I lived in Aachen Germany 2004-2005.  :1:




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[LowRyter]

I think "used" is the way to go for many mechanical things, other than a Honda Accord.

I want to see how vehicles perform on the road, what flaws new owners encounter and how they are resolved.  Guzzis for sure.  I bought a used Corvette and picked a year & equipment I like and still anticipate problems, same for my Duramax truck.  My buddy should've done the same with his Jetta (actually he discovered should never buy one).  There are lemons out there and there others that need some magic sauce.

[Lannis]

To quote an old comedy line ...

"Oh, the things you see when you haven't got your gun!"

There always seem to be good deals out there somewhere, and I'm sure they're real, but when I'm looking for something that I want, they always seem to be pretty thin on the ground .... !

Lannis

[kirkemon]

In 1971 I bought a brand new Kawasaki 500 H1 for $1,050.00 out the door. I always thought that was the best bang for the buck I ever got.
I also bought the very first Bell Star helmet new for $60.00 - at the time I thought that was outrageous and it would last a lifetime  

[LowRyter]

In 1971 I bought a brand new Kawasaki 500 H1 for $1,050.00 out the door. I always thought that was the best bang for the buck I ever got.
I also bought the very first Bell Star helmet new for $60.00 - at the time I thought that was outrageous and it would last a lifetime

regarding the Bell, lucky it didn't last a lifetime.  Glad you out lived it.   

[Vince in Milwaukee]

Best deal on a bike for me was my Le Mans III.  Picked it up for $1,000 back in 1990.  Granted, I've sunk a lot of $ into it over the years, and had to pull out my wallet quite a bit initially, but it's proven to be quite the road warrior over all these years.  At about @120,000 miles on the clock, I'm hooked for sure. 

[JJ]

Best deal on a bike for me was my Le Mans III.  Picked it up for $1,000 back in 1990.  Granted, I've sunk a lot of $ into it over the years, and had to pull out my wallet quite a bit initially, but it's proven to be quite the road warrior over all these years.  At about @120,000 miles on the clock, I'm hooked for sure.

...and @ 120K miles, a true testament to the staying power of the ol' Italian V-Twin!!  :1:

[Northern Bill]

Best deal on a bike for me was my Le Mans III.  Picked it up for $1,000 back in 1990.  Granted, I've sunk a lot of $ into it over the years, and had to pull out my wallet quite a bit initially, but it's proven to be quite the road warrior over all these years.  At about @120,000 miles on the clock, I'm hooked for sure.

When you compare what the dollar is worth today compared to 27 years ago it isn't a lot different than the prices on some of the Le Mans 3s for sale recently. They are definitely a bargain today as well.  Whether you would get 120K on them is another story!

[Ncdan]

A few years ago I bought from an older gentleman a 1981 Honda gl900 custom with hondaline fairing and bags, with tail trunk and hobdalibe radio for 1500 bucks. I felt bad all the way home but he priced it:(

[flip]

A few years ago, I paid $3050 for my '08 Aprilia Shiver. It had somewhere around 15,000 miles on it. A tune-up, replace a faulty sensor or 2 and load the latest map in it and it has been great! Then I added a Corbin seat, Puig windscreen, factory handguards, Givi Tanklock ring and tank bags, Corbin Glove Box with backrest, assorted carbon fiber replacement panels, the custom luggage mounts I'm working on for the Krauser K4 and K5 hard bags I have and...

[twowings]

 Wish folks in the market would consider rescuing the CARC bikes...be a shame if their value fell to scrap-level...

[flip]

Wish folks in the market would consider rescuing the CARC bikes...be a shame if their value fell to scrap-level...

:1:

I love my Breva 1100! But, if I can't modify the riding position enough to for my aching knees, I'm gonna have to get rid of it. I'd probably be lucky to get 3 grand for it as the market is now.

[slopokes]

Best deal for me was a BMW r1100 with no tittle for $1100--title with the frame part $150..smoker deal.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

:1:

I love my Breva 1100! But, if I can't modify the riding position enough to for my aching knees, I'm gonna have to get rid of it. I'd probably be lucky to get 3 grand for it as the market is now.

Just get 1.5" lower pegs and add 1" of foam under the seat and you'll get 2.5" more inches of legroom like I did on my 1200Sport. Fits me perfect! Otherwise, I couldn't have kept it.

[ohiorider]

Just get 1.5" lower pegs and add 1" of foam under the seat and you'll get 2.5" more inches of legroom like I did on my 1200Sport. Fits me perfect! Otherwise, I couldn't have kept it.

As w/streetguzzi said, a few minor ergonomic changes will make a world of difference.  When I rode my 1200 Sport home from N Hampshire to NE Ohio in 2010, I was in real pain when I got out of the saddle.  However, prior to buying the bike, I'd done some research (mostly on WG) and determined stock bar replacement, footpeg mods, and perhaps saddle mods would cure the problems.  So, I fully expected to be uncomfortable on the initial ride home.  A Mana handlebar, adjustable footpegs, and firmer padding in the saddle was the ticket for me.  Still riding the old gal at nearly 65,000 miles and 8 years later.

Bob

[Northern Bill]

I should have mentioned on this visit to Scotland I also purchased a 1961 BSA Goldstar in full clubmans trim for 120 pounds. This proved to be too much bike for a skinny 16 year old's first street bike so I traded it even for a 250 Norton Jubilee which turned out to be the perfect bike for me at the time!