I need some help. There are motorcycles in the way of more shop space. These bikes are my dad's collection and are well known around here. I need to sell these bikes to help pay for my dad's stay at the nursing home a block away. My problem is my inability to value these bikes and find proper buyers while not getting ripped off. They have all run fine within the last two years. I don't know whether I should spend time and money on fixing oil leaks, and other details or let the buyer have something to do. The list of bikes: 1968 Triumph Bonneville - 12029 miles - all original including tyres, runs sweet 1968 Triumph Trophy TR6 - 12849 miles - reconstructed from a rolling frame , runs sweet 1972 Norton Commando w/ combat engine - 16128 miles - includes a strange story of ownership 1972 BSA Lightning - 10932 miles - new carbs need dial-in 1972 BSA Thunderbolt - 14792 miles - runs sweet 1972 Honda CB500 - 19952 - runs sweet 1974 Honda CB750 - 38252 - clutch seized, needs tune-up 1987 Honda VF700C - super magna - cherry ('cept for the sm.dent in the gas tank) Seems the pictures I've taken of the other bikes have vaporized. How did I maximize income?
Your dad had good taste in Bikes! How about calling Mike and Frank from the pickers? They get a hard on over british bikes. http://www.antiquearchaeology.com/locations.php Put them together as a package deal. It's all or nothing.
Man I would like that Norton, but I am guessing by the sticker that you are across the pond. Do a search on ebay or some other vintage motorcycle websites for pricing. As I recall old Nortons don't come cheap. Edit: A quick search shows the Norton to be worth about $12,000.00 US. Edit02: We need to cast our own Norton's. .
Look for a local motorcycle shop. The kind that's been there forever, has an old biker who runs/works/lives there, and has buddies around all the time. One of them might have a line on a collector or a dealer who deals in older British bikes. A lot of the motorcycle shop types go to rallies and motorcycle shows and meets and would lilely be a good resource to put prices on them. Or at least, that's what I'd do. Me, I had to get out from under my bike in a hurry and took it on the chin selling it to a local motorcycle dealer. I didn't get near what I wanted for it but I also didn't have to move it again.
That is a nice collection, I wouldn't do anything to them, the British bikes leaked straight out of the factory! They are probably more common over here for obvious reasons, I like Jason's suggestion over letting some unknown stealing them from you. Jason, if you have money or an estate then the NHS doesn't cover care homes until that has all been used up! It's a point of much contention when inheritance and life savings are eaten up in care costs.
Like most things Rod, the thing that's easiest is at the opposite end of the scale of commanding maximum value. Easy is selling the lot to a collector. High value is researching and selectively advertising. If you search Triumph, BSA, Norton motorcycle forums (may be helpful to add vintage), you'll get a lot of hits and some that cover most all British twins. You could probably find good help and advice by joining and posting there. The ones with classifieds will have asking prices you can browse. You can also search eBay and watch some auctions to see asking and selling prices, and even sell there of one of the other auction sites. Best, Kelly
Thanks guys, you are helping me focus. My dad was the kind of person you just described as well as his buddies. That generation is gone and has been replaced by really expensive motorcycle businesses. The barns around here have all been picked and torn down. The old bike shops are just about gone. There are few bikers around here that are knowledgeable about vintage British bikes. I was planning to get them all at least drivable this spring. I'm not changing tires, though. I've been down that route. I'm still working at it on and off. I've also been learning how a guy can get ripped off at auctions. Seems a guy needs to spend a lot of time at auctions to sort out riff-raff. Yes, I need to figure out how to advertise to a high value collector. My default plan is to sell them locally to whomever.
I once owned a '72 Commando. Can't say it was much of a smooth ride though it was fun. I would contact these guys and get a feel for their take on the Brit's. https://www.baxtercycle.com/
I will defintely contact them. Ole man Baxter and my dad were buddies and traded back and forth but his son(s) are running the show now. They are a good source of parts. The compression ratio is 10:1 and I don't have the nads to kick it over but the ride would be wild.
I sold all the bikes except the '87 Magna. They all went to good hands. One guy bought the two BSA bikes and the Norton. He took the Norton to Baxter for refurb and won a first place at his first show. He got the BSAs running well and he is showing them too. Dad's buddy, Deputy Joe, bought the Honda 750. My neighbor posted pictures on Facebook and arranged the meetings at my shop. I gave him the Honda 500 as compensation for his efforts. So, for Dad's last birthday I gave him $14 grand in cash.
The spring activity is to remove the rear wheel from the '87 magna and replace the tire. Sell the bike. I want $4,000 but no one will pay original sticker price for a bike with less than 5k miles. You know, drive it off the lot, price goes down.. yada, yada
