OLD CT said:
I understand it's a low mile original. But, is someone going to pay that dough 6,500 for a bike that was completely taken apart? You ''would think'' it's worth more untouched/fully assembled.
Interesting...
Agreed. i think he's a little high on the BIN, but that's why it's an auction. probably disassembled it so he could polish the paint and aluminum.
Remember those christmas special z50r's STILL IN THE CRATE that went for $50g's?? it seems the less assembly the better in terms of what collectors want to spend money on. you're not even buying a rideable motorcycle at that point… i think that one was very absurd.
Both valid points...that illustrate the mixture of rational & irrational thought processes of the collector and restorer.
From a practical standpoint, $6.5K isn't all that far out for a low-mileage original, maybe 20%, give or take. There should be very little mechanical wear, so the engine & rolling chassis ought to be truly like-new, assuming the seller didn't cut corners. Body/paint work, engine rebuilding and, especially chrome, can easily top $3K combined. That still leaves a lot do. It's not hard to imagine someone paying $2500 for a low-mileage original in need of a complete cosmetic restoration. That scenario doesn't leave much of a profit margin, does it?
The only red flags I noticed are the weird rack, which is minor and the untouched speedometer, which
might be a tip-off.
I get the whole "never-been-assembled"/"still-in-the-crate"/"untouched original"/"original-only-once" mindset. It's not for everyone, including me. I am far too pragmatic, I want a competent, reliable and clean bike that can be ridden. I'm not everyone, just another country heard from. The trophy case, museum, specimens have their places and actually benefit the entire scene. They more, or less, establish these bikes as a marque. Once that has occurred, what I refer to as "critical mass" has been reached. At that stage, it's relatively easy to obtain collector vehicle insurance, parts vendors can make a living and we can easily keep these things going.
So, which makes sense? IMHO, it's both and neither...a Zen riddle, of sorts...or...perhaps akin to the uncertainty principle in quantum physics. And, as with both of those examples, nailing-down an answer is only predictable within an expected range, with the answer varying, determined only in the moment by what someone is willing to pay. Beyond that, nothing much to do other than either participate in the bidding, or kick back and watch it unfold
opcorn:
