'83 Midnight Special: price estimate?

[Tintop_vendetta]

Heya
I've gone and bought myself a real good bike mates rates style, and have no idea how much it's actually worth.

She's an 1983 Yamaha XV 1000 SE Midnight Special, done about 70 thou k's.
Anyone got a clue? It's in pretty good condition aside from a busted indicator.

[outlawtorn]

Heya
I've gone and bought myself a real good bike mates rates style, and have no idea how much it's actually worth.

She's an 1983 Yamaha XV 1000 SE Midnight Special, done about 70 thou k's.
Anyone got a clue? It's in pretty good condition aside from a busted indicator.

Don't know anything about the bike, but I'd love to see a few pics of it.

Welcome to the site BTW!

[The Lone Rider]

How much is he asking you to pay him?

[NighthawkNZ]

It's in pretty good condition aside from a busted indicator.

They are a nice bike, I use to have the XJ Special (its cousin realistically its just they had a different motor midnight a V-Twin and the XJ an InLine4) personally I wouldn't pay more than $2500-3000 possibly up to $3000 (if in real good nick) A fully restored one I would think about... How much is s/he asking for it?

Is it blowing smoke, no engine rattles or knocks, (cam chains make a bit of noise on them) tidy paint, no dents or signs of major drops or been in a major accident and done running repairs, (with bog, blue tac and bubble gum)... How much rust is coming through, how are the front & rear shocks? (I had to replace mine on the XJ at around 60,000km and again a 120,000)

The indicator is easily replaced, and there should be heaps floating about at bike wreckers and or after maket ones to suit.

[Tintop_vendetta]

It had been covered in some sort of metal presever (a fisholine as far as I can gather) and left in a bus for about two years so it took quite a bit of persuasion to get started. He's given it to me for $2,300. Everything seems fine, but I havn't given it a good blast out on the road yet so im not a %100 sure. Thanks for the welcome guys, great site.

[Tintop_vendetta]

In addendum....I have been told that 1000cc's in just two cylinders can really give the starter motor a workout and they need to be replaced often. Heh...Not a good thing because I was also told that you can't get one in Nz.

[Drum]

Welcome to the site, and how about a picture of that special when you can.

[T.W.R]

An XV1000 Midnight Special is fairly rare, but not overly pricey. The Original XS1100 Midnight Special is the real rarity especially one of the 1st 200 built :msn-wink: legend has it that the gold plating was actually gold & not the gold chrome of later models

Have a read of this link

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=668567#post668567

There's a picture of a XV1000 Midnight Special on the top of the 1st page:niceone:

[Tintop_vendetta]

Aw sweet, cheers for the link dude found it very interesting. Will post some photos of the bike when I find my digi camera

[caseye]

Ya! another XV rider, at the price you've paid run man and don't look back.
The XV's run well and go hard for semi cruiser sport bikes.Pictures would be good.Make sure you replace all fluids and check drive train, Enclosed chain or shaft? before going to far. One thing with mine also check that the front brakes are working OK, the Hoses expand so much that the brakes don't work well at all.

[Edbear]

In addendum....I have been told that 1000cc's in just two cylinders can really give the starter motor a workout and they need to be replaced often. Heh...Not a good thing because I was also told that you can't get one in Nz.



The starter clutch has always been an issue with the v-twins right up to the Virago's. Otherwise a reliable bike. But check out if you can get one should you need to, they are getting scarce these days.

[kevfromcoro]

can u post a pic up....mate of mine had one these
nice looking bike

[martybabe]

Heres one o them old trucks for ya.:scooter: Oh and welcome aboard mate.

[SS_Savage]

Heya
I've gone and bought myself a real good bike mates rates style, and have no idea how much it's actually worth.

She's an 1983 Yamaha XV 1000 SE Midnight Special, done about 70 thou k's.
Anyone got a clue? It's in pretty good condition aside from a busted indicator.


Hi there, I think that most New Zealanders do not know what they have or do enough research into what they have when it comes to the Yamaha XV1000 Midnight Special and the 1983 one I have is rare to most because of the stamp on the engine that clearly states it's difference to being rare. My bike is the stamped 989cc engine where as most are the 920, this on it's own shows warrant to worth and most people do not know this!, it was something that the manufacturer did to make some of the bikes a little bit different to the rest and in doing so they made them more valuable without knowing it because they are few and far between and even more so if in original condition. In New Zealand there are a few around still and one on trademe that was bastardized up for sale for $17,000. My bike is turning 40 years old in three years time which means it is a classic bike and even more so because it is still going strong and wof & rego is live! therefore my price is what I have put on it because of these things at 20k not because it can beat a Harley off the mark but because to me it is worth as much as a old Harley!, the only reason Harley's are worth more is because of the popularity contest, hell I know people who fix Harley's more times than they are worth, you will never see us Yamaha fans do that and my bike sounds like a Harley too, after all is said it is a V-twin classic motorcycle and if that is the price I have put on mine then so be it because it is worth it and more so when it turns 40! $53 dollars a year rego, that's AWESOME

[caseye]

The ol Coal Burner is in fact a TR1, 1981 Jam Jar, designated an XV on the production plate for the Aussie market, where it was originally built. She did 117,000 K's on the Original chain (Enclosed, it was) The man at the chain makers in Avondale flexed it and said:"it'll do another 100,000 k's".
I exchanged it for another, of the exact same type for ($53.00, NZ Dollars, right here in Dorkland)
I've recently had a man with enough knowledge tell me she's worth upwards of 10K to the right person.
I'm waiting till shes another 2 years older and I can register her as a veteran (40 years) before I start riding her a lot more. Runs like a switch watch, every 3 - 6 months, when I take her around the block, you know Dorkland to Hammy an back, at least. Always warranted, on hold for rego, is all.
At this point in time she ain't for sale. I've owned her for over 20 yrs an have no intention of doing anymore than riding her (fully restored) wheels off, a lot more after 2021!
:baby:

[ellipsis]

...bit of a dredge...XV750 Yamaha motors are cool, heavy and indestructible...there ya go, my 750 cents worth...big dredge...2008...I looked younger then and didn't hurt as much...five bucks and two packets of chips...