Bike for an investment...

[doc]

bikes as an investment, waste of bloody time

Yup... some are getting their fingers burnt out there.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2007-...item4cef72d176

Bike had an MSRP of US$ 120,000 when it came out.

[Mudfart]

there are too many great builders making mint one offs, for example theres a huge aussie streetfighters club.
i reckon this market of unique builds has devalued any limited edition or game changing for the industry type bikes produced by factories.

[Katman]

there are too many great builders making mint one offs, for example theres a huge aussie streetfighters club.
i reckon this market of unique builds has devalued any limited edition or game changing for the industry type bikes produced by factories.

Custom built streetfighters will only ever be basket-cases worth more to the people who build them than anyone else.

[AllanB]

First edition Katana 1100 (high spec wire wheel one of course) will increase in value.

Z900's in original mint cond are gaining as are 1300/6 Hondas.

Grab a 740/4 Honda too while you can still afford them.

In some ways the modern market has altered and specialized too much to make them an investment - we now have categories for sports, naked, cruiser, touring etc. Back in the day the iconic stuff now was just bloody awsome when it arrived.

In the bike shop today ......... plenty worth buying to ride. Nothing inspires me as an investment.

[madbikeboy]

Of the new bikes available - answering your question:
Desmosidici (until I got to play with one I thought they were bollocks, now I understand they are the bollocks)
Confederate Wraith.

End. Of. List.

[Dodgyiti]

I would say race rep factory specials every time

Say if Max Biaggi won the SBK this year on the Aprillia and they released a limited run of Biaggi reps.
The Baylis Ducati from a few years back was a good investment, even better if he comes back to race next year. The Desmosideci would be another especially in Marboro trim and the MV 312 because it was the fastest bike on the road when released and low volume production

[Mort]

Depends on your budget but if you had lots to play with I'd invest in race bikes. .... they are available if you have the right contacts. One of Ben Spies R1s for instance or a Ten Kate Fireblade or CBR600RR or Haga's Duke etc. It would have to be from one of the sucessful teams..

[fuknKIWI]

Rare things rarely depreciate

If stored and maintained correctly.
You'll be needing a temperature and humidity controlled environment for it.
Carcoon or something like that is the name of the product, I believe they make bike cocoons too.
Back in the 90's i bought a bike as an "investment" it represented about 750 BHP shares, I should have left my money in BHP as the bike succumbed to the coastal atmosphere.
I realised a loss on the bike about 18 months ago due to adverse financial circumstances.
Having said that I wonder what a Britten V1000 is worth today if you could get the chance to bid on one?

[avgas]

I have done a couple.
Likewise my dad has some wise investments.
I purchased a GB400 for $2100 in 2001, sold it again in 2006 with the Km's of me riding it on top......for $3700. I think I spent about $500 cleaning it up.
Old man has a Triumph 3TA sitting in the shed right now, at one point he bought it back for $300. Its worth a bit more than that right now, even though its not assembled.
I am hoping the whole "Dues Ex Machina" rush will get me a good price for the SRX sitting in the shed, in a year. As the SRX has better running gear than the SR400 - but the Aussies didn't get it so they didn't know about it.

Likewise all those guys who bought RG500's...RZ500's..........must be laughing all the way to the bank now. Last one I saw was about 20 times brand new purchase price.

[Old Steve]

Such a bike needs to have been a benchmark in its time, have been produced in extremely limited numbers, and be able to be considered a piece of art as you wouldn't be riding it.

I think fuknKIWI made a worthwhile comment. The last bike I consider worthy of buying just for display would be a Britten V1000. Revolutionary, got race creds, looks like its going a zillion k/hr just sitting there.

Now getting your hands on one, that's the problem. Anyone got keys to Te Papa?

[crazyhorse]

Whatever bike I would buy, I would ride. After all, they're made for riding, not parking up in your shed for you to ogle at, but to be enjoyed

[fuknKIWI]

I think fuknKIWI made a worthwhile comment.

Haha there's plenty here who disagree cos I'm an idiot, but comuing from them I'll take it as a compliment...
seemy GST thread...

[peasea]

bikes as an investment, waste of bloody time

buy a bike to ride and enjoy it

no complaints about buying my XLCR though, its doubled in value since I bought it

would I sell it, no, not unless something that really took my fancy appeared

Ride and enjoy; too true. I know where there's an X75 Hurricane with something like 11 miles on it, can't wait to see it fired up but it'll probably smoke it's arse off and need rebuilding or at least a freshen up. Neat old machine though. The owner was offered big money for it by the British M/C Museum just before their big fire years ago. So glad he didn't sell.

[Bender]

If I was buying for long term resale I would first choose bikes that won't drop any further in value - bikes that are available in big numbers now, and are highly regarded. (Big numbers build the mystique and potential long term market). They would have to be good examples, preferably mint, and relativley cheap so i could unload them easily one at a time if I went tits-up financially.

I'd be looking for:-

Honda VFR 400 (great little bike, favourite of young guys and therefore an endangered species.) I'd have two or three of them.
Yamaha SR500. I tmay already be too late for this species as most of these have been butchered. Good ones are already appreciating rapidly, particularly with Dues "modifying" any they can get their hands on. Terrific bike, just fun to be aboard one.
Honda XR500 - I hear great things about these bikes though i have never ridden one.
Honda Bros (Hawk). I'd grab a couple of good ones of this bike. It has a big reputation - you could drive the value of these by promoting a one-design race class. That would both create a market and drive the price of straight ones up (cycnical eh?)
Honda TT - 500 or 600 - I think these will appreciate well. Readily available now and cheap-as to buy. Two of these.
Suzuki RM250 & 400 - already appreciating. Simply two of the best MX bikes ever. You won't lose money on a couple of these

Another bike that would be well worth buying in New Zealand would be an RC51. I've seen a showroom condition one offered for $17,000. I know they are not the most popular of Honda's RC series but hell, they are homologation bikes produced by HRC and that's a bloody cheap buy in price for an RC. Definitely increase in value.

You could grab a stack of these bikes for the price of one Biaggi replica Aprilia and in 10 years time I reckon the value off each bike would have doubled. (Or maybe not). There are issues of storage etc - but you'd have a great stable of bikes to thrash from time to time...

[fuknKIWI]

Ride and enjoy; too true. I know where there's an X75 Hurricane with something like 11 miles on it, can't wait to see it fired up but it'll probably smoke it's arse off and need rebuilding or at least a freshen up. Neat old machine though. The owner was offered big money for it by the British M/C Museum just before their big fire years ago. So glad he didn't sell.

I once owned one of the 2 original Hurricanes that came into NZ. Had it for 5 years & was glad to be shot of it.
Got hit by some fucker who went through a red light, blew it up racing a Mach 4 Kwaka restored it & sold if for double my money.