Prices of new bikes in the 70s

[Grumph]

Slightly off topic - in '73 a Suzuki fronte car, 500cc triple, fan cooled, $1860 from Manchester Fiat across the road from Tommy's....

Quicker and more reliable than a Mini - and about 1/3 the price too.

[ktm84mxc]

Here's what I can remember
TS125n 1979 $1295
PE175 n 1979 $1995
TS185er t 1980 $1595
GT250 X7 1981 $2695
Kawa KLX250a1 $2695
PE250x 1981 $2895
DR250s 1980 $2300
PE175z 1982 $2695
KDX 250 1983 $3800
KTM 250mxc 1984 $6300
GSX400F 1982 $3600
GSXR400R 1984 $5995

Back in late 70's a GS1000e could be had for $3995 including on road costs. Up till 84 bike prices were cheap compared to car prices, some of the bikes on trade me are advertised for more then they cost new.

[Johny Brando]

I spoke to the original owner of my 1974 R90s and he says it was $4400 new , compared to a CB 750/4 at $2000.
I did a Google search and the average hourly wage was about $2.00.
In todays money $4400 would be $36727
( yes its quiet in the office today)

Anyone have new bike prices from those years for comparison?
My Mum bought a new Holden Premier in Orchid with a 253 V8 in 1975 and it was $5500.

Can only relate to UK Pounds being an English man & living in London then....so you'll have to do the time - $ conversion rate ! BUT in the UK in 1975 I bought a new 750 Honda 4 ( K-2 model ) it was 790.00 pounds ride away ! & a Z1B Kwacker was 1370.00 ride away .......I wanted the Z1B but at nearly twice the price it wasn't gunna happen .... my wages then = about 60 pounds a week but got one a couple of years later though & it was Twice the bike & well worth the money )
Cheers, Johny Brando

[jasonu]

Here's what I can remember
TS125n 1979 $1295
PE175 n 1979 $1995
TS185er t 1980 $1595
GT250 X7 1981 $2695
Kawa KLX250a1 $2695
PE250x 1981 $2895
DR250s 1980 $2300
PE175z 1982 $2695
KDX 250 1983 $3800
KTM 250mxc 1984 $6300
GSX400F 1982 $3600
GSXR400R 1984 $5995

Back in late 70's a GS1000e could be had for $3995 including on road costs. Up till 84 bike prices were cheap compared to car prices, some of the bikes on trade me are advertised for more then they cost new.

A few years later but add in the Impulse for around $4200 was a total bargain. Lots of them were snapped up by couriers.

[RoscoP]

Bought in 1979 for $4,500.00 Repayments were $55.00 per week and I was earning $110.00 per week after tax. After paying Mum $30.00 per week board I had $25.00 left which was enough for 1 tank of gas and a couple of burgers. I thought I was pretty well off for a 17 year old as most of my mates were riding their push bikes or had incredibly clapped out old 50's cars (not chevy's)
My surfing buddy had an old humber 80 which rarely made it from Pukekohe to Kariotahi without breaking down. The GS1000 was my third bike and I am on my 11th bike now (inc 10 years of no bike in the 90's)
One of my old riding buddies still has his original Kawasaki KZ1300 Which he has owned from brand new in about '83

[SPman]

1970 Suzuki T250-IISS - $849
1972 Kawasaki S2 - $1149 (I think)
1973 Ducati GT750 - $2470 - Henry Brothers, Cambridge - paid $800 deposit in May after the S2 had shit itself once again, then had to wait until end of November before the sodding thing came in. With the Henry boys later reputation, I suppose I was lucky to get one at all........
1973 Ducati 750 Sport - $2700 - with a top fairing, Auckland motorcycles in K road - they also had a superb Rickman Trident they wanted $2700 for in 1974.
1974 Ducati 750 SS - $4200

A mate paid $2200 for the first Z1.

oh yeah - 1966 Yamaha YL1 100 twin was 89 pound ten shillings ($179) and a Bonneville T120 was 420 quid ($840) (one of the mechanics at W White Yamaha, in Newmarket had a brand new one

[slofox]

1974. Benelli Supersport 250cc single: $1200 brand new. As below, 'cept mine was green.

[Max Headroom]

I spoke to the original owner of my 1974 R90s and he says it was $4400 new , compared to a CB 750/4 at $2000.
I did a Google search and the average hourly wage was about $2.00.
In todays money $4400 would be $36727
( yes its quiet in the office today)

Anyone have new bike prices from those years for comparison?
My Mum bought a new Holden Premier in Orchid with a 253 V8 in 1975 and it was $5500.

I've just looked up a pricelist from Jensen Motors Ltd in Newmarket dated 1/9/1975 and it's quite interesting to see that the R90S had jumped to $6,350.

The BMW 3.0S auto (E3) in my shed was NZ new, and according to the same Jensen Motors pricelist the car had a retail price as at 1/9/75 of $22,766 . . . . .

[Voltaire]

Speaking to British Spares this morning and he bought an 850 Commando from Weston Web for $2200 in 1974, traded in his Combat that had earlier done the bottom end at 5000mls ....like most of them.

[T.W.R]

May 1980 Two Wheels test listings with the prices at time of test