Prices of new bikes in the 70s

[Voltaire]

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.

[HenryDorsetCase]

In 1988 when I was earning quite good money for the time ($36k/yr maybe) a brand new GB400TT Mk 2 was $4299 brand spankers. First new bike I ever bought. I loved that thing.

[Jantar]

What I can remember

Suzuki
1971 T125 stinger $549
1972 GT250R $699
1973 GT380K $999 (Next year they dropped to $899)
1975 RE5M $2799
1976 GT750A $1999

Honda
1972 SL125 $599
1973 CB500 $1299
1974 CB750 $1799
1975 GL1000 $2499

Kawasaki
1973 S1 250 $749
1975 Z900 $2399

Yamaha
1973 RD250 $749

I can't recall any figures for BMW back then, but I don't think they were more expensive than the Gold Wing.

[ellipsis]

...when I dig out my scrapbook for way back then, where I have all the brochures and newspaper adds for around the 70,71 period I could probably tell you how much McLeary's wanted as deposit and payment per week...it still felt like a whole heap of cash at the time...my basic wage then was about 13 or 14 bucks a week as an apprentice...it made my dream of a new 400F just that, a dream...

[Corse1]

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.

No bikes but remember when my parents bought a brand new HQ Kingswood in 1974 for $4000. Crazy car to learn to drive in. It was the Orchid pink colour too

[HenryDorsetCase]

No bikes but remember when my parents bought a brand new HQ Kingswood in 1974 for $4000. Crazy car to learn to drive in. It was the Orchid pink colour too

I learnt to drive in my old man's HQ too. 202 three stg auto "luxury". Its rare to see a tidy one these days. Actually its rare to see them at all. His was the bronzy metallic brown colour. Not dark brown more golden brown.

[T.W.R]

1975 US prices

Honda

CB400F $1433
CB750K5 $2099
MT-250K1 $999
XL-250K2 $1090
XL-350K1 $1166

Kawasaki

250 S-1 $1018
400 S-3 $1197
500 H-1 $1519
750 H-2 $1700+
900 Z-1 $2475
KX 250 $1216

Suzuki

GT 380 Sebring $1295
GT 550 Indy $1635
GT 750 LeMans $2145
RE-5 $2475
T-500 Titan $1175
TM-250 Champion $1175
TS-400 Apache $1230

Yamaha

RD-250 $1099
RD-350 $1211
XS 650B $1899
DT-250 $1229
MX-400 $1486

BMW

R75/6 $2950
R90/6 $3195
R90S $3695

Benelli

500 Quattro $2875
750 Sei $3995

Norton

Commando 850 Roadster/Interstate $2895

Triumph

Trident T160 $2870

Laverda

750SF $2863
750SFC $3520
1000 3CL $ 3900

[Stylo]

I bought 3 brand new bikes in the 70s

1976 Honda XL125 $1025
1977 Honda XL350 $1995
1979 Honda XL500 $2650

New DT360A in Geneva green ( the only colour available) back in '74/5 was around $1250

[Motu]

No young guys paid cash for a bike back then, it was 1/3 deposit and ride out the door. I think my CT2 in 1972 was around $700. In '73 I had short listed some bikes, and had cash in my pocket for the deposit. I think the TS400 was about $1200, and the Ducati 450 Scrambler $1600, but I wanted handling, and was going for the Triumph Trophy Trail at $1800 because it had the BSA frame. Got distracted by something else that didn't need monthly payments. Just as well, at 20, I'd have wrecked it pretty quick.

[MVnut]

Kawasaki H1A $1349, H2 $1789, Z1 $2245 I still have Laurie Summers (Count Sumeruga) original sales ads and brochures

[MD]

In 1988 when I was earning quite good money for the time ($36k/yr maybe) a brand new GB400TT Mk 2 was $4299 brand spankers. First new bike I ever bought. I loved that thing.

Get out of here! I also bought a new GB400TT in 87 and yes, it was something like $4,200 from memory.

[AllanB]

Paid $3,999 for a brand new 750 twin Kawa in 1983.

closest modern comparison would be the W800 at $12k or Triumph Bonnie at $14k.

[pete376403]

72 Kawasaki F9 (Bighorn) $1169 - which was a bit of a stretch on apprentice wages of $21 pw.

WRT the 1/3 deposit, one shop I knew of got around that by telling the finance co (Broadlands in this case) that the bike cost was 1/3 higher than it really was and that the shop had already got the deposit so the Broadlands ended up covering the whole amount and the purchaser got the bike for no deposit. Completely illegal of course, but the shop moved a shit load of bikes.

And the very first CB750 I saw at Lawton & Boyle was $1999

[TLDV8]

A 1976 RM125S was $1337 from Colemans in 'K road.
79 RM125T was around $2200 same as a XR500.

Who would have thought......
H2B was $1600 from Mollers in 1980.
Last H2A was $700,the one before $1700 < seemed a little to much at the time but picked up a $700 Lotto strike on the way home with it.
73 Ducati 750 GT in the mid 1990's for $3500.
1964 1/2 427 low riser for $1000 in 1985.
68 big block (S code) Mustang fastback $5600 in 1980.

[gammaguy]

Bought a brand new Suzuki GT250EN(X7)

September 1979

Wellington motorcycle centre Kent terrace,sold to me by Steve Dundon,I wanted one because I saw Robert Holden racing one

Cost...$1995

Great times