Another motorcycle.... Couldn't resist!

[kx250rider]

As I've said in previous threads, I have a couple of vintage Japanese sport bikes, which I now am nearly afraid to ride due to parts non-availability... So I found this Yamaha R1 on CL yesterday, and it's an emergency sale (about 50% of book value)!!!!! Going to go get it later this morning. It sat for 2 years, and got gummed up fuel system and dead battery. Looking forward to (hopefully) a basic fuel system cleanout, fluids, battery, and pay some back taxes on it, and away I ride! No more worry about a stone chip in a fairing that you can't replace.

Charles

(photo is from the Internet, but identical year, model & color)

 

[Sandy G]

Do you ride that thing...Or does IT ride YOU ?!? (grin)

 

[John James]

kx, you sound like a friend of mine. He had 15 or 16 motorcycles of various kinds and I offered to buy a dirt bike from him. He said, "John, you don't sell motorcycles.... you buy motorcycles!" :yes:

 

[kx250rider]

I got it home yesterday! Played with my new toy until wife said time to come in... I haven't started it yet, as it had bad gas in the tank, and terrible sludgy oil. Changed all that, and today I need to change the plugs and at least open up and clean the carburetors. I suspect it probably will need a few things I don't yet know of, but considering I'd NEVER have justified paying the going price for one of these R1s in turn-key condition, this is a great opportunity for me to have it and have a little fun working on it.

kx, you sound like a friend of mine. He had 15 or 16 motorcycles of various kinds and I offered to buy a dirt bike from him. He said, "John, you don't sell motorcycles.... you buy motorcycles!" :yes:

If you count all the bikes that my wife brought up from her family's old place in Laredo, I think we're at 13 motorcycles... As far as rideable street-legal ones with insurance and tags current; My Yamaha V-Max and Honda VF1000R (both 1985), and my wife's DR650. As far as dirt bikes; my KX250 and her KX100, and an old CR125 we got on CL because it was cheap, and it was there... Also in the barn and storage here & there, in various states of repair/disrepair: 1974 Husqvarna 250, 197x Kawasaki 125 4-stroke dual sport, 2 early-90s CR125s, a '93 KX80-105 big wheel, and probably one I'm forgetting. Then I have another Honda VF1000R (topic of recent thread), which has 291 original miles. Not roadworthy yet, as it sat for 24 years. And I should mention a "spare" '98 Yamaha V-Max, which I bought wrecked for parts. And yesterday's Yamaha R1 .

Please don't ask about the fleet of Toyota Diesels....

Charles

 

[mikethebike]

As I've said in previous threads, I have a couple of vintage Japanese sport bikes, which I now am nearly afraid to ride due to parts non-availability... So I found this Yamaha R1 on CL yesterday, and it's an emergency sale (about 50% of book value)!!!!! Going to go get it later this morning. It sat for 2 years, and got gummed up fuel system and dead battery. Looking forward to (hopefully) a basic fuel system cleanout, fluids, battery, and pay some back taxes on it, and away I ride! No more worry about a stone chip in a fairing that you can't replace.

Charles

(photo is from the Internet, but identical year, model & color)

Are parts getting hard to find for these bikes? Since I don't ride them I have no first hand knowledge. All I know is when I needed a new transmission for my 1977 XLCH, with 187,000 miles on the clock, Pete Hill installed a new close-ratio unit for about $975.00 last year.
Last time I checked I can still buy a NEW Panhead engine from S&S Cycle, it's not inexpensive, but it is available.:thmbsp:

 

[krowmagnum]

Are parts getting hard to find for these bikes? Since I don't ride them I have no first hand knowledge. All I know is when I needed a new transmission for my 1977 XLCH, with 187,000 miles on the clock, Pete Hill installed a new close-ratio unit for about $975.00 last year.
Last time I checked I can still buy a NEW Panhead engine from S&S Cycle, it's not inexpensive, but it is available.:thmbsp:

The new aftermarket parts availability for older jap bikes is nowhere near what is is for Harleys. Probably because the resale value is much less on the imports.

 

[stereofanboy]

The new aftermarket parts availability for older jap bikes is nowhere near what is is for Harleys. Probably because the resale value is much less on the imports.

Maybe the resale value is less partly because parts aren't available.

 

[HandyHamlet]

Posts edited or deleted out of respect to the OP.


Congrats on the new acquisition.

:thmbsp:

 

[whoaru99]

The new aftermarket parts availability for older jap bikes is nowhere near what is is for Harleys. Probably because the resale value is much less on the imports.

You just park it in the weeds and get a different one. The jap bikes aren't sold on legacy and an implied promise of future value and indefinite repairability. That's why I can buy a new, zero miles Kawasaki Vulcan with a 125 cu in v-twin engine, 140 lb torque, and 116hp for almost exactly half of what a comparable Harley (that has a smaller, less powerful engine) costs.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Harley, they're nice bikes, I'm just saying they're marketed and sold and supported generally under completely different premises. That's part of the big price difference.

 

[mikethebike]

Maybe the resale value is less partly because parts aren't available.

I don't think that is the reason. People actually WANT old Harleys and are willing to pay the price for the right bike whereas the Jap bikes are always the latest-greatest whatever and let's face it, they just don't have the heritage that Harley, BMW, Moto-Guzzi, Ducati and the British bikes have. If you want to see an outrageous price on a bike look for a Vincent Black Shadow. That'll make stereo equipment look cheap by comparison!

 

[JimJ[VT]]

I don't think that is the reason. People actually WANT old Harleys and are willing to pay the price for the right bike whereas the Jap bikes are always the latest-greatest whatever and let's face it, they just don't have the heritage that Harley, BMW, Moto-Guzzi, Ducati and the British bikes have. If you want to see an outrageous price on a bike look for a Vincent Black Shadow. That'll make stereo equipment look cheap by comparison!

As AK shows all too well, there are collectors for pretty much anything out there.

 

[JimJ[VT]]

First-year CB750s (the ones with the sandcast engines) also sell for a fair chunk of change.

 

[mikethebike]

Sooooooo.....

The Z1 Kwaka that sold a few years ago for $20,000+ didn't happen?





Hate to break it to you guys but the world of motorcycles is a lot bigger than you think.

:thmbsp:

You mean the ONE that sold for that? Look back about 3 years and a 1965/66 Mustang GT-350 CLONE went for something like $325,000.00 at Barrett's. Would you pay that for a Mustang CLONE? Didn't think so. Hell, I could have bought a REAL 289 cid COBRA that year for about $260,000.00. I just never go by one sale of something being indicative of the whole lot.
Do 1962 Ferrarri 250-GTO's sell for $13,000,000.00 like the one that a Japanese guy bought back in the early 90's or is $2,000,000.00 a more accurate measure of what one is worth? It is a known fact for well over 50 years that a Harley will hold it's resale better than any other bike that is not a 1-off collector only item. That's just the way it is. I don't see it changing any time soon. :yes:

 

[Cogito]

You just park it in the weeds and get a different one. The jap bikes aren't sold on legacy and an implied promise of future value and indefinite repairability. That's why I can buy a new, zero miles Kawasaki Vulcan with a 125 cu in v-twin engine, 140 lb torque, and 116hp for almost exactly half of what a comparable Harley (that has a smaller, less powerful engine) costs.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Harley, they're nice bikes, I'm just saying they're marketed and sold and supported generally under completely different premises. That's part of the big price difference.

H-D has many models for under $10k, allowing people to partake in the H-D mystique for a relatively minimal investment. However, it is my opinion that dollar for dollar, Japanese bikes offer more technology, better build quality and higher performance overall.

As for value retention, Yamaha/Star compare very favorably with H-D in this respect. Of course, few bikes have retained their values like old H-D knuckle, shovel and pan heads of yesteryear, but that's because of their relative rarity, not quality.

 

[whoaru99]

H-D has many models for under $10k, allowing people to partake in the H-D mystique for a relatively minimal investment. However, it is my opinion that dollar for dollar, Japanese bikes offer more technology, better build quality and higher performance overall.

As for value retention, Yamaha/Star compare very favorably with H-D in this respect. Of course, few bikes have retained their values like old H-D knuckle, shovel and pan heads of yesteryear, but that's because of their relative rarity, not quality.

Yeah, the base model. But, by the time you add the same level of farkles (bags, chrome, driver and passenger floorboards, windshield and lowers, forward controls, two-up seat ("real" two-up, not the little 4x4 pad) with thick padded backrest, etc, etc.) that the Vulcan came with stock, you're not at the <$10K model anymore.

 

[70salesguy]

And it is breaking the bank as well!

One day last year, while out for a little ride on my 32 year-old Harley Davidson FXE-1200, I noticed a rattle. When I got home, I gave the motorcycle a good look and found that the grommet that is used where the chainguard mounts to the frame was pretty much shot, allowing the chainguard to vibrate and rattle.

I pulled out my trusty Service Manual, which I bought shortly after purchasing the motorcycle in 1977, and looked up the part number. I then called down to my local H-D Dealer and asked if they had that part in stock. They said no, they would have to order it, and would have it the next day.

So the next afternoon I dropped by the H-D Dealer to pick up the part. It was 96 cents, plus tax.

I tell you, this difficulty with getting parts for a (then) 32 year motorcycle is killing me!

 

[Deuce]

Well it is a KNOWN fact ... :yes:

That the JAP bike guys claim to like theirs and US Harley guys like ours.

But a whole LOT of current Harley owners ...
Used to be JAP bike owners ...

The cross-over ratio from JAP bike ownership to Harley ownership is vastly higher than the other way ...

I had a Honda ... almost 40 years ago.
I wanted a Harley but bought what I could afford at the time. :thmbsp:

Later, I was in better financial shape and bought a HARLEY.
I later even sold it to MIKETHEBIKE ...

Had motorcycles since ( off and on for 35 years ) and always had HARLEYS

Had two FXSTDI's ( the Deuce ) since 2001.

My good friend has a Kaw ... Z-10 and he has had LOTS of problems with it and the dealer NEVER has any parts for it without a 2 to 3 week wait.

....................

 

[whoaru99]

:

Later, I was in better financial shape and bought a HARLEY.

Always comes down to money for one reason or another. Whether it's because you want to buy one and can't so you settle for something else, or had the money and did because that's what you wanted (or gave in peer pressure), or simply chose not to spend that kind of coin on a cycle.

 

[gearhound]

While I've ridden British and Japanese bikes all my life........

A guy down the street was selling a fully restored 1948 Knucklehead for $8,500.

If I'd only had the money...............................................

Steve

 

[70salesguy]

Always comes down to money for one reason or another. Whether it's because you want to buy one and can't so you settle for something else, or had the money and did because that's what you wanted (or gave in peer pressure), or simply chose not to spend that kind of coin on a cycle.

When I bought my FXE-1200 back in 1977, I paid $3962 for it. Everybody that I worked with at the time said I was crazy to spend that kind of money for a motorcycle. For a reference here, a co-worker of mine spent $3800 and bought a brand new 1976 Stepside 6-cylinder Chevrolet Pick-up.

Now it's 33 years later, and that same 1977 FXE-1200 is appraised at $10,000. My insurance company requires that it be appraised every 3 years in order to insure it for the "true market value".

Who's laughing now?