Ironhead Will Our Bikes ever be Worth Anything?

[Jeff]

I recently received my latest edition of the Hagerty insurance magazine. I was absolutely gobsmacked to see their valuation on Knuckleheads. Their "#1 condition" - essentially a full concours level bike - is valued at over $140k. Even their #4 condition, essentially all there but really sad, is valued at over $30k.

Cheese and rice - when did that happen? How did that happen? I mean, we used to feel sorry for the guys who were stuck with those things because they couldn't afford anything newer. And we hated riding with them, because it limited the kinds of roads we could take, and we were always waiting for them. Or wrenching on them on the side of the road.

What is the very best, most desirable Ironhead worth these days? Not the super rare, special edition, special configuration "unicorns", but just representative examples of desirable years?

[joe s]

Haggerty doesn't list Ironheads?

[kitabel]

As they say at Sotheby's "the value of a thing is what it will bring".
Used motorcycles have no inherent worth beyond transportation.
The more foolish the public, the higher the price goes.
When people want used Sportsters, they'll be worth money. Don't count on it.

[Ferrous Head]

In the market place the laws of supply and demand hold true.

The made 41,000 Knuckleheads. I have no idea of the total number of Sportsters ever built. But I am pretty sure you'll find that number dwarfs 41,000.

And a new 1940 Knuckle head price in 1940 would have been a large part of a working man;s salary for a year. The Sportster was always meant to be a cheap alternative to the big twins. And so, has been seen as a "cheap' bike.

The Knucklehead looks like an old, vintage bike. Which it is. There are no modern versions of it. The Sportster by comparison looks much more modern. Which it is.

Later versions of the mass produced Sportsters are unlikely to ever become collectors items for the same reason souvenirs from Disneyland haven't.

[rejeanprimeau]

How about the salesman pitch, that 2003 bike will double in price every ten years?

[rokytnji]

Flathead 45's were also mass produced for years but go for a pretty penny out here.

Kinda hard to break the sportster undependable mindset as it has been nurtured for decades.

Then. Metal seems more collectable than plastic.

Then we have chopper and keep it original in-fights. Some guys chop their bikes for what ever reason and boom. " You'll shoot your eye kid. Keep it original .
I don't sweat the collectable issue out here.
If it is harley and not unreasonable pricing .
It'll sell out here.

Hell. Mecum auctions must be suffering. Ever since I signed in to look at a sportster.
My gmail account stays full.

[mrmom9r]

The only ones holding much value are '69 and older and their

value is restricted by the fact that most people old enough to

care about them can't start them anymore.

Knuckles are more valuable because so few riders are left

that remember how marginal they were as transportation.

[sungod]

I have a friend who restores AMF only sportsters and they sell for +10k.
No kickers or mods totally stock. Original sells best (no different than cars). Fact is bikes like the 70-71 Boatail or the 77-78xlcr fair better than most. Ugly or rare has a market (like a cult following).

[John Harper]

Isn't there a Mecum motorcycle auction at the end of January?

John

[Akdawg]

Used to be I'd buy panhead parts from someone they wouldn't let you go unless you took the boxes of 45 parts just to get rid of them. Now 45's are pretty pricey. I agree the Sportys that are worth anything are pre 69, seems the kids nowdays don't want to have anything to do with anything that requires a kick to start, blame it on instant gratification generated by computers