Ironhead Will Our Bikes ever be Worth Anything?

[84rzv500r]

I'd rather ride it every day and enjoy my $ than worry if its worth anything... I didn't buy my sportsters as an investment... I don't think I own anything that is all original

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by 84rzv500r

I'd rather ride it every day and enjoy my $ than worry if its worth anything... I didn't buy my sportsters as an investment... I don't think I own anything that is all original

A man after my own heart. I buy bikes and cars to ride and drive, and modify them as I see fit to improve their performance. My Sportster (that I've been playing with since 1980) has been modified to suit my tastes and riding style, with no consideration whatsoever given to its "value". To anyone other than me, anyway.

I plan on dying with this bike as the last one in my possession, so it really doesn't matter to me its "value". I have not gone so far as to have done anything "irreversible" so, if it comes to that, my sons could easily return it to "stock" (appearing, anyway) if any difference in "value" warrants doing so. Unfortunately (for them), that appears as though it will never be an issue.

I do have one other motorized passion in which this has, very much, reared its ugly head. Old 911's. I've been driving and modifying these little cars for as long as I have been doing so with my motorcycles. 20 years ago, when I bought what has now proven to be my "last" example, these were $8,000 cars. So I did what I always did - gutted it, cut it up, irreversibly modified it into another race car. Now, in the intervening 20 some odd years, "values" have skyrocketed. This car, if it were still "original", would be worth 20-30 times what I paid for it. Insanity.

Not that that means anything because, like my other possessions, it's just going to one of my sons when I can't drive it anymore. But boy, I tell you, I have suffered an endless parade of Porsche enthusiasts and "collectors" that mince no words in telling me how I "ruined" a very "collectible" car. In the end, I guess, I'm glad I don't have to hear that about my bikes. And, well, I've long since learned to ignore them regarding my cars as well.

So, yeah, I build them for my enjoyment. I've put over 200,000 miles on both of these machines (yes, the car remains "street legal" ). There are "newer, better, faster, more modern" examples of both readily available. I could sell either tomorrow and get the latest and greatest example of either. I know I'm "preaching to the choir" - I don't have to explain to you guys why that will never happen...

[Ferrous Head]

I have been very grateful for the fact that IH's have not skyrocketed in value.

If they had become like Vincents they would have suffered the same fate. Collectied by "collectors" who for the most part are purely interested in their future value. They become static displays, locked away inside a rich man's house. Owned by people who have no idea about the internal workings, foibles, unique designs or any thing else.

If I had 5 Vincents someone would have offerred me so much money I would nor have no bikes at all. Unless of course I "downsized" to a humble IH.

[rokytnji]

Originally Posted by John Harper

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

John

January 24 -28 in Las Vegas. A henderson is being featured in my inbox.
Our bikes may not be pricey. But the parts sure are lately.

[Ferrous Head]

Auction prices.

My brother took a Custom Moto Guzzi Le Mans to the Los Vegas Auction a few years back.

I didn't go but watched on my computer. Things looked "surreal" as people were bidding Honda Monkey Bikes up over $6,000. Seriously.

But I had a bad feeling when a new, in the crate, Bimota DB1 (Ducati engined Bimota) went for $11,000. He got $18,000 for the Guzzi. About 3 Monkey bikes worth.

God knows what a Clown Car would pull at that auction. 2 million ? 50 cents ?

[Iron Mike]

You selling your car??

[MODO SIKLER]

Rich old white guys do this type of ~worth/value~ to so many things these days. Glass cases filled with Big Muff Pi (guitar thing) stompboxes that no one will ever hear again since they've become prestige items. Glass cases to show off their collections of old Les Pauls ... hording those instruments' voices so that no one will ever hear them again.

All to similar to the main character in the old movie called Citizen Kane. When he died, all of his almighty possessions went up in smoke as workers tossed them into the incinerator. The movie rolling end credits while the wide shot of the smoke stack emitting a stream of black smoke that was his beloved material possessions. His identity going up in smoke right along with his goodies. Once his collections were destroyed so then was he. Nothing left but smoke.


You cain't give idiots money!

[Ferrous Head]

Do you think perhaps your last uttered word won't be "Rosebud" but "Ironhead" ?

[kitabel]

Hollywood didn't like Hearst, hence the film. Wells plays the person he thinks he is in the film.
Especially vicious: Kane's wife is an idiot who wants to sing opera but has no talent, a sad and pathetic figure.
In real life, Heart's companion was the brilliant actress, former "Ziegfeld Follies" star, comedienne, and philanthropist Marion Davies.

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by Ferrous Head

I have been very grateful for the fact that IH's have not skyrocketed in value.

If they had become like Vincents they would have suffered the same fate. Collectied by "collectors" who for the most part are purely interested in their future value. They become static displays, locked away inside a rich man's house. Owned by people who have no idea about the internal workings, foibles, unique designs or any thing else.

If I had 5 Vincents someone would have offerred me so much money I would nor have no bikes at all. Unless of course I "downsized" to a humble IH.

Originally Posted by MODO SIKLER

Rich old white guys do this type of ~worth/value~ to so many things these days. Glass cases filled with Big Muff Pi (guitar thing) stompboxes that no one will ever hear again since they've become prestige items. Glass cases to show off their collections of old Les Pauls ... hording those instruments' voices so that no one will ever hear them again.

All to similar to the main character in the old movie called Citizen Kane. When he died, all of his almighty possessions went up in smoke as workers tossed them into the incinerator. The movie rolling end credits while the wide shot of the smoke stack emitting a stream of black smoke that was his beloved material possessions. His identity going up in smoke right along with his goodies. Once his collections were destroyed so then was he. Nothing left but smoke.


You cain't give idiots money!

This is exactly what I've seen play out over the last 20-some-odd years with my beloved old 911's. Formerly attainable by a working man (if he knew how to work on them), now completely out of reach for all but the wealthy. We used to see 30-40 car fields at our vintage races, easy, and not just 911's. E Types, Big Healys, and on and on.

Now most are parked, never to "sing their song" ever again. Languishing in collections, wherein the only numbers that matter are "numbers matching". "Our" numbers used to be camshaft timing, compression ratios, gear sets, and lap times.

Screw it. I'm heading out to ride the Sportster... Just got back from breakfast in the 911 with our few remaining like minded people.