Ironhead Will Our Bikes ever be Worth Anything?

[brucstoudt]

[QUOTE=Ferrous Head;597993 Honda Monkey Bikes[/QUOTE]

Gold Wings?

[Kingrabbit]

I agree the run of the mill IH will never appeal to the masses. Even the average HD riding drone today thinks of it as a girls bike.
The IH will remain what it is: honest and accessible wheels. And cool.

[Toejam503]

Originally Posted by rejeanprimeau

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

Hahahaha, I remember that!

[Ferrous Head]

Originally Posted by rejeanprimeau

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

That salesman hadn't counted on the Feds handing out free money.

With normal (2 -3%) int rest rates he would have been correct. Inflation over time makes everything look more expensive. But in relative terms they often aren't.

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by Iron Mike

You selling your car??

Me? Never happen. And, believe me, I've been offered stupid money for it. As a like minded buddy likes to say, it would have to be "life changing" money. Because, well, giving it up would change my life, as would giving up my Ironhead. No one has ever offered me "life changing" money for either.

I'm happy where I am, don't need money, and thoroughly enjoy my eclectic collection of old machines. Each one speaks to me in a different way, each one sings a different song. None are for sale, at any price.

I just hope my sons are still able to enjoy them after I'm gone. The world will be a different place when one can no longer hear the distinctive rumble of our old Ironheads, nor the staccato wail of an air cooled flat six. And I feel a certain obligation to keep those sounds alive for as long as I am able.

[rokytnji]

Looking at this Sunday for parts bike since nothing really matches. Though I see a kidney tank and drum brake front end in the pics.



Should be more than 800 bucks worth of parts there. Typical description.

I bought it to rebuild it but don’t have time have all the parts to put it back together

Says it has a title. Wonder what it says. Will find out Sunday. Edit: advertised as a 1972.

[brucstoudt]

^^^ it's later than '72.likely'79 or so.

[rokytnji]

I already mentioned that to the seller. Acted like he hadn't heard me.

Will see what is what when I arrive there. Price of used parts on ebay kinda drove me to this.

Don't know about you guys but OEM parts are getting expensive out here

So the bikes may not be worth nothing. Or maybe not? Time will tell.

[Magneto Sportster]

The nicest, most original, and rarest examples will always be "worth something." For example, I have an all-original 1969 XLCH that came from the original owner with a little over 4,000 original miles. It also still wears it's original paint in a color that was custom ordered for 1969 and have the receipt to prove it was ordered in that color. I wouldn't sell that bike for $15k if someone offered it to me.

Customized bikes will always have the least value unless you happen to find someone with the exact same taste as you.

It's not different that knuckleheads.

[Ferrous Head]

The bikes will always be worth something.

What sometimes drives people nuts is the prices that some bikes seem to have increased in value much faster and much higher than an Ironhead.

But the common variety 1960's Ironhead is akin to the 1960's base model Mustang. Cheap, entry level transport. Not ye rarefied "One of One" Purple 426 Plymouth that sold for 5 million ten years ago.

The real value in these bikes is the memories attached to them by the owners.

Just be thankful that when someone with more money than sense buys your beloved bike that they don't get the memories that you retain. Not transferable.