Topic: "Get while the gettin's good." Is the Gettin' no longer good?

[GroovieGhoulie]

SOHC fours exceeded the "Standard" of $1 per cc a while ago, and with the recent exposure of Carpy and the 750 Cafes, do you guys think the cheap bike days are nearly over and we are on the cusp of a "Japanese Cafe Craze"?

Hey, I love being in on a trend long before everyone else and all, but really, come on!!!!  I am SOOO scared that prices are going to climb to astronomical levels quite soon and put decent SOHC Fours out of the reach of the common working man (me).

I mean look at eBay and cycletrader and such.  750s have gotten ridiculous.  EVERYONE seems to need one.  It's a seller's market.  My beloved 400F is also suffering from being found desirable and prices are up there as well.  There are still deals to be had on 500s and 550s, as maybe they are "undiscovered" as of right now. 

By "Deal" I mean a low-mile, well-cared for, excellent-condition, all factory bike for $1000 or less.  I really think those days, (with the rare exception) are done.  What do you guys think?

I want two 750s, one to have as a stocker and one to cafe, and I really don't think I am going to be able to get them cheap.  And that pisses me off.

[sparty]

Locally, two guys just sold their CB750s for $1400 and $1600 and both will need work.  I got mine for $800 and thought that was high, but some guy offered the seller $1000.  Lucky for me, we shook on the deal before that offer came in.

[putnaja1]

As much as I love my 550, I don't think there is too much risk in the market going nuts and paying $$$$$ for these bikes..  The reason?  In my opinion, look at what else you can get for not too much money!  If prices went up too much, I'd buy an old CBR Hurricane or F2 instead.  Also GPZ's are out there, Ninjas and older ZX-6's, GSXR projects (plenty of them wrecked I'll bet), there are a bunch of DOHC CB's around, Yamaha FJ1200's, etc.  There's so many good bikes, and all the kids only are interested in the newest plastic models..  Older guys like older bikes, but not as many older guys getting bikes as younger guys would be my guess..  I don't think it will get to the point where supply will not meet demand.

Ebay is a great place to look, but it's also where the folks that want that ONE specific model come to shop, and they're ready to pay top $$$ for it.  Look in the newspaper, or at the yard sales, and you'll probably find an old CB for next to nothing.  Although- have you guys seen the outrageous prices people have been paying for '70's muscle cars!     Now that is CRAZY!

[tsflstb]

Here's what I think is happening:

1.)  I think we're seeing to a lesser extent what happened to muscle cars about 10 years ago.  Folks who always wanted one are getting in a position where they can afford a nice one or afford to restore one.

2.) OLSKOOL is cool again.  18-29 year olds who wouldn't dare to be seen on an old bike a few years ago like these now.  Cafe racers are gaining popularity.  Hondas are being used because they are cheap and available.

3.) Gas prices.  Any running motorcycle under $1000 get snapped up quick by someone wanting a commuter.  Hondas are being used because they are cheap and available.

[GroovieGhoulie]

Here's what I think is happening:

1.)  I think we're seeing to a lesser extent what happened to muscle cars about 10 years ago.  Folks who always wanted one are getting in a position where they can afford a nice one or afford to restore one.

And look at musclecar prices now.  Six and seven figures for some models.  THAT'S what I'm talking about happening to our bikes soon.  Especially since I want an early-style K0.

2.) OLSKOOL is cool again.  18-29 year olds who wouldn't dare to be seen on an old bike a few years ago like these now.  Cafe racers are gaining popularity.  Hondas are being used because they are cheap and available.

Let's hope that trend dies off before I go broke!!!!

3.) Gas prices.  Any running motorcycle under $1000 get snapped up quick by someone wanting a commuter.  Hondas are being used because they are cheap and available.

Cheap and available, not for long I fear!!!!

[andy750]

"I want two 750s, one to have as a stocker and one to cafe, and I really don't think I am going to be able to get them cheap.  And that pisses me off."

I have 3 - one is stock (K4; $1000 in 2003), one is a cafe (K2: $375 in 1999) and one is a trip bike (K4; 32,000 miles and counting: $800 off Ebay in 2001) .....

There are still deals to be had you just have to look locally (and not on Ebay where the whole world is watching!)

Cheers
Andy in Boston

[John C.]

CARPY NEEDS TO BE STOPPED!!!

I only say this because all his bikes look so much nicer then mine and we live in the same area code. 

Sorry Carpy. Keep up the good work!

[ProTeal55]

I paied just $800 for my 750 in perfect running shape.
These bikes are getting popular, which is good & bad.
Atleast I know when I wanna sell my bike I can get a pretty penny 4 it 

[tsflstb]

one more...

...the Internet.  Like somebody said, it's made everything available to everybody.  All the time.  And not just porn either.

Used to be you put an ad in the local paper for an old bike.  If there was nobody in a 20 mile radius looking for a bike like yours, and it wasn't a smokin' deal, you got no calls.  You drop the price until it gets some interest.

Sellers have incredible tools now.  I go on ebay about twice a week and type in CB400F.  Just looking for something I can't pass up.  There's about 3.2 million other schmucks like me doing the same thing, and everybody's idea of a good deal is different.  This drives up prices.

You may get lucky sometime.  I saw a guy get a set of NICE carbs, coils and a few other misc. parts for $3 a few weeks ago.  I didn't bid because I'd just bought some gummed up incomplete carbs for $50.  I figured the price would run up at the last minute anyway, but it didn't.  Just gotta be patient.

[Ted Nomura]

I was so fortunate that I bought all my 5 CB750s during the early 1990s when prices were still a bargain. But my first CB750 that I got for $700 is still my best, with mostly in stock condition and only needed to have the ignition switch moved back to the original position and get the right rear turn indicators which was lost when the original owner installed a luggage rack. The bike only had 16,000 miles on it. I got my next CB750, a more rare 1969 model for $800 but needed more work. I got the last three, originally for parts for $200 each since my last two didn't have original pipes. But thanks to ebay, I got most of the parts I needed to make it more stock, and more. I even got a spare engine for $20 so I'm planning to convert one with mostly damaged parts to look like the prototype version.

[6pkrunner]

I got back into bikes for the very reason the car parts went nuts. I was nito bikes and Mopars all my life. When I got married my wife got terrified of the bikes, so I concentrated on the cars. Well it went nuts up to 1990 when things "readjusted" for the better. Now its gone super nuts. Its to the point where it takes 4 didgts to get minor parts for these cars now. And for $1500 or so you get a part or two. Another $1500 and you can work for a night or two. Bodywork of $8,000-$10,000 is the norm and $15,000 to $18,000 is not unheard of.
I'd sooner be able to work in the garage on a daily basis. So I cacooned the cars and got back into the bikes. My last buy for $1350 gave me a year or more of playing.
I got an FJ100 10 years ago or so as a commuter bike and a water buffalo a few years ago as a minor restore, but its really only been the last year since I've started to collect SOHCs and enjoy playing with them.
And in that time the prices of the SOHCs and parts has increased noticeably.

[merc2dogs]

CARPY NEEDS TO BE STOPPED!!!

I only say this because all his bikes look so much nicer then mine and we live in the same area code. 

Sorry Carpy. Keep up the good work!

 Hey now! you're bike is almost identical to mine so you're cutting on mine too!
 seriously carpy does do up some good ones.
 
 I had the same thing happen with my cars, used to always build mustang 2's, because they were cheap and plentifull, looked good and didn't take a lot to make them mean, never paid more than $500 for one,  now they run $5-$8k.
  Most people look for cars/bikes that were popular right around the time they were getting their d-licenses when they get to the age that they can start having 'useless' toys sitting around.
 
  Never fear though, in a few years there'll be a huge glut of harleys and clones on the market when all the old guys buying them die off or get too old to ride and the markets stuffed with 'old guy' bikes and they're not in such demand, then they'll go through the same cycle as the old hondas, 30 years later they'll be collectors bikes again.

ken.

[heffay]

3 years ago i bought the 350f all cafe'd out and a parts bike 400f... 1500 dollars
last september i bought a 92 zx7r from the original owner in nearly mint condition... 1800 dollars

yes, i do believe the prices of the sohc fours will continue to climb.

let's just blame it on the suckers... perhaps i am one but, i do love my sohc4   

[jsaab2748]

I agree with you guys that say the market is going out of sight. E bay is a good thing, but can be a bad thing too. Let's hope that supply exceeds demand so it'll level off at some point.
And the more educated sohc owners become, the better. I think the market is mostly based on hype and illusion. Educated buyers won't get caught up in it, making hype and illusion
less of a tool to drive up prices. How rare are left side switch assys. for 750's? Looking on ebay sometimes, you'd think they were next to extinct. I got mine from bikebandit for 57.00 brand new. I could go on and on, but I'm sure you all get it, so thanks for reading my rambling

[Ernie]

more new buyers mean more new parts are wanted to fix em up, so price on parts will probably clime as well we need to start telling everyone sohc4's are junk so we can get parts cheaper

[Uncle Ernie]

I think retro in in. Anything that looks old is climbing.  GB500s are through the roof. W650s are climbing.  '70s Beemers are getting up there and /2s are (finally) getting high.  I suspect that several bikes are hoarded and that drives prices up, too.  For instance, that are a jillion Indians around, but several people have many stored.
BTW- I have never seen a 400 that looked and ran good go for anywhere near a dollar a cc.

[CaféElite]

Swap meets dear boys... I just picked up four 1975 CB550's for 500 dollars... three have titles, two run, one is seized and the other... well I have not dug into that one yet. In the end I keep one orig for daily driving, one I customize to my liking, one gets the race treatement if I have ever have the funds and the last well I have not thought that far.

One thing I have learned about fads is that no matter what you get into at some point it will be a fad. The real question is will you be there when the fad is gone?

[seabird]

Prices?  You want prices?  There's a '76 CB400F  (looks Exactly like mine) on EbayUK for a "Buy it Now" price of UK£5,999 (= USD$11,162.90,
and a "restored" powder coated Master Cylinder for a 400F just went for UK£101 (USD$187.94)

I guess at this rate, we'll all be changing over from the "Gold Standard" to the Honda SOHC4 Standard" before long!

[Raul CB750K1]

I read an spanish forum about popular cars and the discussion is everywhere the same. My impression is that there is no turning back; 70's bikes prices will never get cheaper. If you want bargains, start looking at 80's bikes; they will become desirable in 10 years.

Raul

[toycollector10]

Look at this ebay item and also, click on 'sellers other items'. This is the reality of the market at the moment. Safe riding boys!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4646930302&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

[Bob Wessner]

Wow, 743 orig. miles! That's the lowest I've seen so far. Wonder where it's been all this time, certainly not far from home. 

[6pkrunner]

Wow, 743 orig. miles! That's the lowest I've seen so far. Wonder where it's been all this time, certainly not far from home. 

Some people did know future collectibles when new. I know a guy who bought one of those Bandit Trans Ams in 1976. He drove it 11 miles from the dealer to his garage. It sits there yet still on blocks with 11 miles on it. Whether or not it pans out for him, unknown.

[robbiec]

Look at this ebay item and also, click on 'sellers other items'. This is the reality of the market at the moment. Safe riding boys!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4646930302&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

You think when you're asking over $10k for a reserve price, you might want to throw in a few more pictures than that? I mean, it's not like he's trying to sell off his old toaster or anything...

When I was trying to hunt down a CB over the past month, it was hard to justify passing up some nice early 80's bikes that were going for a song. In the end, of course, I made the right choice, but being able to bridge the gap in price helped a lot!  BTW the original asking price for my CB550K1 was $2500CDN, ~$2200USD...and that's in non-running condition.

I was pretty tempted to pick up a 1984 Honda CB750S that was going cheap though..

[byidesign]

Ya,all forgot one thing......
    Who is going to fix ,em up..
   most of the younger bikers, don't
  even  know what points are....cars or bikes....
     carbs.......He...Hee......
       and use a volt/ammeter...
         Patience...what's that...?
     
         you can/will always find something
      another forgot about, or cannot make run,
         I  Don't lose any sleep over it
                    Bruce

[turtle]

Good, original 70's bikes are starting to get expensive because they are getting older and scarcer (because people are chopping a lot of them, thereby reducing the pool of available bikes). We have one 70's bike and the rest are early '80s. The 80s bkes are still cheap because they are old, not yet really collectible and still good parts availability. Their turn will come.